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Morris Ankrum

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
183

Gender
Male

Birthday
August 28, 1896 (129 years old)

Place of Birth
Danville, Illinois, USA

Morris Ankrum

Biography

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.

Known For

Acting

1968The Movie Orgyas Self (archive footage)
1964Guns of Diabloas Ray Macklin
1963X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyesas Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
1962Tower of Londonas The Archbishop
1961Most Dangerous Man Aliveas Capt. Davis
1961The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Comeas Gen. Lew Wallace
1960The Barbara Stanwyck Showas Walter Harwood
1959Bonanzaas Mr. Mason
1958From the Earth to the Moonas President Ulysses S. Grant
1958Tarawa Beachheadas Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
1958Frontier Gunas Andrew Barton
1958The Riflemanas
1958Broncoas Gilbert Groves
1958The Saga of Hemp Brownas Bo Slauter
1958Curse of the Faceless Manas Narrator (unconfirmed)
1958Twilight for the Godsas Sea Captain
1958Badman's Countryas Mayor Coleman
1958How to Make a Monsteras Police Capt. Hancock
1958Young and Wildas Police Capt. Egan
1958Sea Huntas
1958Giant from the Unknownas Dr. Frederick Cleveland
1958The Power of the Resurrectionas Annas
1957Maverickas Joshua Haines
1957Perry Masonas Judge
1957Perry Masonas Judge Hoyt
1957M Squadas Police Inspector Dean
1957Omar Khayyamas Sharain's Father
1957Beginning of the Endas Gen. John Hanson
1957The Giant Clawas Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
1957Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowmanas Dr. Carl Jordan
1957Kronosas Dr. Albert Stern
1957Hell's Crossroadsas Wheeler
1957Zombies of Mora Tauas Dr. Jonathan Eggert
1957Down Liberty Roadas Fred Schroder
1957Drangoas Henry Calder
1956Naked Gunas Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
1956The Desperados Are in Townas Mr. Rutherford
1956On Trialas Judge
1956Dr. Fu Manchuas Professor Rutledge
1956Walk the Proud Landas Gen. Wade
1956Earth vs. the Flying Saucersas Brig. Gen. John Hanley
1956Quincannon, Frontier Scoutas Col. Harry Conover
1956When Gangland Strikesas Leo Fantzler
1956Fury at Gunsight Passas Doc Phillips
1955No Man's Womanas Capt. Hostedder
1955The 20th Century Fox Houras Henry
1955Tennessee's Partneras Judge Parker
1955Cheyenneas John Clements
1955Duel on the Mississippias Magistrate (uncredited)
1955Gunsmokeas Merle
1955The Last Commandas
1955The Eternal Seaas Vice-Adm. Arthur Dewey Struble
1955The Silver Staras Charlie Childress
1955Chief Crazy Horseas Red Cloud
1955Crashoutas Head Guard
1955The Little Lamb: A Christmas Storyas Azar the Shepherd
1954Vera Cruzas Gen. Ramírez
1954The Steel Cageas Prison Board Member Garvey, segment "The Hostages"
1954Three Young Texansas Jeff Blair
1954Cattle Queen of Montanaas J.I. 'Pop' Jones
1954Two Guns and a Badgeas Sheriff Jackson
1954Apacheas Dawson
1954The Outlaw Stallionas Sheriff
1954Silver Lodeas Zachary Evans
1954Drums Across the Riveras Chief Ouray
1954Southwest Passageas Dr. Stanton
1954Taza, Son of Cochiseas Grey Eagle
1953Flight Nurseas Interrogation Officer
1953The Pepsi-Cola Playhouseas
1953The Moonlighteras Alexander Prince
1953Mexican Manhuntas Tip Morgan
1953Sky Commandoas Gen. W.R. Combs
1953Devil's Canyonas Ed
1953Arenaas Bucky Hillberry
1953Invaders from Marsas Col. Fielding
1953I Beheld His Gloryas Peter
1953Fort Vengeanceas Chief Crowfoot
1953The Man Behind The Gunas Bram Creegan
1952Hiawathaas Iagoo
1952A Star Shall Riseas King Herod
1952Because of Youas Dr. Travis
1952The Raidersas Thomas Ainsworth
1952Four Star Playhouseas Mr. Mason
1952Four Star Playhouseas Mr. Raymond
1952Four Star Playhouseas Warden
1952Cowboy G-Menas
1952Son of Ali Babaas Ali Baba
1952Red Planet Marsas Secretary of Defense Sparks
1952Mutinyas Capt. Radford
1952Fort Osageas Arthur Pickett
1951My Favorite Spyas Gen. Frazer
1951Flight to Marsas Ikron
1951Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas
1951Tomorrow Is Another Dayas Hugh Wagner
1951Along the Great Divideas Ed Roden
1951Fighting Coast Guardas Navy Captain
1951The Lion Huntersas Tom Forbes
1951The Redhead and the Cowboyas Sheriff
1950Short Grassas Hal Fenton
1950Southside 1-1000as Eugene Deane
1950Rocketship X-Mas Dr. Ralph Fleming
1950In a Lonely Placeas Lloyd Barnes
1950The Damned Don't Cryas Jim Whitehead
1950Borderlineas Bill Whittaker
1950Chain Lightningas Ed Bostwick
1949The Fountainheadas Prosecutor (uncredited)
1949Colorado Territoryas United States Marshal
1949We Were Strangersas M. Seymour
1949Bad Men of Tombstoneas Mr. Jones
1948Joan of Arcas Poton de Xaintrailles, Captain
1948Studio Oneas Considine
1948For the Love of Maryas Adm. Walton
1948The Fabulous Fraudas Blind Girl's Father
1948Fighting Backas Robert J. Higby
1948Souvenirs of Deathas Gangster (uncredited)
1947High Wallas Dr. Stanley Griffin
1947Good Newsas Dean Griswold
1947Desire Meas Hector Martin
1947Merton of the Moviesas Goodfellow's Club Manager (uncredited)
1947Cynthiaas Mr. Phillips, Principal
1947Song of the Thin Manas Inspector (uncredited)
1947The Sea of Grassas A.J. Crane
1947Little Mister Jimas Col. W.I. Starwell
1947The Mighty McGurkas Fowles
1946Lady in the Lakeas Eugene Grayson
1946Courage of Lassieas Farmer Crews
1946The Cockeyed Miracleas Dr. Wilson
1946The Green Yearsas Dr. Galbraith
1946The Postman Always Rings Twiceas Judge (uncredited)
1946The Harvey Girlsas Reverend Claggett
1945Adventureas Mr. Ludlow - Farmer (uncredited)
1945Purity Squadas Dr. Adams (uncredited)
1945The Hidden Eyeas Ferris (henchman)
1945Phantoms, Inc.as Narrator (voice)
1945Fall Guyas District Attorney (uncredited)
1944The Thin Man Goes Homeas Willoughby Peavy
1944Dark Shadowsas Lt. Pat McKay
1944Gentle Annieas Deputy Gansby
1944Thirty Seconds Over Tokyoas Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited)
1944Return from Nowhereas Doctor (uncredited)
1944Barbary Coast Gentas Alec Veeder
1944Marriage Is a Private Affairas Ed Scofield
1944Meet the Peopleas Monte Rowland
1944Main Street Todayas Mayor Charlie Maxwell (uncredited)
1944Rationingas Morgan
1944The Heavenly Bodyas Dr. Green
1943The Cross of Lorraineas Col. Demas (uncredited)
1943Swing Feveras Dan Conlon
1943Best Foot Forwardas Col. Harkrider
1943Let's Face Itas Man in Sun Shell Cafe
1943Dixie Duganas Editor
1942Reunion in Franceas Martin
1942Time to Killas Alexander Morny
1942Tennessee Johnsonas Jefferson Davis
1942The Omaha Trailas Henchman Job
1942The Loves of Edgar Allan Poeas Mr. Graham
1942Tales of Manhattanas Judge
1942Ten Gentlemen from West Pointas Wood
1942Roxie Hartas Martin S. Harrison
1941Road Agentas Big John Morgan
1941Ride 'Em Cowboyas Ace Anderson
1941I Wake Up Screamingas Assistant District Attorney
1941The Bandit Trailas Red Haggerty
1941This Woman Is Mineas Roussel
1941Wide Open Townas Jim Stuart
1941Pirates on Horsebackas Ace Gibson
1941Border Vigilantesas Dan Forbes
1941The Roundupas 'Parenthesis'
1941In Old Coloradoas Weiler, Davidson's Foreman
1941Doomed Caravanas Stephen Westcott
1940Three Men from Texasas Bruce Morgan
1940Cherokee Stripas Hawk Barrett
1940Buck Benny Rides Againas Second Outlaw
1940The Light of Western Starsas Nat Hayworth
1940The Showdownas Baron Rendor
1940Knights of the Rangeas Gamecock
1937Rustlers' Valleyas Glen Randall
1937North of the Rio Grandeas Henry Stoneham
1937Hills of Old Wyomingas Andrews
1937Borderlandas Loco
1936Trail Dustas Tex Anderson
1936Hopalong Cassidy Returnsas Blackie Felton
1934Stand Up and Cheer!as Washington Press Correspondent

Production