Harry Shannon
Known for Acting · 148 credits
- Born
- 1890-06-12
- Died
- 1964-07-27
- Place of birth
- Saginaw, Michigan, USA
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.
Known For
TV Shows (26)
Lassie
1954
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Jesse
The Virginian
1962
as Uncle Josh
Rawhide
1959
as Claggert / Kilo / Sheriff Blanton / Jeffries
The Untouchables
1959
as Michael Shaw
Cheyenne
1955
Gunsmoke
1955
as Bowers
Bat Masterson
1958
as Jobe Crail
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Dr. Harner
The Millionaire
1955
as Judge William Jennings Westholme
The Texan
1958
as Jayson Howell
Sugarfoot
1957
as Henry Shipman
The Real McCoys
1957
State Trooper
1956
Lock-Up
1959
The Ford Television Theatre
1952
as Judge Varney
Navy Log
1955
Cavalcade of America
1952
as Samuel Morse
The Thin Man
1957
Wire Service
1956
as Harris Ellerby
Letter to Loretta
1953
as Tom
26 Men
1957
The Dakotas
1963
The Man Behind the Badge
1953
Angel
1960
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Big Jim Heywood
Movies (122)
High Noon
1952
as Cooper
Citizen Kane
1941
as Jim Kane
Touch of Evil
1958
as Chief Gould
Summer and Smoke
1961
as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
Written on the Wind
1956
as Hoak Wayne
Tarnished
1950
as Kelsey Bunker
The Lady from Shanghai
1947
as Cab Driver
Exposed
1947
as Severance
The Red House
1947
as Dr. Jonathan Byrne
Canyon Passage
1946
as Henry McLane (uncredited)
The Gunfighter
1950
as Chuck (uncredited)
The Tall Men
1955
as Sam
In Old Oklahoma
1943
as Charlie Witherspoon
Sympathy
1929
as Larry
Executive Suite
1954
as Ed Benedeck
Gypsy
1962
as Grandpa
The Buccaneer
1958
as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
Faint Heart
1929
as Dynamite Dan
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
1951
as Fred Salter
The Violent Men
1955
as Purdue
Wrongorilla
1933
as Grogan
Hold Back the Dawn
1941
as American Immigration Official (uncredited)
Wild in the Country
1961
as Sam Tyler (uncredited)
Young Tom Edison
1940
as Army Captain Brackett
The Big Street
1942
as Florida Doctor (uncredited)
Yellowstone Kelly
1959
as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
Flesh and Fury
1952
as Mike Callan
This Gun for Hire
1942
as Steve Finnerty
The Mummy's Ghost
1944
as Sheriff Elwood
Where Danger Lives
1950
as Dr. Maynard
In Old California
1942
as Mr. Carlin
Mr. Soft Touch
1949
as Police Sergeant Garrett
The Farmer's Daughter
1947
as Mr. Holstrom
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
1948
as Tesander
The Powers Girl
1943
as Mr. Hendricks
Alibi Mark
1937
as Railroad Detective
Tulsa
1949
as Nelse Lansing
True to Life
1943
as Mr. Mason
No More West
1934
as Bank Robber
Singing Guns
1950
as Judge Waller
Once Upon a Honeymoon
1942
as Ed Cumberland
The Saint In Palm Springs
1941
as Chief R.L. Graves
Witness to Murder
1954
as Captain Donnelly
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
1948
as Chauncey
Big Town Scandal
1948
as Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
The Falcon Takes Over
1942
as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
Fighting Father Dunne
1948
as Thomas Lee
The Last Crooked Mile
1946
as Police Lieutenant Blake
Cry of the Hunted
1953
as Sheriff Brown
Crime, Inc.
1945
as Police Commissioner Collins
The Killer That Stalked New York
1950
as Police Officer Houlihan
The Flying Missile
1950
as Vice Admiral Williams
The Marauders
1955
as John Rutherford
Champion
1949
as Lew
At Gunpoint
1955
as Marshal Pete MacKay
Phantom Stallion
1954
as Michael Reilly
Nora Prentiss
1947
as Police Lieutenant
Lure of the Wilderness
1952
as Pat McGowan
Hunt the Man Down
1950
as Wallace Bennett
Time Out of Mind
1947
as Capt. Rogers
The Mad Martindales
1942
as Policeman
Three Little Words
1950
as Clanahan
My Girl Tisa
1948
Rails Into Laramie
1954
as Judge Pierce
Too Many Girls
1940
as Mr. Casey
Pride of Maryland
1951
as Walter Shannon
Jack Slade
1953
as Tom Carter
The Jackie Robinson Story
1950
as Charlie
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
1942
as Pinky Dolan
Man or Gun
1958
as Justin Corley
Gambling on the High Seas
1940
as Ed, Chief of Police
Sailor's Lady
1940
as Father McGann
The Peacemaker
1956
as Drunken Cowpuncher
Dangerous Years
1947
as Judge Raymond
The Sound of Fury
1950
as Mr. Yaeger
Come Next Spring
1956
as Mr. Totter
Tear Gas Squad
1940
as Lieutenant Sullivan
Cow Town
1950
as Sandy Reeves
Captain Eddie
1945
as Simmons
Night Editor
1946
as Capt. Lawrence
The Lemon Drop Kid
1951
as John (Policeman)
The Lonely Man
1957
as Dr. Fisher
City of Chance
1940
as Passline
Pride of the Marines
1945
as Uncle Ralph
Mary Ryan, Detective
1949
as Sawyer
Hell's Crossroads
1957
as Clay Ford
Crack-Up
1946
as Cop (Uncredited)
The Lady Is Willing
1942
as Barnes
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
1947
as Detective Owens, San Diego Police
Kansas Pacific
1953
as Smokestack the Train Engineer
The Underworld Story
1950
as George Parker
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1942
as Mr. Tim Wiggs
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
1950
as Clay
Idaho
1943
as Judge John Grey
Close Relations
1933
as Harry Wart
San Quentin
1946
as Warden Kelly
Song of Texas
1943
as Sam Bennett
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
1940
as Capt. Mahoney
The Yellow Rose of Texas
1944
as Sam Weston
The World of Tomorrow
1984
as Pop Middleton (archive footage)
Alaska Highway
1943
as John 'Pop' Ormsby
Heads Up
1930
as Capt. Denny
Parole Fixer
1940
as Randall
Roar of the Crowd
1953
as Sam 'Pop' Tracy
The Invisible Wall
1947
as Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
Duel at Apache Wells
1957
as Wayne Shattuck
The Scarf
1951
as Asylum Warden Anderson
Someone to Remember
1943
as Tom Gibbons
One Crowded Night
1940
as McDermott
The Girl from Avenue A
1940
as Timson
Headin' for God's Country
1943
as Albert Ness
A Peach of a Pair
1934
Take a Chance
1933
as Bartender
Rustlers
1949
as Sheriff Harmon
When the Lights Go On Again
1944
as Tom Cary
Blue Blood
1951
as Mr. Buchanan
The Campus Mystery
1932
as Police Sergeant
Smoked Hams
1934
as The Landlord
I Ring Doorbells
1946
as Shannon
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
1933
About Harry Shannon
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… With 148 credits spanning from 1929 to 1984, Harry Shannon has appeared in 122 films and 26 TV shows.
Fans searching for Harry Shannon movies, Harry Shannon filmography, or the latest projects starring Harry Shannon can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Harry Shannon Movies
- High Noon (1952) — as Cooper
- Citizen Kane (1941) — as Jim Kane
- Touch of Evil (1958) — as Chief Gould
- Summer and Smoke (1961) — as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
- Written on the Wind (1956) — as Hoak Wayne
Where to Watch Harry Shannon Films
Most Harry Shannon 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 Harry Shannon, check our movies catalogue and browse page.