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Harry Cording

Acting Born Apr 25, 1891 Died Sep 1, 1954 Wellington, Somerset, England, UK 206 credits
206
Total Credits
1925–1955
31 Years Career Span
48
Vault Titles
10
Key Co-Stars

Biography

Harry William Cording (April 25 1891 – September 1 1954) was a British character actor born in Wellington, Somerset, England. Educated in his native country, he later settled permanently in Los Angeles and began a film career in 1925. Over a span that extended into the 1950s, Cording appeared in more than two hundred productions, often cast as thugs, henchmen or policemen because of his six‑foot height and stocky build. Notable screen appearances include the villainous Dickon Malbete, the Captain of the Guard in Errol Flynn’s Adventures of Robin Hood, and Thamal, the hulking henchman opposite Bela Lugosi in the 1934 film Black Cat. In the 1940s he worked as a contract player for Universal Pictures, frequently in small parts.

Sources & verification Harry Cording — The Movie Database (TMDB) Harry Cording | ČSFD.cz How Archytele verifies pages
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Career

Career overview

Harry Cording (born April 25, 1891, in Wellington, Somerset, England) was a British character actor who was raised and educated in his native England before permanently settling in Los Angeles. He began his film career in 1925 and remained active in Hollywood productions through the 1950s. Standing six feet tall with a stocky build, Cording was frequently cast as thugs, henchmen for villains, and policemen.

Among his more recognizable performances were the villainous Dickon Malbete, the Captain of the Guard in Errol Flynn’s Adventures of Robin Hood, and Thamal, the hulking henchman opposite Bela Lugosi in the 1934 film Black Cat. During the 1940s he worked as a contract player at Universal Pictures, appearing in a variety of small parts. Over the course of his career he accumulated more than two hundred screen credits, reflecting a steady presence in both feature films and television series. He also appeared in numerous genre pictures, ranging from adventure to horror.

Cording continued to work until shortly before his death on September 1, 1954, at the age of 63. His extensive body of work exemplifies the reliable supporting talent that populated mid‑century American cinema.

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Known for

Film

East of Eden

as Bouncer (uncredited)
Film

The Black Shield of Falworth

as Captain of King's Guards (uncredited)
Film

King Richard and the Crusaders

as Castelaine Spokesman (uncredited)
Film

Titanic

as Boiler Room Engineer (uncredited)
Film

Law and Order

as Townsman (uncredited)
Film

Ambush at Tomahawk Gap

as Stableman (uncredited)
Film

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

as Rough Character in the Park
Film

Treasure of the Golden Condor

as Breton (uncredited)
Film

Man in the Attic

as Detective Sgt. Bates

Hopalong Cassidy

1952
Film

Against All Flags

as Gow
Film

The Big Trees

as Cleve Gregg

Frequent co-stars

Basil Rathbone 9 shared titles
Nigel Bruce 7 shared titles
Mary Gordon 6 shared titles
Leyland Hodgson 6 shared titles
Dennis Hoey 5 shared titles
Holmes Herbert 5 shared titles
Bela Lugosi 4 shared titles
Evelyn Ankers 4 shared titles
Lester Matthews 4 shared titles
Boris Karloff 3 shared titles

Career timeline

East of Eden
The Black Shield of FalworthKing Richard and the CrusadersJungle GentsKiller Leopard
TitanicLaw and OrderAmbush at Tomahawk GapAbbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeTreasure of the Golden Condor
Hopalong CassidyAgainst All FlagsThe Big TreesRoad to BaliRoad to Bali
The Adventures of Wild Bill HickokSiroccoIron ManSanta FeThe Strange Door
Buccaneer's GirlFortunes of Captain BloodConvictedThe Iroquois TrailTyrant of the Sea
The Secret Of St. Ives
Red RiverTap RootsThat Lady in ErmineA Woman's VengeanceThe Black Arrow
CaliforniaForever AmberThe MaraudersTrail of the MountiesDangerous Venture
Dressed to KillTerror by NightThe VerdictCalcuttaDevotion
Captain KiddThe House of FearSudanThe Fatal WitnessThe Man in Half Moon Street
Ali Baba and the Forty ThievesPassage to MarseillePhantom LadyThe Pearl of DeathMrs. Parkington
For Whom the Bell TollsThe Spider WomanMission to MoscowThe Moon Is DownThere's Something About a Soldier
The SpoilersSherlock Holmes and the Secret WeaponThe Ghost of FrankensteinArabian NightsThe Mummy's Tomb
The Wolf ManRide 'Em CowboySo Ends Our NightSingapore WomanBadlands of Dakota
The Grapes of WrathThe Sea HawkSanta Fe TrailDark CommandThe Invisible Man Returns
The Hunchback of Notre DameSon of FrankensteinDestry Rides AgainThe Adventures of Sherlock HolmesEach Dawn I Die
The Adventures of Robin HoodMarie AntoinetteA Christmas CarolValley of the GiantsCrime School
You Only Live OnceThe Prince and the PauperMaid of SalemThe Soldier and the LadySea Devils
Road GangThe Country DoctorThe White AngelSutter's GoldDaniel Boone
Mutiny on the BountyCaptain BloodLes MisérablesPeter IbbetsonThe Lives of a Bengal Lancer
The Black CatThe House of RothschildWe Live AgainGreat ExpectationsStrange Wives
Roman ScandalsCaptured!The Girl in 419To the Last ManSweepings
Merrily We Go to HellScarlet DawnSecrets of the French PoliceThe World and the FleshTexas Cyclone
Mata HariNight BeatHonor of the FamilyThe Sea GhostI Like Your Nerve
New MoonThe Right of WayCaptain of the GuardRough RomanceBride of the Regiment
ChristinaThe SquallThe Isle of Lost Ships
The Last CommandThe PatriotDaredevil's RewardSins of the Fathers
Turkish DelightBlack Jack
The Knockout

Full Filmography

206 titles
  • East of Eden (1955) as Bouncer (uncredited)
  • The Black Shield of Falworth (1954) as Captain of King's Guards (uncredited)
  • King Richard and the Crusaders (1954) as Castelaine Spokesman (uncredited)
  • Jungle Gents (1954) as Henchman Shanks
  • Killer Leopard (1954) as Supt. Saunders
  • Titanic (1953) as Boiler Room Engineer (uncredited)
  • Law and Order (1953) as Townsman (uncredited)
  • Ambush at Tomahawk Gap (1953) as Stableman (uncredited)
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  • Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) as Rough Character in the Park
  • Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953) as Breton (uncredited)
  • Man in the Attic (1953) as Detective Sgt. Bates
  • Hopalong Cassidy (1952)
  • Against All Flags (1952) as Gow
  • The Big Trees (1952) as Cleve Gregg
  • Road to Bali (1952) as Verna’s Father (uncredited)
  • Road to Bali (1952) as Verna's Father (uncredited)
  • Cripple Creek (1952) as Hibbs (uncredited)
  • Captain Pirate (1952) as Col. Ramsey's Overseer (uncredited)
  • Brave Warrior (1952) as Shayne MacGregor
  • Night Stage to Galveston (1952) as Ted Driscoll
  • The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951)
  • Sirocco (1951) as Master Sergeant (uncredited)
  • Iron Man (1951) as Miner (uncredited)
  • Santa Fe (1951) as Moose Legrande
  • The Strange Door (1951)
  • Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951) as Mike Bridges
  • Mask of the Avenger (1951) as Zio d'Orsini
  • Buccaneer's Girl (1950) as Barfly (uncredited)
  • Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950) as Will Ward
  • Convicted (1950) as Convict in Prison Yard (uncredited)
  • The Iroquois Trail (1950) as Frontiersman (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • Tyrant of the Sea (1950) as Sampson Edwards
  • Last of the Buccaneers (1950) as Brown
  • The Secret Of St. Ives (1949) as Innkeeper (uncredited)
  • Red River (1948) as Gambler (uncredited)
  • Tap Roots (1948) as Leader (uncredited)
  • That Lady in Ermine (1948) as Orlando (uncredited)
  • A Woman's Vengeance (1948) as Chauffeur McNabb
  • The Black Arrow (1948) as Guard (uncredited)
  • 13 Lead Soldiers (1948) as Edward Vane
  • California (1947) as Miner (uncredited)
  • Forever Amber (1947)
  • The Marauders (1947) as Riker
  • Trail of the Mounties (1947) as Hawkins
  • Dangerous Venture (1947) as Morgan
  • The Exile (1947) as Roundhead (uncredited)
  • Dressed to Kill (1946) as Hamid
  • Terror by Night (1946) as Mock the Undertaker (uncredited)
  • The Verdict (1946) as Tough Englishman (uncredited)
  • Calcutta (1946) as Tea Planter (uncredited)
  • Devotion (1946) as Coachman with Frightened Horses (uncredited)
  • Inside Job (1946) as Bartender
  • Hot Cargo (1946) as Matt Wayne
  • Fool's Gold (1946) as Duke
  • Captain Kidd (1945) as Newgate Prison Warder (uncredited)
  • The House of Fear (1945) as John Simpson
  • Sudan (1945) as Uba
  • The Fatal Witness (1945) as Gus
  • The Man in Half Moon Street (1945) as Bobby
  • Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944) as Mahmoud
  • Passage to Marseille (1944) as Chief Guard (uncredited)
  • Phantom Lady (1944) as Courtroom Spectator Next to Carol (uncredited)
  • The Pearl of Death (1944) as George Gelder (uncredited)
  • Mrs. Parkington (1944) as Humphrey
  • Lost in a Harem (1944) as Police Chief (uncredited)
  • Bluebeard (1944) as Policeman (Uncredited)
  • Gypsy Wildcat (1944) as Captain Marver
  • The Great Alaskan Mystery (1944) as Captain Greeder
  • For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) as Man Who Flails the Mayor
  • The Spider Woman (1943) as Fred Garvin (uncredited)
  • Mission to Moscow (1943) as Blacksmith (uncredited)
  • The Moon Is Down (1943) as Miner (uncredited)
  • There's Something About a Soldier (1943)
  • Two Tickets to London (1943) as Sutliff (uncredited)
  • Fugitive from Sonora (1943) as Iron Joe Martin
  • Don't You Believe It (1943) as Rogue
  • The Man from the Rio Grande (1943) as John King
  • The Spoilers (1942) as Miner (uncredited)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) as Jack Brady (uncredited)
  • The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) as Mob Leader (uncredited)
  • Arabian Nights (1942) as Blacksmith
  • The Mummy's Tomb (1942) as Vic - Farmer (uncredited)
  • Road to Morocco (1942) as Warrior (uncredited)
  • Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942) as Turnkey (uncredited)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) as Camberwell
  • Overland Mail (1942) as Sam Gregg - Henchman
  • Wild Bill Hickok Rides (1942) as Saloon Bouncer
  • The Wolf Man (1941) as Wykes (uncredited)
  • Ride 'Em Cowboy (1941) as Poker Player (uncredited)
  • So Ends Our Night (1941) as Card Player (uncredited)
  • Singapore Woman (1941) as Crow's Nest Manager (uncredited)
  • Badlands of Dakota (1941) as Jackson
  • Lydia (1941) as Hotel House Detective
  • They Met in Bombay (1941) as Corporal at Base (uncredited)
  • The Lady from Cheyenne (1941) as Mike, Cork's Henchman
  • Mutiny in the Arctic (1941) as Harmon
  • Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie (1941) as J. L. Red Clinton
  • Rawhide Rangers (1941) as Blackie
  • Raiders of the Desert (1941) as Rawlins
  • Riders of the Badlands (1941) as Blacksmith Higgins
  • The Grapes of Wrath (1940) as Deputy (uncredited)
  • The Sea Hawk (1940) as Slavemaster
  • Santa Fe Trail (1940) as Workman in Delaware Crossing (uncredited)
  • Dark Command (1940) as Angry Townsman in Bank
  • The Invisible Man Returns (1940) as Miner (uncredited)
  • Virginia City (1940) as Scarecrow - Union Prisoner at Libby (uncredited)
  • Strange Cargo (1940) as Guard (uncredited)
  • A Volta do Besouro Verde (1940) as Dannick - Crooked Construction Foreman
  • The House of the Seven Gables (1940) as Blacksmith Hawkins
  • Florian (1940) as Leader
  • When the Daltons Rode (1940) as Rigby Henchman
  • Law and Order (1940) as Poe Daggett
  • King of the Royal Mounted (1940) as Wade Garson
  • A Dispatch from Reuters (1940) as Sailor on the Nova Scotian (uncredited)
  • Trail of the Vigilantes (1940) as Phil
  • Texas Stagecoach (1940) as Clancy
  • Stage to Chino (1940) as Pete Brannigan
  • Little Old New York (1940) as Man in Mob About to Set 'Clermont' Afire
  • Passport to Alcatraz (1940) as Jeffers
  • The Great Plane Robbery (1940) as Eddie Lindo
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) as Guard (uncredited)
  • Son of Frankenstein (1939) as Bearded Gendarme (uncredited)
  • Destry Rides Again (1939) as Creepy - Lends Tom Guns (uncredited)
  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) as Second Fake Constable (uncredited)
  • Each Dawn I Die (1939) as Temple
  • Tower of London (1939) as Lead Murderer of the Children
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939) as Man Stealing Watermelon (uncredited)
  • Stand Up and Fight (1939) as Bullet Line Blacksmith
  • The Sun Never Sets (1939) as Zurof Camp Guard
  • Devil's Island (1939) as Guard Accepting Bribe
  • The Light That Failed (1939) as Soldier
  • We Are Not Alone (1939) as Man Carrying Leni
  • Mutiny on the Blackhawk (1939) as Bos'un
  • Rulers of the Sea (1939) as Seaman (Uncredited)
  • Arizona Legion (1939) as Whiskey Joe
  • The Marshal Of Mesa City (1939) as Henchman Bat Cardigan
  • Sons of Liberty (1939) as Arresting British Trooper (uncredited)
  • The Story of Dr. Jenner (1939) as Village Dairyman (uncredited)
  • The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) as Dickon Malbete
  • Marie Antoinette (1938) as Executioner (uncredited)
  • A Christmas Carol (1938) as Waiter (uncredited)
  • Valley of the Giants (1938) as Greer
  • Crime School (1938) as Jim - the Second Guard (uncredited)
  • Heart of the North (1938) as Miner Leading Mob (uncredited)
  • Painted Desert (1938) as Henchman Burke
  • You Only Live Once (1937) as Guard (uncredited)
  • The Prince and the Pauper (1937) as Second Guard
  • Maid of Salem (1937) as Guard (Uncredited)
  • The Soldier and the Lady (1937) as Peasant (Uncredited)
  • Sea Devils (1937) as Sailor (uncredited)
  • Song of Revolt (1937) as Peasant Rebel Leader (uncredited)
  • Road Gang (1936) as Sam Dawson (guard with whip)
  • The Country Doctor (1936) as Logger (uncredited)
  • The White Angel (1936) as Hospital Storekeeper (uncredited)
  • Sutter's Gold (1936) as Seaman Lars
  • Daniel Boone (1936) as Joe Burch
  • Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) as Soldier (uncredited)
  • Captain Blood (1935) as Kent
  • Les Misérables (1935) as Beam Warder
  • Peter Ibbetson (1935) as Guard (uncredited)
  • The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) as Sentry (uncredited)
  • Naughty Marietta (1935) as Pirate (uncredited)
  • Black Fury (1935) as Louie (uncredited)
  • The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) as Turk, an Opium Addict (uncredited)
  • Charlie Chan in Paris (1935) as Gendarme Arresting Yvette (uncredited)
  • Ship Cafe (1935) as Stoker (uncredited)
  • The Black Cat (1934) as Thamal
  • The House of Rothschild (1934) as Man (uncredited)
  • We Live Again (1934) as Jailer
  • Great Expectations (1934) as Orlick
  • Strange Wives (1934) as Tribesman
  • Roman Scandals (1933) as Valerius' Soldier (uncredited)
  • Captured! (1933) as First Orderly
  • The Girl in 419 (1933) as Henchman Driver
  • To the Last Man (1933) as Colby Man Fred (uncredited)
  • Sweepings (1933) as Customer (Uncredited)
  • The Intruder (1933) as Cramer
  • Narcotic (1933) as Dr. William G. Davis
  • File 113 (1933) as Michele
  • Merrily We Go to Hell (1932) as Fred (uncredited)
  • Scarlet Dawn (1932) as Revolutionary (Uncredited)
  • Secrets of the French Police (1932) as Man Reading Newspaper (uncredited)
  • The World and the Flesh (1932) as Ivanovitch
  • Texas Cyclone (1932) as Jake Farwell
  • The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) as Ross Clinton (uncredited)
  • Mata Hari (1931) as Ivan (uncredited)
  • Night Beat (1931) as Chill Scarpelli
  • Honor of the Family (1931) as Kouski
  • The Sea Ghost (1931) as Sailor Who Knocks Out Capt. Winter (uncredited)
  • I Like Your Nerve (1931) as San Arango Officer (uncredited)
  • The Conquering Horde (1931) as Butch Daggett
  • New Moon (1930) as Kirghiz Soldier at Fort Darvaz
  • The Right of Way (1930) as Rouge's Henchman
  • Captain of the Guard (1930) as Le Bruin
  • Rough Romance (1930) as Chick Carson
  • Bride of the Regiment (1930) as Sergeant Dostal
  • Christina (1929) as Dick Torpe
  • The Squall (1929) as Peter
  • The Isle of Lost Ships (1929) as Gallagher
  • The Last Command (1928) as Revolutionist (uncredited)
  • The Patriot (1928) as Stefan
  • Daredevil's Reward (1928) as Second Heavy
  • Sins of the Fathers (1928) as The Hijacker
  • Turkish Delight (1927)
  • Black Jack (1927) as Haskins
  • The Knockout (1925) as Steve McKenna

Frequently Asked Questions

What movies or TV shows is Harry Cording best known for?

Harry Cording is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including East of Eden (1955), The Black Shield of Falworth (1954), King Richard and the Crusaders (1954), Titanic (1953).

When and where was Harry Cording born?

Harry Cording was born on April 25, 1891 in Wellington, Somerset, England, UK. They passed away on September 1, 1954.

How many credits does Harry Cording have?

Harry Cording has accumulated over 206 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1925 to 1955.

What is Harry Cording's background in cinema and television?

Harry William Cording (April 25 1891 – September 1 1954) was a British character actor born in Wellington, Somerset, England. Educated in his native country, he later settled permanently in Los Angeles and began a film career in 1925. Over a span that extended into the 1950s, Cording appeared in more than two hundred p...

Harry Cording by the numbers

206credits
204films
2TV series
1925–1955active years

Age in their best-rated roles

Full filmography (206) Born on April 25 In memoriam 1954

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