Known For
Acting
Known Credits
183
Gender
Male
Birthday
August 28, 1896 (129 years old)
Place of Birth
Danville, Illinois, USA
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.
| 1968 | The Movie Orgyas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1964 | Guns of Diabloas Ray Macklin | |
| 1963 | X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyesas Mr. Bowhead (uncredited) | |
| 1962 | Tower of Londonas The Archbishop | |
| 1961 | Most Dangerous Man Aliveas Capt. Davis | |
| 1961 | The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Comeas Gen. Lew Wallace | |
| 1960 | The Barbara Stanwyck Showas Walter Harwood | |
| 1959 | Bonanzaas Mr. Mason | |
| 1958 | From the Earth to the Moonas President Ulysses S. Grant | |
| 1958 | Tarawa Beachheadas Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited) | |
| 1958 | Frontier Gunas Andrew Barton | |
| 1958 | The Riflemanas | |
| 1958 | Broncoas Gilbert Groves | |
| 1958 | The Saga of Hemp Brownas Bo Slauter | |
| 1958 | Curse of the Faceless Manas Narrator (unconfirmed) | |
| 1958 | Twilight for the Godsas Sea Captain | |
| 1958 | Badman's Countryas Mayor Coleman | |
| 1958 | How to Make a Monsteras Police Capt. Hancock | |
| 1958 | Young and Wildas Police Capt. Egan | |
| 1958 | Sea Huntas | |
| 1958 | Giant from the Unknownas Dr. Frederick Cleveland | |
| 1958 | The Power of the Resurrectionas Annas | |
| 1957 | Maverickas Joshua Haines | |
| 1957 | Perry Masonas Judge | |
| 1957 | Perry Masonas Judge Hoyt | |
| 1957 | M Squadas Police Inspector Dean | |
| 1957 | Omar Khayyamas Sharain's Father | |
| 1957 | Beginning of the Endas Gen. John Hanson | |
| 1957 | The Giant Clawas Lt. Gen. Edward Considine | |
| 1957 | Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowmanas Dr. Carl Jordan | |
| 1957 | Kronosas Dr. Albert Stern | |
| 1957 | Hell's Crossroadsas Wheeler | |
| 1957 | Zombies of Mora Tauas Dr. Jonathan Eggert | |
| 1957 | Down Liberty Roadas Fred Schroder | |
| 1957 | Drangoas Henry Calder | |
| 1956 | Naked Gunas Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum) | |
| 1956 | The Desperados Are in Townas Mr. Rutherford | |
| 1956 | On Trialas Judge | |
| 1956 | Dr. Fu Manchuas Professor Rutledge | |
| 1956 | Walk the Proud Landas Gen. Wade | |
| 1956 | Earth vs. the Flying Saucersas Brig. Gen. John Hanley | |
| 1956 | Quincannon, Frontier Scoutas Col. Harry Conover | |
| 1956 | When Gangland Strikesas Leo Fantzler | |
| 1956 | Fury at Gunsight Passas Doc Phillips | |
| 1955 | No Man's Womanas Capt. Hostedder | |
| 1955 | The 20th Century Fox Houras Henry | |
| 1955 | Tennessee's Partneras Judge Parker | |
| 1955 | Cheyenneas John Clements | |
| 1955 | Duel on the Mississippias Magistrate (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Merle | |
| 1955 | The Last Commandas | |
| 1955 | The Eternal Seaas Vice-Adm. Arthur Dewey Struble | |
| 1955 | The Silver Staras Charlie Childress | |
| 1955 | Chief Crazy Horseas Red Cloud | |
| 1955 | Crashoutas Head Guard | |
| 1955 | The Little Lamb: A Christmas Storyas Azar the Shepherd | |
| 1954 | Vera Cruzas Gen. Ramírez | |
| 1954 | The Steel Cageas Prison Board Member Garvey, segment "The Hostages" | |
| 1954 | Three Young Texansas Jeff Blair | |
| 1954 | Cattle Queen of Montanaas J.I. 'Pop' Jones | |
| 1954 | Two Guns and a Badgeas Sheriff Jackson | |
| 1954 | Apacheas Dawson | |
| 1954 | The Outlaw Stallionas Sheriff | |
| 1954 | Silver Lodeas Zachary Evans | |
| 1954 | Drums Across the Riveras Chief Ouray | |
| 1954 | Southwest Passageas Dr. Stanton | |
| 1954 | Taza, Son of Cochiseas Grey Eagle | |
| 1953 | Flight Nurseas Interrogation Officer | |
| 1953 | The Pepsi-Cola Playhouseas | |
| 1953 | The Moonlighteras Alexander Prince | |
| 1953 | Mexican Manhuntas Tip Morgan | |
| 1953 | Sky Commandoas Gen. W.R. Combs | |
| 1953 | Devil's Canyonas Ed | |
| 1953 | Arenaas Bucky Hillberry | |
| 1953 | Invaders from Marsas Col. Fielding | |
| 1953 | I Beheld His Gloryas Peter | |
| 1953 | Fort Vengeanceas Chief Crowfoot | |
| 1953 | The Man Behind The Gunas Bram Creegan | |
| 1952 | Hiawathaas Iagoo | |
| 1952 | A Star Shall Riseas King Herod | |
| 1952 | Because of Youas Dr. Travis | |
| 1952 | The Raidersas Thomas Ainsworth | |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouseas Mr. Mason | |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouseas Mr. Raymond | |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouseas Warden | |
| 1952 | Cowboy G-Menas | |
| 1952 | Son of Ali Babaas Ali Baba | |
| 1952 | Red Planet Marsas Secretary of Defense Sparks | |
| 1952 | Mutinyas Capt. Radford | |
| 1952 | Fort Osageas Arthur Pickett | |
| 1951 | My Favorite Spyas Gen. Frazer | |
| 1951 | Flight to Marsas Ikron | |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas | |
| 1951 | Tomorrow Is Another Dayas Hugh Wagner | |
| 1951 | Along the Great Divideas Ed Roden | |
| 1951 | Fighting Coast Guardas Navy Captain | |
| 1951 | The Lion Huntersas Tom Forbes | |
| 1951 | The Redhead and the Cowboyas Sheriff | |
| 1950 | Short Grassas Hal Fenton | |
| 1950 | Southside 1-1000as Eugene Deane | |
| 1950 | Rocketship X-Mas Dr. Ralph Fleming | |
| 1950 | In a Lonely Placeas Lloyd Barnes | |
| 1950 | The Damned Don't Cryas Jim Whitehead | |
| 1950 | Borderlineas Bill Whittaker | |
| 1950 | Chain Lightningas Ed Bostwick | |
| 1949 | The Fountainheadas Prosecutor (uncredited) | |
| 1949 | Colorado Territoryas United States Marshal | |
| 1949 | We Were Strangersas M. Seymour | |
| 1949 | Bad Men of Tombstoneas Mr. Jones | |
| 1948 | Joan of Arcas Poton de Xaintrailles, Captain | |
| 1948 | Studio Oneas Considine | |
| 1948 | For the Love of Maryas Adm. Walton | |
| 1948 | The Fabulous Fraudas Blind Girl's Father | |
| 1948 | Fighting Backas Robert J. Higby | |
| 1948 | Souvenirs of Deathas Gangster (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | High Wallas Dr. Stanley Griffin | |
| 1947 | Good Newsas Dean Griswold | |
| 1947 | Desire Meas Hector Martin | |
| 1947 | Merton of the Moviesas Goodfellow's Club Manager (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | Cynthiaas Mr. Phillips, Principal | |
| 1947 | Song of the Thin Manas Inspector (uncredited) | |
| 1947 | The Sea of Grassas A.J. Crane | |
| 1947 | Little Mister Jimas Col. W.I. Starwell | |
| 1947 | The Mighty McGurkas Fowles | |
| 1946 | Lady in the Lakeas Eugene Grayson | |
| 1946 | Courage of Lassieas Farmer Crews | |
| 1946 | The Cockeyed Miracleas Dr. Wilson | |
| 1946 | The Green Yearsas Dr. Galbraith | |
| 1946 | The Postman Always Rings Twiceas Judge (uncredited) | |
| 1946 | The Harvey Girlsas Reverend Claggett | |
| 1945 | Adventureas Mr. Ludlow - Farmer (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | Purity Squadas Dr. Adams (uncredited) | |
| 1945 | The Hidden Eyeas Ferris (henchman) | |
| 1945 | Phantoms, Inc.as Narrator (voice) | |
| 1945 | Fall Guyas District Attorney (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | The Thin Man Goes Homeas Willoughby Peavy | |
| 1944 | Dark Shadowsas Lt. Pat McKay | |
| 1944 | Gentle Annieas Deputy Gansby | |
| 1944 | Thirty Seconds Over Tokyoas Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | Return from Nowhereas Doctor (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | Barbary Coast Gentas Alec Veeder | |
| 1944 | Marriage Is a Private Affairas Ed Scofield | |
| 1944 | Meet the Peopleas Monte Rowland | |
| 1944 | Main Street Todayas Mayor Charlie Maxwell (uncredited) | |
| 1944 | Rationingas Morgan | |
| 1944 | The Heavenly Bodyas Dr. Green | |
| 1943 | The Cross of Lorraineas Col. Demas (uncredited) | |
| 1943 | Swing Feveras Dan Conlon | |
| 1943 | Best Foot Forwardas Col. Harkrider | |
| 1943 | Let's Face Itas Man in Sun Shell Cafe | |
| 1943 | Dixie Duganas Editor | |
| 1942 | Reunion in Franceas Martin | |
| 1942 | Time to Killas Alexander Morny | |
| 1942 | Tennessee Johnsonas Jefferson Davis | |
| 1942 | The Omaha Trailas Henchman Job | |
| 1942 | The Loves of Edgar Allan Poeas Mr. Graham | |
| 1942 | Tales of Manhattanas Judge | |
| 1942 | Ten Gentlemen from West Pointas Wood | |
| 1942 | Roxie Hartas Martin S. Harrison | |
| 1941 | Road Agentas Big John Morgan | |
| 1941 | Ride 'Em Cowboyas Ace Anderson | |
| 1941 | I Wake Up Screamingas Assistant District Attorney | |
| 1941 | The Bandit Trailas Red Haggerty | |
| 1941 | This Woman Is Mineas Roussel | |
| 1941 | Wide Open Townas Jim Stuart | |
| 1941 | Pirates on Horsebackas Ace Gibson | |
| 1941 | Border Vigilantesas Dan Forbes | |
| 1941 | The Roundupas 'Parenthesis' | |
| 1941 | In Old Coloradoas Weiler, Davidson's Foreman | |
| 1941 | Doomed Caravanas Stephen Westcott | |
| 1940 | Three Men from Texasas Bruce Morgan | |
| 1940 | Cherokee Stripas Hawk Barrett | |
| 1940 | Buck Benny Rides Againas Second Outlaw | |
| 1940 | The Light of Western Starsas Nat Hayworth | |
| 1940 | The Showdownas Baron Rendor | |
| 1940 | Knights of the Rangeas Gamecock | |
| 1937 | Rustlers' Valleyas Glen Randall | |
| 1937 | North of the Rio Grandeas Henry Stoneham | |
| 1937 | Hills of Old Wyomingas Andrews | |
| 1937 | Borderlandas Loco | |
| 1936 | Trail Dustas Tex Anderson | |
| 1936 | Hopalong Cassidy Returnsas Blackie Felton | |
| 1934 | Stand Up and Cheer!as Washington Press Correspondent |