Paul Hurst
Acting
Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect). In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide. Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California (suicide)
Known for
Acting214
movieThe Sun Shines Bright
1953
Jimmy Bagby
movieBig Jim McLain
1952
Mr. Lexiter
movieMillion Dollar Pursuit
1951
Ray Harvey
movieThe Missourians
1950
John X. Finn
movieThe Old Frontier
1950
Skipper Horton
movieThe Vanishing Westerner
1950
Waldorf Worthington
moviePioneer Marshal
1949
Huck Homer
movieRanger of Cherokee Strip
1949
Sheriff Jug Mason
movieSan Antone Ambush
1949
Happy Daniels
movieSouth of Rio
1949
Andy Weems
movieOutcasts of the Trail
1949
Doc Meadowlark
movieLaw of the Golden West
1949
Otis Ellis
moviePrince of the Plains
1949
Sheriff Hank Hartley
movieGun Smugglers
1948
Sergeant Hasty Jones
movieYellow Sky
1948
Drunk (uncredited)
movieSon of God’s Country
1948
Eli Walker
movieThe Arizona Ranger
1948
Ben Riddle
movieHeart of Virginia
1948
Whit Galtry
movieCalifornia Firebrand
1948
Chuck Waggoner
movieMadonna of the Desert
1948
Pete Connors
movieUnder Colorado Skies
1947
Lucky John Hawkins
movieAngel and the Badman
1947
Frederick Carson
movieDeath Valley
1946
Sergeant Dailey
movieIn Old Sacramento
1946
Stagecoach Driver
movieDakota
1945
Captain Spotts
movieScared Stiff
1945
Sheriff
movieThe Big Show-Off
1945
Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler
movieSomething for the Boys
1944
Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited)
movieGirl Rush
1944
Muley
movieBarbary Coast Gent
1944
Jake Compton
movieSummer Storm
1944
Orloff
movieThe Ghost That Walks Alone
1944
Sheriff Slim Carson
movieThe Sky's the Limit
1943
Dock Foreman (uncredited)
movieThe Ox-Bow Incident
1943
Monty Smith
movieDecember 7th
1943
World War I Ghost Soldier
movieHi'ya, Chum
1943
Archie Billings
movieCalaboose
1943
Ed the bartender
movieNight in New Orleans
1942
Sergeant Casper Riordan
movieSundown Jim
1942
Broderick
movieThis Woman Is Mine
1941
Second Mate Mumford
movieThe Parson of Panamint
1941
Jake Waldren
movieCaught in the Draft
1941
Sgt. Burns
movieThe Great Mr. Nobody
1941
Michael O'Connor
moviePetticoat Politics
1941
Slats O'Dell
movieVirginia
1941
Thomas
movieTall, Dark and Handsome
1941
Biff Sage
movieSpring Parade
1940
Headwaiter
movieThe Westerner
1940
Chickenfoot
movieThey Drive by Night
1940
Pete Haig (uncredited)
movieTorrid Zone
1940
Daniels
movieEdison, the Man
1940
Sheriff
movieStar Dust
1940
Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech
movieCastle on the Hudson
1940
Guard (uncredited)
movieRemember?
1939
Policeman
movieGone with the Wind
1939
Yankee Deserter
movieGlove Slingers
1939
Chuck Brenner
movieHeaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
1939
Empire State Building Guard
movieOn Your Toes
1939
Variety Club Bartender
movieBad Lands
1939
Curly Tom
movieQuick Millions
1939
Sheriff
movieEach Dawn I Die
1939
Garsky
movieBroadway Serenade
1939
Reynolds, a Drunk
movieCafe Society
1939
Bartender
movieTopper Takes a Trip
1938
Charlie - the Bartender
movieSecrets of a Nurse
1938
Arlington Bysshe 'Slice' Cavanaugh
movieThe Last Express
1938
Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer
movieHold That Co-ed
1938
Slapsy
movieJosette
1938
A. Adolphus Heyman
movieAlexander's Ragtime Band
1938
Bill Mulligan
movieNo Time to Marry
1938
Sergeant
movieSecond Honeymoon
1937
Dennis Huggins
movieDanger – Love at Work
1937
NYC policeman
movieYou Can't Have Everything
1937
Truck Driver (uncredited)
movieSuper-Sleuth
1937
Motorcycle Cop
movieYou Can't Beat Love
1937
Foreman Butch Mehaffey
movieSlave Ship
1937
Drunk
movieAngel's Holiday
1937
Sgt. Murphy
movieTrouble in Morocco
1937
Tiger Malone
movieWe Who Are About to Die
1937
Tip Fuller
movieNorth of Nome
1936
Carlson
movieThe Gay Desperado
1936
American Detective
I'd Give My Life
1936
"Sport" Conly
movieBlackmailer
1936
Inspector Killian
movieMr. Deeds Goes to Town
1936
1st Deputy (uncredited)
movieRiffraff
1936
Belcher
movieThe Gay Deception
1935
Bell Captain
movieThe Daring Young Man
1935
Prison Guard
movieCalm Yourself
1935
Detective Roscoe
moviePublic Hero Number 1
1935
Rufe Parker
movieThe Case of the Curious Bride
1935
Fibo Morgan (uncredited)
movieMississippi
1935
Hefty
movieShadow of Doubt
1935
Lt. Sackville
movieCarnival
1935
Policeman
movieSequoia
1935
Bergman
movieMaybe It's Love
1935
Expressman (uncredited)
movieThe Ballad of Paducah Jail
1934
Escaped Felon
movieTomorrow's Youth
1934
Detective
movieAmong the Missing
1934
Capt. W.F. 'Big Bill' Connors
movieTake the Stand
1934
Denny O'Brien
movieMidnight Alibi
1934
Babe the Butcher
movieCharlie Chan's Courage
1934
Undetermined Role
movieThe Line-Up
1934
Detective Sgt. Doyle
movieThe Big Race
1934
Skipper O'Neal
movieQueen Christina
1934
Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited)
movieThe Women in His Life
1933
Paul, Perez's Second Bodyguard
movieSaturday's Millions
1933
Doc Maloney, Trainer
movieHold Your Man
1933
Aubrey C. Mitchell (uncredited)
movieThe Sphinx
1933
Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan
movieTerror Aboard
1933
Boatswain
movieGrand Slam
1933
Man Who Speaks Final Line of the Film
movieIsland of Lost Souls
1932
Capt. Donahue
movieThe Big Stampede
1932
'Arizona' Frank Bailey
movieThe Phantom President
1932
Sailor (uncredited)
movieThe Thirteenth Guest
1932
Detective Grump
movieState's Attorney
1932
Police Captain Morgan
movieThe Secret Witness
1931
Officer Brannigan
movieBad Company
1931
Paul Hurst
movieThat's My Line
1931
Mexican Bandit
movieSweepstakes
1931
Bartender
movieKick In
1931
Detective Whip Fogarty
movieThe Secret Six
1931
Nick Mizoski - the Gouger
movieThe Third Alarm
1930
'Beauty' Johnson
movieBorrowed Wives
1930
Bull Morgan
movieParadise Island
1930
Beauty
movieHot Curves
1930
'Slug', Baseball Player
movieShadow of the Law
1930
Pete Shore
movieThe Runaway Bride
1930
Sergeant Daly
movieMountain Justice
1930
Lem Harland
movieSwellhead
1930
Mugsy
movieOfficer O'Brien
1930
Captain Antrim
movieLucky Larkin
1930
Pete Brierson
movieHis First Command
1929
Sgt. Westbrook
movieThe Racketeer
1929
Mehaffy - Policeman
movieOh, Yeah!
1929
Railroad-Yard Superintendent
movieSailor's Holiday
1929
Jimmylegs
movieThe California Mail
1929
Rowdy Ryan
movieThe Lawless Legion
1929
Ramirez
movieLilac Time
1928
(uncredited)
movieThe Cossacks
1928
Sitchi
movieButtons
1927
Slugger McGlue
movieThe Red Raiders
1927
Sergeant Murphy
movieThe Devil's Saddle
1927
'Swig' Moran
movieRoaring Road
1926
Checking Board Tabulator (uncredited)
movieThe Hunchback of Notre Dame
1923
Emeralda's Torturer (uncredited)
movieLightning Bryce
1919
Powder Solvang
movieSmashing Through
1918
Stevens
movieRimrock Jones
1918
Ike Bray
movieThe Railroad Raiders
1917
Steve Arnold (as Paul C. Hurst)
movieThe Hazards of Helen
1917
Benton - a Foreman
movieThe Manager of the B & A
1916
Roger Oakley (as Paul C. Hurst)
The Diamond Runners
1916
Paul - the Brains of the I.D.B.
movieJudith of the Cumberlands
1916
Blatchley Turrentine
movieMedicine Bend
1916
Murray Sinclair
movieWhispering Smith
1916
Murray Sinclair
movieStingaree
1915
Howie - Stingaree's Partner
movieThe Vivisectionist
1915
Bart - Jardine's Servant
movieThe Red Signal
1915
Chief Dispatcher
movieThe Girl Detective
1915
Blair / Thompson / Michaels / Snake Henely / Mike Donegal / Bat Dorgan / Kelly / Dalton / Blake
movieThe Plot at the Railroad Cut
1914
Benton, the Foreman
The Quicksands
1914
Captain Lanning - Osborn's Rival
movieThe Cave Men's War
1913
Red Axe
movieThe Driver Of The Deadwood Coach
1912
Bad Bill - a Desperado
Directing32
movieBlue Streak O'Neil
1926
Director
movieThe Midnight Message
1926
Director
movieRoaring Road
1926
Director
movieHaunted Range
1926
Director
movieThe Demon Rider
1925
Director
movieA Western Engagement
1925
Director
movieFolly of Youth
1925
Director
movieBranded a Bandit
1924
Director
movieBattling Bunyan
1924
Director
movieThe Crow's Nest
1922
Director
movieTable Top Ranch
1922
Director
movieThe Heart of a Texan
1922
Director
movieRangeland
1922
Director
movieKing Fisher's Roost
1921
Director
movieShadows of the West
1921
Director
movieLightning Bryce
1919
Director
movieThe Tiger's Trail
1919
Director
movieThe Woman in the Web
1918
Director
movieThe Railroad Raiders
1917
Director
movieThe Red Signal
1915
Director
Writing6
movieBranded a Bandit
1924
Story, Scenario Writer
movieTable Top Ranch
1922
Story, Scenario Writer
movieThe Heart of a Texan
1922
Scenario Writer
movieRangeland
1922
Writer
movieKing Fisher's Roost
1921
Story, Scenario Writer