Harry Shannon
Acting
🎂 1890-06-12
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.
Cast credits(148)
1954
1953
Jesse
1957
1958
1955
1956
1955
Jobe Crail
1958
Claggert
1959
Kilo
1959
Sheriff Blanton
1959
1959
1957
1957
Harris Ellerby
1956
Tom
1953
Uncle Josh
1962
Henry Shipman
1957
1963
Judge William Jennings Westholme
1955
1960
Dr. Harner
1955
Bowers
1955
1952
Samuel Morse
1952
1957
Cooper
1952
Jim Kane
1941
Big Jim Heywood
1951
Chief Gould
1958
Cab Driver
1947
Smokestack the Train Engineer
1953
Grandpa
1962
Hoak Wayne
1956
Chuck (uncredited)
1950
Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
1959
Dr. Maynard
1950
Sam
1955
Purdue
1955
Tesander
1948
Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
1958
Ed Benedeck
1954
Sheriff Elwood
1944
Mr. Carlin
1942
Sam Tyler (uncredited)
1961
Steve Finnerty
1942
1948
Police Sergeant Garrett
1949
Henry McLane (uncredited)
1946
Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
1942
Mr. Holstrom
1947
Dr. Jonathan Byrne
1947
Lew
1949
Nelse Lansing
1949
Army Captain Brackett
1940
Captain Donnelly
1954
Charlie Witherspoon
1943
American Immigration Official (uncredited)
1941
John 'Pop' Ormsby
1943
Ed Cumberland
1942
John (Policeman)
1951
Mike Callan
1952
Dr. Fisher
1957
Cop (Uncredited)
1946
Dr. Burke (uncredited)
1961
Florida Doctor (Uncredited)
1942
Judge Waller
1950
Police Commissioner Collins
1945
Police Officer Houlihan
1950
Judge Pierce
1954
Charlie
1950
Police Lieutenant
1947
Marshal Pete MacKay
1955
Fred Salter
1951
Justin Corley
1958
Capt. Mahoney
1940
Judge John Grey
1943
Clanahan
1950
Mr. Mason
1943
Police Lieutenant Blake
1946
Tom Carter
1953
Asylum Warden Anderson
1951
Sheriff Brown
1953
Lieutenant Sullivan
1940
Wallace Bennett
1950
Barnes
1942
Chief R.L. Graves
1941
Drunken Cowpuncher
1956
Father McGann
1940
Vice Admiral Williams
1950
George Parker
1950
Mr. Casey
1940
Sam Bennett
1943
Mr. Totter
1956
Severance
1947
Mr. Yaeger
1950
Judge Raymond
1947
Detective Owens, San Diego Police
1947
The Landlord
1934
Sam Weston
1944
Capt. Lawrence
1946
Michael Reilly
1954
Capt. Denny
1930
Albert Ness
1943
Mr. Hendricks
1943
Randall
1940
Wayne Shattuck
1957
Warden Kelly
1946
Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
1947
Mr. Buchanan
1951
Ed, Chief of Police
1940
Pat McGowan
1952
Kelsey Bunker
1950
Uncle Ralph
1945
Capt. Rogers
1947
Dynamite Dan
1929
Harry Wart
1933
Pinky Dolan
1942
1934
John Rutherford
1955
1933
Sandy Reeves
1950
Thomas Lee
1948
Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
1948
Passline
1940
Timson
1940
Railroad Detective
1937
Policeman
1942
Bartender
1933
Police Sergeant
1932
McDermott
1940
Sheriff Harmon
1949
Sam 'Pop' Tracy
1953
Clay Ford
1957
Tom Gibbons
1943
Sawyer
1949
Clay
1950
Chauncey
1948
Mr. Tim Wiggs
1942
Shannon
1946
Macbeth
1936
Grogan
1933
Simmons
1945
Tom Cary
1944
Bank Robber
1934
Pop Middleton (archive footage)
1984
Father
1939
Larry
1929