Harry Shannon
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.
Known For
Acting
1941
asJim Kane
1952
asCooper
1958
asChief Gould
1948
as
1947
asCab Driver
1950
asDr. Maynard
1947
asDr. Jonathan Byrne
1951
asJohn (Policeman)
1950
asPolice Officer Houlihan
1948
asTesander
1947
asPolice Lieutenant
1953
asSheriff Brown
1946
asCapt. Lawrence
1934
as
1950
asGeorge Parker
1945
asPolice Commissioner Collins
1951
asAsylum Warden Anderson
1947
asDetective Owens, San Diego Police
1957
asDr. Fisher
1950
asCharlie
1947
asMr. Holstrom
1954
asCaptain Donnelly
1940
asPassline
1942
asSteve Finnerty
1950
asWallace Bennett
1947
asDet. Capt. R.W. Davis
1962
asGrandpa
1953
asSmokestack the Train Engineer
1956
asHoak Wayne
1949
asPolice Sergeant Garrett
1946
asPolice Lieutenant Blake
1959
asCaptain of the Far West (uncredited)
1946
asWarden Kelly
1941
asChief R.L. Graves
1958
asJustin Corley
1952
asMike Callan
1949
asNelse Lansing
1947
asSeverance
1955
asMarshal Pete MacKay
1949
asSawyer
1933
as
1937
asRailroad Detective
1944
asTom Cary
1944
asSam Weston
1943
asSam Bennett
1950
asJudge Waller
1957
asClay Ford
1934
asThe Landlord
1943
asJudge John Grey
1957
asWayne Shattuck
1955
asJohn Rutherford
1950
asClay
1940
asCapt. Mahoney
1954
asJudge Pierce
1942
asPinky Dolan
1953
asTom Carter
1950
asVice Admiral Williams
1943
asMr. Mason
1952
asPat McGowan
1955
asPurdue
1956
asMr. Totter
1951
asFred Salter
1950
asClanahan
1961
asSam Tyler (uncredited)
1942
asMr. Tim Wiggs
1947
asCapt. Rogers
1948
asThomas Lee
1930
asCapt. Denny
1943
asMr. Hendricks
1961
asDr. Burke (uncredited)
1947
asJudge Raymond
1942
asEd Cumberland
1943
asJohn 'Pop' Ormsby
1940
asFather McGann
1939
asFather
1946
asShannon
1936
asMacbeth
1954
asMichael Reilly
1948
asPolice Captain Henry (uncredited)
1940
asRandall
1984
asPop Middleton (archive footage)
1940
asArmy Captain Brackett
1941
asAmerican Immigration Official (uncredited)
1948
asChauncey
1950
asChuck (uncredited)
1949
asSheriff Harmon
1942
asMr. Carlin
1940
asMr. Casey
1949
asLew
1933
asGrogan
1943
asTom Gibbons
1950
asSandy Reeves
1933
asBartender
1929
asLarry
1933
asHarry Wart
1929
asDynamite Dan
1944
asSheriff Elwood
1955
asSam
1956
asDrunken Cowpuncher
1940
asEd, Chief of Police
1934
asBank Robber
1940
asLieutenant Sullivan
1940
asMcDermott
1943
asCharlie Witherspoon
1943
asAlbert Ness
1942
asDetective Grimes (Uncredited)
1951
asMr. Buchanan
1945
asSimmons
1942
asBarnes
1950
asMr. Yaeger
1953
asSam 'Pop' Tracy
1950
asKelsey Bunker
1954
asEd Benedeck
1942
asFlorida Doctor (Uncredited)
1946
asCop (Uncredited)
1940
asTimson
1942
asPoliceman
1958
asTom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
1945
asUncle Ralph
1946
asHenry McLane (uncredited)
1932
asPolice Sergeant
1951
asWalter Shannon
as
asBowers
as
as
asDr. Harner
asClaggert
asJesse
asJudge William Jennings Westholme
asUncle Josh
asBig Jim Heywood
as
asas 
as
as
asHenry Shipman
asJobe Crail
asHarris Ellerby
as
asas 
as
as
asTom
asKilo
asSheriff Blanton
asSamuel Morse
asJudge Varney
asMichael Shaw
asJeffries
Production
Crew
Directing
