Edgar Buchanan, Linda Darnell. CITY WITHOUT MEN
Gravel voiced character actor, Edgar Buchanan (1903-1979) was the son of a dentist and Edgar became a dentist in 1928.
He and his wife (who graduated at the same time) ran a dental practice and, from 1930 to 1937, Edgar was chief of oral surgery at Eugene Hospital Clinic.
Edgar was always interested in acting and made his first film in 1939.
And he was a dentist in TEXAS (1941}.
Looks like he is taking a look at Linda Darnell’s pearly whites in the above photo!
With Laraine Day and Marsha Hunt. BRIDE BY MISTAKE
Edgar wasn’t often in a suit and tie, or clean shaven!
Edgar invariably played an irascible old codger. He was 5’ 11” – I always thought of him as being quite small!
In PENNY SERENADE, he’s only in his late 30s but is already playing older characters.
He had some colourful character names over the years – ‘Applejack Carney ‘ in Penny Serenade; ‘Darius J. Magonnagle in If I’m Lucky;
’Curly Bill Brocious’ in Badmen of Arizona ; ‘Old Willy’ in The Walking Hills – he was in his 40s!
He could go from clean shaven to moustache, to stubble, to full beard. Whatever the part called for.
With Cary Grant and Irene Dunne in PENNY SERENADE
Edgar was ‘Red’, Hopalong Cassidy’s sidekick in the TV series from 1952 to 1954. Doesn’t he look like Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams in the above photo.
All the wonderful regular supporting players can be seen in this series – from Byron Foulger, I.Stanford Jolley, Denver Pyle to Percy Helton, Myron Healey, Harry Lauter, Frank Ferguson.
With George MacReady and Larry Parks in THE SWORDSMAN which is set in Scotland.
Edgar is far right in the picture. His character’s name is ‘Angus MacArden.’ Wonder what his Scottish accent was like!
In RENEGADES (1946}
I haven’t seen this western but Edgar plays a mean outlaw leader, with Larry Parks as one of his sons.
With Hugh Marlowe in RAWHIDE
As one of the farmers in SHANE.
As ‘Judge Roy Bean’.
Edgar was Judge Roy Bean in 39 episodes of the TV series.
With Dale Robertson.TALES OF WELLS FARGO.
Edgar did lots of TV in the 50s and 60s and then had great success in the long running series ‘Petticoat Junction ‘ from 1963 to 1970.
His last film was “Benji” in 1974.
Over his 100 film career, Edgar played a judge several times, a sheriff, a farmer , a doctor and even a minister. He could be gruff, curmudgeonly, or funny or silly. In other words, a great character actor.
I’d like to see Badmen of Arizona (original title was “Tombstone, The Town Too Tough to Die”.)
With Richard Dix. BADMEN OF ARIZONA
Cute shot. From DESTROYER (starring Edward G. Robinson).
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
Thank you yet again for opening my eyes to an actor whom I’ve seen in movies but never paused to think about. What a terrific range of characters he portrayed… and he always had dentistry to fall back on if needed!
Yes, it’s great that he had dentistry to fall back on!
One of the great character actors. Best regards.
Instantly recognisable.
Vienna, I really liked the photo of Edgar and Linda Darnell, as well as all the rest to boot. Edgar Buchanan has been one of my favorites ever since I can remember. He was a great character actor. He also played a memorable shady Boston attorney in DONOVAN’S REEF(1963). There will never be another like him in the movies or TV. Great post.
Thanks, Walter. I remember enjoying Donovan’s Reef.
A sensational photo gallery as always with some very well
chosen films.
TOMBSTONE,THE TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE excellent
with Kent Taylor wonderful as Doc Holiday and Victor Jory a very
mean Ike Clanton. A Paramount picture now owned by Universal.
The two Larry Parks pictures also excellent-in RENEGADES he (Parks) is
very good as a doomed member of an outlaw clan.
Edgar never better as the drunken judge in the classic
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY.
Glad you liked pix.