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Harry Shannon

Harry Shannon

Actor · 1890 – 1964 · Saginaw, Michigan, USA

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.

Movies24

  • Movie8.0

    Citizen Kane

    1941 · 6.2K votes

  • Movie7.7

    High Noon

    1952 · 1.6K votes

  • Movie7.7

    Touch of Evil

    1958 · 1.6K votes

  • Movie7.3

    The Lady from Shanghai

    1947 · 745 votes

  • Movie6.5

    The Tall Men

    1955 · 83 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Written on the Wind

    1956 · 278 votes

  • Movie7.4

    The Gunfighter

    1950 · 216 votes

  • Movie7.0

    This Gun for Hire

    1942 · 197 votes

  • Movie7.0
  • Movie6.5

    The Buccaneer

    1958 · 52 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Gypsy

    1962 · 78 votes

  • Movie7.1

    Executive Suite

    1954 · 63 votes

  • Movie7.1

    The Farmer's Daughter

    1947 · 40 votes

  • Movie6.5

    The Violent Men

    1955 · 60 votes

  • Movie6.3

    The Red House

    1947 · 90 votes

  • Movie6.1

    The Lonely Man

    1957 · 20 votes

  • Movie5.8

    The Big Street

    1942 · 21 votes

  • Movie6.2

    In Old Oklahoma

    1943 · 47 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Wild in the Country

    1961 · 37 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Hold Back the Dawn

    1941 · 51 votes

  • Movie6.2

    Nora Prentiss

    1947 · 23 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Champion

    1949 · 105 votes

  • Movie6.2

    Yellowstone Kelly

    1959 · 27 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Canyon Passage

    1946 · 70 votes

Series24

  • TV6.3

    Lassie

    1954 · 74 votes

  • TV7.3

    Have Gun, Will Travel

    1957 · 44 votes

  • TV7.8

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    1955 · 265 votes

  • TV6.5

    The Virginian

    1962 · 35 votes

  • TV8.0

    The Untouchables

    1959 · 139 votes

  • TV7.2

    Rawhide

    1959 · 49 votes

  • TV6.2

    Cheyenne

    1955 · 26 votes

  • TV6.7

    Gunsmoke

    1955 · 119 votes

  • TV7.8
  • TV6.4

    Bat Masterson

    1958 · 16 votes

  • TV6.0

    The Texan

    1958 · 6 votes

  • TV5.8

    The Millionaire

    1955 · 4 votes

  • TV5.1

    Sugarfoot

    1957 · 8 votes

  • TV5.9

    The Real McCoys

    1957 · 13 votes

  • TV6.4

    Lock-Up

    1959 · 7 votes

  • TV5.7

    State Trooper

    1956 · 7 votes

  • TV5.2

    Navy Log

    1955 · 5 votes

  • TV6.6

    Letter to Loretta

    1953 · 7 votes

  • TV4.6

    Cavalcade of America

    1952 · 5 votes

  • TV7.6

    The Thin Man

    1957 · 9 votes

  • TV5.0

    26 Men

    1957 · 8 votes

  • TV6.2
  • TV6.5

    The Dakotas

    1963 · 4 votes

  • TV9.0

    Wire Service

    1956 · 1 votes