Barton MacLane
Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian. After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers. Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Pocketful of Miracles
(Police Commissioner)
The Maltese Falcon
(Lt. of Detectives Dundy)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(Sam Higgins)
Foxfire
(Jim Mablett)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(Pat McCormick)
The Secret Seven
(Sam O'Donnell)
Politics
Manpower
(Smiley Quinn)
Nabonga
(Carl Hurst)
The Rounders
(Tanner)
Come Live with Me
(Barney Grogan)
Red Light
(Detective Strecker)
The Walking Dead
(Loder)
High Sierra
(Jake Kranmer)
Bullets or Ballots
(Al Kruger)
Cry of the Werewolf
(Lt. Barry Lane)
The Mummy's Ghost
(Inspector Walgreen)
Scared Stiff
(George 'Deacon' Markham)
Mysterious Intruder
(Detective Taggart)
The Prince and the Pauper
(John Canty)
All Through the Night
(Marty Callahan)
Western Union
(Jack Slade)
Backlash
(Sergeant George Lake)
The Geisha Boy
(Major Ridgley)
You and Me
(Mickey)
The Glenn Miller Story
(General Arnold)
The Cocoanuts
(Bather)
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
(Lieutenant John Reece)
Kansas Pacific
(Cal Bruce)
San Quentin
(Lt. Druggin)
Tarzan and the Huntress
(Paul Weir)
You Only Live Once
(Stephen Whitney)
Secret Command
(Red Kelly)
The Man Is Armed
(Det. Lt. Dan Coster)
Man of Courage
(John Wallace)
Tarzan and the Amazons
(Ballister)
Times Square Playboy
(Casey (Vic's Butler/Trainer))
San Quentin
(Nick Taylor)
Lone Cowboy
(Policeman Baxter)
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
(Detective Rief)
Ceiling Zero
(Al Stone)
Black Fury
(McGee)
Bugles in the Afternoon
(Capt. Myles Moylan)
The Spanish Main
(Capt. Benjamin Black)
Smart Blonde
(Steve McBride)
The Big Street
(Case Ables)
Highways by Night
(Leo Bronson)
Wetbacks
(Karl Shanks)
Drums in the Deep South
(Sgt. Mac McCardle)
God's Country and the Woman
(Bullhead)
Best of the Badmen
(Joad)
The Walls of Jericho
(Rufus J. "Gotch" McCurdy)
Tillie and Gus
(Commissioner McLennan)
Gunfighters of Abilene
(Seth)
Song of Texas
(Jim Calvert)
The Case of the Lucky Legs
(Bisonette)
Stand Up and Fight
(Crowder)
The Thundering Herd
(Henchman Pruitt)
Frisco Kid
(Spider Burke)
Unknown Island
(Capt. Tarnowski)
Blondes at Work
(Lt. Steve McBride)
Men Without Souls
(Blackie Drew)
To the Last Man
(Neil Stanley)
Man of the Forest
(Mulvey)
Hell's Crossroads
(Clyde O'Connell)
Angel in Exile
(Max Giorgio)
Girl on the Run
(Francis J. Brannigan)
Naked Gun
(Joe Barnum)
Fly Away Baby
(Steve McBride)
The Adventurous Blonde
(Det. Lt. Steve McBride)
Torchy Runs for Mayor
(Steve McBride)
Torchy Gets Her Man
(Detective Steve McBride)
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
(Det. Lt. Steve 'Mac' McBride)
Arizona Bushwhackers
(Sheriff Grover)
Buckskin
(Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond)
Barnacle Bill
(John Kelly)
Wine, Women and Horses
(Jim Turner)
Stranded
(Sharkey)
The Half-Breed
(Marshal Cassidy)
Page Miss Glory
(Blackie)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
(Self (archive footage) (uncredited))
Treasure of Ruby Hills
(Chalk Reynolds)
Cheyenne
(Webb Yancey)
Noose for a Gunman
(Carl Avery)
Relentless
(Tex Brandow)
Law of the Lawless
(Big Tom Stone)
Jail Busters
(Captain Jenkins)
The Acid Test
Melody Ranch
(Mark Wildhack)
Rails Into Laramie
(Lee Graham)
Naked In The Sun
(Wilson)
Go Into Your Dance
(Duke Hutchinson)
Jack Slade
(Jules Reni)
Marine Raiders
(Sgt. Maguire)
Dr. Socrates
(Red Bastian)
Jungle Flight
(Case Hagin)
The Underdog
(John Tate)
Born Reckless
(Jim Barnes)
The Bandit Queen
(Sheriff Jim Harden)
Captain Scarface
(Captain Scarface)
Prison Break
(Joaquin Shannon)
The Last Round-up
(Charley Benson)
I Found Stella Parish
(Clifton Jeffords)
Let's Dance
(Larry Channock)
Sierra Stranger
(Lem Gotch)
His Woman
(Crewman)
Gold Is Where You Find It
(Slag Martin)
The Dude Goes West
(Texas Jack Barton)
Bombardier
(Archie Dixon)
Town Tamer
(James Fell)
Cow Country
(Marvin Parker)
Ever Since Eve
(Al McCoy)
Santa Fe Uprising
(Crawford)
Wild Geese Calling
(Pirate Kelly)
The Case of the Curious Bride
(Detective Lucas)
'G' Men
(Collins)
Gentle Annie
(Sheriff Tatum)
Draegerman Courage
(Andrew Beaupre)
Mutiny in the Big House
(Red Manson)
Man of Iron
(Chris Bennett)
Jaguar
(Steve Bailey)
Gangs of Chicago
(Jim Ramsey)
Bengal Tiger
(Cliff Ballenger)
Jailbreak
(Detective Captain Rourke)
The Kid Comes Back
(Gunner Malone)
I Was a Convict
(Ace King)
Naughty-Cal
(Sailor)
Let's Dance
Hit the Road
(James J. Ryan)
Breakdowns of 1936
(Self)
Hell's Outpost
(Sheriff Olson)
Jubilee Trail
(Deacon Bartlett)
All of Me
(First Cop (uncredited))
Crimes Square
(Detective with Handcuffs)
The Gigolo Racket
(Cafe Customer)
Silver River
('Banjo' Sweeney)
The Silver Star
(Henry 'Tiny' Longtree)
Last of the Desperados
(Mosby, Gang Leader)
Three Violent People
(Yates)
Frontier Gun
(Simon Crayle)
Big Town Czar
(Phil Daley)
Thunderbirds
(Sgt. Durkee)
A Dream Comes True
(Himself (uncredited))
Breakdowns of 1937
(Self)
Breakdowns of 1939
(Self)
The Storm
(Captain Cogswell)
Bogart: The Untold Story
(Self (archive footage))
Sea of Lost Ships
(Capt. Jack Matthews)
It's Showtime
(Self (archive footage))
Big Executive
(Harry the Guide)
The Quarterback
(Football Player (uncredited))
Girl in the Woods
(Big Jim)
77 Sunset Strip
Cheyenne
I Dream of Jeannie
(General Peterson)
The Munsters
Gunsmoke
(Herkimer Crawford)
Perry Mason
(Senator Harriman Baylor)
The Monkees
Outlaws
(Marshal Frank Caine)
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Lux Video Theatre
(Steve)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
(Chief Brooks)
Hondo
Wire Service
(Gen. Bailey)
The Whistler
Tightrope
Black Saddle
(General Fowler)
Telephone Time
Studio 57
Gunsmoke
(Willard Kerner)
Lux Video Theatre
(Marvin Platt)
Four Star Playhouse
(Capt. Webber)
Four Star Playhouse
(Milo)
Perry Mason
(Sheriff Eugene Norris)
Perry Mason
(Harold Minter)
Perry Mason
(Archer Osmond)
The Wonderful World of Disney
(Rawls Kettrick)