Roscoe Karns

Roscoe Karns

Born September 06, 1891 (Age: 134) San Bernardino, California, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s. Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as Wings and Beggars of Life, his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up Claudette Colbert in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, His Girl Friday.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with Lynne Overman as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime. From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular DuMont Television Network series Rocky King, Inside Detective. His son, character actor Todd Karns, also appeared in that series. From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Admiral Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper in the title role of a United States Navy physician, and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale. His final film was another Hawks comedy, Man's Favorite Sport?, in 1964. Karns was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Los Angeles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Roscoe Karns, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s. Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as Wings and Beggars of Life, his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up Claudette Colbert in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, His Girl Friday.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with Lynne Overman as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime. From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular DuMont Television Network series Rocky King, Inside Detective. His son, character actor Todd Karns, also appeared in that series. From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Admiral Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper in the title role of a United States Navy physician, and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale. His final film was another Hawks comedy, Man's Favorite Sport?, in 1964. Karns was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Los Angeles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Roscoe Karns, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
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Filmography

Man's Favorite Sport?

Man's Favorite Sport?

1964 as Major Phipps Age: 72
Onionhead

Onionhead

1958 as 'Windy' Woods Age: 67
You Can't Escape Forever

You Can't Escape Forever

1942 as 'Mac' McTurk Age: 51
Yokel Boy

Yokel Boy

1942 as Al Devers Age: 50
Woman of the Year

Woman of the Year

1942 as Phil Whittaker Age: 50
A Tragedy at Midnight

A Tragedy at Midnight

1942 as Cassidy Age: 50
Road to Happiness

Road to Happiness

1941 as Charley Grady Age: 50
Half Shot at Sunrise

Half Shot at Sunrise

1941 as Henry Warren Age: 49
The Gay Vagabond

The Gay Vagabond

1941 as Arthur Dixon / Jerry Dixon Age: 49
No Image

Black Eyes and Blues

1941 as Alfred Harmon Age: 49
Footsteps in the Dark

Footsteps in the Dark

1941 as Monahan Age: 49
Petticoat Politics

Petticoat Politics

1941 as Joe Higgins Age: 49
Lawyer Man

Lawyer Man

1932 as Merritt - Reporter (uncredited) Age: 41
Under-Cover Man

Under-Cover Man

1932 as Dannie Age: 41
If I Had a Million

If I Had a Million

1932 as Private O'Brien Age: 41
They Call It Sin

They Call It Sin

1932 as Brad - Rehearsal Director (uncredited) Age: 41
Night After Night

Night After Night

1932 as Leo Age: 41
One Way Passage

One Way Passage

1932 as S.S. Maloa Bartender (uncredited) Age: 41
The Crooked Circle

The Crooked Circle

1932 as Harry Carter Age: 41
Two Against the World

Two Against the World

1932 as Segall, reporter Age: 40
Week-End Marriage

Week-End Marriage

1932 as Jim Davis Age: 40
The Roadhouse Murder

The Roadhouse Murder

1932 as Dale Age: 40
Play Girl

Play Girl

1932 as Gambler (uncredited) Age: 40
Stowaway

Stowaway

1932 as Insp. Redding Age: 40
High Pressure

High Pressure

1932 as Telephone Salesman (uncredited) Age: 40
Ladies of the Big House

Ladies of the Big House

1931 as Frank - Twenty Questions player (uncredited) Age: 40
Left Over Ladies

Left Over Ladies

1931 as 'Scoop' Age: 40
Pleasure

Pleasure

1931 as Arnie Age: 39
Laughing Sinners

Laughing Sinners

1931 as Fred Geer Age: 39
Many a Slip

Many a Slip

1931 as Stan Price Age: 39
Dirigible

Dirigible

1931 as Sock McGuire Age: 39
The Gorilla

The Gorilla

1930 as Simmons Age: 39
The Costello Case

The Costello Case

1930 as Blair Age: 39
Man Trouble

Man Trouble

1930 as Scott Age: 38
Little Accident

Little Accident

1930 as Gilbert Age: 38
Safety in Numbers

Safety in Numbers

1930 as Bertram Shapiro Age: 38
Troopers Three

Troopers Three

1930 as Bugs Age: 38
Conquering the Woman

Conquering the Woman

1922 as Shorty Thompson Age: 31
No Image

A Western Governor's Humanity

1915 as The Sheriff Age: 24
No Image

A Species of Mexican Man

1915 as Age: 23
No Image

From Champion to Tramp

1915 as The Girl's Father Age: 23
No Image

Mr. Carlson of Arizona

1915 as Age: 23