Biography
Edward Gargan was born of Irish parents in Brooklyn, New York in 1902. He was the elder brother of actor William Gargan whose July 17 birthday he shared. Edward Gargan started as a musical comedy actor on Broadway. He sang in "Good News", "Rose-Marie", and other hit musicals of the 1920s, and also in opera. One of his early shows was "Polly of Hollywood" in 1927. He portrayed Patrolman Mulligan, one of the principals of "Strictly Dishonorable", in 1930. He went to Hollywood in 1932 and the next year was in the cast of the film "David Harum". For the next 19 years he appeared in a variety of movies. Gargan was one of the most prolific bit players in the history of the movies, specializing in dumb policemen and dense sidekicks. He appeared in nearly 300 feature films over a three-decade span between 1921 and 1952, and television work from 1951 to 1953. Gargan died in New York City in 1964.
Acted in 205
1950s
- 1953
I Was a Burlesque Queen
Frankie
- 1951
Bedtime for Bonzo
Policeman (as Ed Gargan)
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Milt (uncredited)
- 1950
Spooky Wooky
Movie
Hit Parade of 1951
Garrity
Triple Trouble
Officer Murphy
Belle of Old Mexico
Sam
Key to the City
S.F. Cop - Fire Escape (uncredited)
1940s
- 1949
Hold That Baby!
Policeman Burton
- 1948
Blondie's Secret
The Butcher (uncredited)
Strike It Rich
Mack
You Gotta Stay Happy
Detective (Uncredited)
Daredevils of the Clouds
Tap-It Bowers
Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!
Ted (uncredited)
Campus Honeymoon
Motorcycle Cop
- 1947
Linda, Be Good
Frankie
The Ghost Goes Wild
Newsstand man
Little Miss Broadway
Uncle George
Web of Danger
Dolan, Restaurant Owner
That's My Gal
Mike
So You're Going to Be a Father
Pie Truck Driver (uncredited)
The Brasher Doubloon
Truck Driver (uncredited)
- 1946
Crack-Up
Cop in Arcade (Uncredited)
The Dark Horse
Eustace Kelly
Behind the Mask
Detective Dixon
Deadline at Dawn
Bouncer (uncredited)
Cinderella Jones
Riley
Blonde Alibi
Police Sergeant (Uncredited)
Little Giant
Policeman (uncredited)
Gay Blades
Bartender
- 1945
Follow That Woman
Butch
Life with Blondie
Hundefänger (uncredited)
She Wouldn't Say Yes
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Sing Your Way Home
Jailer
Her Highness and the Bellboy
1st Cop
The Naughty Nineties
Baxter - Saloon Bartender (uncredited)
Dangerous Partners
Police Sgt. at Kempen's Apartment (uncredited)
A Sporting Chance
Mike Ryan
Twice Blessed
Outraged Baseball Fan (uncredited)
Earl Carroll Vanities
Policeman
High Powered
Cal Williams
- 1944
San Fernando Valley
Keno
Detective Kitty O'Day
Mike Storm
The Great Alaskan Mystery
Kurtz
The Falcon Out West
Homicide Detective Bates
- 1943
The Falcon and the Co-Eds
Detective Bates
My Kingdom for a Cook
Duke
Princess O'Rourke
Slugged Pedestrian (uncredited)
The West Side Kid
Donovan
The Falcon in Danger
Det. Bates
Hit the Ice
Bank Policeman (uncredited)
Tahiti Honey
George, the Bartender
The Falcon Strikes Back
Detective Bates
Something to Shout About
Detective Stone
- 1942
My Heart Belongs to Daddy
Mr. Johnson - Detective
The Falcon's Brother
Detective Bates
My Sister Eileen
Murphy - Policeman (uncredited)
Between Us Girls
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Blondie for Victory
Sergeant
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Bombardier (uncredited)
Lady in a Jam
Deputy
The Falcon Takes Over
Detective Bates (Uncredited)
Meet the Stewarts
Moving Man
Flying with Music
Joe
My Favorite Blonde
Mulrooney
What's Cookin'?
Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Dr. Kildare's Victory
Willie Brooks
Fly By Night
Officer Charlie Prescott
Over My Dead Body
Police Sergeant
- 1941
Niagara Falls
Chuck
Ice-Capades
Joe, the Bouncer
Tillie the Toiler
Policeman
Three Sons o' Guns
Sylvester
Million Dollar Baby
Movie
Thieves Fall Out
Dudley Kane
Here Comes Happiness
Joe
Flight from Destiny
Hotel Doorman
Four Mothers
Harry (uncredited)
- 1940
San Francisco Docks
Hank
This Thing Called Love
Police Officer
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
Chimp
Spring Parade
Inga - the Fortune Teller
Girl from God's Country
Poker Player
Queen of the Mob
Bank Guard
Buck Benny Rides Again
Policeman
An Angel from Texas
New York Policeman
The Doctor Takes a Wife
George, the Doorman (uncredited)
Two Girls on Broadway
Policeman Guarding Courtroom (uncredited)
Johnny Apollo
Detective (uncredited)
Road to Singapore
Bill (uncredited)
Adventure in Diamonds
Lou
Charlie Chan in Panama
Plant Workman
Castle on the Hudson
Death Row Guard (uncredited)
The Saint's Double Trouble
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Brother Rat and a Baby
Cab Driver
1930s
- 1939
A Child is Born
Officer Riley - Police Guard (uncredited)
Another Thin Man
Detective Quinn (uncredited)
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
Truck Driver
20,000 Men a Year
Dunk
Pack Up Your Troubles
Sentry
On Your Toes
First Policeman
$1,000 a Touchdown
Ironmansky (uncredited)
They All Come Out
George "Bugs" Jacklin
Night Work
Officer Flannigan
The Spellbinder
Tom, Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Lucky Night
Policeman
Fixer Dugan
Jake
The Family Next Door
Cop
The Saint Strikes Back
Pinky Budd
Blondie Meets the Boss
Garden Café Doorman (uncredited)
Cafe Society
Cop
Yes, My Darling Daughter
Police Officer
Honolulu
Second Detective
Boy Trouble
Cop
- 1938
While New York Sleeps
Sgt. White
Up the River
Tiny
Thanks for the Memory
Flanahan
Spring Madness
Jim - a Policeman
Annabel Takes a Tour
Longshoreman at dance
Straight, Place and Show
Detective Globe
Carefree
Policeman (uncredited)
Give Me a Sailor
Chief Petty Officer (uncredited)
Gateway
Guard
Crime School
Officer Hogan
Love on a Budget
Big Furniture Mover
- 1937
Wallaby Jim of the Islands
[scenes deleted]
Danger Patrol
John Donovan
A Girl with Ideas
Eddie
That’s My Story
John
Madame X
Mate of Dorcas
Back in Circulation
Policeman at Train Wreck (uncredited)
High, Wide and Handsome
Foreman
The Go-Getter
Police Officer Riley (uncredited)
You Can't Buy Luck
Butch (uncredited)
Jim Hanvey, Detective
O. R.Smith
The Man Who Found Himself
Policeman in Park
The Great O'Malley
Policeman Driving Radio Car (uncredited)
We're on the Jury
Officer Clark
- 1936
Great Guy
Henchman Al
Under Your Spell
Detective (uncredited)
Valiant Is the Word for Carrie
Movie
Wives Never Know
Officer
Stage Struck
Rordan
Grand Jury
Policeman Burke
Roaming Lady
Andy
Boulder Dam
Pa's Guest (uncredited)
Sutter's Gold
Wagon Driver
Dangerous Waters
Bosun
Anything Goes
Detective #1
- 1935
The Bride Comes Home
Cab Driver
Hands Across the Table
Pinky Kelly (uncredited)
Two for Tonight
Taxi Driver
Here Comes Cookie
Policeman (uncredited)
We're in the Money
Clancy O'Rourke
Man on the Flying Trapeze
Patrolman
Behind the Green Lights
Moran - a Cop
One New York Night
Trench
The Gilded Lily
Guard
A Notorious Gentleman
Detective
- 1934
The Band Plays On
Lumberjack
Port of Lost Dreams
Porky the Freda's 'Crew'
She Had to Choose
Higgins
Belle of the Nineties
Stogie (Ruby's agent)
Wild Gold
Eddie Sparks
Registered Nurse
Officer Pat O'Brien
David Harum
Bill Montague (uncredited)
Queen Christina
Drinker Betting on 9 (uncredited)
- 1933
Ace of Aces
Whitaker (uncredited)
Three Cornered Moon
Mike, the Landlord (uncredited)
Mary Stevens, M.D.
'Captain' the Policeman (uncredited)
Gambling Ship
Deputy (uncredited)
The Girl in 419
Lt. 'Babs' Riley
- 1931
The Girl Habit
Detective
Tarnished Lady
Al - Man in Bar
