Roscoe Karns
Acting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s. Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as Wings and Beggars of Life, his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up Claudette Colbert in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, His Girl Friday.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with Lynne Overman as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime. From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular DuMont Television Network series Rocky King, Inside Detective. His son, character actor Todd Karns, also appeared in that series. From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Admiral Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper in the title role of a United States Navy physician, and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale. His final film was another Hawks comedy, Man's Favorite Sport?, in 1964. Karns was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Los Angeles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Roscoe Karns, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Known for
Acting143
movieMan's Favorite Sport?
1964
Major Phipps
tvThe Lucy Show
1962
Mr. Foley
tvHennesey
1959
Capt. Walter Shafer
movieOnionhead
1958
'Windy' Woods
tvDecember Bride
1954
Charley Allen
Rocky King, Detective
1950
Police Inspector Rocky King
Inside Detective
1950
Police Inspector Rocky King
movieTexas, Brooklyn & Heaven
1948
Officer Carmody
movieSpeed to Spare
1948
Kangaroo
movieDevil's Cargo
1948
Lt. Hardy
movieThe Inside Story
1948
Eustace Peabody
movieThat's My Man
1947
Toby Gleeton
movieVigilantes of Boomtown
1947
Bill Delaney
movieAvalanche
1946
Red Kelly
movieOne Way to Love
1946
Hobie Simmons
movieThe Navy Way
1944
Frankie Gimble
movieMinstrel Man
1944
Lasses White
movieOld Acquaintance
1943
Charlie Archer
movieRiding High
1943
Shorty
movieStage Door Canteen
1943
Roscoe Karns
movieMy Son, The Hero
1943
Big-Time Morgan
movieYou Can't Escape Forever
1942
'Mac' McTurk
movieYokel Boy
1942
Al Devers
movieWoman of the Year
1942
Phil Whittaker
movieRoad to Happiness
1941
Charley Grady
movieHalf Shot at Sunrise
1941
Henry Warren
movieThe Gay Vagabond
1941
Arthur Dixon / Jerry Dixon
Black Eyes and Blues
1941
Alfred Harmon
moviePetticoat Politics
1941
Joe Higgins
movieMeet the Missus
1940
Joe Higgins
movieLadies Must Live
1940
Pete Larrabee
movieThey Drive by Night
1940
Irish McGurn
movieSaturday's Children
1940
Willie Sands
movieDouble Alibi
1940
Jeremiah Jenkins
movieThat's Right – You're Wrong
1939
Mal Stamp
movieEverything's on Ice
1939
Felix Miller
movieDancing Co-Ed
1939
Joe Drews
movieKing of Chinatown
1939
Rip Harrigan
movieThanks for the Memory
1938
George Kent
movieYou and Me
1938
Cuffy
movieTip-Off Girls
1938
Tom Benson aka Tommy Logan
movieScandal Street
1938
Austin Brown
moviePartners in Crime
1937
Sim Perkins
movieOn Such a Night
1937
Joe Flynn
movieNight of Mystery
1937
Sergeant Heath
movieMurder Goes to College
1937
Sim Perkins
movieClarence
1937
Clarence Smith
movieCain and Mabel
1936
Reilly
movieThree Married Men
1936
Peter Cary
movieBorder Flight
1936
Calico Smith
movieWoman Trap
1936
Mopsy
movieTwo-Fisted
1935
Chick Moran
movieFront Page Woman
1935
Toots O'Grady
movieAlibi Ike
1935
Carey
movieFour Hours to Kill!
1935
Johnson
movieThe Woman in Red
1935
Man in court room (uncredited)
movieRed Hot Tires
1935
Bud Keene
movieWings in the Dark
1935
Nick Williams
Elmer and Elsie
1934
Rocky Cott
movieShoot the Works
1934
Sailor Burke
movieTwentieth Century
1934
Owen O'Malley
movieCome On, Marines!
1934
Spud McGurke
movieIt Happened One Night
1934
Oscar Shapeley
movieAlice in Wonderland
1933
Tweedledee
movieThe Women in His Life
1933
Aloysius Lester
movieOne Sunday Afternoon
1933
Snappy Downer
movieGambling Ship
1933
Blooey
movieToday We Live
1933
McGinnis
movieGrand Slam
1933
Contest Radio Announcer
movieLawyer Man
1932
Merritt - Reporter (uncredited)
movieUnder-Cover Man
1932
Dannie
movieIf I Had a Million
1932
Private O'Brien
movieThey Call It Sin
1932
Brad - Rehearsal Director (uncredited)
movieOne Way Passage
1932
S.S. Maloa Bartender (uncredited)
movieThe Crooked Circle
1932
Harry Carter
movieTwo Against the World
1932
Segall, reporter
movieWeek-End Marriage
1932
Jim Davis
moviePlay Girl
1932
Gambler (uncredited)
movieStowaway
1932
Insp. Redding
movieHigh Pressure
1932
Telephone Salesman (uncredited)
movieLadies of the Big House
1931
Frank - Twenty Questions player (uncredited)
movieLeft Over Ladies
1931
'Scoop'
moviePleasure
1931
Arnie
movieLaughing Sinners
1931
Fred Geer
movieMany a Slip
1931
Stan Price
movieDirigible
1931
Sock McGuire
movieThe Gorilla
1930
Simmons
movieMan Trouble
1930
Scott
movieLittle Accident
1930
Gilbert
movieSafety in Numbers
1930
Bertram Shapiro
movieNew York Nights
1929
Johnny Dolan
movieThis Thing Called Love
1929
Harry Bertrand
movieCopy
1929
City Editor John Mack
movieThe Flying Fleet
1929
Shipwrecked Radio Operator (uncredited)
movieThe Shopworn Angel
1928
Dance Director
movieObject: Alimony
1928
Al Bryant
movieJazz Mad
1928
Sol Levy
movieBeggars of Life
1928
Lame Hoppy
movieWin That Girl
1928
Johnny Norton II
movieWarming Up
1928
Hippo
movieThe Vanishing Pioneer
1928
Ray Hearn
movieThe Desert Bride
1928
Pvt. Terry
movieThe Trail of '98
1928
Man on Ship (uncredited)
movieThe Jazz Singer
1927
Agent (uncredited)
movieWings
1927
Lieutenant Cameron
movieTen Modern Commandments
1927
Benny Burnaway
movieRitzy
1927
Smith's Valet
movieYou'd Be Surprised
1926
Party Guest (uncredited)
movieDollar Down
1925
Gene Meadows
movieThe Overland Limited
1925
Patrick Henry Madden
movieThe Foolish Virgin
1924
Chuck Brady
movieThe Midnight Express
1924
Switch Hogan
movieBluff
1924
Jack Hallowell
movieThe Ten Commandments
1923
The Boy in the Rain (uncredited)
movieConquering the Woman
1922
Shorty Thompson
movieHer Own Money
1922
Jerry Woodward
movieThe Man Tamer
1921
Bradley P. Caldwell Jr
movieThe Life of the Party
1920
Sam Perkins
movieThe Family Honor
1920
Dal Tucker
From Champion to Tramp
1915
The Girl's Father