Dick Foran
Biography
John Nicholas Dick Foran was an American actor and singer born on June 18, 1910, in Flemington, New Jersey, and he died on August 10, 1979, at the age of 69. He was known for his performances in Western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures. When he signed a contract with Fox in 1934, he was billed as Nick Foran and crooned when called upon in films such as Change of Heart with Janet Gaynor. In 1935, standing 6-foot-2 with red hair, he was hired by Warner Bros. as a supporting actor and changed his first name to Dick. His handsome appearance and good-natured personality made him a natural choice for the supporting cast, and he first appeared as a singing cowboy in his first starring role.
Career overview
John Nicholas Dick Foran was an American actor and singer born on June 18, 1910, in Flemington, New Jersey, and he died on August 10, 1979. He was known for his performances in western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures.
Early in his career, he was billed as Nick Foran when he signed a contract with Fox in 1934. Standing 6-foot-2 and having red hair, he would also croon when called upon in films such as Change of Heart in 1934 with Janet Gaynor, which was made for the Fox Film Corporation.
In 1935, Foran was hired by Warner Bros. as a supporting actor, and he changed his first name to Dick. His handsome appearance and good-natured personality made him a natural choice for the supporting cast. He first appeared as a singing cowboy in his first starring role. Across his career in acting, he accumulated 143 known credits.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
158 titles- Shemp Cocktail: A Toast to the Original Stooge (2008) as Self (archive footage)
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! (1982) as Self (archive footage)
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1975) as Self (archive footage)
- Adam-12 (1968) as Fred Haines
- Mayberry R.F.D. (1968) as King Beaumont
- Brighty of the Grand Canyon (1966) as The Prospector
- O.K. Crackerby (1965)
- Taggart (1965) as Stark
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Jeremiah
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Simon Doggett
- The Great Adventure (1963) as Colton
- The Dakotas (1963)
- Donovan's Reef (1963) as Sean O'Brien
- The Virginian (1962) as Duggan
- The Virginian (1962) as Mayor
- The Virginian (1962) as Frank Devereaux
- Should I Marry Outside My Faith? (1962)
- Dr. Kildare (1961) as Paul Adams
- Studs Lonigan (1960) as Patrick Lonigan
- The Big Night (1960) as Ed Robello
- Rawhide (1959) as Major Taggert
- The Swamp Fox (1959) as Gabriel Marion
- The Atomic Submarine (1959) as Dan Wendover
- Lawman (1958) as Ed Kelly
- Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958) as Sheriff D. Wilkes
- Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958) as Frank Koster
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958)
- Yancy Derringer (1958) as Mr. Halligan
- Violent Road (1958) as Frank 'Sarge' Miller
- The Fearmakers (1958) as Jim McGinnis
- Thundering Jets (1958) as Col. Henry Spalding
- Perry Mason (1957) as Dr. David Craig
- Perry Mason (1957) as Steve Benton
- Perry Mason (1957) as Harlan Merrill
- Maverick (1957) as Sheriff Edwards
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957) as David Steele
- The O. Henry Playhouse (1957) as Calliope
- Chicago Confidential (1957) as Artie Blaine
- Sierra Stranger (1957) as Bert Gaines
- State Trooper (1956)
- State Trooper (1956) as George Larkin
- On Trial (1956) as Newcombe
- Please Murder Me (1956) as Joe Leeds
- Matinee Theater (1955)
- Cheyenne (1955)
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Sheriff
- The Millionaire (1955) as Hugh Waring
- The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955) as Thomas Mara
- Night of Execution (1955) as Robert Maxwell
- Treasure of Ruby Hills (1955) as Alan Doran
- The Miracle on 34th Street (1955) as Thomas Mara
- Lassie (1954)
- Lassie (1954) as Fire Chief Ed Washburne
- Father Knows Best (1954) as Burt
- Climax! (1954) as Robert Maxwell
- Climax! (1954) as Luke Bradshaw
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Phil
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Esau Hepburn
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Mr. Murdock
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Will Foster
- Cavalcade of America (1952)
- Death Valley Days (1952) as Ferguson
- The Kill (1952) as Jeff Clark
- The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951)
- Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951) as Frank Jennings
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Bob
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Matt
- Suspense (1949)
- El Paso (1949) as Sheriff La Farge
- Deputy Marshal (1949) as Joel Benton
- Studio One (1948)
- Studio One (1948) as Russ Adams
- Studio One (1948) as Jeff Clark
- Studio One (1948) as Larry
- Fort Apache (1948) as Sgt. Quincannon
- Kraft Television Theatre (1947)
- Easy Come, Easy Go (1947) as Dale Whipple
- Hollywood Wonderland (1947) as Singing Cowboy (clip from "Sunday Roundup", 1936) (uncredited)
- Blow-Ups of 1946 (1946) as Self
- Movieland Magic (1946) as (archive footage)
- Guest Wife (1945) as Christopher Price
- Hi, Buddy (1943) as Dave O'Connor
- He's My Guy (1943) as Van Moore
- Breakdowns of 1942 (1942) as Self
- The Mummy's Tomb (1942) as Prof. Stephen A. Banning
- Butch Minds the Baby (1942) as Dennis Devlin
- Private Buckaroo (1942) as Lon Prentice
- Behind the Eight Ball (1942) as Bill Edwards
- Road Agent (1941) as Duke Masters
- Ride 'Em Cowboy (1941) as Bronco Bob Mitchell
- Riders of Death Valley (1941) as Jim Benton
- Four Mothers (1941) as Ernest Talbot
- Keep 'Em Flying (1941) as Jinx Roberts
- Horror Island (1941) as Bill Martin
- In the Navy (1941) as Dynamite Dugan
- Mob Town (1941) as Frank Conroy
- Unfinished Business (1941) as Frank
- The Kid from Kansas (1941) as Kansas
- The House of the Seven Gables (1940) as Matthew Maule
- The Mummy's Hand (1940) as Steve Banning
- Rangers of Fortune (1940) as Johnny Cash
- The Fighting 69th (1940) as Long John Wynn
- My Little Chickadee (1940) as Wayne Carter
- Winners of the West (1940) as Jeff Ramsay
- I Stole a Million (1939) as Paul Carver
- Four Wives (1939) as Ernest Talbot
- Daughters Courageous (1939) as Eddie Moore
- Private Detective (1939) as Jim Rickey
- Inside Information (1939) as Danny Blake
- Hero for a Day (1939) as Brainy Thornton
- Breakdowns of 1938 (1938) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Four Daughters (1938) as Ernest
- Secrets of a Nurse (1938) as 'Killer' Lee Burke
- Over the Wall (1938) as Jerry Davis
- Out Where the Stars Begin (1938) as Dick Foran
- The Sisters (1938) as Tom Knivel
- Boy Meets Girl (1938) as Larry Toms
- Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938) as Sam Thorne
- Love, Honor and Behave (1938) as Pete Martin
- Heart of the North (1938) as Alan Baker
- Sunday Night at the Trocadero (1937) as Dick Foran
- Breakdowns of 1937 (1937) as Self
- Black Legion (1937) as Ed Jackson
- Land Beyond the Law (1937) as Charles "Chip" Douglas
- The Perfect Specimen (1937) as Jink Carter
- She Loved a Fireman (1937) as James "Red" Tyler
- The Cherokee Strip (1937) as Dick Hudson
- The Devil's Saddle Legion (1937) as Tal Holladay
- Prairie Thunder (1937) as Rod Farrell
- Empty Holsters (1937) as Clay Brent
- Blazing Sixes (1937) as Red Barton
- The Petrified Forest (1936) as Boze Hertzlinger
- Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs (1936)
- Breakdowns of 1936 (1936) as Self
- Treachery Rides the Range (1936) as Red Taylor
- The Golden Arrow (1936) as Tommy Blake
- Guns of the Pecos (1936) as Steve Ainslee
- California Mail (1936) as Bill Harkins
- Earthworm Tractors (1936) as Emmet McManus
- The Big Noise (1936) as Don Andrews
- Public Enemy's Wife (1936) as Thomas Duncan McKay
- Song of the Saddle (1936) as Frank Wilson, Jr.
- Trailin' West (1936) as Lieut. Red Colton
- The Sunday Round-Up (1936) as Parson Ted Burke
- The Lottery Lover (1935) as Cadet
- Dangerous (1935) as Teddy
- The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935) as Walt Lansing
- Moonlight on the Prairie (1935) as Ace Andrews
- Shipmates Forever (1935) as Gifford
- One More Spring (1935) as Park Policeman
- Accent on Youth (1935) as Butch
- It's A Small World (1935) as Motor Cop
- Stand Up and Cheer! (1934) as Nick Foran
- Gentlemen Are Born (1934) as Smudge Casey
- Change of Heart (1934) as Nick
- Student Tour (1934) as Assistant Manager
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Dick Foran best known for?
Dick Foran is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Adam-12 (1968), Mayberry R.F.D. (1968), Taggart (1965), Flatfoot in Hong Kong (1975).
When and where was Dick Foran born?
Dick Foran was born on June 18, 1910 in Flemington, New Jersey, USA. They passed away on August 10, 1979.
How many credits does Dick Foran have?
Dick Foran has accumulated over 158 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1934 to 2008.
What is Dick Foran's background in cinema and television?
John Nicholas Dick Foran was an American actor and singer born on June 18, 1910, in Flemington, New Jersey, and he died on August 10, 1979, at the age of 69. He was known for his performances in Western musicals and for playing supporting roles in dramatic pictures. When he signed a contract with Fox in 1934, he was bi...
Dick Foran by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Kraft Television Theatre (1947) — aged about 37
- Perry Mason (1957) as Dr. David Craig — aged about 47
- Perry Mason (1957) as Steve Benton — aged about 47
- Perry Mason (1957) as Harlan Merrill — aged about 47
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) — aged about 47
- Rawhide (1959) as Major Taggert — aged about 49
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