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Born: January 1, 1891 – Died: November 9, 1967
Charles Bickford, a distinguished American character actor known for his gruff voice and commanding presence, was born as the fifth of seven children in 1891. His early years were marked by a streak of rebelliousness, notably when he was tried and acquitted at the age of nine for the attempted murder of a motorman. Bickford's diverse career before acting included stints as a lumberjack and investment promoter, and he even ran his own pest extermination business for a time.
Early Life and Career
Bickford's journey into the entertainment industry was as unconventional as his childhood. In his late teens, after abandoning his business, he drifted across the country. His life took a dramatic turn in San Francisco when an attempt to woo a burlesque actress led to an offer to join her show. This experience sparked his interest in acting, leading him to spend over a decade touring with road companies and eventually making a splash on Broadway in "Outside Looking In."
Bickford’s transition to Hollywood was marked by his debut in the early days of talkies. Despite a turbulent relationship with MGM and a temporary blacklisting, he persevered, working as a freelancer in [independentfilms. His career, however, faced a severe setback when he was mauled by a lion on the set of 'East of Java (1935)', which significantly affected his leading man status. Undeterred, Bickford redefined himself as a character actor, earning acclaim and three Oscar nominations for roles in films like "The Song of Bernadette" (1943) and "The Farmer's Daughter" (1947).
Beyond the screen, Bickford's personal life was equally rich. He was married to Beatrice Loring since 1916 and had two children. Despite the challenges and transformations in his career, Bickford remained a significant figure in Hollywood up until his death in 1967. His legacy as an actor is marked by his versatility and ability to imbue each role with depth and authenticity, making him a true icon in the entertainment industry.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1962–1968 | The Virginian (TV Series) | John Grainger | Tucker McCallum |
| 1966 | A Big Hand for the Little Lady | Benson Tropp |
| 1965 | Della | Hugh Stafford |
| 1964 | Suspense (TV Series) | Christopher Bell |
| 1963 | The Eleventh Hour (TV Series) | Howard Ellendale |
| 1961–1963 | The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series) | Big Jake Hollander | Emmet Peabody |
| 1963 | Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) | Dr. Barry Logan |
| 1962 | Days of Wine and Roses | Ellis Arnesen |
| 1962 | Theatre '62 (TV Series) | Butler |
| 1962 | The Farmer's Daughter (TV Movie) | Clancy |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) | Dr. Charles Dubro |
| 1961 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) | Chief Peter Farrel |
| 1961 | The Americans (TV Series) | Peterson |
| 1960 | The Islanders (TV Series) | Adam Smith |
| 1960 | The Barbara Stanwyck Show (TV Series) | Isaiah B. Richardson |
| 1960 | Checkmate (TV Series) | Whitney P. Thorne |
| 1960 | Buick-Electra Playhouse (TV Series) | Mr. Frazer |
| 1960 | The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio (TV Movie) | Mr. Frazer |
| 1960 | Cradle Song (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1960 | The Unforgiven | Zeb Rawlins |
| 1956–1960 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) | Captain Joel Kingdom | Ellis Arnesen | Gen. Keaton ... |
| 1959 | The 33rd (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1959 | Winterset (TV Movie) | Judge Gaunt |
| 1959 | The Joan Crawford Show: Woman on the Run (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1958 | The Big Country | Maj. Henry Terrill |
| 1958 | Wagon Train (TV Series) | Daniel Barrister |
| 1957 | Undercurrent (TV Series) | Stanley Hunter |
| 1957 | Climax! (TV Series) | Martin Seaford |
| 1957 | The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV Series) | John Macready |
| 1957 | Mister Cory | Jeremiah Des Plains 'Biloxi' Caldwell |
| 1952–1956 | The Ford Television Theatre (TV Series) | Norman Forrester | Sam Callahan | Stanley Hunter |
| 1956 | You Can't Run Away from It | A.A. Andrews |
| 1953–1956 | Schlitz Playhouse (TV Series) | Dr. Joseph Gunther | Enoch Prentiss |
| 1955 | The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell | Gen. Jimmy Guthrie |
| 1955 | Screen Directors Playhouse (TV Series) | Dr. Stone |
| 1955 | Celebrity Playhouse (TV Series) | Father O'Neil |
| 1955 | Not as a Stranger | Dr. Runkleman |
| 1955 | Prince of Players | Dave Prescott |
| 1954 | A Star Is Born | Oliver Niles |
| 1953 | The Revlon Mirror Theater (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1953 | The Last Posse | Sampson Drune |
| 1951 | Elopement | Tom Reagan |
| 1951 | The Raging Tide | Hamil Linder |
| 1951 | Jim Thorpe -- All-American | Glenn S. 'Pop' Warner |
| 1950 | Branded | Richard Lavery |
| 1950 | Riding High | J.L. Higgins |
| 1950 | Guilty of Treason | Joszef Cardinal Mindszenty |
| 1950 | Whirlpool | Lt. James Colton |
| 1949 | Roseanna McCoy | Devil Anse Hatfield |
| 1948 | Command Decision | Elmer Brockhurst |
| 1948 | Johnny Belinda | Black MacDonald |
| 1948 | The Babe Ruth Story | Brother Matthias |
| 1948 | Four Faces West | Pat Garrett |
| 1947 | Brute Force | Gallagher |
| 1947 | The Woman on the Beach | Tod |
| 1947 | The Farmer's Daughter | Joseph Clancy |
| 1946 | Duel in the Sun | Sam Pierce |
| 1945 | Fallen Angel | Mark Judd |
| 1945 | Captain Eddie | William Rickenbacker |
| 1944 | Wing and a Prayer | Capt. Waddell |
| 1943 | The Song of Bernadette | Father Peyramale |
| 1943 | Mr. Lucky | Hard Swede |
| 1942 | Tarzan's New York Adventure | Buck Rand |
| 1942 | Reap the Wild Wind | Mate of the 'Tyfib' |
| 1941 | Burma Convoy | Cliff Weldon |
| 1941 | Riders of Death Valley | Wolf Reade |
| 1940 | Queen of the Yukon | Ace Rincon |
| 1940 | South to Karanga | Jeff Worthing |
| 1940 | Girl from God's Country | Bill Bogler |
| 1939 | Thou Shalt Not Kill | Rev. Chris Saunders |
| 1939 | Of Mice and Men | Slim |
| 1939 | One Hour to Live | Insp. Sid Brady |
| 1939 | Mutiny in the Big House | Father Joe Collins |
| 1939 | Our Leading Citizen | Shep Muir |
| 1939 | Street of Missing Men | Cash Darwin |
| 1939 | Romance of the Redwoods | Steve Blake |
| 1939 | Stand Up and Fight | Arnold |
| 1938 | The Storm | Bob 'Sparks' Roberts |
| 1938 | Valley of the Giants | Howard Fallon |
| 1938 | Gangs of New York | 'Rocky' Thorpe | John Franklyn |
| 1937 | Daughter of Shanghai | Otto Hartman |
| 1937 | Night Club Scandal | Police Capt. McKinley |
| 1937 | Thunder Trail | Lee Tate |
| 1937 | High, Wide and Handsome | Red Scanlon |
| 1936 | The Plainsman | John Lattimer |
| 1936 | Pride of the Marines | Steve Riley |
| 1936 | Rose of the Rancho | Joe Kincaid |
| 1935 | East of Java | Red McGovern aka Harvey Bowers |
| 1935 | The Farmer Takes a Wife | Jotham Klore |
| 1935 | Under Pressure | Nipper Moran |
| 1935 | A Notorious Gentleman | Kirk Arlen |
| 1934 | A Wicked Woman | Pat Naylor |
| 1934 | Little Miss Marker | Big Steve Halloway |
| 1933 | Red Wagon | Joe Prince |
| 1933 | White Woman | Ballister |
| 1933 | This Day and Age | Louis Garrett |
| 1933 | Song of the Eagle | Joe (Nails) Anderson |
| 1933 | No Other Woman | Jim Stanley |
| 1932 | Vanity Street | Brian Murphy |
| 1932 | The Last Man | Bannister |
| 1932 | Thunder Below | Walt |
| 1932 | Scandal for Sale | Jerry Strong |
| 1932 | Panama Flo | Dan McTeague |
| 1931 | Men in Her Life | 'Flashy' Madden |
| 1931 | Pagan Lady | Dingo Mike |
| 1931 | East of Borneo | Dr. Allan Randolph |
| 1931 | The Squaw Man | Cash Hawkins |
| 1930 | Passion Flower | Dan Wallace |
| 1930 | River's End | John Keith | Sgt. Conniston |
| 1930 | The Sea Bat | John Dennis aka Reverend Sims |
| 1930 | Anna Christie | Matt |
| 1929 | Dynamite | Hagon Derk aka The Fire Boss |
| 1929 | Hell's Heroes | Bob Sangster |
| 1929 | South Sea Rose | Capt. Briggs |
General:
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