Harry Shannon
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 12, 1890
- Died
- July 27, 1964 (aged 74)
- Birthplace
- Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Biography
Born and raised on a farm in Michigan in 1890, Irish-American character actor Harry Shannon had the credentials for becoming a staple player in westerns. He started off his career traveling around with repertory and stock companies and developed his musical abilities in tent shows, burlesque houses and such tuneful Broadway shows as "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Hold Everything" (1928), "Simple Simon" (1931), and "Pardon My English" (1933). A company member of Joseph Schildkraut's Hollywood Theater Guild, Shannon broke into films at the advent of sound and started things off in comedy film shorts opposite such celebrated players as Bert Lahr, Shemp Howard, and Leon Errol. In the 1940s Shannon established himself in feature-length movies and although he remained a minor, second-string player, he proved himself a durable presence in westerns usually remaining on the good side of the law as sheriffs and bucolic dads. In lighthearted entertainment he could be found as a friendly Irish cop or bartender. He made a slight but memorable impression as Kane's alcoholic father in the classic Citizen Kane (1941), while his last role would be as the grandfather in the musical Gypsy (1962). In between were small parts in such notable films as The Fighting Sullivans (1944), The Jolson Story (1946), High Noon (1952), Touch of Evil (1958), and The Buccaneer (1958). 1950s TV westerns such as Cheyenne (1955), Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), and Gunsmoke (1955) made consistent use of his rustic demeanor. Shannon died in 1964 at age 74.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
The World of Tomorrow
Movie · as Pop Middleton (archive footage)
The Dakotas
TV · 1 ep
Gypsy
Movie · as Grandpa
The Virginian
TV · as Uncle Josh · 1 ep
Wild in the Country
Movie · as Sam Tyler (uncredited)
Summer and Smoke
Movie · as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
Angel
TV · 1 ep
Yellowstone Kelly
Movie · as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
Rawhide
TV · as Claggert, Kilo, Sheriff Blanton, Jeffries · 1 ep
Lock-Up
TV · 1 ep
The Untouchables
TV · as Michael Shaw · 1 ep
Touch of Evil
Movie · as Chief Gould
Man or Gun
Movie · as Justin Corley
The Buccaneer
Movie · as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
Bat Masterson
TV · as Jobe Crail · 1 ep
The Texan
TV · as Jayson Howell · 1 ep
The Lonely Man
Movie · as Dr. Fisher
Hell's Crossroads
Movie · as Clay Ford
Duel at Apache Wells
Movie · as Wayne Shattuck
The Travellers
Movie
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV · as Jesse · 2 eps
The Thin Man
TV · 1 ep
The Real McCoys
TV · 1 ep
Sugarfoot
TV · as Henry Shipman · 1 ep
26 Men
TV · 2 eps
Written on the Wind
Movie · as Hoak Wayne
Come Next Spring
Movie · as Mr. Totter
The Peacemaker
Movie · as Drunken Cowpuncher
Wire Service
TV · as Harris Ellerby · 1 ep
State Trooper
TV · 1 ep
At Gunpoint
Movie · as Marshal Pete MacKay
The Marauders
Movie · as John Rutherford
The Violent Men
Movie · as Purdue
The Tall Men
Movie · as Sam
Cheyenne
TV · 2 eps
Gunsmoke
TV · as Bowers · 1 ep
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV · as Dr. Harner · 1 ep
The Millionaire
TV · as Judge William Jennings Westholme · 1 ep
Navy Log
TV · 1 ep
Crossroads
TV · as Detective Sergeant Dave Washburn · 1 ep
Witness to Murder
Movie · as Captain Donnelly
Rails Into Laramie
Movie · as Judge Pierce
Phantom Stallion
Movie · as Michael Reilly
Executive Suite
Movie · as Ed Benedeck
Lassie
TV · 2 eps
Cry of the Hunted
Movie · as Sheriff Brown
Kansas Pacific
Movie · as Smokestack the Train Engineer
Jack Slade
Movie · as Tom Carter
Roar of the Crowd
Movie · as Sam 'Pop' Tracy
The Man Behind the Badge
TV · 1 ep
Letter to Loretta
TV · as Tom · 1 ep
High Noon
Movie · as Cooper
Flesh and Fury
Movie · as Mike Callan
Lure of the Wilderness
Movie · as Pat McGowan
Boots Malone
Movie · as Colonel Summers (uncredited)
Cavalcade of America
TV · as Samuel Morse · 1 ep
The Ford Television Theatre
TV · as Judge Varney · 1 ep
The Lemon Drop Kid
Movie · as John (Policeman)
The Scarf
Movie · as Asylum Warden Anderson
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
Movie · as Fred Salter
Blue Blood
Movie · as Mr. Buchanan
Pride of Maryland
Movie · as Walter Shannon
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Big Jim Heywood · 1 ep
Where Danger Lives
Movie · as Dr. Maynard
The Killer That Stalked New York
Movie · as Police Officer Houlihan
The Underworld Story
Movie · as George Parker
The Jackie Robinson Story
Movie · as Charlie
Hunt the Man Down
Movie · as Wallace Bennett
Singing Guns
Movie · as Judge Waller
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
Movie · as Clay
The Flying Missile
Movie · as Vice Admiral Williams
Three Little Words
Movie · as Clanahan
The Gunfighter
Movie · as Chuck (uncredited)
Cow Town
Movie · as Sandy Reeves
The Sound of Fury
Movie · as Mr. Yaeger
Tarnished
Movie · as Kelsey Bunker
Mr. Soft Touch
Movie · as Police Sergeant Garrett
Tulsa
Movie · as Nelse Lansing
Mary Ryan, Detective
Movie · as Sawyer
Rustlers
Movie · as Sheriff Harmon
Champion
Movie · as Lew
My Girl Tisa
Movie
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Movie · as Tesander
Fighting Father Dunne
Movie · as Thomas Lee
Big Town Scandal
Movie · as Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
Movie · as Chauncey
The Lady from Shanghai
Movie · as Cab Driver
The Red House
Movie · as Dr. Jonathan Byrne
Nora Prentiss
Movie · as Police Lieutenant
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
Movie · as Detective Owens, San Diego Police
The Farmer's Daughter
Movie · as Mr. Holstrom
The Invisible Wall
Movie · as Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
Exposed
Movie · as Severance
Time Out of Mind
Movie · as Capt. Rogers
Dangerous Years
Movie · as Judge Raymond
Night Editor
Movie · as Capt. Lawrence
The Last Crooked Mile
Movie · as Police Lieutenant Blake
San Quentin
Movie · as Warden Kelly
I Ring Doorbells
Movie · as Shannon
Crack-Up
Movie · as Cop (Uncredited)
Canyon Passage
Movie · as Henry McLane (uncredited)
Crime, Inc.
Movie · as Police Commissioner Collins
Captain Eddie
Movie · as Simmons
Pride of the Marines
Movie · as Uncle Ralph
When the Lights Go On Again
Movie · as Tom Cary
The Yellow Rose of Texas
Movie · as Sam Weston
The Mummy's Ghost
Movie · as Sheriff Elwood
Song of Texas
Movie · as Sam Bennett
Idaho
Movie · as Judge John Grey
True to Life
Movie · as Mr. Mason
The Powers Girl
Movie · as Mr. Hendricks
Alaska Highway
Movie · as John 'Pop' Ormsby
Someone to Remember
Movie · as Tom Gibbons
In Old Oklahoma
Movie · as Charlie Witherspoon
Headin' for God's Country
Movie · as Albert Ness
This Gun for Hire
Movie · as Steve Finnerty
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Movie · as Pinky Dolan
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Movie · as Mr. Tim Wiggs
Once Upon a Honeymoon
Movie · as Ed Cumberland
In Old California
Movie · as Mr. Carlin
The Falcon Takes Over
Movie · as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
The Lady Is Willing
Movie · as Barnes
The Big Street
Movie · as Florida Doctor (uncredited)
The Mad Martindales
Movie · as Policeman
Citizen Kane
Movie · as Jim Kane
The Saint In Palm Springs
Movie · as Chief R.L. Graves
Hold Back the Dawn
Movie · as American Immigration Official (uncredited)
City of Chance
Movie · as Passline
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
Movie · as Capt. Mahoney
Sailor's Lady
Movie · as Father McGann
Parole Fixer
Movie · as Randall
Young Tom Edison
Movie · as Army Captain Brackett
Too Many Girls
Movie · as Mr. Casey
Gambling on the High Seas
Movie · as Ed, Chief of Police
Tear Gas Squad
Movie · as Lieutenant Sullivan
One Crowded Night
Movie · as McDermott
The Girl from Avenue A
Movie · as Timson
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
Movie · as Father
Alibi Mark
Movie · as Railroad Detective
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
Movie · as Macbeth
A Peach of a Pair
Movie
Smoked Hams
Movie · as The Landlord
No More West
Movie · as Bank Robber
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
Movie
Wrongorilla
Movie · as Grogan
Take a Chance
Movie · as Bartender
Close Relations
Movie · as Harry Wart
The Campus Mystery
Movie · as Police Sergeant
Heads Up
Movie · as Capt. Denny
Sympathy
Movie · as Larry
Faint Heart
Movie · as Dynamite Dan