Barton MacLane
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 25, 1902
- Died
- January 1, 1969 (aged 66)
- Birthplace
- Columbia, South Carolina, USA
Biography
Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian. After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers. Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Bogart: The Untold Story
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
It's Showtime
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Arizona Bushwhackers
Movie · as Sheriff Grover
Buckskin
Movie · as Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond
Hondo
TV · 1 ep
The Monkees
TV · as Bart · 1 ep
The Rounders
Movie · as Tanner
Town Tamer
Movie · as James Fell
I Dream of Jeannie
TV · as General Peterson · 35 eps
Law of the Lawless
Movie · as Big Tom Stone
The Munsters
TV · 1 ep
Pocketful of Miracles
Movie · as Police Commissioner
Gunfighters of Abilene
Movie · as Seth
Noose for a Gunman
Movie · as Carl Avery
Outlaws
TV · as Marshal Frank Caine · 26 eps
Tightrope
TV · 1 ep
Black Saddle
TV · as General Fowler · 1 ep
The Geisha Boy
Movie · as Major Ridgley
Girl on the Run
Movie · as Francis J. Brannigan
Frontier Gun
Movie · as Simon Crayle
Girl in the Woods
Movie · as Big Jim
77 Sunset Strip
TV · 1 ep
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
TV · 2 eps
Hell's Crossroads
Movie · as Clyde O'Connell
Naked In The Sun
Movie · as Wilson
Sierra Stranger
Movie · as Lem Gotch
Perry Mason
TV · as Senator Harriman Baylor, Sheriff Eugene Norris, Harold Minter, Archer Osmond · 1 ep
Backlash
Movie · as Sergeant George Lake
The Man Is Armed
Movie · as Det. Lt. Dan Coster
Wetbacks
Movie · as Karl Shanks
Naked Gun
Movie · as Joe Barnum
Jaguar
Movie · as Steve Bailey
Three Violent People
Movie · as Yates
Wire Service
TV · as Gen. Bailey · 1 ep
Telephone Time
TV · 1 ep
Conflict
TV · as Charlie Ringle · 1 ep
Foxfire
Movie · as Jim Mablett
Treasure of Ruby Hills
Movie · as Chalk Reynolds
Jail Busters
Movie · as Captain Jenkins
The Silver Star
Movie · as Henry 'Tiny' Longtree
Last of the Desperados
Movie · as Mosby, Gang Leader
Cheyenne
TV · 1 ep
Gunsmoke
TV · as Herkimer Crawford, Willard Kerner · 1 ep
The Glenn Miller Story
Movie · as General Arnold
Rails Into Laramie
Movie · as Lee Graham
Hell's Outpost
Movie · as Sheriff Olson
Jubilee Trail
Movie · as Deacon Bartlett
The Whistler
TV · 1 ep
Studio 57
TV · 1 ep
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV · as Rawls Kettrick · 2 eps
Kansas Pacific
Movie · as Cal Bruce
Jack Slade
Movie · as Jules Reni
Captain Scarface
Movie · as Captain Scarface
Cow Country
Movie · as Marvin Parker
Sea of Lost Ships
Movie · as Capt. Jack Matthews
Bugles in the Afternoon
Movie · as Capt. Myles Moylan
The Half-Breed
Movie · as Marshal Cassidy
Thunderbirds
Movie · as Sgt. Durkee
Four Star Playhouse
TV · as Capt. Webber, Milo · 1 ep
Drums in the Deep South
Movie · as Sgt. Mac McCardle
Best of the Badmen
Movie · as Joad
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Chief Brooks · 1 ep
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Movie · as Lieutenant John Reece
The Bandit Queen
Movie · as Sheriff Jim Harden
Let's Dance
Movie · as Larry Channock
Rookie Fireman
Movie · as Captain Jess Henshaw
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Steve, Marvin Platt · 1 ep
Red Light
Movie · as Detective Strecker
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Movie · as Pat McCormick
The Walls of Jericho
Movie · as Rufus J. "Gotch" McCurdy
Unknown Island
Movie · as Capt. Tarnowski
Angel in Exile
Movie · as Max Giorgio
Relentless
Movie · as Tex Brandow
The Dude Goes West
Movie · as Texas Jack Barton
Silver River
Movie · as 'Banjo' Sweeney
Tarzan and the Huntress
Movie · as Paul Weir
Cheyenne
Movie · as Webb Yancey
Jungle Flight
Movie · as Case Hagin
Mysterious Intruder
Movie · as Detective Taggart
San Quentin
Movie · as Nick Taylor
Santa Fe Uprising
Movie · as Crawford
Scared Stiff
Movie · as George 'Deacon' Markham
Tarzan and the Amazons
Movie · as Ballister
The Spanish Main
Movie · as Capt. Benjamin Black
Nabonga
Movie · as Carl Hurst
Cry of the Werewolf
Movie · as Lt. Barry Lane
The Mummy's Ghost
Movie · as Inspector Walgreen
Secret Command
Movie · as Red Kelly
Marine Raiders
Movie · as Sgt. Maguire
Gentle Annie
Movie · as Sheriff Tatum
Man of Courage
Movie · as John Wallace
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
Movie · as Detective Rief
Song of Texas
Movie · as Jim Calvert
The Underdog
Movie · as John Tate
Bombardier
Movie · as Archie Dixon
All Through the Night
Movie · as Marty Callahan
The Big Street
Movie · as Case Ables
Highways by Night
Movie · as Leo Bronson
The Maltese Falcon
Movie · as Lt. of Detectives Dundy
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Movie · as Sam Higgins
Manpower
Movie · as Smiley Quinn
Come Live with Me
Movie · as Barney Grogan
High Sierra
Movie · as Jake Kranmer
Western Union
Movie · as Jack Slade
Barnacle Bill
Movie · as John Kelly
Wild Geese Calling
Movie · as Pirate Kelly
Hit the Road
Movie · as James J. Ryan
The Secret Seven
Movie · as Sam O'Donnell
Men Without Souls
Movie · as Blackie Drew
Melody Ranch
Movie · as Mark Wildhack
Gangs of Chicago
Movie · as Jim Ramsey
Stand Up and Fight
Movie · as Crowder
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
Movie · as Det. Lt. Steve 'Mac' McBride
Torchy Runs for Mayor
Movie · as Steve McBride
Mutiny in the Big House
Movie · as Red Manson
I Was a Convict
Movie · as Ace King
Big Town Czar
Movie · as Phil Daley
Breakdowns of 1939
Movie · as Self
You and Me
Movie · as Mickey
Blondes at Work
Movie · as Lt. Steve McBride
Torchy Gets Her Man
Movie · as Detective Steve McBride
Prison Break
Movie · as Joaquin Shannon
Gold Is Where You Find It
Movie · as Slag Martin
The Kid Comes Back
Movie · as Gunner Malone
The Storm
Movie · as Captain Cogswell
The Prince and the Pauper
Movie · as John Canty
San Quentin
Movie · as Lt. Druggin
You Only Live Once
Movie · as Stephen Whitney
Smart Blonde
Movie · as Steve McBride
God's Country and the Woman
Movie · as Bullhead
Fly Away Baby
Movie · as Steve McBride
The Adventurous Blonde
Movie · as Det. Lt. Steve McBride
Wine, Women and Horses
Movie · as Jim Turner
Born Reckless
Movie · as Jim Barnes
Ever Since Eve
Movie · as Al McCoy
Draegerman Courage
Movie · as Andrew Beaupre
Breakdowns of 1937
Movie · as Self
The Walking Dead
Movie · as Loder
Bullets or Ballots
Movie · as Al Kruger
Times Square Playboy
Movie · as Casey (Vic's Butler/Trainer)
Ceiling Zero
Movie · as Al Stone
Bengal Tiger
Movie · as Cliff Ballenger
Jailbreak
Movie · as Detective Captain Rourke
Breakdowns of 1936
Movie · as Self
Black Fury
Movie · as McGee
The Case of the Lucky Legs
Movie · as Bisonette
Frisco Kid
Movie · as Spider Burke
Stranded
Movie · as Sharkey
Page Miss Glory
Movie · as Blackie
Go Into Your Dance
Movie · as Duke Hutchinson
Dr. Socrates
Movie · as Red Bastian
I Found Stella Parish
Movie · as Clifton Jeffords
The Case of the Curious Bride
Movie · as Detective Lucas
'G' Men
Movie · as Collins
Man of Iron
Movie · as Chris Bennett
A Dream Comes True
Movie · as Himself (uncredited)
The Last Round-up
Movie · as Charley Benson
All of Me
Movie · as First Cop (uncredited)
Lone Cowboy
Movie · as Policeman Baxter
Tillie and Gus
Movie · as Commissioner McLennan
Buffalo Stampede
Movie · as Henchman Pruitt
To the Last Man
Movie · as Neil Stanley
Man of the Forest
Movie · as Mulvey
Let's Dance
Movie
Big Executive
Movie · as Harry the Guide
The Acid Test
Movie
Naughty-Cal
Movie · as Sailor
His Woman
Movie · as Crewman
Crimes Square
Movie · as Detective with Handcuffs
The Gigolo Racket
Movie · as Cafe Customer
Politics
Movie
The Cocoanuts
Movie · as Bather
The Quarterback
Movie · as Football Player (uncredited)