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Morris Ankrum
Danville, Illinois, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum, August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor. Befor…
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum, August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor. Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Nussbaum had already changed his last name to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he chose to use the name "Stephen Morris" before changing it to Morris Ankrum in 1939. Ankrum's stern visage and sharply defined features helped cast him in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures, including scientists, military men (particularly army officers), judges and even psychiatrists in more than 150 films, mostly B movies. One standout role was in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's production of Tennessee Johnson (1942), a biographical film about Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S. president. As Sen. Jefferson Davis, Ankrum movingly addresses the United States Senate upon his resignation to lead the Confederate States of America as that republic's first—and only—president. Ankrum's film career was extensive and spanned 30 years. His credits were largely concentrated in the western and science-fiction genres. Ankrum appeared in such westerns as Ride 'Em Cowboy in 1942, Vera Cruz opposite Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, Apache (1954), and Cattle Queen of Montana with Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. In the sci-fi genre, he appeared in Rocketship X-M (1950), Flight to Mars (1951), as a Martian, Red Planet Mars (1952), playing the United States Secretary of Defense; the cult classic Invaders From Mars (1953), playing a United States Army officer; and as an Army general in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). In 1957 he played a psychiatrist in the cult sci-fi classic Kronos and had military-officer roles in Beginning of the End and The Giant Claw.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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1968
The Movie Orgy
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1964
Guns of Diablo
Movie Ray Macklin
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1963
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
Movie Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
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1962
Tower of London
Movie The Archbishop
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1961
Most Dangerous Man Alive
Movie Capt. Davis
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1961
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
Movie Gen. Lew Wallace
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1960
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
TV show Walter Harwood
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1959
Bonanza
TV show Mr. Mason
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1958
From the Earth to the Moon
Movie President Ulysses S. Grant
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1958
Tarawa Beachhead
Movie Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
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1958
Frontier Gun
Movie Andrew Barton
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1958
The Rifleman
TV show
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1958
Bronco
TV show Gilbert Groves
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1958
The Saga of Hemp Brown
Movie Bo Slauter
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1958
Curse of the Faceless Man
Movie Narrator (unconfirmed)
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1958
Twilight for the Gods
Movie Sea Captain
More credits
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1958
Badman's Country
Movie Mayor Coleman
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1958
How to Make a Monster
Movie Police Capt. Hancock
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1958
Young and Wild
Movie Police Capt. Egan
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1958
Sea Hunt
TV show
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1958
Giant from the Unknown
Movie Dr. Frederick Cleveland
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1958
The Power of the Resurrection
Movie Annas
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1957
Maverick
TV show Joshua Haines
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1957
Perry Mason
TV show Judge
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1957
M Squad
TV show Police Inspector Dean
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1957
Omar Khayyam
Movie Sharain's Father
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1957
Beginning of the End
Movie Gen. John Hanson
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1957
The Giant Claw
Movie Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
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1957
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Movie Dr. Carl Jordan
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1957
Kronos
Movie Dr. Albert Stern
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1957
Hell's Crossroads
Movie Wheeler
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1957
Zombies of Mora Tau
Movie Dr. Jonathan Eggert
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1957
Drango
Movie Henry Calder
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1957
Down Liberty Road
Movie Fred Schroder
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1956
Naked Gun
Movie Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
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1956
The Desperados Are in Town
Movie Mr. Rutherford
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1956
On Trial
TV show Judge
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1956
Dr. Fu Manchu
TV show Professor Rutledge
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1956
Walk the Proud Land
Movie Gen. Wade
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1956
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
Movie Brig. Gen. John Hanley
