Glenn Strange
Birthday: 1899-08-16
Deathday: 1973-09-20
Birthplace: Weed, New Mexico, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned
At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6' 5") beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. Of Irish and Cherokee Indian descent, he taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country.
Gunsmoke
Strange first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1960 after James Arness asked him, "When are you going to do a Gunsmoke? I like to work with big guys." During Gunsmoke's sixth season, Strange played a Long Branch customer in "Old Faces" and a cowboy in "Melinda Miles".
Strange began playing Sam Noonan during the seventh season and continued in the role for 222 episodes. In 1972 Strange was diagnosed with lung cancer but worked as long as he was able. Five of his episodes were broadcast after his death. His last appearance was on the November 26, 1973, episode "The Hanging of Newly O'Brien".
Death
On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Singer Eddie Dean, with whom Strange had collaborated on various songs and opening themes for films, sang at Strange's funeral service as a final tribute. Strange is interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. CLR
Credits
| Year | Title | Character | |
|---|---|---|---|
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1992-01-01 | Dracula in the Movies | |
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1963-01-01 | The Adventures of the Spirit | Frankenstein Monster |
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1959-07-29 | Last Train from Gun Hill | Gun Hill Bouncer |
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1959-03-20 | Alias Jesse James | James Gang Member |
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1958-04-27 | Quantrill's Raiders | Todd |
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1957-12-11 | Gunfire at Indian Gap | Matt |
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1957-07-16 | Last Stagecoach West | Sheriff |
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1957-05-30 | Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | Pierce Henchman in Saloon (uncredited) |
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1957-01-01 | The Halliday Brand | Townsman |
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1956-07-12 | The Fastest Gun Alive | Sheriff in Silver Rapids (uncredited) |
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1956-03-14 | Backlash | Milliken, Stage Driver (uncredited) |
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1955-11-17 | The Vanishing American | Beleanth |
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1955-06-15 | The Road to Denver | Big George |
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1955-04-11 | Marty | Bit Role (uncredited) |
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1954-11-18 | Cattle Queen of Montana | Indian Chief (uncredited) |
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1953-12-04 | Escape from Fort Bravo | Sergeant Compton (uncredited) |
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1953-12-04 | Escape from Fort Bravo | Sgt. Compton (uncredited) |
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1953-11-04 | Calamity Jane | Prospector (uncredited) |
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1953-10-06 | The Veils of Bagdad | Mik-Kel |
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1953-08-13 | Devil's Canyon | Marshal (uncredited) |
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1953-07-17 | The Great Sioux Uprising | Stand Watie |
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1953-03-15 | Born to the Saddle | Tom Roper |
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1952-12-28 | The Lawless Breed | Ben Hanley |
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1952-10-24 | The Lusty Men | Rig Ferris - Foreman (uncredited) |
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1952-07-06 | Wagons West | Marshal Jim |
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1952-01-01 | The Legend Of The Lone Ranger | Butch Cavendish |
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1951-11-15 | Callaway Went Thataway | Cowboy Actor on Saloon set (uncredited) |
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1951-10-05 | Texas Carnival | Tex Hodgkins |
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1951-09-27 | The Red Badge of Courage | Colonel (uncredited) |
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1951-07-26 | Comin' Round the Mountain | Devil Dan Winfield |
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1951-04-26 | Double Crossbones | Capt. Ben Avery |
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1950-05-01 | Comanche Territory | Big Joe |
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1949-11-27 | Master Minds | Atlas the Monster |
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1949-08-26 | Roll, Thunder, Roll! | Ace Hanlon |
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1949-03-25 | Rimfire | Curt Calvin |
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1948-12-03 | Disaster | Foreman Davis (uncredited) |
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1948-09-17 | Red River | Naylor (uncredited) |
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1948-08-03 | Four Faces West | Posse Deputy (uncredited) |
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1948-06-01 | Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein | The Monster |
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1948-05-24 | The Gallant Legion | Renegade |
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1947-10-08 | The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap | Lefty |
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1947-08-09 | Hollywood Wonderland | Singing Cowboy (clip from "Ride, Cowboy, Ride", 1939) (uncredited) |
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1947-04-25 | The Sea of Grass | Bill Roach - Brewton Ranch Hand (uncredited) |
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1947-01-13 | Sinbad the Sailor | Chief Galley Overseer (uncredited) |
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1946-02-01 | Up Goes Maisie | Cop (Uncredited) |
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1945-12-07 | House of Dracula | The Frankenstein Monster |
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1945-11-21 | Saratoga Trunk | Cowboy (uncredited) |
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1945-06-01 | Bad Men of the Border | Sheriff Peters |
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1945-06-01 | Renegades of the Rio Grande | Bart Drummond |
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1944-12-15 | House of Frankenstein | Frankenstein Monster |
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1944-12-01 | Harmony Trail | Marshal Taylor |
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1944-11-18 | Alaska | Miner |
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1944-08-18 | Trail to Gunsight | Duke Ellis, Gang Leader |
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1944-08-16 | San Antonio Kid | Frank 'Ace' Hanlon |
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1944-07-20 | Silver City Kid | Henchman Garvey |
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1944-06-23 | Forty Thieves | Ike Simmons |
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1944-06-10 | Sonora Stagecoach | Paul Kenton |
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1944-05-10 | The Contender | Biff Benham |
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1944-05-05 | Valley Of Vengeance | Barker |
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1944-04-15 | The Monster Maker | Giant |
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1944-03-17 | Knickerbocker Holiday | Big Muscle |
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1943-12-31 | The Woman of the Town | Walker |
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1943-12-03 | Death Valley Rangers | The Marshall |
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1943-11-05 | False Colors | Sonora |
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1943-10-29 | Bullets and Saddles | Jack Hammond |
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1943-10-26 | The Return of the Rangers | Frank Martin |
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1943-09-15 | Arizona Trail | Henchman Matt |
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1943-09-10 | The Kansan | 2nd Gate Guard |
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1943-08-27 | Black Market Rustlers | Corbin (as Glen Strange) |
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1943-08-16 | Cattle Stampede | Boss Coulter |
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1943-06-12 | Action in the North Atlantic | Jake (uncredited) |
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1943-05-31 | The Black Raven | Andy |
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1943-05-25 | The Desperadoes | Lem - Jack's Gang Member |
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1943-05-14 | Western Cyclone | Dirk Randall |
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1943-04-29 | Mission to Moscow | Southerner in Montage (uncredited) |
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1943-04-16 | Wild Horse Stampede | Henchman Tip |
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1943-02-19 | Haunted Ranch | Rance Austin |
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1943-01-27 | The Kid Rides Again | Tom Slade |
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1942-11-13 | Little Joe, the Wrangler | Banker Jeff Corey |
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1942-11-07 | Beyond the Line of Duty | Cal (uncredited) |
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1942-10-23 | The Mummy's Tomb | Farmer Holding Horse (uncredited) |
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1942-10-10 | Overland Stagecoach | Harlen Kent |
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1942-09-28 | Bandit Ranger | Frank Curtis |
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1942-06-12 | Texas Trouble Shooters | Roger Denby |
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1942-06-11 | The Spoilers | Deputy (uncredited) |
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1942-06-05 | Come on Danger | Henchman Sloan |
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1942-05-22 | Down Texas Way | Sheriff Trump |
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1942-05-18 | Romance on the Range | Lead Henchman Stokes |
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1942-05-15 | The Mad Monster | Petro |
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1942-04-24 | Rolling Down the Great Divide | Joe Duncan |
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1942-04-24 | Boot Hill Bandits | The Maverick |
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1942-04-01 | Sunset on the Desert | Deputy Louie Meade |
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1942-02-27 | Billy the Kid Trapped | Boss Stanton |
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1942-02-20 | Raiders of the West | Hank Reynolds |
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1942-02-13 | Stagecoach Buckaroo | Henchman Bill |
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1942-02-13 | Western Mail | Sheriff Big Bill Collins |
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1942-01-16 | The Lone Rider and the Bandit | Luke Miller |
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1941-12-12 | Dude Cowboy | Henchman Krinkle |
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1941-12-12 | Billy The Kid's Round-Up | Vic Landreau |
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1941-12-05 | Lone Star Law Men | Marshal Scott (as Glen Strange) |
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1941-11-27 | Go West, Young Lady | Townsman |
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1941-11-14 | Arizona Cyclone | Roy Jessup |
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1941-10-16 | The Driftin' Kid | Jeff Payson (as Glen Strange) |
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1941-10-10 | The Bandit Trail | Idaho |
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1941-10-03 | Billy the Kid Wanted | Matt Brawley |
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1941-09-15 | Westward Ho-Hum | |
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1941-09-15 | Badlands of Dakota | Bob Russell |
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1941-08-08 | Wide Open Town | Henchman Ed Stark |
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1941-07-30 | Fugitive Valley | Gray |
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1941-07-01 | Riders of Death Valley | Tex, a Benton Rider |
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1941-05-15 | Saddlemates | Little Bear |
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1941-02-10 | The Kid's Last Ride | Bart Gill / Ike Breeden |
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1940-12-25 | San Francisco Docks | Mike |
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1940-12-06 | The Fargo Kid | Sheriff Dave |
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1940-11-15 | Three Men from Texas | Stokes |
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1940-10-04 | Wagon Train | Stagecoach driver |
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1940-09-22 | Triple Justice | Frank Wiley |
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1940-09-13 | Wyoming | Bill Smalley - Henchman |
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1940-09-05 | The Cowboy from Sundown | Bret Stockton |
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1940-07-26 | Stage to Chino | Bill Hoagland |
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1940-05-09 | Land of the Six Guns | Manny |
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1940-04-21 | Pals of the Silver Sage | Vic Insley |
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1940-04-15 | Dark Command | Tough Yankee #1 |
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1940-04-10 | Covered Wagon Trails | Fletcher - Henchman |
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1940-03-02 | Rhythm of the Rio Grande | Sheriff Hays (as Glen Strange) |
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1940-02-21 | Teddy the Rough Rider | Jim Rawlins |
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1940-01-25 | Pioneer Days | Sheriff |
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1939-12-20 | Days of Jesse James | Cole Younger |
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1939-12-08 | The Llano Kid | Henderson |
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1939-11-16 | Overland Mail | Sheriff Dawson |
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1939-11-03 | Law of the Pampas | Slim Schultz |
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1939-09-08 | Range War | Sheriff |
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1939-08-24 | Oklahoma Terror | Ross Haddon |
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1939-08-08 | The Fighting Gringo | Rance Potter |
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1939-06-01 | Across the Plains | Jeff Masters |
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1939-05-03 | Blue Montana Skies | Bob Causer |
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1939-04-12 | The Night Riders | Angry Riverboat Gambler |
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1939-03-13 | Rough Riders' Round-up | Boggs |
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1939-02-25 | The Lone Ranger Rides Again | Raider Thorne |
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1939-02-24 | Sunset Trail | Bouncer |
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1939-02-10 | The Phantom Stage | Sheriff |
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1939-01-20 | Arizona Legion | George Kirby |
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1939-01-13 | Honor of the West | Bat Morrison |
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1938-12-16 | Ghost Town Riders | Tex - Henchman |
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1938-12-15 | California Frontier | Blackie |
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1938-11-16 | Gun Packer | Sheriff |
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1938-10-21 | Guilty Trails | Sheriff |
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1938-09-21 | The Mysterious Rider | Henchman Cramer |
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1938-09-16 | Black Bandit | |
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1938-09-13 | The Mexicali Kid | Foreman Jed |
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1938-09-09 | In Old Mexico | Burke |
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1938-07-07 | Pride of the West | Saunders |
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1938-05-20 | Six Shootin' Sheriff | Kendal Henchman |
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1938-05-13 | Air Devils | Messenger |
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1938-04-29 | Whirlwind Horseman | Henchman Bull |
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1938-04-12 | Call of the Rockies | Henchman Kelso |
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1938-04-01 | The Last Stand | |
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1938-03-18 | State Police | Henchman |
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1938-02-25 | Border Wolves | Deputy Joe O'Connell |
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1938-02-16 | The Painted Trail | Sheriff Ed |
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1938-01-08 | The Spy Ring | The 'Champ' (uncredited) |
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1937-12-05 | Adventure's End | Barzeck |
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1937-08-14 | The Devil's Saddle Legion | Pewee |
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1937-07-10 | Empty Holsters | Tex Roberts |
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1937-06-12 | Blazing Sixes | Peewee |
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1937-05-15 | The Cherokee Strip | Harry, Fiddle Player and Band Leader |
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1937-03-13 | Land Beyond the Law | Bandy Malarkey |
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1937-01-30 | Arizona Days | Henchman Pete |
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1936-12-28 | Guns of the Pecos | Wedding Groom / Rustler |
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1936-11-14 | California Mail | Henchman Bud |
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1936-10-31 | The Sunday Round-Up | Master of Ceremonies |
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1936-10-19 | The Fugitive Sheriff | Trial Spectator (uncredited) |
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1936-10-15 | A Tenderfoot Goes West | Prankster Butch |
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1936-09-04 | Trailin' West | Henchman Tim / Trooper (uncredited) |
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1936-05-08 | Avenging Waters | Henchman Jake |
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1936-04-06 | Flash Gordon | Gocko/Robot/Soldier |
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1935-12-01 | The Law of 45's | Monte |
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1935-11-04 | Lawless Range | Burn's Henchman |
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1935-11-02 | Moonlight on the Prairie | Stew-Bum |
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1935-10-25 | The New Frontier | Norton |
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1935-10-21 | Stormy | Arizona Wranglers Band Member 'Peewee' Strange (uncredited) |
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1935-08-19 | Westward Ho | Carter |
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1935-04-03 | Cyclone of the Saddle | Singer / Fiddler / Townsman |
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1934-08-28 | The Man from Hell | Singer |
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1934-07-30 | The Star Packer | Loco Frank |
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1933-04-30 | The Thrill Hunter | Studio Western Cowboy |
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1932-08-27 | Ride Him, Cowboy | Hawk Henchman (uncredited) |
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1932-08-01 | The Hurricane Express | Jim |
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1931-11-15 | Cavalier of the West | Trooper |
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1931-10-14 | The Range Feud | |
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1931-08-02 | Wild Horse | Cowboy Who Refuses to Ride |