Roy Barcroft
Biography
Roy Barcroft, born Howard Harold Ravenscroft on September 7, 1902 in Crab Orchard, Nebraska, was an American male character actor. He specialized in villainous parts, particularly in B‑Western productions, and worked extensively for Republic Pictures. Between 1937 and 1957 he appeared in more than three hundred films for the studio, accumulating a large body of credited work. Notable screen appearances include the marshal in the 1955 musical film Oklahoma! and the role of Colonel Jim Logan in the television series The Adventures of Spin & Marty from 1955 to 1957. Barcroft died on November 28, 1969 at the age of sixty‑seven.
Career overview
Roy Barcroft, born Howard Harold Ravenscroft on September 7, 1902 in Crab Orchard, Nebraska, built a prolific career as an American character actor specializing in villainous parts. From 1937 through 1957 he appeared in more than three hundred Republic Pictures productions, establishing himself as a familiar face in B‑Western serials and other genre films. His on‑screen persona was defined by a steady stream of antagonistic roles, a niche that made him one of the most recognizable henchmen of the studio era. Contemporary accounts described him off‑camera as a kind and jovial presence, a reputation that contrasted with the tough characters he routinely portrayed.
Among Barcroft’s more prominent appearances were the marshal in the 1955 musical western Oklahoma! and the recurring role of Colonel Jim Logan in the Disney television series The Adventures of Spin & Marty, which ran from 1955 to 1957. He also featured in the Republic serial Haunted Harbor (1944), a production highlighted in period publicity. Barcroft’s career spanned three decades, concluding shortly before his death on November 28, 1969 at the age of 67, leaving a legacy defined by an extensive body of work and a reputation for professionalism and warmth behind the scenes.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
318 titles- Monte Walsh (1970) as Proprietor
- The Reivers (1969) as Ed (The Judge)
- Gaily, Gaily (1969) as Dr. Gorson
- Bandolero! (1968) as Bartender
- Cimarron Strip (1967)
- The Way West (1967) as Mr. Masters
- The Not So Lonely Lighthouse Keeper (1967) as Narrator
- Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966) as Sheriff Griffin
- Texas Across the River (1966) as Morton
- Gunpoint (1966) as Dr. Beardsley
- Run, Light Buck, Run (1966) as Narrator
- Destination Inner Space (1966) as Skipper
- D-Day on Mars (1966) as The Purple Monster
- Laredo (1965)
- Profiles in Courage (1964) as Judge
- The Great Adventure (1963) as Dr. Anthony Thompson
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Chief of Police
- The Virginian (1962) as Bill Goforth
- The Virginian (1962) as Mr. Tait
- Six Black Horses (1962) as Mustanger
- Ben Casey (1961) as Rudick
- Gunslinger (1961) as Taggert
- Straightaway (1961)
- When the Clock Strikes (1961) as Sheriff Mitchell
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) as Clint Biggers
- Ten Who Dared (1960) as Jim Baker
- Freckles (1960) as John McLean
- Rawhide (1959) as Casey
- Rawhide (1959) as Sanders
- Rawhide (1959) as Cliff Stanton
- Rawhide (1959) as Adams
- Rawhide (1959) as Sheriff
- Johnny Ringo (1959) as Pat Merlin
- Escort West (1959) as Sgt. Doyle
- The Rifleman (1958)
- Lawman (1958)
- Lawman (1958) as Luke Tennant
- Wanted: Dead or Alive (1958) as Frank Hagen
- The Texan (1958)
- Perry Mason (1957) as Murphy
- Maverick (1957) as The Cattleman
- Maverick (1957) as Marshal
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) as Jim Sherwood
- Trackdown (1957)
- Trackdown (1957) as Sheriff
- 26 Men (1957)
- The New Adventures of Spin and Marty (1957) as Jim Logan
- Last Stagecoach West (1957) as Park Ketchum
- Domino Kid (1957)
- Gun Duel in Durango (1957) as Mr. Blaisdell (uncredited)
- The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm (1957) as J.P. Flemming
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Marshal Carl Neuman
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Pat Merlin
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Mike - Ranch Foreman
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Rady Smith
- Further Adventures of Spin and Marty (1956) as Jim Logan
- The Last Hunt (1956) as Maj. Smith
- Gun Brothers (1956) as Sheriff Jorgen
- Cheyenne (1955)
- The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955)
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Luke
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Farr
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Asa
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Jake
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Cotter
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Pop
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Roy
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Jonas
- The Millionaire (1955) as Sergeant Bailey
- The Adventures of Spin and Marty (1955) as Col. Logan
- Oklahoma! (1955) as Marshal
- The Cobweb (1955) as Police Lieutenant Ferguson (Uncredited)
- Man Without a Star (1955) as Sheriff Olson
- The Spoilers (1955) as The Marshal
- Lassie (1954)
- Public Defender (1954)
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Sheriff Bodie Hampton
- Two Guns and a Badge (1954) as Bill Sterling - Rancher
- Rogue Cop (1954) as Lt. Vince D. Bardeman
- The Desperado (1954) as Martin Novak
- Man with the Steel Whip (1954) as Sheriff [Chs. 8, 10-12]
- City Detective (1953)
- The Man Behind the Badge (1953)
- City That Never Sleeps (1953)
- Old Overland Trail (1953) as John Anchor
- Iron Mountain Trail (1953) as Mate Orrin
- Down Laredo Way (1953) as Cooper
- Marshal of Cedar Rock (1953) as Henry Mason
- Bandits of the West (1953) as Bud Galloway
- Savage Frontier (1953) as William Oakes
- El Paso Stampede (1953) as Henchman Floyd Garrett
- Shadows of Tombstone (1953) as Mike
- Adventures of Superman (1952)
- Hopalong Cassidy (1952)
- Cavalcade of America (1952) as Herbert Wheelock
- Border Saddlemates (1952) as Steve Baxter
- Radar Men from the Moon (1952) as Retik
- Hoodlum Empire (1952) as Morris Draper
- Thundering Caravans (1952) as Ed Brill
- Old Oklahoma Plains (1952) as Arthur Jensen
- Montana Belle (1952) as Jim Clark
- Oklahoma Annie (1952) as Curt Walker
- Black Hills Ambush (1952) as Bart
- Captive of Billy the Kid (1952) as Piute
- Desperadoes' Outpost (1952) as Jim Boylan
- Leadville Gunslinger (1952) as Chet Yonker / Pete Yonker
- Wild Horse Ambush (1952) as Harkins
- Ride the Man Down (1952) as Russ Schultz
- South Pacific Trail (1952) as Link Felton
- The WAC from Walla Walla (1952) as Mr. Prentiss
- The Adventures of Kit Carson (1951)
- Don Daredevil Rides Again (1951) as Douglas Stratton
- Fort Dodge Stampede (1951) as Henchman Pike Hardin
- Pals of the Golden West (1951) as Ward Sloan
- Rodeo King and the Senorita (1951) as Steve Lacey
- Night Riders of Montana (1951) as Henchman Brink
- Utah Wagon Train (1951) as Hank Driscoll
- Desert of Lost Men (1951) as Link
- Honeychile (1951) as Walter Judson
- In Old Amarillo (1951) as Clint Burnside
- Insurance Investigator (1951) as Duke Wallace
- The Dakota Kid (1951) as Henchman Turk Smith
- Street Bandits (1951) as Monk Walter
- Wells Fargo Gunmaster (1951) as Brick Mason
- Arizona Manhunt (1951) as Pete Willard
- The Savage Horde (1950) as Fergus
- Rock Island Trail (1950) as Barnes
- Under Mexicali Stars (1950) as Hays Lawson
- Desperadoes of the West (1950) as Hacker
- Gunmen of Abilene (1950) as Brink Fallon
- The Arizona Cowboy (1950) as Henchman Mike Slade
- Code of the Silver Sage (1950) as Hulon Champion
- The Vanishing Westerner (1950) as Sand Sanderson
- North of the Great Divide (1950) as Banning
- Federal Agent at Large (1950) as Nels Berger
- Prisoners in Petticoats (1950) as Radio Newscaster (voice) (uncredited)
- Rustlers on Horseback (1950) as Leo Straykin
- Surrender (1950) as Deputy Gerard
- Salt Lake Raiders (1950) as Brit Condor
- The Missourians (1950) as Nick Kovacs
- Vigilante Hideout (1950) as Muley Price
- The Lone Ranger (1949) as Marshal Roy Dillon
- Pioneer Marshal (1949) as Clip Pearson
- Down Dakota Way (1949) as Mack McKenzie
- Outcasts of the Trail (1949) as Jim Judd
- Sheriff of Wichita (1949) as Sam Stark
- Law of the Golden West (1949) as Clete Larrabee
- The Phantom Creeps (1949) as Parker (uncredited)
- Prince of the Plains (1949) as Henchman Regan
- Frontier Investigator (1949) as Flint Fleming
- Ghost of Zorro (1949) as Hank Kilgore
- Powder River Rustlers (1949) as Henchman Bull Macons
- Ranger of Cherokee Strip (1949) as Mark Sanders
- San Antone Ambush (1949) as Henchman Roberts
- South of Rio (1949) as Lon Bryson
- Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc. (1949) as Spade Gordon
- The James Brothers of Missouri (1949) as Ace Marlin
- Daredevils of the Clouds (1948) as RCMP Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
- Old Los Angeles (1948) as Clyborne
- Eyes of Texas (1948) as Vic
- G-Men Never Forget (1948) as Vic Murkland - Commissioner Angus Cameron
- The Far Frontier (1948) as Henchman Bart
- Train to Alcatraz (1948) as Guard Grady
- Oklahoma Badlands (1948) as Henchman Sanders
- Secret Service Investigator (1948) as Al Turk
- Grand Canyon Trail (1948) as Henchman Dave Williams
- Desperadoes of Dodge City (1948) as Homesteader
- Lightnin' in the Forest (1948) as Police Lieut. Bain
- Sundown in Santa Fe (1948) as Tracy Gillette
- Out of the Storm (1948) as Arty Sorenson
- Sons of Adventure (1948) as Leslie Bennett
- The Timber Trail (1948) as Big Bart
- Marshal of Amarillo (1948) as Ben Dolan
- Renegades of Sonora (1948) as George Keeler
- The Bold Frontiersman (1948) as Smiling Jim
- The Main Street Kid (1948) as Torrey
- Madonna of the Desert (1948) as Buck Keaton
- Marshal of Cripple Creek (1947) as Henchman Sweeney
- Last Frontier Uprising (1947) as Henchman Boyd Blackwell
- Blackmail (1947) as Spice Kellaway
- Spoilers of the North (1947) as Moose McGovern
- The Fabulous Texan (1947) as Standifer
- Jesse James Rides Again (1947) as Frank Lawton
- Son of Zorro (1947) as Henchman Boyd
- Oregon Trail Scouts (1947) as Bill Hunter
- Along the Oregon Trail (1947) as Jake Stoner
- Springtime in the Sierras (1947) as Matt Wilkes
- Wyoming (1947) as Sheriff Niles
- Rustlers of Devil's Canyon (1947) as Land Agent Clark
- Vigilantes of Boomtown (1947) as McKean
- Web of Danger (1947) as Monks, Worker
- Bandits of Dark Canyon (1947) as Jeff Conley
- The Wild Frontier (1947) as Henchman
- Home on the Range (1946) as Henchman
- Stagecoach to Denver (1946) as Big Bill Lambert
- The Last Crooked Mile (1946) as Man on Street
- G.I. War Brides (1946) as (uncredited)
- Sun Valley Cyclone (1946) as Blackie Blake
- Night Train to Memphis (1946) as Chad Morgan
- The Mysterious Mr. Valentine (1946) as Blackmailer (voice) (uncredited)
- Crime of the Century (1946) as Various Voices (uncredited)
- Alias Billy the Kid (1946) as Matt Conroy
- My Pal Trigger (1946) as Henchman Hunter
- Daughter of Don Q (1946) as Mel Donovan
- Traffic in Crime (1946) as Insp. Tip Hogan
- The Phantom Rider (1946) as The Marshal
- Dakota (1945) as Poli's Driver
- Along the Navajo Trail (1945) as Rusty Channing
- The Cherokee Flash (1945) as Jeff Carson
- Lone Texas Ranger (1945) as Hands Weber
- Santa Fe Saddlemates (1945) as John Gant
- Bells of Rosarita (1945) as Henchman Maxwell
- Sunset in El Dorado (1945) as Buster Welch
- Wagon Wheels Westward (1945) as Dave McKean
- Girls of the Big House (1945) as Police Dispatcher (voice)
- The Purple Monster Strikes (1945) as The Purple Monster
- Manhunt of Mystery Island (1945) as Capt. Mephisto
- The Vampire's Ghost (1945) as Capt. Jim Barrett
- Trail of Kit Carson (1945) as Doc Ryan
- Colorado Pioneers (1945) as Bull Reagan
- Marshal of Laredo (1945) as Denver Jack
- The Topeka Terror (1945) as Ben Jode
- Corpus Christi Bandits (1945) as Wade Larkin
- Song of Mexico (1945) as Visitor
- The Fighting Seabees (1944) as Seabee Barcroft (uncredited)
- The Big Bonanza (1944) as Sheriff Dan Pendleton
- The Girl Who Dared (1944) as David Scott
- Lights of Old Santa Fe (1944) as Ken Ferguson
- Stagecoach to Monterey (1944) as J. Rodney Stevens
- Hidden Valley Outlaws (1944) as Gilbert J. Leland
- Cheyenne Wildcat (1944) as Dandy Joe Meeker
- The Laramie Trail (1944) as Dick Rapidan
- Code of the Prairie (1944) as Professor Graham
- Haunted Harbor (1944) as Carter / Kane
- Firebrands of Arizona (1944) as Deputy Ike
- Sheriff of Sundown (1944) as Jack Hatfield
- Call of the South Seas (1944) as Steve Landrau
- Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943) as Prison Guard (uncredited)
- Hoppy Serves a Writ (1943) as Colby
- Wagon Tracks West (1943) as Henchman Laird
- Cheyenne Roundup (1943) as Slim Layton
- False Colors (1943) as Sheriff
- Riders of the Rio Grande (1943) as Sarsaparilla
- Man from Music Mountain (1943) as Cattlemen Henchman (uncredited)
- Overland Mail Robbery (1943) as David Patterson
- Bordertown Gun Fighters (1943) as Jack Gatling
- Calling Wild Bill Elliott (1943) as Captain Carson
- Sagebrush Law (1943) as Mark Carter
- Canyon City (1943) as Jeff Parker
- The Stranger From Pecos (1943) as Sheriff Ben
- Idaho (1943) as Townsman Slugging Bud
- The Man from the Rio Grande (1943) as Henchman Ace Holden
- Carson City Cyclone (1943) as Prosecutor Joe Newman
- Six Gun Gospel (1943) as Henchman Durkin
- Raiders of Sunset Pass (1943) as Henchman Lefty Lewis
- Nazi Agent (1942) as Chief Petty Officer (uncredited)
- Silver Queen (1942) as Dan Carson
- Dawn on the Great Divide (1942) as Chuck Loder
- Sunset on the Desert (1942) as Deputy Nelson
- The Lone Rider in Cheyenne (1942) as Mort Saunders
- Land of the Open Range (1942) as Gil Carse
- Ridin' Down the Canyon (1942) as Henchman
- Romance on the Range (1942) as Henchman Pete
- Sunset Serenade (1942) as Bart Reynolds - Henchman
- Stardust on the Sage (1942) as Henchman Murphy
- The Valley of Vanishing Men (1942) as Deputy Jed 'Luke' Lucas
- The Old Chisholm Trail (1942) as Ed Phillips
- Pirates of the Prairie (1942) as Lew Harmon
- Below the Border (1942) as Ed Scully
- West of the Law (1942) as Ludlow
- They Died with Their Boots On (1941) as Officer (uncredited)
- Sheriff of Tombstone (1941) as Saloon Boss
- Riders of Death Valley (1941) as Henchman Dirk
- Pals of the Pecos (1941) as Keno
- The Masked Rider (1941) as Henchman Luke
- Wide Open Town (1941) as Henchman Red
- Jesse James at Bay (1941) as Henchman Vern Stone
- King of the Texas Rangers (1941) as Ross
- The Bandit Trail (1941) as Joel Nesbitt
- Riders of the Badlands (1941) as Captain Rogers
- West of Cimarron (1941) as Captain Hawks
- Outlaws of Cherokee Trail (1941) as Val Lamar
- A Volta do Besouro Verde (1940) as Cop at Newspaper Truck Vandalism
- Santa Fe Trail (1940) as Engineer (uncredited)
- Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) as Ming's Soldier / Arborian Sentry (uncredited)
- Winners of the West (1940) as Logan
- Deadwood Dick (1940) as Marshal Jim Bridges' Imposter
- Trailing Double Trouble (1940) as Jim Moreland
- Hidden Gold (1940) as Hendricks
- West of Carson City (1940) as Bill Tompkins
- East of the River (1940) as Policeman (uncredited)
- The Showdown (1940) as Bowman
- Bad Man from Red Butte (1940) as Henchman Hank
- Stage to Chino (1940) as Dude Elliott
- Ragtime Cowboy Joe (1940) as Henchman Putt
- Yukon Flight (1940) as Henchman Lodin
- Another Thin Man (1939) as Slim (uncredited)
- The Phantom Creeps (1939) as AMI Agent Parker
- Fast and Loose (1939) as Reilly, Casino Patron (uncredited)
- S.O.S Tidal Wave (1939)
- The Oregon Trail (1939) as Colonel Custer
- Renegade Trail (1939) as Stiff-Hat Bailey
- Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) as Mine Superintendent
- Mexicali Rose (1939) as Mac McElroy
- Crashing Thru (1939) as Henchman Green
- Riders of the Frontier (1939) as Outlaw Ed Carter
- The Man from Texas (1939) as Henchman Drifter
- Silver on the Sage (1939) as Henchman Ewing
- Heroes of the Hills (1938) as Robert Beaton
- The Frontiersmen (1938) as Sutton
- The Stranger from Arizona (1938) as Henchman Thane
- Blondes at Work (1938) as Attorney Meadows (uncredited)
- Flaming Frontiers (1938) as Ben Hollister - Henchman
- Rosalie (1937) as Conspirator (uncredited)
- Flash Gordon (1936) as Throne Guard
- The President's Mystery (1936) as Townsman (uncredited)
- A Woman Commands (1932) as Cossack
- Captain Mephisto and the Transformation Machine
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Roy Barcroft best known for?
Roy Barcroft is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Monte Walsh (1970), The Reivers (1969), Bandolero! (1968), Cimarron Strip (1967).
When and where was Roy Barcroft born?
Roy Barcroft was born on September 7, 1902 in Crab Orchard, Nebraska, USA. They passed away on November 28, 1969.
How many credits does Roy Barcroft have?
Roy Barcroft has accumulated over 318 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1932 to 1970.
What is Roy Barcroft's background in cinema and television?
Roy Barcroft, born Howard Harold Ravenscroft on September 7, 1902 in Crab Orchard, Nebraska, was an American male character actor. He specialized in villainous parts, particularly in B‑Western productions, and worked extensively for Republic Pictures. Between 1937 and 1957 he appeared in more than three hundred films f...
Roy Barcroft by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Sheriff Bodie Hampton — aged about 51
- Perry Mason (1957) as Murphy — aged about 54
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) as Clint Biggers — aged about 57
- City Detective (1953) — aged about 50
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) as Jim Sherwood — aged about 54
- Rawhide (1959) as Casey — aged about 56
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