Harry Shannon
Born June 12, 1890 (Age: 135)
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Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Biography
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.
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.
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Filmography
Gypsy
1962
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as Grandpa
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Age: 72
Summer and Smoke
1961
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as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
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Age: 71
Wild in the Country
1961
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as Sam Tyler (uncredited)
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Age: 71
Yellowstone Kelly
1959
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as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
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Age: 69
The Buccaneer
1958
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as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
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Age: 68
Man or Gun
1958
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as Justin Corley
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Age: 67
Touch of Evil
1958
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as Chief Gould
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Age: 67
The Peacemaker
1956
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as Drunken Cowpuncher
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Age: 66
Written on the Wind
1956
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as Hoak Wayne
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Age: 66
Come Next Spring
1956
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as Mr. Totter
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Age: 65
At Gunpoint
1955
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as Marshal Pete MacKay
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Age: 65
The Marauders
1955
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as John Rutherford
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Age: 65
The Tall Men
1955
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as Sam
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Age: 65
The Violent Men
1955
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as Purdue
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Age: 64
Executive Suite
1954
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as Ed Benedeck
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Age: 63
Witness to Murder
1954
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as Captain Donnelly
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Age: 63
Rails Into Laramie
1954
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as Judge Pierce
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Age: 63
Phantom Stallion
1954
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as Michael Reilly
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Age: 63
Jack Slade
1953
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as Tom Carter
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Age: 63
Roar of the Crowd
1953
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as Sam 'Pop' Tracy
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Age: 62
Cry of the Hunted
1953
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as Sheriff Brown
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Age: 62
Kansas Pacific
1953
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as Smokestack the Train Engineer
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Age: 62
Hunt the Man Down
1950
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as Wallace Bennett
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Age: 60
The Flying Missile
1950
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as Vice Admiral Williams
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Age: 60
The Sound of Fury
1950
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as Mr. Yaeger
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Age: 60
Where Danger Lives
1950
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as Dr. Maynard
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Age: 60
The Killer That Stalked New York
1950
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as Police Officer Houlihan
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Age: 60
The Underworld Story
1950
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as George Parker
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Age: 60
Three Little Words
1950
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as Clanahan
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Age: 60
The Gunfighter
1950
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as Chuck (uncredited)
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Age: 59
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
1950
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as Clay
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Age: 59
Cow Town
1950
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as Sandy Reeves
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Age: 59
The Jackie Robinson Story
1950
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as Charlie
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Age: 59
Singing Guns
1950
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as Judge Waller
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Age: 59
Tarnished
1950
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as Kelsey Bunker
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Age: 59
Pride of the Marines
1945
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as Uncle Ralph
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Age: 55
Captain Eddie
1945
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as Simmons
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Age: 55
Crime, Inc.
1945
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as Police Commissioner Collins
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Age: 54
Once Upon a Honeymoon
1942
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as Ed Cumberland
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Age: 52
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1942
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as Mr. Tim Wiggs
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Age: 52
The Big Street
1942
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as Florida Doctor (uncredited)
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Age: 52
In Old California
1942
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as Mr. Carlin
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Age: 51
The Falcon Takes Over
1942
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as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
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Age: 51
The Mad Martindales
1942
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as Policeman
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Age: 51
This Gun for Hire
1942
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as Steve Finnerty
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Age: 51
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
1942
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as Pinky Dolan
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Age: 51
The Lady Is Willing
1942
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as Barnes
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Age: 51
Hold Back the Dawn
1941
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as American Immigration Official (uncredited)
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Age: 51
Citizen Kane
1941
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as Jim Kane
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Age: 50
The Saint In Palm Springs
1941
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as Chief R.L. Graves
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Age: 50
No Image
The Campus Mystery
1932
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as Police Sergeant
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Age: 42
Heads Up
1930
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as Capt. Denny
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Age: 40