Paul Hurst
Born October 14, 1888 (Age: 137)
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Traver, California, USA
Biography
Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect). In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide. Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California (suicide)
Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect).
In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide.
Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California (suicide)
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Filmography
The Sun Shines Bright
1953
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as Jimmy Bagby
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Age: 64
The Missourians
1950
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as John X. Finn
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Age: 62
The Old Frontier
1950
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as Skipper Horton
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Age: 61
The Vanishing Westerner
1950
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as Waldorf Worthington
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Age: 61
Dakota
1945
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as Captain Spotts
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Age: 57
Midnight Manhunt
1945
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as Murphy
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Age: 56
Steppin' in Society
1945
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as Cookie
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Age: 56
Scared Stiff
1945
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as Sheriff
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Age: 56
The Big Show-Off
1945
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as Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler
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Age: 56
Night in New Orleans
1942
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as Sergeant Casper Riordan
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Age: 53
Sundown Jim
1942
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as Broderick
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Age: 53
Dudes Are Pretty People
1942
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as Two-Gun
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Age: 53
Pardon My Stripes
1942
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as Feets
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Age: 53
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
1941
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as Page
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Age: 53
This Woman Is Mine
1941
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as Second Mate Mumford
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Age: 52
The Parson of Panamint
1941
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as Jake Waldren
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Age: 52
Caught in the Draft
1941
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as Sgt. Burns
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Age: 52
The Great Mr. Nobody
1941
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as Michael O'Connor
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Age: 52
Petticoat Politics
1941
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as Slats O'Dell
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Age: 52
Virginia
1941
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as Thomas
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Age: 52
Tall, Dark and Handsome
1941
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as Biff Sage
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Age: 52
Island of Lost Souls
1932
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as Capt. Donahue
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Age: 44
Men Are Such Fools
1932
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as Stiles
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Age: 44
The Big Stampede
1932
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as 'Arizona' Frank Bailey
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Age: 43
The Phantom President
1932
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as Sailor (uncredited)
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Age: 43
Hold 'Em Jail
1932
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as Butch
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Age: 43
The Thirteenth Guest
1932
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as Detective Grump
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Age: 43
State's Attorney
1932
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as Police Captain Morgan
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Age: 43
My Pal, the King
1932
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as Red
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Age: 43
Panama Flo
1932
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as Al
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Age: 43
The Secret Witness
1931
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as Officer Brannigan
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Age: 43
Bad Company
1931
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as Paul Hurst
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Age: 43
Maker of Men
1931
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as Gabby
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Age: 42
The Public Defender
1931
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as Doc
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Age: 42
That's My Line
1931
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as Mexican Bandit
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Age: 42
Sweepstakes
1931
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as Bartender
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Age: 42
Kick In
1931
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as Detective Whip Fogarty
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Age: 42
The Secret Six
1931
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as Nick Mizoski - the Gouger
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Age: 42
The Single Sin
1931
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as Slug
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Age: 42
The Third Alarm
1930
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as 'Beauty' Johnson
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Age: 42
Borrowed Wives
1930
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as Bull Morgan
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Age: 41
Paradise Island
1930
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as Beauty
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Age: 41
Hot Curves
1930
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as 'Slug', Baseball Player
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Age: 41
Shadow of the Law
1930
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as Pete Shore
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Age: 41
The Runaway Bride
1930
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as Sergeant Daly
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Age: 41
Mountain Justice
1930
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as Lem Harland
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Age: 41
Swellhead
1930
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as Mugsy
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Age: 41
Officer O'Brien
1930
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as Captain Antrim
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Age: 41
Lucky Larkin
1930
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as Pete Brierson
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Age: 41
Smashing Through
1918
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as Stevens
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Age: 29
Rimrock Jones
1918
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as Ike Bray
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Age: 29
The Vivisectionist
1915
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as Bart - Jardine's Servant
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Age: 26