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.
Acted in 148
1980s
- 1984
The World of Tomorrow
Pop Middleton (archive footage)
1960s
- 1963
- 1962
- 1961
Summer and Smoke
Dr. Burke (uncredited)
- 1960
Angel
TV
1950s
- 1959
Yellowstone Kelly
Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
- 1958
The Buccaneer
Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
Man or Gun
Justin Corley
- 1957
The Lonely Man
Dr. Fisher
Hell's Crossroads
Clay Ford
Duel at Apache Wells
Wayne Shattuck
The Travellers
Movie
- 1956
The Peacemaker
Drunken Cowpuncher
Come Next Spring
Mr. Totter
- 1955
At Gunpoint
Marshal Pete MacKay
Crossroads
Detective Sergeant Dave Washburn · 1 episode
The Marauders
John Rutherford
The Violent Men
Purdue
- 1954
Rails Into Laramie
Judge Pierce
Phantom Stallion
Michael Reilly
- 1953
Jack Slade
Tom Carter
Roar of the Crowd
Sam 'Pop' Tracy
- 1952
Lure of the Wilderness
Pat McGowan
Flesh and Fury
Mike Callan
Boots Malone
Colonel Summers (uncredited)
- 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Big Jim Heywood · 1 episode
The Scarf
Asylum Warden Anderson
The Lemon Drop Kid
John (Policeman)
Blue Blood
Mr. Buchanan
Pride of Maryland
Walter Shannon
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
Fred Salter
- 1950
Hunt the Man Down
Wallace Bennett
The Flying Missile
Vice Admiral Williams
The Sound of Fury
Mr. Yaeger
The Killer That Stalked New York
Police Officer Houlihan
The Underworld Story
George Parker
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
Clay
Cow Town
Sandy Reeves
Tarnished
Kelsey Bunker
1940s
- 1949
Mary Ryan, Detective
Sawyer
Mr. Soft Touch
Police Sergeant Garrett
Champion
Lew
Rustlers
Sheriff Harmon
- 1948
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
Chauncey
Big Town Scandal
Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
Fighting Father Dunne
Thomas Lee
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Tesander
My Girl Tisa
Movie
- 1947
The Invisible Wall
Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
Time Out of Mind
Capt. Rogers
The Farmer's Daughter
Mr. Holstrom
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
Detective Owens, San Diego Police
- 1946
San Quentin
Warden Kelly
Crack-Up
Cop (Uncredited)
The Last Crooked Mile
Police Lieutenant Blake
Night Editor
Capt. Lawrence
I Ring Doorbells
Shannon
- 1945
Pride of the Marines
Uncle Ralph
Captain Eddie
Simmons
- 1944
When the Lights Go On Again
Tom Cary
The Mummy's Ghost
Sheriff Elwood
The Yellow Rose of Texas
Sam Weston
- 1943
True to Life
Mr. Mason
Headin' for God's Country
Albert Ness
Someone to Remember
Tom Gibbons
Alaska Highway
John 'Pop' Ormsby
Song of Texas
Sam Bennett
Idaho
Judge John Grey
The Powers Girl
Mr. Hendricks
- 1942
Once Upon a Honeymoon
Ed Cumberland
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Mr. Tim Wiggs
The Big Street
Florida Doctor (uncredited)
The Falcon Takes Over
Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
The Mad Martindales
Policeman
This Gun for Hire
Steve Finnerty
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
Pinky Dolan
The Lady Is Willing
Barnes
- 1941
Hold Back the Dawn
American Immigration Official (uncredited)
The Saint In Palm Springs
Chief R.L. Graves
- 1940
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
Capt. Mahoney
Too Many Girls
Mr. Casey
One Crowded Night
McDermott
The Girl from Avenue A
Timson
Sailor's Lady
Father McGann
Gambling on the High Seas
Ed, Chief of Police
Tear Gas Squad
Lieutenant Sullivan
Young Tom Edison
Army Captain Brackett
Parole Fixer
Randall
City of Chance
Passline
1930s
- 1939
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
Father
- 1937
Alibi Mark
Railroad Detective
- 1936
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
Macbeth
- 1934
A Peach of a Pair
Movie
Smoked Hams
The Landlord
No More West
Bank Robber
- 1933
Close Relations
Harry Wart
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
Movie
- 1930
Heads Up
Capt. Denny
1920s
- 1929
Faint Heart
Dynamite Dan
Sympathy
Larry