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James Westerfield

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
121

Gender
Male

Birthday
March 22, 1913 (113 years old)

Place of Birth
Nashville, Tennessee, USA

James Westerfield

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James A. Westerfield (22 March 1913 – 20 September 1971) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, to candy-maker Brasher Omier Westerfield and his wife Dora Elizabeth Bailey, he was raised in Detroit, Michigan. (A news story in the June 12, 1949, issue of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle calls the information in the preceding sentence into question. It describes Westerfield as "the son of a famous producer-director" and says that he was "a youngster in Denver, Col.")

He became interested in theatre as a young man and in the 1930s joined Gilmor Brown's famed Pasadena Community Playhouse, appearing in dozens of plays. He played in numerous films following his debut in 1940, then went to New York City and appeared on Broadway, winning two New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for his supporting roles in The Madwoman of Chaillot and Detective Story. He then returned to Hollywood and made more than 40 more films. Westerfield maintained an interest in the theatre. He directed more than 50 musicals in a summer-musical tent he owned in Danbury, Connecticut, and was the original stage director and producer for the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. He directed three seasons of "Theatre Under the Stars" in Vancouver, British Columbia, and appeared in musical roles with the Detroit Civic Light Opera, the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, and the San Francisco Civic Light Opera.

On film, Westerfield had roles in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), On The Waterfront (1954), Lucy Gallant (1955), the 1957 Budd Boetticher-directed Western Decision at Sundown starring Randolph Scott, Cowboy (1958), a repeating role in The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and its sequel Son of Flubber (1963), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Man's Favorite Sport (1964), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Hang 'Em High (1968) and True Grit (1969).

Westerfield had many roles on television, including seven episodes as John Murrel from 1963 to 1964 on ABC's The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, starring child actor Kurt Russell in the title role. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Sheriff Bert Elmore in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner." He also appeared in an episode of The Lone Ranger in 1954 entitled "Texas Draw."

Westerfield's other appearances were on such series as The Rifleman, The Californians, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, The Alaskans, The Rebel, Straightaway, Going My Way, The Asphalt Jungle, Hazel, The Andy Griffith Show, Daniel Boone, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Gunsmoke. He played the circus leader, Dr. Marvello, in an episode of Lost in Space "Space Circus" (1966).

Westerfield as a young man was a roommate of fellow Pasadena Playhouse actor George Reeves. The two remained close friends until Reeves's death in 1959.

Westerfield was married to Alice G. Fay (an actress under the name Fay Tracey), who, along with his mother, survived him. Westerfield died from a heart attack in Woodlands Hills, California, at the age of fifty-eight.

Known For

Acting

1973Set This Town on Fireas Cark Rickter
1971Dead Aimas John Applebee
1970The Boy Who Stole the Elephantas Sheriff Berry
1969Bartlebyas The Lawyer
1969The Love God?as Rev. Wilkerson
1969True Gritas Judge Parker
1969Smith!as Sheriff
1968Now You See It, Now You Don'tas Capt. Boyle
1968The Outcastsas
1968Mayberry R.F.D.as Sheriff Matson
1968Blueas Abe Parker
1968Hang 'em Highas Prisoner
1968A Man Called Gannonas Amos
1967Mannixas
1967Judd, for the Defenseas
1966Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Roundas Jack Balter
1966The Time Tunnelas Sheriff
1966Scalplockas Nehemiah
1965The Further Adventures of Gallegheras Charley Mardis
1965The Wild Wild Westas McAvity
1965The Big Valleyas Jeb Lassiter
1965Lost in Spaceas Dr. Marvello
1965Green Acresas
1965That Funny Feelingas Officer Brokaw
1965The Sons of Katie Elderas Mr. Vennar
1964Profiles in Courageas Sen. Samuel Pomeroy
1964Daniel Booneas Hand
1964Daniel Booneas Simon Girty
1964Bewitchedas
1964Bikini Beachas Cop #2
1964Man's Favorite Sport?as Policeman
1963The Travels of Jaimie McPheetersas John Murrel
1963The Great Adventureas Attorney Thomas Green
1963Son of Flubberas Officer Hanson
1963The Dakotasas
1962Going My Wayas
1962The Lucy Showas Weitzman
1962The Beverly Hillbilliesas
1962Birdman of Alcatrazas Jess Younger
1961Straightawayas
1961Homicidalas Alfred S. Adrims
1961The Asphalt Jungleas
1961The Absent-Minded Professoras Officer Hanson
1961Alcatraz Expressas
1960The Plunderersas Mike Baron
1960The Andy Griffith Showas Uncle Ollie
1960My Three Sonsas
1960Thrilleras Al Matthews
1960The Tall Manas
1960Wild Riveras Cal Garth
1959The Alaskansas
1959The Rebelas Suee
1959Johnny Ringoas Aben Burke
1959The Twilight Zoneas Anthony O'Toole
1959Law of the Plainsmanas Joshua Jones
1959Bonanzaas Arthur Blackwell
1959Tightropeas
1959The Hangmanas Herb Loftus
1959The Gunfight at Dodge Cityas Reverend Howard
1959The Shaggy Dogas Officer Hanson
1959Rawhideas Matt Lucas
1959Rawhideas Mort Henry
1958Old Manas Warden
1958Bat Mastersonas Shapley Howell
1958Westinghouse Desilu Playhouseas
1958The Riflemanas
1958The Texanas
1958Wanted: Dead or Aliveas Dr. Langland
1958The Proud Rebelas Birm Bates
1958Cowboyas Mike Adams
1957Decision at Sundownas Otis, the Bartender
1957Trackdownas
1957The Walter Winchell Fileas
1957Maverickas
1957Perry Masonas Roger Quigley
1957Perry Masonas Sheriff Elmore
1957Jungle Heatas Harvey Mathews
1957Richard Diamond, Private Detectiveas McAllister
1957The Helen Morgan Storyas Frank Piggin
1956Three Brave Menas Chief O'Reilly
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Bert Farrow
1956State Trooperas
1956The Adventures of Jim Bowieas
1956Away All Boatsas
1955Man with the Gunas Mr. Zender
1955Lucy Gallantas Harry Wilson
1955The 20th Century Fox Houras Mapes
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presentsas Commissioner Cummings
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presentsas Pops Lafferty
1955Gunsmokeas Cleed
1955Gunsmokeas Franks
1955Gunsmokeas Harry Duggan
1955Gunsmokeas Rance Bradley
1955The Scarlet Coatas Col. Jameson
1955The Cobwebas James Petlee
1955Chief Crazy Horseas Caleb Mantz
1955The Violent Menas Sheriff Magruder
1954Three Hours to Killas Sam Minor
1954The Human Jungleas Marty Harrison
1954Lassieas
1954On the Waterfrontas Big Mac
1954Inner Sanctumas
1953The Bachelor Partyas Bookkeeper
1953General Electric Theateras Bartender
1953General Electric Theateras The General
1951The Whistle at Eaton Fallsas Joe London
1951Casey, Crime Photographeras
1950Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Townas Harvey (Zoo Attendant) (uncredited)
1950Side Streetas Charlie (policeman)
1948Studio Oneas Bilgeboy / Jimmy Scaggs
1948Studio Oneas Captain James Reagan
1948The Philco Television Playhouseas
1948The Philco Television Playhouseas H.T. Carmichael
1946The Chaseas Job the Butler
1946Undercurrentas Henry Gilson
1943Around the Worldas Bashful Marine
1942The Pride of the Yankeesas Spectator (uncredited)
1942The Magnificent Ambersonsas Policeman at Accident (uncredited)
1942About Faceas Soldier with Daisy (uncredited)
1941Highway Westas Swede, Trucker at Cafe
1940The Howards of Virginiaas Backwoodsman

Production