Hank Patterson
Known for Acting · 106 credits
- Born
- 1888-10-09
- Died
- 1975-08-23
- Place of birth
- Springville, Alabama, USA
Biography
Hank Patterson (born Elmer Calvin Patterson; October 9, 1888 – August 23, 1975) was an American actor and musician. He is known foremost for playing two recurring characters on three television series: the stableman Hank Miller on Gunsmoke and farmer Fred Ziffel on both Petticoat Junction and Green Acres.
Patterson found plenty of movie work, mainly playing cantankerous types as well as blacksmiths, hotel clerks, farmers, shopkeepers and other townsmen, usually bit roles and character parts in Republic Pictures westerns, and then in popular juvenile TV westerns such as The Cisco Kid, The Adventures of Kit Carson, The Lone Ranger, and Annie Oakley.
Patterson played recurring or different roles in adult/family TV westerns, including the role of "Hank Miller" in 33 episodes of Gunsmoke from 1962 through 1972, on Have Gun-Will Travel (eleven episodes), Death Valley Days (nine episodes), Tales of Wells Fargo (seven episodes), Maverick (four episodes), Cheyenne (four episodes), Wagon Train (three episodes), Daniel Boone (three episodes), The Virginian (two episodes), The Rifleman, Bonanza, and in episodes of Lawman, Bat Masterson, The Restless Gun, and many others.
He made additional TV appearances, including three episodes of The Twilight Zone as well as Perry Mason, Burke's Law, The Untouchables, Judd for the Defense, My Three Sons, and in later years The Mod Squad and Love, American Style.Highway Patrol.
In 1963 Patterson first appeared in what would become a recurring role as farmer Fred Ziffel on the popular CBS rural comedy Petticoat Junction. In 1965 CBS debuted another rural comedy, Green Acres. Both series were set in the mythical farming community of Hooterville, with characters from Petticoat Junction often also appearing in Green Acres, including Patterson's Fred Ziffel character. It was on the popular, irreverent Green Acres that Patterson earned his greatest fame. In 1965 and 1966—two of the years in which the two series ran concurrently—Patterson frequently appeared in both shows in the same week on primetime.
Known For
TV Shows (56)
Perry Mason
1957
as Jack Gilly
Bonanza
1959
as Blacksmith
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Hobo
Love, American Style
1969
as Farmer
The Rifleman
1958
The Twilight Zone
1959
as Old Man / Freitag / Mr. Gentry
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
The Virginian
1962
as Old Man
The Beverly Hillbillies
1962
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
Petticoat Junction
1963
as Fred Ziffell
Cheyenne
1955
as Sunset
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Slim Baker / Jonas Mulvey
Green Acres
1965
as Fred Ziffel
Daniel Boone
1964
as Jed Harper (uncredited) / Gray / Fiddler
Rawhide
1959
as Simpson
Burke's Law
1963
as Lukey Slade
Sea Hunt
1958
The Lone Ranger
1949
as Calico
Gunsmoke
1955
as Jake / Crowbait / Judge / Carl / Carl Miller / Cowboy / Hank Miller / Hank Miller (uncredited) / Livery Man
Highway Patrol
1955
Bat Masterson
1958
as Prospector / Soda Smith / Warren T. 'Soda' Smith
Mister Ed
1961
The Texan
1958
The Mod Squad
1968
Trackdown
1957
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Laredo
1965
Black Saddle
1959
as Harvey Morgan
The Abbott and Costello Show
1952
as The Tramp
Bronco
1958
as Railroad Costigan
Navy Log
1955
Riverboat
1959
as Rare / Johnny Mullins (uncredited)
Lock-Up
1959
The Tall Man
1960
87th Precinct
1961
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
as Mr. Phillips
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
1951
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
Johnny Ringo
1959
as Old Man
The Alaskans
1959
The Legend of Jesse James
1965
as Porter
Cimarron Strip
1967
Hopalong Cassidy
1952
The Loner
1965
as The Bartender
Custer
1967
City Detective
1953
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
1955
The Westerner
1960
as Sample
Death Valley Days
1952
as Phi Jones
Gang Busters
1952
Buffalo Bill Jr.
1955
Miami Undercover
1961
Straightaway
1961
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
The New Adventures of Spin and Marty
1957
as Pete Duggan
Movies (50)
Earth vs. the Spider
1958
as Hugo
Duel in the Sun
1946
as Man (uncredited)
The Gunfighter
1950
as Jake (uncredited)
Abilene Town
1946
as Doug Neil
Tarantula
1955
as Josh
The Absent-Minded Professor
1961
as Fisherman Spectator (uncredited)
Relentless
1948
as Bob Pliny (uncredited)
The Saga of Hemp Brown
1958
as Gil Henry
No Name on the Bullet
1959
as Ed - Chess Player (uncredited)
Southwest Passage
1954
as Barstow
Gunsight Ridge
1957
as George Clark (uncredited)
Julie
1956
as Ellis
Monster on the Campus
1958
as Townsend - Night Watchman
Three Faces West
1940
as Pool Player
Terror in a Texas Town
1958
as Brady
Beginning of the End
1957
as Dave
California Conquest
1952
The First Traveling Saleslady
1956
as Courtroom Spectator
Robin Hood Of Texas
1947
as Taxi Driver / Guest
Sabotage
1939
as (uncredited)
Panhandle
1948
as Old Timer (uncredited)
Canadian Mounties vs. Atomic Invaders
1953
as Jed Larson
The Return of Jesse James
1950
as Clay County Marshal
Springtime in the Sierras
1947
as Old-Timer
Lone Texan
1959
as Jack Stone (uncredited)
The James Brothers of Missouri
1949
as Duffy [Ch. 4] / Duffy [11]
The Amazing Colossal Man
1957
as Henry
Silver City Bonanza
1951
as Postman
Attack of the Puppet People
1958
as Night Manager / Theater Janitor
Gunmen from Laredo
1959
The Cowboy and the Indians
1949
as Tom
The Arizona Kid
1939
as Townsman
Bells of San Angelo
1947
as Deaf bus passenger
Blades of the Musketeers
1950
as The Old Fisherman
Under Colorado Skies
1947
as Slim
Night Time in Nevada
1948
as Tramp
Don Daredevil Rides Again
1951
as Buck Bender
The El Paso Kid
1946
as Jeff Winters
The Denver Kid
1948
as Sergeant Cooper
Jack Slade
1953
as Old Tom
Desperadoes of the West
1950
as Hardrock Haggerty
No Sad Songs for Me
1950
as Night Construction Workman (uncredited)
Code of the Silver Sage
1950
as Sergeant Woods
Strange Intruder
1956
as Knife Grinder
The Decks Ran Red
1958
as Moody
Santa Fe Uprising
1946
as Deputy Jake
Gunfighters of Abilene
1960
as Andy Ferris
The Storm Rider
1957
as Milstead
Oklahoma Badlands
1948
as Postmaster Fred
Phantom Trails
1955
as Jess Morgan
About Hank Patterson
Hank Patterson (born Elmer Calvin Patterson; October 9, 1888 – August 23, 1975) was an American actor and musician. He is known foremost for playing two recurring characters on three television series: the stableman Hank Miller on Gunsmoke and farmer Fred Ziffel on both Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Patterson found plenty of movie work, mainly playing cantankerous types as well as blacksmiths, hotel clerks, farmers, shopkeepers and other townsmen, usually bit roles and character parts in Republic Pictures westerns, and then in popular ju… With 106 credits spanning from 1939 to 1969, Hank Patterson has appeared in 50 films and 56 TV shows.
Fans searching for Hank Patterson movies, Hank Patterson filmography, or the latest projects starring Hank Patterson can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Hank Patterson Movies
- Earth vs. the Spider (1958) — as Hugo
- Duel in the Sun (1946) — as Man (uncredited)
- The Gunfighter (1950) — as Jake (uncredited)
- Abilene Town (1946) — as Doug Neil
- Tarantula (1955) — as Josh
Where to Watch Hank Patterson Films
Most Hank Patterson movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Hank Patterson, check our movies catalogue and browse page.