Roscoe Karns
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
Filmography
Man's Favorite Sport?
as Major Phipps
Man's Favorite Sport?
as Major Phipps
Onionhead
as 'Windy' Woods
Onionhead
as 'Windy' Woods
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Officer Carmody
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
as Officer Carmody
Speed to Spare
as Kangaroo
Speed to Spare
as Kangaroo
Devil's Cargo
as Lt. Hardy
Devil's Cargo
as Lt. Hardy
The Inside Story
as Eustace Peabody
The Inside Story
as Eustace Peabody
That's My Man
as Toby Gleeton
That's My Man
as Toby Gleeton
Vigilantes of Boomtown
as Bill Delaney
Vigilantes of Boomtown
as Bill Delaney
Avalanche
as Red Kelly
Avalanche
as Red Kelly
I Ring Doorbells
as Stubby
I Ring Doorbells
as Stubby
One Way to Love
as Hobie Simmons
One Way to Love
as Hobie Simmons
Hi, Good Lookin'!
as Archie
Hi, Good Lookin'!
as Archie
The Navy Way
as Frankie Gimble
The Navy Way
as Frankie Gimble
Minstrel Man
as Lasses White
Minstrel Man
as Lasses White
Old Acquaintance
as Charlie Archer
Old Acquaintance
as Charlie Archer
His Butler's Sister
as Fields
His Butler's Sister
as Fields
Riding High
as Shorty
Riding High
as Shorty
Stage Door Canteen
as Roscoe Karns
Stage Door Canteen
as Roscoe Karns
My Son, The Hero
as Big-Time Morgan
My Son, The Hero
as Big-Time Morgan
You Can't Escape Forever
as 'Mac' McTurk
You Can't Escape Forever
as 'Mac' McTurk
Yokel Boy
as Al Devers
Yokel Boy
as Al Devers
Woman of the Year
as Phil Whittaker
Woman of the Year
as Phil Whittaker
A Tragedy at Midnight
as Cassidy
A Tragedy at Midnight
as Cassidy
Road to Happiness
as Charley Grady
Road to Happiness
as Charley Grady
Half Shot at Sunrise
as Henry Warren
Half Shot at Sunrise
as Henry Warren
The Gay Vagabond
as Arthur Dixon / Jerry Dixon
The Gay Vagabond
as Arthur Dixon / Jerry Dixon
Black Eyes and Blues
as Alfred Harmon
Black Eyes and Blues
as Alfred Harmon
Footsteps in the Dark
as Monahan
Footsteps in the Dark
as Monahan
Petticoat Politics
as Joe Higgins
Petticoat Politics
as Joe Higgins
Meet the Missus
as Joe Higgins
Meet the Missus
as Joe Higgins
Ladies Must Live
as Pete Larrabee
Ladies Must Live
as Pete Larrabee
They Drive by Night
as Irish McGurn
They Drive by Night
as Irish McGurn
Saturday's Children
as Willie Sands
Saturday's Children
as Willie Sands
Double Alibi
as Jeremiah Jenkins
Double Alibi
as Jeremiah Jenkins
His Girl Friday
as McCue
His Girl Friday
as McCue
That's Right – You're Wrong
as Mal Stamp
That's Right – You're Wrong
as Mal Stamp
Everything's on Ice
as Felix Miller
Everything's on Ice
as Felix Miller
Dancing Co-Ed
as Joe Drews
Dancing Co-Ed
as Joe Drews
King of Chinatown
as Rip Harrigan
King of Chinatown
as Rip Harrigan
Thanks for the Memory
as George Kent
Thanks for the Memory
as George Kent
You and Me
as Cuffy
You and Me
as Cuffy
Tip-Off Girls
as Tom Benson aka Tommy Logan
Tip-Off Girls
as Tom Benson aka Tommy Logan
Dangerous to Know
as Duncan
Dangerous to Know
as Duncan
Scandal Street
as Austin Brown
Scandal Street
as Austin Brown
Partners in Crime
as Sim Perkins
Partners in Crime
as Sim Perkins
On Such a Night
as Joe Flynn
On Such a Night
as Joe Flynn
Night of Mystery
as Sergeant Heath
Night of Mystery
as Sergeant Heath
Murder Goes to College
as Sim Perkins
Murder Goes to College
as Sim Perkins
Clarence
as Clarence Smith
Clarence
as Clarence Smith
Cain and Mabel
as Reilly
Cain and Mabel
as Reilly
Three Married Men
as Peter Cary
Three Married Men
as Peter Cary
Border Flight
as Calico Smith
Border Flight
as Calico Smith
Woman Trap
as Mopsy
Woman Trap
as Mopsy
Two-Fisted
as Chick Moran
Two-Fisted
as Chick Moran
Front Page Woman
as Toots O'Grady
Front Page Woman
as Toots O'Grady
Alibi Ike
as Carey
Alibi Ike
as Carey
Four Hours to Kill!
as Johnson
Four Hours to Kill!
as Johnson
The Woman in Red
as Man in court room (uncredited)
The Woman in Red
as Man in court room (uncredited)
Red Hot Tires
as Bud Keene
Red Hot Tires
as Bud Keene
Wings in the Dark
as Nick Williams
Wings in the Dark
as Nick Williams
I Sell Anything
as Monk
I Sell Anything
as Monk
Elmer and Elsie
as Rocky Cott
Elmer and Elsie
as Rocky Cott
Shoot the Works
as Sailor Burke
Shoot the Works
as Sailor Burke
Twentieth Century
as Owen O'Malley
Twentieth Century
as Owen O'Malley
Come On, Marines!
as Spud McGurke
Come On, Marines!
as Spud McGurke
It Happened One Night
as Oscar Shapeley
It Happened One Night
as Oscar Shapeley
Alice in Wonderland
as Tweedledee
Alice in Wonderland
as Tweedledee
The Women in His Life
as Aloysius Lester
The Women in His Life
as Aloysius Lester
One Sunday Afternoon
as Snappy Downer
One Sunday Afternoon
as Snappy Downer
Gambling Ship
as Blooey
Gambling Ship
as Blooey
A Lady's Profession
as Tony
A Lady's Profession
as Tony
Today We Live
as McGinnis
Today We Live
as McGinnis
Grand Slam
as Contest Radio Announcer
Grand Slam
as Contest Radio Announcer
Lawyer Man
as Merritt - Reporter (uncredited)
Lawyer Man
as Merritt - Reporter (uncredited)
Under-Cover Man
as Dannie
Under-Cover Man
as Dannie
If I Had a Million
as Private O'Brien
If I Had a Million
as Private O'Brien
They Call It Sin
as Brad - Rehearsal Director (uncredited)
They Call It Sin
as Brad - Rehearsal Director (uncredited)
Night After Night
as Leo
Night After Night
as Leo
One Way Passage
as S.S. Maloa Bartender (uncredited)
One Way Passage
as S.S. Maloa Bartender (uncredited)
The Crooked Circle
as Harry Carter
The Crooked Circle
as Harry Carter
Two Against the World
as Segall, reporter
Two Against the World
as Segall, reporter
Week-End Marriage
as Jim Davis
Week-End Marriage
as Jim Davis
The Roadhouse Murder
as Dale
The Roadhouse Murder
as Dale
Play Girl
as Gambler (uncredited)
Play Girl
as Gambler (uncredited)
Stowaway
as Insp. Redding
Stowaway
as Insp. Redding
High Pressure
as Telephone Salesman (uncredited)
High Pressure
as Telephone Salesman (uncredited)
Ladies of the Big House
as Frank - Twenty Questions player (uncredited)
Ladies of the Big House
as Frank - Twenty Questions player (uncredited)
Left Over Ladies
as 'Scoop'
Left Over Ladies
as 'Scoop'
Pleasure
as Arnie
Pleasure
as Arnie
Laughing Sinners
as Fred Geer
Laughing Sinners
as Fred Geer
Many a Slip
as Stan Price
Many a Slip
as Stan Price
Dirigible
as Sock McGuire
Dirigible
as Sock McGuire
The Gorilla
as Simmons
The Gorilla
as Simmons
The Costello Case
as Blair
The Costello Case
as Blair
Man Trouble
as Scott
Man Trouble
as Scott
Little Accident
as Gilbert
Little Accident
as Gilbert
Safety in Numbers
as Bertram Shapiro
Safety in Numbers
as Bertram Shapiro
Troopers Three
as Bugs
Troopers Three
as Bugs
New York Nights
as Johnny Dolan
New York Nights
as Johnny Dolan
This Thing Called Love
as Harry Bertrand
This Thing Called Love
as Harry Bertrand
Copy
as City Editor John Mack
Copy
as City Editor John Mack
The Flying Fleet
as Shipwrecked Radio Operator (uncredited)
The Flying Fleet
as Shipwrecked Radio Operator (uncredited)
The Shopworn Angel
as Dance Director
The Shopworn Angel
as Dance Director
Object: Alimony
as Al Bryant
Object: Alimony
as Al Bryant
Jazz Mad
as Sol Levy
Jazz Mad
as Sol Levy
Moran of the Marines
as Swatty
Moran of the Marines
as Swatty
Beggars of Life
as Lame Hoppy
Beggars of Life
as Lame Hoppy
Win That Girl
as Johnny Norton II
Win That Girl
as Johnny Norton II
Warming Up
as Hippo
Warming Up
as Hippo
The Vanishing Pioneer
as Ray Hearn
The Vanishing Pioneer
as Ray Hearn
Something Always Happens
as George
Something Always Happens
as George
The Desert Bride
as Pvt. Terry
The Desert Bride
as Pvt. Terry
The Trail of '98
as Man on Ship (uncredited)
The Trail of '98
as Man on Ship (uncredited)
Beau Sabreur
as Buddy
Beau Sabreur
as Buddy
The Jazz Singer
as Agent (uncredited)
The Jazz Singer
as Agent (uncredited)
Wings
as Lieutenant Cameron
Wings
as Lieutenant Cameron
Ten Modern Commandments
as Benny Burnaway
Ten Modern Commandments
as Benny Burnaway
Ritzy
as Smith's Valet
Ritzy
as Smith's Valet
You'd Be Surprised
as Party Guest (uncredited)
You'd Be Surprised
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Dollar Down
as Gene Meadows
Dollar Down
as Gene Meadows
The Overland Limited
as Patrick Henry Madden
The Overland Limited
as Patrick Henry Madden
The Foolish Virgin
as Chuck Brady
The Foolish Virgin
as Chuck Brady
The Midnight Express
as Switch Hogan
The Midnight Express
as Switch Hogan
Bluff
as Jack Hallowell
Bluff
as Jack Hallowell
The Ten Commandments
as The Boy in the Rain (uncredited)
The Ten Commandments
as The Boy in the Rain (uncredited)
Other Men's Daughters
as Hubert
Other Men's Daughters
as Hubert
Conquering the Woman
as Shorty Thompson
Conquering the Woman
as Shorty Thompson
The Trouper
The Trouper
Her Own Money
as Jerry Woodward
Her Own Money
as Jerry Woodward
The Man Tamer
as Bradley P. Caldwell Jr
The Man Tamer
as Bradley P. Caldwell Jr
The Life of the Party
as Sam Perkins
The Life of the Party
as Sam Perkins
The Family Honor
as Dal Tucker
The Family Honor
as Dal Tucker
Poor Relations
as Henry
Poor Relations
as Henry
A Western Governor's Humanity
as The Sheriff
A Western Governor's Humanity
as The Sheriff
A Species of Mexican Man
A Species of Mexican Man
Mr. Carlson of Arizona
Mr. Carlson of Arizona