Gloria Grahame
(1923 - 1981)| She always played the Vixen or the "Other Woman"...the girl from the 'wrong side of the tracks" but she played them well. Born Gloria Grahame Hallward in Los Angeles, California on November 28, 1923 t ...Click on photo to read biography |
Marjorie Main
(1890 - 1975)| Although she started out playing upper class, dowager types, somehow Marjorie Main got typecast into playing abrasive, salty, domineering women. Born Mary Tomlinson on February 24, 1890 in Acton, Indi ...Click on photo to read biography |
Laurence Naismith
(1908 - 1992)| Although he was best suited for costume dramas and epics, he was adept at all types of roles. Born Lawrence Johnson on December 14, 1908 in Surrey, England, he first appeared on stage at the age of 18 ...Click on photo to read biography |
Victor Buono
(1938 - 1982)| In spite of the fact that he played extremely menacing villains, Victor Buono was a gentle, kindly soul. Born in San Diego, California on February 3, 1938 he began acting in stock companies and on tel ...Click on photo to read biography |
C.Aubrey Smith
(1863 - 1948)| If there was a title for the Grand Old Man of the movies, it would have to go to C. Aubrey Smith. Born July 21, 1863 in London, England and educated at Cambridge University, he was also a member of En ...Click on photo to read biography |
Whit Bissell
(1909 - 1996)| No actor ever had a more impressive list of film credits than the prolific actor Whit Bissell. Born Whitner Nutting Bissell in New York City on October 25, 1909, the second of five children, to Dr. Ja ...Click on photo to read biography |
Harry Andrews
(1911 - 1989)| This lantern-jawed, rugged looking actor was a very familiar face, especially in the British cinema. Born in Tonbridge, England on November 10, 1911, he made his stage debut in Liverpool in 1933. Afte ...Click on photo to read biography |
Reggie Nalder
(1911 - 1991)| One of the scariest, creepiest looking villains in film history began his career in Austria and Germany. Born Alfred Reginald Natzler on September 4, 1911 in Vienna, Austria, very little is known of t ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ronald Fraser
(1930 - 1997)| One of my real favorites is an actor who most often plays a soldier or military type. It was his role as the cowardly sergeant in "The Flight of the Phoenix", among a topnotch cast, that stood out. Ro ...Click on photo to read biography |
Charles Lane
(1905 - 2007)| Not only is he one of the most prolific actors in the history of entertainment, but he is also one of the most recognizable actors ever, yet few people know his name. A lean man with plain but handsom ...Click on photo to read biography |
Margaret Wycherly
(1881 - 1956)| She often played the haggard but warmhearted mother in films. Born October 26, 1881 in London, England, she was yet another actor who began on the stage in her teens and graduated to the Theatre. Her ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ned Glass
(1906 - 1984)| Nervous, timid, fidgety, sniveling, weasely, cowardly...all terms to describe the various characters that Ned Glass often portrayed. Short, balding and slouchy with a built in worrisome look and perpe ...Click on photo to read biography |
Butterfly McQueen
(1911 - 1995)| She will always be remembered for one role and, in some ways, as a stereotypical black actress but she was a talented actress. Born Thelma McQueen January 8, 1911 in Tampa, Florida, the daughter of a ...Click on photo to read biography |
Robert Middleton
(1911 - 1977)| No actor could play a menacing a villain better than Robert Middleton. He was a brute of a figure with evil eyes and a huge girth perfect for villainous character roles. Surprisingly though, in every ...Click on photo to read biography |
Charles Middleton
(1874 - 1949)| Another Middleton who played villains with panache and style was Charles Middleton...no relation to Robert. Tall, lean, lanky with a bony face, evil eyes and a deep, hollow sounding voice, he was a na ...Click on photo to read biography |
H.B. Warner
(1876 - 1958)| In the case of most of these fabulous character actors it is one or more movies in which they shined that impressed me. In the case of H. B. Warner it was the very touching scene ...Click on photo to read biography |
Selena Royle
(1904 - 1983)| In the very fine film classic "The Fighting Sullivans" (1944) Selena Royle created a memorable role as Mrs. Sullivan the mother of the five men lost at sea in World War II. Born November 6, 1904 in Ne ...Click on photo to read biography |
Aline MacMahon
(1899 - 1991)| Her sweet looks were more memorable than most of her roles with her sleepy eyes and almost sad face. Born May 3, 1899 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania her family moved to New York when she was a small chil ...Click on photo to read biography |
Chill Wills
(1903 - 1978)| Chill Wills was a multi-talented actor with an abundance of credits. Born Chill Theodore Wills on July 18, 1903 in Seagoville, Texas and named jokingly for the weather, he began entertaining in early ...Click on photo to read biography |
Donald McBride
(1889 - 1957)| He was most often seen as a cop or detective in films. With his square jaw, intense eyes, sharp features, including a sort of built-in sneer and gruff voice, he was perfect in these tough guy roles. M ...Click on photo to read biography |
James Gleason
(1882 - 1959)| One of the most recognizable and popular of the old character actors was James Gleason, often affectionately called Jimmy Gleason. With his New York accent, lean and wiry physique and wisecracking sty ...Click on photo to read biography |
Louise Beavers
(1902 - 1962)| She had such a kind looking face and sweet disposition that viewers felt a "connection" with her, almost as if she were family. She added a humanity to stereotypical roles that almost broke down racia ...Click on photo to read biography |
Bernard Gorcey
(1886 - 1955)| When I was a kid there was a grocer across the street that looked and sounded exactly like Bernard Gorcey...and his name was Louie! Why is this unusual? Because Bernard Gorcey was famous for playing t ...Click on photo to read biography |
Jay Silverheels
(1917 - 1980)| One of the most beloved and popular Amer-Indian actors ever was the charismatic Jay Silverheels. He was born Harold Jay Smith Silverheels on May 26, 1912 in the Six Nations Indian Reservation in Brant ...Click on photo to read biography |
Benson Fong
(1916 - 1987)| In most of his films, Benson Fong played the kindly, well-mannered Oriental. He was born October 10, 1916 in Sacramento, California the son of a successful Chinese American businessman. He went to Chi ...Click on photo to read biography |
Bernard Fox
(1927 - )| Bernard Fox was one of a few "stock actors" on television of British descent. When Television needed an Englishman, often they called on Mr. Fox. He was born in the town of Portalbot, South Wales, Uni ...Click on photo to read biography |
Eileen Heckart
(1919 - 2001)| Eileen Heckart was primarily a stage actress but her television and film work is most impressive. Proof of that is her familiarity to television viewers. Basically she was quite plain looking, but her ...Click on photo to read biography |
Donald Crisp
(1880 - 1974)| Donald Crisp was the quintessential Scotsman. Contrary to the usual dour Scot, he most often played loving, admirable characters. With his cherubic face, rosy cheeks, white curly hair and smiling eyes ...Click on photo to read biography |
Charles King
(1895 - 1957)| Being a "War Baby" and one of the first generations raised during the new medium of television in its early days, we got to see a lot of the films of the 1930s & 1940s on TV. On Saturday mornings it w ...Click on photo to read biography |
Emile Meyer
(1910 - 1987)| He was one of the great tough guy character actors. Emile Meyer was born on August 18, 1910 in New Orleans, Louisiana and worked as a longshoreman, paymaster, trucker, insurance salesman, cab driver a ...Click on photo to read biography |
Eddie Mayehoff
(1911 - 1992)| Although his film career was very brief, the roles he played were unforgettably excellent. Eddie Mayehoff was born July 7, 1911 in Baltimore, Maryland the son of a Ukrainian clothing manufacturer. He ...Click on photo to read biography |
Anne Revere
(1903 - 1990)| Anne Revere's forte was the portrayal of mothers and she had a soothing and comforting, motherly presence. In fact, she reminded me much of my own mother. She was born in New York City on June 25, 190 ...Click on photo to read biography |
Dame.Margaret Rutherford
(1892 - 1972)| So many superlatives come to mind in describing Margaret Rutherford... delightful, sweet, grandmotherly, huggable, charming, endearing and so on. She was born May 11, 1892 in Balham, London, England t ...Click on photo to read biography |
Raymond Hatton
(1887 - 1971)| Although he was an extremely versatile actor, Raymond Hatton will probably always be remembered as a cowboy sidekick. He was short, stocky and burly looking with a homespun demeanor and a slightly gra ...Click on photo to read biography |
Edgar Buchanan
(1903 - 1979)| One of the most recognizable, distinctive voices in movie history belonged to Edgar Buchanan. It was as gravelly as a voice can get. I'm proud to say that on some days I can do an almost perfect vocal ...Click on photo to read biography |
James Gregory
(1911 - 2002)| James Gregory is a great character actor but his work as Inspector Luger on the "Barney Miller" TV series (1975-82) was his masterwork. Of medium build with brown wavy hair, a rubbery face and a moani ...Click on photo to read biography |
Franklin Pangborn
(1893 - 1958)| He was an original, one of a kind and was one of the masters of the 'double take.' He was a fixture in many films of the 1930s and 40s. Born in Newark, New Jersey on January 23, 1893, little is known ...Click on photo to read biography |
Sir.Cedric Hardwicke
(1893 - 1964)| In today's vernacular he would be called a "classy dude." To be sure, Sir Cedric was a sophisticated, debonair gentleman and that came across in his portrayals and film roles. Even though he most ofte ...Click on photo to read biography |
Hope Summers
(1902 - 1979)| Hope Summers excelled at playing the friend or neighborly type character. She had a folksy charm about her persona. She was born in Mattoon, Illinois on June 7, 1902. Little is known of her early year ...Click on photo to read biography |
Thelma Ritter
(1905 - 1969)| Irascible, persnickety, hard-boiled, outspoken, cynical and wisecracking...all terms used to describe the type roles that Thelma Ritter played. Her small frame was no deterrent as her personality and ...Click on photo to read biography |
Reginald Denny
(1891 - 1967)| I've always been confused by the 'three Reginalds'...Denny, Gardiner and Owen, so I decided to list them together in order to clear up some of the confusion. Reginald Denny was a debonair, suave and s ...Click on photo to read biography |
Reginald Gardiner
(1903 - 1980)| The fact that Reginald Gardiner is similar in appearance to Reginald Denny only adds to the confusion and they both played similar type roles as dapper sophisticates. He was born William Reginald Gard ...Click on photo to read biography |
Reginald Owen
(1887 - 1972)| The third Reginald was, at least, different in looks from the others. Reginald Owen was also a little more diverse in the types of roles he played. He was born John Reginald Owen on August 5, 1887. Ag ...Click on photo to read biography |
Burt Mustin
(1882 - 1977)| Anyone who ever saw Burt Mustin at work definitely remembers him. He had the look of a baby bird just hatched out of its egg. He was born Burton H. Mustin in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 8, 18 ...Click on photo to read biography |
Mary Gordon
(1882 - 1963)| Whenever there was a need for an innkeeper, landlady, housekeeper or motherly type in the 1930s & 40s they would call on little Mary Gordon. A diminutive lady with a stocky girth, a plain, but interes ...Click on photo to read biography |
Sid Tomack
(1907 - 1962)| He was one of a number of stock villains in the gallery of badguys and gangsters. He most often played a contemporary gangster or henchman in a gang or mob. He was born on September 8, 1907 in Brookly ...Click on photo to read biography |
Edmund Gwenn
(1875 - 1959)| One of the better known and most successful character actors ever, he was a magnificent screen presence with his stocky physique, twinkling eyes and kindly demeanor, not to mention his smooth and soot ...Click on photo to read biography |
Hugh Griffith
(1912 - 1980)| Hugh Griffith was almost a "chameleon-like" actor but his intense look, deep dark eyes and bushy eyebrows often gave him away. He was born in Angelsey, North Wales on May 30, 1912. He originally worke ...Click on photo to read biography |
Robert Morley
(1908 - 1992)| Robert Morley was one of those actors who tread the line between lead and supporting or character roles..."on the cusp" we call them. Large and rotund of girth with a very mellow voice and upper-class ...Click on photo to read biography |
Mildred Dunnock
(1901 - 1991)| She was such a sweet looking lady and that is the type she usually played sweet spinsters or widows, sympathetic wives or oddly eccentric characters, but she could put a "bite" in a role if necessary. ...Click on photo to read biography |
Mildred Natwick
(1908 - 1994)| The other Mildred had much in common with Ms. Dunnock, they were born in the same city, both had extensive Broadway stage experience, both played somewhat similar type roles. Mildred Natwick was born ...Click on photo to read biography |
George Cleveland
(1886 - 1957)| He is probably best remembered for his television work as Gramps on the series "Lassie" even though he appeared in over 150 films of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was born on September 17, 1886 at Sy ...Click on photo to read biography |
William Demarest
(1892 - 1983)| Cantankerous, cranky, acerbic, grouchy, irritable, gruff but ultimately lovable and kindly..all terms used to describe the type of character William Demarest was adept at portraying. Born on February ...Click on photo to read biography |
Denholm Elliott
(1922 - 1992)| It's quite difficult to categorize Denholm Elliott except to say that he was a "scene stealer." He could play alcoholics, professors, clerics, soldiers, butlers and just about everything else. He was ...Click on photo to read biography |
Morgan Woodward
(1925 - )| He always had a different look, sometimes a scraggly beard, sometimes a clean shaven face, sometimes a sleek mustache, sometimes stubble but he could never hide his grumbling, growl of a voice. Born T ...Click on photo to read biography |
R.Lee Ermey
(1944 - )| He was the epitome of the tough, no-nonsense drill sergeant and for good reason, he was an ex-marine. He was born Ronald Lee Ermey March 24, 1944 in Emporia, Kansas. He was a care ...Click on photo to read biography |
G.D. Spradlin
(1920 - )| Similar in type to R. Lee Ermey, G. D. Spradlin was also a brilliant character actor who created many memorable roles. He was born August 31, 1920 in Daylight Township, Oklahoma and grew up there. He ...Click on photo to read biography |
Alice Ghostley
(1926 - 2007)| She often played shy, dizzy, confused or flustered spinster or motherly types. She was born August 14, 1926 in the small town of Eve, Missouri where her father was a telegrapher. As a child she lived ...Click on photo to read biography |
Gale Sondergaard
(1899 - 1985)| Sly, seductive, manipulative, malevolent, cunning and sinister, all adjectives describing the types played with precision by this great character actress. Her exotic, darkly attractive looks and volup ...Click on photo to read biography |
John Qualen
(1899 - 1987)| He was Hollywood's stock Scandinavian character actor but could also play just about any other ethnic type imaginable. He was born Johan Mandt Kvalen in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 8, 1899 ...Click on photo to read biography |
Ernest Truex
(1890 - 1973)| Although he's best remembered as playing "the boss", he often played timid, mild-mannered, henpecked and grandfatherly types. He was a small but dapper man and his meticulous mustache and velvety, nas ...Click on photo to read biography |
Thomas Mitchell
(1892 - 1962)| One of the most popular character actors ever, he most often played beloved, loyal, dependable type characters. His Irish charm, twinkling eyes and teddy bear demeanor made him a favorite. He was born ...Click on photo to read biography |
William Frawley
(1887 - 1966)| He made the gruff but lovable character into an art form in movies and on TV. Round and burly looking with a bald dome, very expressive eyes and a raspy voice, his career began in the silent film era ...Click on photo to read biography |
Judith Lowry
(1890 - 1976)| She began her acting career in 1913 but later interrupted it for 30 years to raise her nine children. Her second career was an absolute qualified success as she was a gem of the acting world in her tw ...Click on photo to read biography |
Henry Brandon
(1912 - 1990)| He could play an Indian, a Chinese, an Arab, a German or anything in between. He was born Heinrich von Kleinbach in Berlin, Germany on June 8, 1912 and his parents migrated to the U.S. when he was an ...Click on photo to read biography |
Herbert Mundin
(1898 - 1939)| Shown here in a scene from "Tarzan Escapes" where he "stole" the film from a terrific cast, is the wonderful "scene stealer" Herbert Mundin. Born in Lancashire, England on August 21, 1898 the son of a ...Click on photo to read biography |
Mary Wickes
(1910 - 1995)| Sassy, tough, acerbic, wisecracking but always lovable, she was one of the most popular character actresses ever. She was born Mary Isabelle Wickenhauser on June 13, 1910 in St. Louis, Missouri she at ...Click on photo to read biography |
Anthony Caruso
(1916 - 2003)| He was the typical Italian gangster in early films; stocky, dark and ruggedly handsome. Later he played more diverse roles as other ethnic types: Indians, Mexicans, Hindus, Arabs, etc. His winning smi ...Click on photo to read biography |
Henry Silva
(1928 - )| With his small beady eyes, dark complexion, high cheekbones and menacing grimace he was one of the scarier and most recognizable of film villains. He was most often cast as a renegade Indian, mobster, ...Click on photo to read biography |
Anthony Zerbe
(1936 - )| He is one of the most recognizable actors in films and television as well as one of the most versatile. While he could play a cunning villain, he was also adept at playing sidekicks and heroic types. ...Click on photo to read biography |
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