Great Western Character Actors

[ken123]

[ Paul Fix in a number of John Wayne films, Hank Worden ditto,Harry Carey ( jr ), the same, Ben Johnson, Walter Brennan, Harry Morgan, Royal Dano[ ( an Abe Lincoln lookalike )Francis Ford, John's bearded brother. Fix was at his best in Shenendoah, a Civil War film starring Jimmy Strewart, Hank Worden in The Searchers, though I know many Western fans who dislike this portrayal asa mentally handicapped Indian, Carey( jr) & Johnson in Rio Grande & Wagon Master, Brennan was a very mean Old Man Clanton in Ford's My Darling Clementine, Morgan as Fonda's buddy in The Ox Bow Incident, Dano as a baddie or semi good guy in many films, and Francis Ford likewise in the Ox - Bow Incident as well.


For the females role Claire Trevor played a dance hall girl many times, but many times she was the leading lady, Marjorie Main in Honky Tonk,Una merkel in Desrty Rides Again, Mildred Natwick She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and Fort Apache, Irene Rich also in Fort Apache alone with Anna Lee, Jane Darwell Ox - Bow & Clementine.

[JackFavell]

Awwww. You took all the good ones.

Arthut Hunnicutt comes to mind..... and Uncle Joe, I mean Edgar Buchanan. I might also mention Alan Mowbray, whom I love seeing in westerns, because he always plays such grandly out of place characters. I adore him in Wagon Master, and in My Darling Clementine.

[movieman1957]

Jack Elam personified nastiness in most of his 1950s appearances. "Rawhide" is of particular note for his being evil.

[ken123]

Jack Elam personified nastiness in most of his 1950s appearances. "Rawhide" is of particular note for his being evil.

Yep, Jacl Elam was great was in Rawhide. This film raised my opinion of director Henry Hathaway. Why ? Cause he actually got a performance from High Marlowe, who is usually akin to watching wet paint dry.

[ken123]

The entire Ford stock company !

[Lzcutter]

Walter Brennan in Rio Bravo and Andy Devine (and his voice) in Stagecoach and Liberty Valance.

Probably more on TV than the movies, John McIntire and Jeanette Nolan.

I wish Clu Gulager had done more seasons on The Virginian because he was wonderful as Emmett Ryker. He was a good actor that never got the roles or acclaim he should have.

[ChiO]

Hoagy Carmichael in CANYON PASSAGE. A one-man Greek Chorus.

[Lzcutter]

Oh my gosh, how could I forget, Warren Oates, Strother Martin and LQ Jones!

[knitwit45]

wish Clu Gulager had done more seasons on The Virginian because he was wonderful as Emmett Ryker. He was a good actor that never got the roles or acclaim he should have.

me too, me too!!!!

[moira finnie]

Hoagy Carmichael in CANYON PASSAGE. A one-man Greek Chorus.

Wow, you're the only person I've ever run across who mentioned Hoagy in that movie.
I love the man in anything. He could say so much with just a raised eyebrow and a suspended finger hovering above a keyboard. And then there's his voice like a creaky old gate with a unique sound that means you're home.
[youtube][/youtube]

[JackFavell]

Oh man, I LOVE Hoagy. Loved your description of him, too, Moira.

[ChiO]

Moira wrote:

Wow, you're the only person I've ever run across who mentioned Hoagy in that movie.

While growing up 45 minutes from Bloomington, Indiana, my father pounded into me that Hoagy was the greatest songwriter in history. But in CANYON PASSAGE, without a piano, he moves the narrative and comments on it, remaining slyly neutral...and sings a swell song.

[SSO Admins]

My absolute favorite Walter Brennan performance (and one of my favorite performances ever, actually) was as Judge Roy Bean in "The Westerner." He absolutely ran away with that movie.

[JackFavell]

Oh, he is crazy good in The Westerner..... mean, ornery, cold blooded, yet sad and deluded...even needy at times. it's a great, great performance. I think it's his best.