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Roscoe Karns (1891–1970)

Actor | Soundtrack | Writer

On stage since age 15, Roscoe Karns parlayed his machine-gun delivery and street-wise demeanor (although many thought of him as a New Yorker, he was actually from San Bernardino, California) into character roles in dozens of films from the 1920s to the 1960s. His peak period, though, was in the 1930s... See full bio »

Born:

in San Bernardino, California, USA

Died:

(age 78) in Los Angeles, California, USA
Roscoe Karns
2 photos | 8 videos | 1 news article »

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Franklin Ojeda Smith - -- "...back in the day the 'barb wire' was more visible" and early on I chose baseball over acting; then academia and not baseball. Now,"...the kids are grown, the dog is dead and now that I may, I choose acting." Please take a look: 1)Boardwalk Empire - Deacon Cuffy 2)Murder Incorporated - Sam Christenson 3)Cayman Went - Aniston Turnkey 4)Letting Go -Therapist 5)Footsteps in the Sand - Jim. Thank You! Franklin

Franklin Ojeda Smith -

David H. Lawrence, XVII - Drama -- On-camera drama reel featuring David H. Lawrence XVII, in scenes from Heroes, The Unit, LOST, and more

David H. Lawrence, XVII - Drama

My Demo Reel -- Includes clips from GLORY DAZE, COMMUNITY and horror film URBAN EXPLORER.

My Demo Reel

Melanie Molnar - Reel -- No description provided.

Melanie Molnar - Reel

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel -- This reel contains Christopher performing in Film and Television. The clips included are from the following: "The Boundary", "The Wire", "Duplicity", "Law & Order(SVU)", "Michael Clayton", "Cost Of A Soul", "HEROES" and "Law & Order (CI)".

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel


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Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (150 titles)
1964 Man's Favorite Sport?
Major Phipps
 
1963 The Lucy Show (TV series)
Mr. Foley
– Lucy Becomes a Reporter (1963) … Mr. Foley
 
1959-1962 Hennesey (TV series)
Capt. Walter Shafer / Adm. Walter Shafer / Adm. Walter Shafer, USN / …
– I Thee Wed (1962) … Adm. Walter Shafer
– Martha (1962) … Adm. Walter Shafer
– Hennesey Meets Soupy Sales (1962) … Adm. Walter Shafer, USN
– Calling Doctor Good-Deed (1962) … Adm. Walter Shafer
– The Best Man (1962) … Adm. Walter Shafer
See all 73 episodes »
 
1958-1959 December Bride (TV series)
Charley Allen / Dad Hodges
– Lily's Blind Date (1959) … Charley Allen
– Bride's Father-in-Law (1958) … Dad Hodges
 
1958 Onionhead
'Windy' Woods
 
1958 Richard Diamond, Private Detective (TV series)
Ed Church
– The Ed Church Case (1958) … Ed Church (as Roscoe Karnes)
 
1951-1954 Rocky King, Detective (TV series)
Police Inspector Rocky King
– Last Show (1954) … Police Inspector Rocky King
– Murder in Advance (1954) … Police Inspector Rocky King
– Return for Death (1954) … Police Inspector Rocky King
– Murder, Ph. D. (1953) … Police Inspector Rocky King
– Deadly Target (1953) … Police Inspector Rocky King
See all 9 episodes »
 
1950 The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (TV series)
– Hart to Heart (1950)
 
1948 Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
Carmody
 
1948 Speed to Spare
Kangaroo
 
1948 Devil's Cargo
Lt. Hardy
 
1948 The Inside Story
Eustace Peabody
 
1947 That's My Man
Toby Gleeton
 
1947 Vigilantes of Boomtown
Billy Delaney
 
1946 Avalanche
Red Kelly
 
1946 I Ring Doorbells
Stubby
 
1946 One Way to Love
Hobie Simmons
 
1944 Minstrel Man
Lasses White
 
1944 Hi, Good Lookin'!
Archie
 
1944 The Navy Way
Frankie Gimble
 
1943 Old Acquaintance
Charlie Archer
 
1943 His Butler's Sister
Fields
 
1943 Riding High
Shorty (uncredited)
 
1943 Stage Door Canteen
Roscoe Karns
 
1943 My Son, the Hero
Big-Time Morgan
 
1942 You Can't Escape Forever
'Mac' McTurk
 
1942 Yokel Boy
Al Devers
 
1942 A Tragedy at Midnight
Det. Lt. Cassidy
 
1942 Woman of the Year
Phil Whittaker
 
1942 Road to Happiness
Charley Grady
 
1941 Half Shot at Sunrise (short)
Roscoe
 
1941 The Gay Vagabond
Arthur Dixon, Jerry Dixon
 
1941 Black Eyes and Blues (short)
 
1941 Footsteps in the Dark
Monahan
 
1941 Petticoat Politics
Joe Higgins
 
1940 Meet the Missus
Joe Higgins
 
1940 They Drive by Night
Irish McGurn
 
1940 Ladies Must Live
Pete H. 'Pighead' Larrabee
 
1940 Saturday's Children
Willie Sands
 
1940 Double Alibi
Jeremiah Jenkins
 
1940 His Girl Friday
McCue
 
1939 That's Right - You're Wrong
Mal Stamp
 
1939 Everything's on Ice
Felix Miller
 
1939 Dancing Co-Ed
Joe Drews
 
1939 King of Chinatown
'Rip' Harrigan
 
1938/II Thanks for the Memory
George Kent
 
1938 Campus Confessions
 
1938 You and Me
Cuffy
 
1938 Tip-Off Girls
Tom Benson aka Tommy Logan
 
1938 Dangerous to Know
Duncan
 
1938 Scandal Street
Austin Brown
 
1937 Partners in Crime
Sim Perkins
 
1937 On Such a Night
Joe Flynn
 
1937 Night of Mystery
Sgt. Heath
 
1937 Murder Goes to College
Sim Perkins
 
1937 Clarence
Clarence Smith
 
1936 Cain and Mabel
Reilly
 
1936 Three Married Men
Peter Cary
 
1936 Three Cheers for Love
Doc 'Short Circuit' Wilson
 
1936 Border Flight
Calico Smith
 
1936 Woman Trap
Mopsy
 
1935 Two-Fisted
Chick Moran
 
1935 Front Page Woman
Toots O'Grady
 
1935 Alibi Ike
Carey
 
1935 Four Hours to Kill!
Johnson
 
1935 Red Hot Tires
Bud Keene
 
1935 Wings in the Dark
Nick Williams
 
1934 I Sell Anything
Monk
 
1934 Elmer and Elsie
Rocky Cott
 
1934 Shoot the Works
Sailor Burke
 
1934 Twentieth Century
Owen O'Malley
 
1934 Come On, Marines!
Spud McGurke
 
1934 It Happened One Night
Shapeley
 
1934 Search for Beauty
Newspaper Reporter (scenes deleted)
 
1933 Alice in Wonderland
Tweedledee
 
1933 The Women in His Life
Lester
 
1933 One Sunday Afternoon
Snappy Downer
 
1933 Gambling Ship
Blooey
 
1933 Today We Live
McGinnis
 
1933 A Lady's Profession
Tony
 
1933 Grand Slam
Contest Radio Announcer
 
1932 Lawyer Man
Merritt - Reporter (uncredited)
 
1932 Under-Cover Man
Dannie
 
1932 If I Had a Million
Private O'Brien
 
1932 They Call It Sin
Brad - Rehearsal Director (uncredited)
 
1932 Night After Night
Leo
 
1932 One Way Passage
S.S.Maloa Bartender (uncredited)
 
1932 The Crooked Circle
Harry Carter
 
1932 Two Against the World
Segall, reporter
 
1932 Week-End Marriage
Jim Davis
 
1932 The Roadhouse Murder
Dale
 
1932 Play-Girl
Gambler (uncredited)
 
1932 Stowaway
Insp. Redding
 
1931 Ladies of the Big House
Frank - Twenty Questions player (uncredited)
 
1931 Leftover Ladies
'Scoop'
 
1931 Pleasure
Arnie
 
1931 Laughing Sinners
Fred Geer
 
1931 Dirigible
Sock McGuire
 
1931 Many a Slip
Stan Price
 
1930 The Gorilla
Simmons
 
1930 The Costello Case
Blair
 
1930 Man Trouble
Scott
 
1930 The Little Accident
Gilbert
 
1930 Safety in Numbers
Bertram Shapiro
 
1930 Troopers Three
Bugs
 
1929 New York Nights
Johnny Dolan
 
1929 This Thing Called Love
Harry Bertrand
 
1929 Copy (short)
City Editor John Mack
 
1929 The Flying Fleet
Shipwrecked Radio Operator (uncredited)
 
1928 The Shopworn Angel
Dance Director
 
1928 Object: Alimony
Al Bryant
 
1928 Jazz Mad
Sol Levy
 
1928 Moran of the Marines
Swatty
 
1928 Beggars of Life
Lame Hoppy
 
1928 Win That Girl
Johnny Norton II
 
1928 Warming Up
Hippo
 
1928 The Vanishing Pioneer
Ray Hearn
 
1928 The Desert Bride
Pvt. Terry
 
1928 Something Always Happens
George
 
1928 The Trail of '98
Man on Ship (uncredited)
 
1928 Beau Sabreur
Buddy
 
1927 The Jazz Singer
Agent (uncredited)
 
1927 Ten Modern Commandments
Benny Burnaway
 
1927 Wings
Lt. Cameron
 
1927 Ritzy
Smith's Valet
 
1926 You'd Be Surprised
Party Guest (uncredited)
 
1925 Dollar Down
Gene Meadows
 
1925 The Overland Limited
Patrick Henry Madden
 
1924 The Foolish Virgin
Chuck Brady
 
1924 The Midnight Express
Switch Hogan
 
1924 Bluff
Jack Hallowell
 
1923 The Ten Commandments
The Boy in the Rain (uncredited)
 
1923 Down to the Ship to See (short)
Jack
 
1923 Other Men's Daughters
Hubert
 
1922 Conquering the Woman
Shorty Thompson
 
1922 Afraid to Fight
Bertie
 
1922 The Trouper
Neal Selden
 
1922 Her Own Money
Jerry Woodward
 
1921 Too Much Married
Bob Holiday
 
1921 The Man Tamer
Bradley P. Caldwell Jr
 
1920 Life of the Party
Sam Perkins
 
1920 The Family Honor
Dal Tucker
 
1919 Poor Relations
Henry
 
1919 Oh, Susie, Be Careful (short)
 
1919 Sally's Blighted Career (short)
 
1919 Brides for Two (short)
 
1915 A Western Governor's Humanity (short)
 
1915 A Species of Mexican Man (short)
 
1915 From Champion to Tramp (short)
 
1915 Mr. Carlson of Arizona (short)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (5 titles)
1935 Red Hot Tires (performer: "The Bulldog on the Bank" - uncredited)
 
1933 The Women in His Life (performer: "We Must Have One More Rum-Tum-Tum" - uncredited)
 
1933 One Sunday Afternoon (performer: "In the Good Old Summertime" 1902 - uncredited, "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?" 1902 - uncredited, "Good-Bye, Little Girl, Good-Bye" 1904 - uncredited)
 
1933 Today We Live (performer: "THE YOUNG OBSERVER" - uncredited)
 
1931 Dirigible ("The Star Spangled Banner" 1814 - uncredited)
 
Show ShowWriter (1 title)
1952-1953 Rocky King, Detective (TV series)
– Murder, Ph. D. (1953) (additional dialogue)
– The Hermit's Cat (1952) (additional dialogue)
– Murder Scores a Knockout (1952) (additional dialogue)
– One Minute for Murder (additional dialogue)
 
Show ShowSelf (1 title)
1941 Meet the Stars #6: Stars at Play (documentary short)
Himself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (2 titles)
2001 Biography (TV series documentary)
 
1956 Columbia Laff Hour
 

Related Videos

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven -- A would-be playwright and a young woman escaping from a job at a gas station meet cute and fall in love. They Drive by Night -- Trailer for this high-geared saga of reckless men who find romance by the side of the road The Crooked Circle -- A group of amateur detectives sets out to expose The Crooked Circle, a secretive group of hooded occultists.
See all 8 »
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Personal Details

Other Works:

School for Brides (1944). Written by Frank Gill and 'George Carleton Brown'. Directed by Howard Morton. Royale Theatre (moved to the Ambassador Theatre on 3 Oct 1944 to close): 1 Aug 1944- 23 Jun 1945 (375 performances). Unknown role. Cast included: Bernadine Hayes. Produced by Howard Lang. See more »

Publicity Listings:

1 Magazine Cover Photo  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Roscoe Karnes

Height:

5' 10" (1.78 m)
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Did You Know?

Trivia:

Father of Todd Karns. See more »

Star Sign:

Virgo