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
The Virginian
1962
as Uncle Josh
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
as Jesse
The Untouchables
1959
as Michael Shaw
Cheyenne
1955
Rawhide
1959
as Claggert / Kilo / Sheriff Blanton / Jeffries
Gunsmoke
1955
as Bowers
Bat Masterson
1958
as Jobe Crail
The Real McCoys
1957
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Dr. Harner
The Ford Television Theatre
1952
as Judge Varney
Sugarfoot
1957
as Henry Shipman
The Texan
1958
as Jayson Howell
The Millionaire
1955
as Judge William Jennings Westholme
Navy Log
1955
State Trooper
1956
Lock-Up
1959
Cavalcade of America
1952
as Samuel Morse
26 Men
1957
The Thin Man
1957
The Dakotas
1963
Wire Service
1956
as Harris Ellerby
Letter to Loretta
1953
as Tom
The Man Behind the Badge
1953
Angel
1960
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Big Jim Heywood
Movies (122)
Citizen Kane
1941
as Jim Kane
High Noon
1952
as Cooper
Touch of Evil
1958
as Chief Gould
Canyon Passage
1946
as Henry McLane (uncredited)
The Gunfighter
1950
as Chuck (uncredited)
Gypsy
1962
as Grandpa
The Lady from Shanghai
1947
as Cab Driver
The Tall Men
1955
as Sam
Tulsa
1949
as Nelse Lansing
The Falcon Takes Over
1942
as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)
Executive Suite
1954
as Ed Benedeck
The Big Street
1942
as Florida Doctor (uncredited)
Yellowstone Kelly
1959
as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
1951
as Fred Salter
Written on the Wind
1956
as Hoak Wayne
The Buccaneer
1958
as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
Night Editor
1946
as Capt. Lawrence
Kansas Pacific
1953
as Smokestack the Train Engineer
Champion
1949
as Lew
This Gun for Hire
1942
as Steve Finnerty
In Old Oklahoma
1943
as Charlie Witherspoon
The Red House
1947
as Dr. Jonathan Byrne
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
1948
as Tesander
The Violent Men
1955
as Purdue
Tear Gas Squad
1940
as Lieutenant Sullivan
The Killer That Stalked New York
1950
as Police Officer Houlihan
Alibi Mark
1937
as Railroad Detective
Wild in the Country
1961
as Sam Tyler (uncredited)
Summer and Smoke
1961
as Dr. Burke (uncredited)
Crack-Up
1946
as Cop (Uncredited)
In Old California
1942
as Mr. Carlin
Phantom Stallion
1954
as Michael Reilly
Mr. Soft Touch
1949
as Police Sergeant Garrett
The Farmer's Daughter
1947
as Mr. Holstrom
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
1942
as Pinky Dolan
The Lady Is Willing
1942
as Barnes
The Lonely Man
1957
as Dr. Fisher
The Lemon Drop Kid
1951
as John (Policeman)
Young Tom Edison
1940
as Army Captain Brackett
The Peacemaker
1956
as Drunken Cowpuncher
Nora Prentiss
1947
as Police Lieutenant
Crime, Inc.
1945
as Police Commissioner Collins
Three Little Words
1950
as Clanahan
Idaho
1943
as Judge John Grey
At Gunpoint
1955
as Marshal Pete MacKay
The Mummy's Ghost
1944
as Sheriff Elwood
Hold Back the Dawn
1941
as American Immigration Official (uncredited)
Song of Texas
1943
as Sam Bennett
Rails Into Laramie
1954
as Judge Pierce
Rustlers
1949
as Sheriff Harmon
Parole Fixer
1940
as Randall
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
1948
as Chauncey
Big Town Scandal
1948
as Police Captain Henry (uncredited)
Hunt the Man Down
1950
as Wallace Bennett
The Jackie Robinson Story
1950
as Charlie
My Girl Tisa
1948
The Yellow Rose of Texas
1944
as Sam Weston
Dangerous Years
1947
as Judge Raymond
Once Upon a Honeymoon
1942
as Ed Cumberland
The Marauders
1955
as John Rutherford
Flesh and Fury
1952
as Mike Callan
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
1940
as Capt. Mahoney
Singing Guns
1950
as Judge Waller
Where Danger Lives
1950
as Dr. Maynard
The Last Crooked Mile
1946
as Police Lieutenant Blake
Sailor's Lady
1940
as Father McGann
Time Out of Mind
1947
as Capt. Rogers
Witness to Murder
1954
as Captain Donnelly
The Scarf
1951
as Asylum Warden Anderson
Wrongorilla
1933
as Grogan
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1942
as Mr. Tim Wiggs
Too Many Girls
1940
as Mr. Casey
Fighting Father Dunne
1948
as Thomas Lee
Pride of the Marines
1945
as Uncle Ralph
The Saint In Palm Springs
1941
as Chief R.L. Graves
The Powers Girl
1943
as Mr. Hendricks
True to Life
1943
as Mr. Mason
Someone to Remember
1943
as Tom Gibbons
Man or Gun
1958
as Justin Corley
The Sound of Fury
1950
as Mr. Yaeger
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
1947
as Detective Owens, San Diego Police
Jack Slade
1953
as Tom Carter
Hell's Crossroads
1957
as Clay Ford
Roar of the Crowd
1953
as Sam 'Pop' Tracy
City of Chance
1940
as Passline
Cry of the Hunted
1953
as Sheriff Brown
The Flying Missile
1950
as Vice Admiral Williams
San Quentin
1946
as Warden Kelly
The Mad Martindales
1942
as Policeman
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
1950
as Clay
Mary Ryan, Detective
1949
as Sawyer
The Girl from Avenue A
1940
as Timson
Captain Eddie
1945
as Simmons
Come Next Spring
1956
as Mr. Totter
Pride of Maryland
1951
as Walter Shannon
Alaska Highway
1943
as John 'Pop' Ormsby
The Underworld Story
1950
as George Parker
Gambling on the High Seas
1940
as Ed, Chief of Police
Tarnished
1950
as Kelsey Bunker
Close Relations
1933
as Harry Wart
Lure of the Wilderness
1952
as Pat McGowan
One Crowded Night
1940
as McDermott
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
1939
as Father
Duel at Apache Wells
1957
as Wayne Shattuck
The Invisible Wall
1947
as Det. Capt. R.W. Davis
When the Lights Go On Again
1944
as Tom Cary
Take a Chance
1933
as Bartender
The World of Tomorrow
1984
as Pop Middleton (archive footage)
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
1933
Heads Up
1930
as Capt. Denny
The Campus Mystery
1932
as Police Sergeant
Blue Blood
1951
as Mr. Buchanan
Exposed
1947
as Severance
A Peach of a Pair
1934
Smoked Hams
1934
as The Landlord
Cow Town
1950
as Sandy Reeves
Headin' for God's Country
1943
as Albert Ness
I Ring Doorbells
1946
as Shannon
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
1936
as Macbeth
No More West
1934
as Bank Robber
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
- Citizen Kane (1941) — as Jim Kane
- High Noon (1952) — as Cooper
- Touch of Evil (1958) — as Chief Gould
- Canyon Passage (1946) — as Henry McLane (uncredited)
- The Gunfighter (1950) — as Chuck (uncredited)
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.