Morris Ankrum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum, August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor. Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Nussbaum had already changed his last name to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he chose to use the name "Stephen Morris" before changing it to Morris Ankrum in 1939. Ankrum's stern visage and sharply defined features helped cast him in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures, including scientists, military men (particularly army officers), judges and even psychiatrists in more than 150 films, mostly B movies. One standout role was in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's production of Tennessee Johnson (1942), a biographical film about Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S. president. As Sen. Jefferson Davis, Ankrum movingly addresses the United States Senate upon his resignation to lead the Confederate States of America as that republic's first—and only—president. Ankrum's film career was extensive and spanned 30 years. His credits were largely concentrated in the western and science-fiction genres. Ankrum appeared in such westerns as Ride 'Em Cowboy in 1942, Vera Cruz opposite Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, Apache (1954), and Cattle Queen of Montana with Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. In the sci-fi genre, he appeared in Rocketship X-M (1950), Flight to Mars (1951), as a Martian, Red Planet Mars (1952), playing the United States Secretary of Defense; the cult classic Invaders From Mars (1953), playing a United States Army officer; and as an Army general in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). In 1957 he played a psychiatrist in the cult sci-fi classic Kronos and had military-officer roles in Beginning of the End and The Giant Claw.
Filmography
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy
as Self (archive footage)
Guns of Diablo
as Ray Macklin
Guns of Diablo
as Ray Macklin
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
as Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
as Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
Tower of London
as The Archbishop
Tower of London
as The Archbishop
Most Dangerous Man Alive
as Capt. Davis
Most Dangerous Man Alive
as Capt. Davis
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
as Gen. Lew Wallace
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
as Gen. Lew Wallace
From the Earth to the Moon
as President Ulysses S. Grant
From the Earth to the Moon
as President Ulysses S. Grant
Tarawa Beachhead
as Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
Tarawa Beachhead
as Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
Frontier Gun
as Andrew Barton
Frontier Gun
as Andrew Barton
The Saga of Hemp Brown
as Bo Slauter
The Saga of Hemp Brown
as Bo Slauter
Curse of the Faceless Man
as Narrator (unconfirmed)
Curse of the Faceless Man
as Narrator (unconfirmed)
Twilight for the Gods
as Sea Captain
Twilight for the Gods
as Sea Captain
Badman's Country
as Mayor Coleman
Badman's Country
as Mayor Coleman
How to Make a Monster
as Police Capt. Hancock
How to Make a Monster
as Police Capt. Hancock
Young and Wild
as Police Capt. Egan
Young and Wild
as Police Capt. Egan
Giant from the Unknown
as Dr. Frederick Cleveland
Giant from the Unknown
as Dr. Frederick Cleveland
The Power of the Resurrection
as Annas
The Power of the Resurrection
as Annas
Omar Khayyam
as Sharain's Father
Omar Khayyam
as Sharain's Father
Beginning of the End
as Gen. John Hanson
Beginning of the End
as Gen. John Hanson
The Giant Claw
as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
The Giant Claw
as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
as Dr. Carl Jordan
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
as Dr. Carl Jordan
Kronos
as Dr. Albert Stern
Kronos
as Dr. Albert Stern
Hell's Crossroads
as Wheeler
Hell's Crossroads
as Wheeler
Zombies of Mora Tau
as Dr. Jonathan Eggert
Zombies of Mora Tau
as Dr. Jonathan Eggert
Drango
as Henry Calder
Drango
as Henry Calder
Down Liberty Road
as Fred Schroder
Down Liberty Road
as Fred Schroder
The Desperados Are in Town
as Mr. Rutherford
The Desperados Are in Town
as Mr. Rutherford
Naked Gun
as Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
Naked Gun
as Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
Walk the Proud Land
as Gen. Wade
Walk the Proud Land
as Gen. Wade
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
as Brig. Gen. John Hanley
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
as Brig. Gen. John Hanley
Quincannon, Frontier Scout
as Col. Harry Conover
Quincannon, Frontier Scout
as Col. Harry Conover
When Gangland Strikes
as Leo Fantzler
When Gangland Strikes
as Leo Fantzler
Fury at Gunsight Pass
as Doc Phillips
Fury at Gunsight Pass
as Doc Phillips
No Man's Woman
as Capt. Hostedder
No Man's Woman
as Capt. Hostedder
Tennessee's Partner
as Judge Parker
Tennessee's Partner
as Judge Parker
Duel on the Mississippi
as Magistrate (uncredited)
Duel on the Mississippi
as Magistrate (uncredited)
The Last Command
The Last Command
The Eternal Sea
as Vice-Adm. Arthur Dewey Struble
The Eternal Sea
as Vice-Adm. Arthur Dewey Struble
The Silver Star
as Charlie Childress
The Silver Star
as Charlie Childress
Chief Crazy Horse
as Red Cloud
Chief Crazy Horse
as Red Cloud
Crashout
as Head Guard
Crashout
as Head Guard
The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story
as Azar the Shepherd
The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story
as Azar the Shepherd
Vera Cruz
as Gen. Ramírez
Vera Cruz
as Gen. Ramírez
The Steel Cage
as Prison Board Member Garvey, segment "The Hostages"
The Steel Cage
as Prison Board Member Garvey, segment "The Hostages"
Three Young Texans
as Jeff Blair
Three Young Texans
as Jeff Blair
Cattle Queen of Montana
as J.I. 'Pop' Jones
Cattle Queen of Montana
as J.I. 'Pop' Jones
Two Guns and a Badge
as Sheriff Jackson
Two Guns and a Badge
as Sheriff Jackson
Apache
as Dawson
Apache
as Dawson
The Outlaw Stallion
as Sheriff
The Outlaw Stallion
as Sheriff
Silver Lode
as Zachary Evans
Silver Lode
as Zachary Evans
Drums Across the River
as Chief Ouray
Drums Across the River
as Chief Ouray
Southwest Passage
as Dr. Stanton
Southwest Passage
as Dr. Stanton
Taza, Son of Cochise
as Grey Eagle
Taza, Son of Cochise
as Grey Eagle
Flight Nurse
as Interrogation Officer
Flight Nurse
as Interrogation Officer
The Moonlighter
as Alexander Prince
The Moonlighter
as Alexander Prince
Mexican Manhunt
as Tip Morgan
Mexican Manhunt
as Tip Morgan
Sky Commando
as Gen. W.R. Combs
Sky Commando
as Gen. W.R. Combs
Devil's Canyon
as Ed
Devil's Canyon
as Ed
Invaders from Mars
as Col. Fielding
Invaders from Mars
as Col. Fielding
I Beheld His Glory
as Peter
I Beheld His Glory
as Peter
Fort Vengeance
as Chief Crowfoot
Fort Vengeance
as Chief Crowfoot
The Man Behind The Gun
as Bram Creegan
The Man Behind The Gun
as Bram Creegan
Hiawatha
as Iagoo
Hiawatha
as Iagoo
A Star Shall Rise
as King Herod
A Star Shall Rise
as King Herod
Because of You
as Dr. Travis
Because of You
as Dr. Travis
The Raiders
as Thomas Ainsworth
The Raiders
as Thomas Ainsworth
Son of Ali Baba
as Ali Baba
Son of Ali Baba
as Ali Baba
Red Planet Mars
as Secretary of Defense Sparks
Red Planet Mars
as Secretary of Defense Sparks
Fort Osage
as Arthur Pickett
Fort Osage
as Arthur Pickett
My Favorite Spy
as Gen. Frazer
My Favorite Spy
as Gen. Frazer
Flight to Mars
as Ikron
Flight to Mars
as Ikron
Tomorrow Is Another Day
as Hugh Wagner
Tomorrow Is Another Day
as Hugh Wagner
Along the Great Divide
as Ed Roden
Along the Great Divide
as Ed Roden
Fighting Coast Guard
as Navy Captain
Fighting Coast Guard
as Navy Captain
The Lion Hunters
as Tom Forbes
The Lion Hunters
as Tom Forbes
The Redhead and the Cowboy
as Sheriff
The Redhead and the Cowboy
as Sheriff
Short Grass
as Hal Fenton
Short Grass
as Hal Fenton
Rocketship X-M
as Dr. Ralph Fleming
Rocketship X-M
as Dr. Ralph Fleming
The Damned Don't Cry
as Jim Whitehead
The Damned Don't Cry
as Jim Whitehead
Borderline
as Bill Whittaker
Borderline
as Bill Whittaker
Chain Lightning
as Ed Bostwick
Chain Lightning
as Ed Bostwick
The Fountainhead
as Prosecutor (uncredited)
The Fountainhead
as Prosecutor (uncredited)
We Were Strangers
as M. Seymour
We Were Strangers
as M. Seymour
For the Love of Mary
as Adm. Walton
For the Love of Mary
as Adm. Walton
The Fabulous Fraud
as Blind Girl's Father
The Fabulous Fraud
as Blind Girl's Father
Souvenirs of Death
as Gangster (uncredited)
Souvenirs of Death
as Gangster (uncredited)
High Wall
as Dr. Stanley Griffin
High Wall
as Dr. Stanley Griffin
Good News
as Dean Griswold
Good News
as Dean Griswold
Desire Me
as Hector Martin
Desire Me
as Hector Martin
Merton of the Movies
as Goodfellow's Club Manager (uncredited)
Merton of the Movies
as Goodfellow's Club Manager (uncredited)
Cynthia
as Mr. Phillips, Principal
Cynthia
as Mr. Phillips, Principal
Song of the Thin Man
as Inspector (uncredited)
Song of the Thin Man
as Inspector (uncredited)
The Sea of Grass
as A.J. Crane
The Sea of Grass
as A.J. Crane
Little Mister Jim
as Col. W.I. Starwell
Little Mister Jim
as Col. W.I. Starwell
The Mighty McGurk
as Fowles
The Mighty McGurk
as Fowles
Lady in the Lake
as Eugene Grayson
Lady in the Lake
as Eugene Grayson
Courage of Lassie
as Farmer Crews
Courage of Lassie
as Farmer Crews
The Postman Always Rings Twice
as Judge (uncredited)
The Postman Always Rings Twice
as Judge (uncredited)
The Harvey Girls
as Reverend Claggett
The Harvey Girls
as Reverend Claggett
Adventure
as Mr. Ludlow - Farmer (uncredited)
Adventure
as Mr. Ludlow - Farmer (uncredited)
Purity Squad
as Dr. Adams (uncredited)
Purity Squad
as Dr. Adams (uncredited)
The Hidden Eye
as Ferris (henchman)
The Hidden Eye
as Ferris (henchman)
Fall Guy
as District Attorney (uncredited)
Fall Guy
as District Attorney (uncredited)
The Thin Man Goes Home
as Willoughby Peavy
The Thin Man Goes Home
as Willoughby Peavy
Dark Shadows
as Lt. Pat McKay
Dark Shadows
as Lt. Pat McKay
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
as Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited)
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
as Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited)
Return from Nowhere
as Doctor (uncredited)
Return from Nowhere
as Doctor (uncredited)
Barbary Coast Gent
as Alec Veeder
Barbary Coast Gent
as Alec Veeder
Marriage Is a Private Affair
as Ed Scofield
Marriage Is a Private Affair
as Ed Scofield
Meet the People
as Monte Rowland
Meet the People
as Monte Rowland
Rationing
as Morgan
Rationing
as Morgan
Best Foot Forward
as Col. Harkrider
Best Foot Forward
as Col. Harkrider
Let's Face It
as Man in Sun Shell Cafe
Let's Face It
as Man in Sun Shell Cafe
Dixie Dugan
as Editor
Dixie Dugan
as Editor
Reunion in France
as Martin
Reunion in France
as Martin
Tennessee Johnson
as Jefferson Davis
Tennessee Johnson
as Jefferson Davis
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
as Wood
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
as Wood
Road Agent
as Big John Morgan
Road Agent
as Big John Morgan
I Wake Up Screaming
as Assistant District Attorney
I Wake Up Screaming
as Assistant District Attorney
The Bandit Trail
as Red Haggerty
The Bandit Trail
as Red Haggerty
This Woman Is Mine
as Roussel
This Woman Is Mine
as Roussel
Pirates on Horseback
as Ace Gibson
Pirates on Horseback
as Ace Gibson
The Roundup
as 'Parenthesis'
The Roundup
as 'Parenthesis'
Three Men from Texas
as Bruce Morgan
Three Men from Texas
as Bruce Morgan
Cherokee Strip
as Hawk Barrett
Cherokee Strip
as Hawk Barrett
Buck Benny Rides Again
as Second Outlaw
Buck Benny Rides Again
as Second Outlaw
Hills of Old Wyoming
as Andrews
Hills of Old Wyoming
as Andrews
Borderland
as Loco
Borderland
as Loco