Harry Shannon
Acting
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
Acting148
movieThe World of Tomorrow
1984
Pop Middleton (archive footage)
movieGypsy
1962
Grandpa
tvThe Virginian
1962
Uncle Josh
movieSummer and Smoke
1961
Dr. Burke (uncredited)
movieWild in the Country
1961
Sam Tyler (uncredited)
movieYellowstone Kelly
1959
Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
tvThe Untouchables
1959
Michael Shaw
tvRawhide
1959
Claggert / Sheriff Blanton / Kilo / Jeffries
movieThe Buccaneer
1958
Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
tvBat Masterson
1958
Jobe Crail
tvThe Texan
1958
Jayson Howell
movieMan or Gun
1958
Justin Corley
movieTouch of Evil
1958
Chief Gould
tvSugarfoot
1957
Henry Shipman
movieThe Lonely Man
1957
Dr. Fisher
movieHell's Crossroads
1957
Clay Ford
movieDuel at Apache Wells
1957
Wayne Shattuck
movieThe Peacemaker
1956
Drunken Cowpuncher
movieWritten on the Wind
1956
Hoak Wayne
tvWire Service
1956
Harris Ellerby
movieCome Next Spring
1956
Mr. Totter
movieAt Gunpoint
1955
Marshal Pete MacKay
tvAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Dr. Harner
movieThe Marauders
1955
John Rutherford
tvGunsmoke
1955
Bowers
movieThe Violent Men
1955
Purdue
tvThe Millionaire
1955
Judge William Jennings Westholme
movieExecutive Suite
1954
Ed Benedeck
movieWitness to Murder
1954
Captain Donnelly
movieRails Into Laramie
1954
Judge Pierce
moviePhantom Stallion
1954
Michael Reilly
movieJack Slade
1953
Tom Carter
movieRoar of the Crowd
1953
Sam 'Pop' Tracy
movieCry of the Hunted
1953
Sheriff Brown
movieKansas Pacific
1953
Smokestack the Train Engineer
tvThe Ford Television Theatre
1952
Judge Varney
tvCavalcade of America
1952
Samuel Morse
movieLure of the Wilderness
1952
Pat McGowan
movieFlesh and Fury
1952
Mike Callan
movieHigh Noon
1952
Cooper
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Big Jim Heywood
movieThe Scarf
1951
Asylum Warden Anderson
movieThe Lemon Drop Kid
1951
John (Policeman)
movieBlue Blood
1951
Mr. Buchanan
moviePride of Maryland
1951
Walter Shannon
movieAl Jennings of Oklahoma
1951
Fred Salter
movieHunt the Man Down
1950
Wallace Bennett
movieThe Flying Missile
1950
Vice Admiral Williams
movieThe Sound of Fury
1950
Mr. Yaeger
movieWhere Danger Lives
1950
Dr. Maynard
movieThe Killer That Stalked New York
1950
Police Officer Houlihan
movieThe Underworld Story
1950
George Parker
movieThree Little Words
1950
Clanahan
movieThe Gunfighter
1950
Chuck (uncredited)
movieCow Town
1950
Sandy Reeves
movieSinging Guns
1950
Judge Waller
movieTarnished
1950
Kelsey Bunker
movieMr. Soft Touch
1949
Police Sergeant Garrett
movieTulsa
1949
Nelse Lansing
movieRustlers
1949
Sheriff Harmon
movieBig Town Scandal
1948
Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
movieFighting Father Dunne
1948
Thomas Lee
movieThe Lady from Shanghai
1947
Cab Driver
movieDangerous Years
1947
Judge Raymond
movieThe Invisible Wall
1947
Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
movieExposed
1947
Severance
movieTime Out of Mind
1947
Capt. Rogers
movieThe Farmer's Daughter
1947
Mr. Holstrom
movieNora Prentiss
1947
Police Lieutenant
movieThe Devil Thumbs a Ride
1947
Detective Owens, San Diego Police
movieThe Red House
1947
Dr. Jonathan Byrne
movieSan Quentin
1946
Warden Kelly
movieCrack-Up
1946
Cop (Uncredited)
movieThe Last Crooked Mile
1946
Police Lieutenant Blake
movieCanyon Passage
1946
Henry McLane (uncredited)
movieNight Editor
1946
Capt. Lawrence
movieI Ring Doorbells
1946
Shannon
moviePride of the Marines
1945
Uncle Ralph
movieCaptain Eddie
1945
Simmons
movieCrime, Inc.
1945
Police Commissioner Collins
movieThe Mummy's Ghost
1944
Sheriff Elwood
movieThe Yellow Rose of Texas
1944
Sam Weston
movieTrue to Life
1943
Mr. Mason
movieIn Old Oklahoma
1943
Charlie Witherspoon
movieHeadin' for God's Country
1943
Albert Ness
movieSomeone to Remember
1943
Tom Gibbons
movieAlaska Highway
1943
John 'Pop' Ormsby
movieSong of Texas
1943
Sam Bennett
movieIdaho
1943
Judge John Grey
movieThe Powers Girl
1943
Mr. Hendricks
movieOnce Upon a Honeymoon
1942
Ed Cumberland
movieMrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1942
Mr. Tim Wiggs
movieThe Big Street
1942
Florida Doctor (uncredited)
movieIn Old California
1942
Mr. Carlin
movieThe Falcon Takes Over
1942
Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
movieThe Mad Martindales
1942
Policeman
movieThis Gun for Hire
1942
Steve Finnerty
movieThe Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
1942
Pinky Dolan
movieHold Back the Dawn
1941
American Immigration Official (uncredited)
movieCitizen Kane
1941
Jim Kane
movieThe Saint In Palm Springs
1941
Chief R.L. Graves
movieTugboat Annie Sails Again
1940
Capt. Mahoney
movieToo Many Girls
1940
Mr. Casey
movieOne Crowded Night
1940
McDermott
movieSailor's Lady
1940
Father McGann
movieGambling on the High Seas
1940
Ed, Chief of Police
movieTear Gas Squad
1940
Lieutenant Sullivan
movieYoung Tom Edison
1940
Army Captain Brackett
movieParole Fixer
1940
Randall
movieCity of Chance
1940
Passline
movieAlibi Mark
1937
Railroad Detective
movieSmoked Hams
1934
The Landlord
movieNo More West
1934
Bank Robber
Take a Chance
1933
Bartender
movieClose Relations
1933
Harry Wart
The Campus Mystery
1932
Police Sergeant
movieHeads Up
1930
Capt. Denny
movieFaint Heart
1929
Dynamite Dan
movieSympathy
1929
Larry