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Morris Ankrum

Acting Born Aug 28, 1896 Died Sep 2, 1964 Danville, Illinois, USA 183 credits

Biography

Morris Ankrum was born Morris Nussbaum on August 28, 1896, in Danville, Illinois, and died on September 2, 1964. He was an American radio, television, and film character actor. Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Nussbaum changed his last name to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he briefly used the name Stephen Morris before changing it to Morris Ankrum in 1939. Known for his stern visage and sharply defined features, Ankrum was cast in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures, including scientists, military men such as army officers, judges, and psychiatrists. He appeared in more than 150 films, predominantly B movies. Across his career in acting, he accumulated 180 known credits on the Movie Database.

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Career

Career overview

Morris Ankrum was born Morris Nussbaum on August 28, 1896, in Danville, Illinois, and lived until September 2, 1964. He established a career as an American radio, television, and film character actor. Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, he had changed his last name from Nussbaum to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he initially chose to use the name Stephen Morris before reverting to Morris Ankrum in 1939.

Ankrum was known for his stern visage and sharply defined features, which frequently led to him being cast in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures. Throughout his career, he portrayed scientists, military men, particularly army officers, judges, and psychiatrists. He appeared in more than 150 films, the majority of which were B movies, and accumulated 180 known acting credits over the course of his professional life.

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Frequent co-stars

Career timeline

The Movie Orgy
Guns of Diablo
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
Tower of London
Most Dangerous Man AliveThe Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Bonanza
The RiflemanSea HuntBroncoCurse of the Faceless ManTarawa Beachhead
Perry MasonPerry MasonMaverickM SquadHalf Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
On TrialDr. Fu ManchuEarth vs. the Flying SaucersWalk the Proud LandQuincannon, Frontier Scout
CheyenneGunsmokeThe 20th Century Fox HourDuel on the MississippiThe Last Command
Vera CruzCattle Queen of MontanaThe Steel CageApacheDrums Across the River
The Pepsi-Cola PlayhouseInvaders from MarsThe Man Behind The GunDevil's CanyonI Beheld His Glory
Four Star PlayhouseFour Star PlayhouseFour Star PlayhouseHiawathaCowboy G-Men
Schlitz Playhouse of StarsThe Redhead and the CowboyFighting Coast GuardMy Favorite SpyFlight to Mars
Chain LightningIn a Lonely PlaceThe Damned Don't CryRocketship X-MBorderline
We Were StrangersThe FountainheadColorado TerritoryBad Men of Tombstone
Studio OneJoan of ArcFighting BackFor the Love of MarySouvenirs of Death
Desire MeThe Sea of GrassLittle Mister JimSong of the Thin ManGood News
The Postman Always Rings TwiceCourage of LassieThe Green YearsThe Cockeyed MiracleThe Harvey Girls
Phantoms, Inc.Fall GuyPurity SquadAdventureThe Hidden Eye
Thirty Seconds Over TokyoThe Thin Man Goes HomeThe Heavenly BodyMarriage Is a Private AffairMeet the People
Swing FeverThe Cross of LorraineBest Foot ForwardLet's Face ItDixie Dugan
Roxie HartReunion in FranceTales of ManhattanTime to KillTennessee Johnson
Road AgentRide 'Em CowboyI Wake Up ScreamingWide Open TownDoomed Caravan
Buck Benny Rides AgainThe Light of Western StarsCherokee StripThree Men from TexasKnights of the Range
Hills of Old WyomingNorth of the Rio GrandeBorderlandRustlers' Valley
Hopalong Cassidy ReturnsTrail Dust
Stand Up and Cheer!

Full filmography

  • The Movie Orgy (1968) as Self (archive footage)
  • Guns of Diablo (1964) as Ray Macklin
  • X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) as Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
  • Tower of London (1962) as The Archbishop
  • Most Dangerous Man Alive (1961) as Capt. Davis
  • The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come (1961) as Gen. Lew Wallace
  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1960) as Walter Harwood
  • Bonanza (1959) as Mr. Mason
  • The Rifleman (1958)
  • Sea Hunt (1958)
  • Bronco (1958) as Gilbert Groves
  • Curse of the Faceless Man (1958) as Narrator (unconfirmed)
  • Tarawa Beachhead (1958) as Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
  • From the Earth to the Moon (1958) as President Ulysses S. Grant
  • How to Make a Monster (1958) as Police Capt. Hancock
  • The Saga of Hemp Brown (1958) as Bo Slauter
  • Giant from the Unknown (1958) as Dr. Frederick Cleveland
  • Badman's Country (1958) as Mayor Coleman
  • Twilight for the Gods (1958) as Sea Captain
  • Young and Wild (1958) as Police Capt. Egan
  • The Power of the Resurrection (1958) as Annas
  • Frontier Gun (1958) as Andrew Barton
  • Perry Mason (1957) as Judge
  • Perry Mason (1957) as Judge Hoyt
  • Maverick (1957) as Joshua Haines
  • M Squad (1957) as Police Inspector Dean
  • Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman (1957) as Dr. Carl Jordan
  • Beginning of the End (1957) as Gen. John Hanson
  • Down Liberty Road (1957) as Fred Schroder
  • The Giant Claw (1957) as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
  • Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) as Dr. Jonathan Eggert
  • Omar Khayyam (1957) as Sharain's Father
  • Drango (1957) as Henry Calder
  • Kronos (1957) as Dr. Albert Stern
  • Hell's Crossroads (1957) as Wheeler
  • On Trial (1956) as Judge
  • Dr. Fu Manchu (1956) as Professor Rutledge
  • Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) as Brig. Gen. John Hanley
  • Walk the Proud Land (1956) as Gen. Wade
  • Quincannon, Frontier Scout (1956) as Col. Harry Conover
  • Fury at Gunsight Pass (1956) as Doc Phillips
  • When Gangland Strikes (1956) as Leo Fantzler
  • The Desperados Are in Town (1956) as Mr. Rutherford
  • Naked Gun (1956) as Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
  • Cheyenne (1955) as John Clements
  • Gunsmoke (1955) as Merle
  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955) as Henry
  • Duel on the Mississippi (1955) as Magistrate (uncredited)
  • The Last Command (1955)
  • Chief Crazy Horse (1955) as Red Cloud
  • The Silver Star (1955) as Charlie Childress
  • No Man's Woman (1955) as Capt. Hostedder
  • Tennessee's Partner (1955) as Judge Parker
  • The Eternal Sea (1955) as Vice-Adm. Arthur Dewey Struble
  • Crashout (1955) as Head Guard
  • The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story (1955) as Azar the Shepherd
  • Vera Cruz (1954) as Gen. Ramírez
  • Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) as J.I. 'Pop' Jones
  • The Steel Cage (1954) as Prison Board Member Garvey, segment "The Hostages"
  • Apache (1954) as Dawson
  • Drums Across the River (1954) as Chief Ouray
  • Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) as Grey Eagle
  • Silver Lode (1954) as Zachary Evans
  • Two Guns and a Badge (1954) as Sheriff Jackson
  • Southwest Passage (1954) as Dr. Stanton
  • Three Young Texans (1954) as Jeff Blair
  • The Outlaw Stallion (1954) as Sheriff
  • The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1953)
  • Invaders from Mars (1953) as Col. Fielding
  • The Man Behind The Gun (1953) as Bram Creegan
  • Devil's Canyon (1953) as Ed
  • I Beheld His Glory (1953) as Peter
  • Arena (1953) as Bucky Hillberry
  • Sky Commando (1953) as Gen. W.R. Combs
  • The Moonlighter (1953) as Alexander Prince
  • Flight Nurse (1953) as Interrogation Officer
  • Fort Vengeance (1953) as Chief Crowfoot
  • Mexican Manhunt (1953) as Tip Morgan
  • Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Warden
  • Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Mr. Raymond
  • Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Mr. Mason
  • Hiawatha (1952) as Iagoo
  • Cowboy G-Men (1952)
  • Son of Ali Baba (1952) as Ali Baba
  • Red Planet Mars (1952) as Secretary of Defense Sparks
  • Because of You (1952) as Dr. Travis
  • Fort Osage (1952) as Arthur Pickett
  • The Raiders (1952) as Thomas Ainsworth
  • Mutiny (1952) as Capt. Radford
  • A Star Shall Rise (1952) as King Herod
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
  • The Redhead and the Cowboy (1951) as Sheriff
  • Fighting Coast Guard (1951) as Navy Captain
  • My Favorite Spy (1951) as Gen. Frazer
  • Flight to Mars (1951) as Ikron
  • Along the Great Divide (1951) as Ed Roden
  • Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951) as Hugh Wagner
  • The Lion Hunters (1951) as Tom Forbes
  • Chain Lightning (1950) as Ed Bostwick
  • In a Lonely Place (1950) as Lloyd Barnes
  • The Damned Don't Cry (1950) as Jim Whitehead
  • Rocketship X-M (1950) as Dr. Ralph Fleming
  • Borderline (1950) as Bill Whittaker
  • Short Grass (1950) as Hal Fenton
  • Southside 1-1000 (1950) as Eugene Deane
  • We Were Strangers (1949) as M. Seymour
  • The Fountainhead (1949) as Prosecutor (uncredited)
  • Colorado Territory (1949) as United States Marshal
  • Bad Men of Tombstone (1949) as Mr. Jones
  • Studio One (1948) as Considine
  • Joan of Arc (1948) as Poton de Xaintrailles, Captain
  • Fighting Back (1948) as Robert J. Higby
  • For the Love of Mary (1948) as Adm. Walton
  • Souvenirs of Death (1948) as Gangster (uncredited)
  • The Fabulous Fraud (1948) as Blind Girl's Father
  • Desire Me (1947) as Hector Martin
  • The Sea of Grass (1947) as A.J. Crane
  • Little Mister Jim (1947) as Col. W.I. Starwell
  • Song of the Thin Man (1947) as Inspector (uncredited)
  • Good News (1947) as Dean Griswold
  • High Wall (1947) as Dr. Stanley Griffin
  • The Mighty McGurk (1947) as Fowles
  • Merton of the Movies (1947) as Goodfellow's Club Manager (uncredited)
  • Cynthia (1947) as Mr. Phillips, Principal
  • The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) as Judge (uncredited)
  • Courage of Lassie (1946) as Farmer Crews
  • The Green Years (1946) as Dr. Galbraith
  • The Cockeyed Miracle (1946) as Dr. Wilson
  • The Harvey Girls (1946) as Reverend Claggett
  • Lady in the Lake (1946) as Eugene Grayson
  • Phantoms, Inc. (1945) as Narrator (voice)
  • Fall Guy (1945) as District Attorney (uncredited)
  • Purity Squad (1945) as Dr. Adams (uncredited)
  • Adventure (1945) as Mr. Ludlow - Farmer (uncredited)
  • The Hidden Eye (1945) as Ferris (henchman)
  • Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) as Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited)
  • The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) as Willoughby Peavy
  • The Heavenly Body (1944) as Dr. Green
  • Marriage Is a Private Affair (1944) as Ed Scofield
  • Meet the People (1944) as Monte Rowland
  • Dark Shadows (1944) as Lt. Pat McKay
  • Main Street Today (1944) as Mayor Charlie Maxwell (uncredited)
  • Rationing (1944) as Morgan
  • Barbary Coast Gent (1944) as Alec Veeder
  • Return from Nowhere (1944) as Doctor (uncredited)
  • Gentle Annie (1944) as Deputy Gansby
  • Swing Fever (1943) as Dan Conlon
  • The Cross of Lorraine (1943) as Col. Demas (uncredited)
  • Best Foot Forward (1943) as Col. Harkrider
  • Let's Face It (1943) as Man in Sun Shell Cafe
  • Dixie Dugan (1943) as Editor
  • Roxie Hart (1942) as Martin S. Harrison
  • Reunion in France (1942) as Martin
  • Tales of Manhattan (1942) as Judge
  • Time to Kill (1942) as Alexander Morny
  • Tennessee Johnson (1942) as Jefferson Davis
  • Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) as Wood
  • The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe (1942) as Mr. Graham
  • The Omaha Trail (1942) as Henchman Job
  • Road Agent (1941) as Big John Morgan
  • Ride 'Em Cowboy (1941) as Ace Anderson
  • I Wake Up Screaming (1941) as Assistant District Attorney
  • Wide Open Town (1941) as Jim Stuart
  • Doomed Caravan (1941) as Stephen Westcott
  • Pirates on Horseback (1941) as Ace Gibson
  • Border Vigilantes (1941) as Dan Forbes
  • In Old Colorado (1941) as Weiler, Davidson's Foreman
  • This Woman Is Mine (1941) as Roussel
  • The Bandit Trail (1941) as Red Haggerty
  • The Roundup (1941) as 'Parenthesis'
  • Buck Benny Rides Again (1940) as Second Outlaw
  • The Light of Western Stars (1940) as Nat Hayworth
  • Cherokee Strip (1940) as Hawk Barrett
  • Three Men from Texas (1940) as Bruce Morgan
  • Knights of the Range (1940) as Gamecock
  • The Showdown (1940) as Baron Rendor
  • Hills of Old Wyoming (1937) as Andrews
  • North of the Rio Grande (1937) as Henry Stoneham
  • Borderland (1937) as Loco
  • Rustlers' Valley (1937) as Glen Randall
  • Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936) as Blackie Felton
  • Trail Dust (1936) as Tex Anderson
  • Stand Up and Cheer! (1934) as Washington Press Correspondent