Harry Shannon
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.
Filmography
The World of Tomorrow
as Pop Middleton (archive footage)
The World of Tomorrow
as Pop Middleton (archive footage)
Gypsy
as Grandpa
Gypsy
as Grandpa
Summer and Smoke
as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
Summer and Smoke
as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
Wild in the Country
as Sam Tyler (uncredited)
Wild in the Country
as Sam Tyler (uncredited)
Yellowstone Kelly
as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
Yellowstone Kelly
as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
The Buccaneer
as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
The Buccaneer
as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
Man or Gun
as Justin Corley
Man or Gun
as Justin Corley
Touch of Evil
as Chief Gould
Touch of Evil
as Chief Gould
The Lonely Man
as Dr. Fisher
The Lonely Man
as Dr. Fisher
Hell's Crossroads
as Clay Ford
Hell's Crossroads
as Clay Ford
Duel at Apache Wells
as Wayne Shattuck
Duel at Apache Wells
as Wayne Shattuck
The Peacemaker
as Drunken Cowpuncher
The Peacemaker
as Drunken Cowpuncher
Written on the Wind
as Hoak Wayne
Written on the Wind
as Hoak Wayne
Come Next Spring
as Mr. Totter
Come Next Spring
as Mr. Totter
At Gunpoint
as Marshal Pete MacKay
At Gunpoint
as Marshal Pete MacKay
The Marauders
as John Rutherford
The Marauders
as John Rutherford
The Tall Men
as Sam
The Tall Men
as Sam
The Violent Men
as Purdue
The Violent Men
as Purdue
Executive Suite
as Ed Benedeck
Executive Suite
as Ed Benedeck
Witness to Murder
as Captain Donnelly
Witness to Murder
as Captain Donnelly
Rails Into Laramie
as Judge Pierce
Rails Into Laramie
as Judge Pierce
Phantom Stallion
as Michael Reilly
Phantom Stallion
as Michael Reilly
Jack Slade
as Tom Carter
Jack Slade
as Tom Carter
Roar of the Crowd
as Sam 'Pop' Tracy
Roar of the Crowd
as Sam 'Pop' Tracy
Cry of the Hunted
as Sheriff Brown
Cry of the Hunted
as Sheriff Brown
Kansas Pacific
as Smokestack the Train Engineer
Kansas Pacific
as Smokestack the Train Engineer
Lure of the Wilderness
as Pat McGowan
Lure of the Wilderness
as Pat McGowan
Flesh and Fury
as Mike Callan
Flesh and Fury
as Mike Callan
High Noon
as Cooper
High Noon
as Cooper
The Scarf
as Asylum Warden Anderson
The Scarf
as Asylum Warden Anderson
The Lemon Drop Kid
as John (Policeman)
The Lemon Drop Kid
as John (Policeman)
Blue Blood
as Mr. Buchanan
Blue Blood
as Mr. Buchanan
Pride of Maryland
as Walter Shannon
Pride of Maryland
as Walter Shannon
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
as Fred Salter
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
as Fred Salter
Hunt the Man Down
as Wallace Bennett
Hunt the Man Down
as Wallace Bennett
The Flying Missile
as Vice Admiral Williams
The Flying Missile
as Vice Admiral Williams
The Sound of Fury
as Mr. Yaeger
The Sound of Fury
as Mr. Yaeger
Where Danger Lives
as Dr. Maynard
Where Danger Lives
as Dr. Maynard
The Killer That Stalked New York
as Police Officer Houlihan
The Killer That Stalked New York
as Police Officer Houlihan
The Underworld Story
as George Parker
The Underworld Story
as George Parker
Three Little Words
as Clanahan
Three Little Words
as Clanahan
The Gunfighter
as Chuck (uncredited)
The Gunfighter
as Chuck (uncredited)
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
as Clay
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
as Clay
Cow Town
as Sandy Reeves
Cow Town
as Sandy Reeves
The Jackie Robinson Story
as Charlie
The Jackie Robinson Story
as Charlie
Singing Guns
as Judge Waller
Singing Guns
as Judge Waller
Tarnished
as Kelsey Bunker
Tarnished
as Kelsey Bunker
Mary Ryan, Detective
as Sawyer
Mary Ryan, Detective
as Sawyer
Mr. Soft Touch
as Police Sergeant Garrett
Mr. Soft Touch
as Police Sergeant Garrett
Tulsa
as Nelse Lansing
Tulsa
as Nelse Lansing
Champion
as Lew
Champion
as Lew
Rustlers
as Sheriff Harmon
Rustlers
as Sheriff Harmon
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
as Chauncey
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
as Chauncey
Big Town Scandal
as Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
Big Town Scandal
as Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
Fighting Father Dunne
as Thomas Lee
Fighting Father Dunne
as Thomas Lee
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
as Tesander
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
as Tesander
My Girl Tisa
My Girl Tisa
The Lady from Shanghai
as Cab Driver
The Lady from Shanghai
as Cab Driver
Dangerous Years
as Judge Raymond
Dangerous Years
as Judge Raymond
The Invisible Wall
as Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
The Invisible Wall
as Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
Exposed
as Severance
Exposed
as Severance
Time Out of Mind
as Capt. Rogers
Time Out of Mind
as Capt. Rogers
The Farmer's Daughter
as Mr. Holstrom
The Farmer's Daughter
as Mr. Holstrom
Nora Prentiss
as Police Lieutenant
Nora Prentiss
as Police Lieutenant
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
as Detective Owens, San Diego Police
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
as Detective Owens, San Diego Police
The Red House
as Dr. Jonathan Byrne
The Red House
as Dr. Jonathan Byrne
San Quentin
as Warden Kelly
San Quentin
as Warden Kelly
Crack-Up
as Cop (Uncredited)
Crack-Up
as Cop (Uncredited)
The Last Crooked Mile
as Police Lieutenant Blake
The Last Crooked Mile
as Police Lieutenant Blake
Canyon Passage
as Henry McLane (uncredited)
Canyon Passage
as Henry McLane (uncredited)
Night Editor
as Capt. Lawrence
Night Editor
as Capt. Lawrence
I Ring Doorbells
as Shannon
I Ring Doorbells
as Shannon
Pride of the Marines
as Uncle Ralph
Pride of the Marines
as Uncle Ralph
Captain Eddie
as Simmons
Captain Eddie
as Simmons
Crime, Inc.
as Police Commissioner Collins
Crime, Inc.
as Police Commissioner Collins
When the Lights Go On Again
as Tom Cary
When the Lights Go On Again
as Tom Cary
The Mummy's Ghost
as Sheriff Elwood
The Mummy's Ghost
as Sheriff Elwood
The Yellow Rose of Texas
as Sam Weston
The Yellow Rose of Texas
as Sam Weston
True to Life
as Mr. Mason
True to Life
as Mr. Mason
In Old Oklahoma
as Charlie Witherspoon
In Old Oklahoma
as Charlie Witherspoon
Headin' for God's Country
as Albert Ness
Headin' for God's Country
as Albert Ness
Someone to Remember
as Tom Gibbons
Someone to Remember
as Tom Gibbons
Alaska Highway
as John 'Pop' Ormsby
Alaska Highway
as John 'Pop' Ormsby
Song of Texas
as Sam Bennett
Song of Texas
as Sam Bennett
Idaho
as Judge John Grey
Idaho
as Judge John Grey
The Powers Girl
as Mr. Hendricks
The Powers Girl
as Mr. Hendricks
Once Upon a Honeymoon
as Ed Cumberland
Once Upon a Honeymoon
as Ed Cumberland
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
as Mr. Tim Wiggs
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
as Mr. Tim Wiggs
The Big Street
as Florida Doctor (uncredited)
The Big Street
as Florida Doctor (uncredited)
In Old California
as Mr. Carlin
In Old California
as Mr. Carlin
The Falcon Takes Over
as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
The Falcon Takes Over
as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
The Mad Martindales
as Policeman
The Mad Martindales
as Policeman
This Gun for Hire
as Steve Finnerty
This Gun for Hire
as Steve Finnerty
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
as Pinky Dolan
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
as Pinky Dolan
The Lady Is Willing
as Barnes
The Lady Is Willing
as Barnes
Hold Back the Dawn
as American Immigration Official (uncredited)
Hold Back the Dawn
as American Immigration Official (uncredited)
Citizen Kane
as Jim Kane
Citizen Kane
as Jim Kane
The Saint In Palm Springs
as Chief R.L. Graves
The Saint In Palm Springs
as Chief R.L. Graves
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
as Capt. Mahoney
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
as Capt. Mahoney
Too Many Girls
as Mr. Casey
Too Many Girls
as Mr. Casey
One Crowded Night
as McDermott
One Crowded Night
as McDermott
The Girl from Avenue A
as Timson
The Girl from Avenue A
as Timson
Sailor's Lady
as Father McGann
Sailor's Lady
as Father McGann
Gambling on the High Seas
as Ed, Chief of Police
Gambling on the High Seas
as Ed, Chief of Police
Tear Gas Squad
as Lieutenant Sullivan
Tear Gas Squad
as Lieutenant Sullivan
Young Tom Edison
as Army Captain Brackett
Young Tom Edison
as Army Captain Brackett
Parole Fixer
as Randall
Parole Fixer
as Randall
City of Chance
as Passline
City of Chance
as Passline
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
as Father
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
as Father
Alibi Mark
as Railroad Detective
Alibi Mark
as Railroad Detective
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
as Macbeth
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
as Macbeth
A Peach of a Pair
A Peach of a Pair
Smoked Hams
as The Landlord
Smoked Hams
as The Landlord
No More West
as Bank Robber
No More West
as Bank Robber
Take a Chance
as Bartender
Take a Chance
as Bartender
Close Relations
as Harry Wart
Close Relations
as Harry Wart
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
Wrongorilla
as Grogan
Wrongorilla
as Grogan
The Campus Mystery
as Police Sergeant
The Campus Mystery
as Police Sergeant
Heads Up
as Capt. Denny
Heads Up
as Capt. Denny
Faint Heart
as Dynamite Dan
Faint Heart
as Dynamite Dan
Sympathy
as Larry
Sympathy
as Larry