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1-7 of 7
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tough, craggy, furrow-browed, gruff-voiced character actor Horace McMahon's urban film and TV characters played on both sides of the legal fence in over a hundred films. His first few years were usually heavy on the wrong side with various hoods, thugs, jailbirds, mobsters and murderers in crime yarns. He later turned over a leaf and started playing good-guy cops and hard-nosed detectives. Born in Connecticut on May 17, 1906, McMahon (sometimes billed as MacMahon) discovered acting while pursuing a law degree at Fordham University.
A former shipping clerk and mail deliverer, he was a news reporter for The South Norwalk Sentinel before attempting to break through the acting ranks in New York. He made his Broadway debut in 1931 as a reporter in "Wonder Boy," and went on to play in a number of New York shows -- "Wild Waves" (1932), "Man Bites Dog" (1933), "Knock on Wood" (1935), "Three Men on a Horse" (1936, 1942) and "Red Gloves" (1948).
His dark, streetwise mug and cynical attitude proved perfect for playing assorted "Runyonesque" New York characters -- cabbies, chauffeurs, henchmen, prisoners, bouncers -- in a slew of unbilled movie bits in the late 30's and 40's. His character had typical street-tough names like "Fingers," "Limpy," "Brains," "Maxey," "Swifty" and Looey". Such films included Bulldog Edition (1936), They Gave Him a Gun (1937), Kid Galahad (1937), The Last Gangster (1937), King of the Newsboys (1938), The Crowd Roars (1938), Broadway Musketeers (1938), I Was a Convict (1939), The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1939), My Favorite Wife (1940), Rookies on Parade (1941), Jail House Blues (1942), Roger Touhy, Gangster (1944), Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad (1948) and Waterfront at Midnight (1948). He also was cast as taxi driver "Foghorn" Murphy in Calling Dr. Kildare (1939) and continued the role in several movie entries.
After a slew of "bad guys," McMahon scored his best role on Broadway as a change-of-pace "good guy" police chief. In 1949 he was cast as New York City Lt. Monaghan in the critical stage hit "Detective Story" starring Ralph Bellamy. The play ran well over a year. He was then given the opportunity to solidify the part on film with Detective Story (1951) starring Kirk Douglas. It was nominated for four Oscars.
Thereafter, McMahon's crusty cops and detectives could be found all over the TV screen, including episodes of "Martin Kane," "Lux Video Theatre," "The Lone Wolf," "Climax!," The Ford Television Theatre," "Undercurrent" and "Suspicion." He went on to cop an Emmy nomination for his regular role as Lt. Mike Parker on the well-received Naked City (1958) TV series. He also had a regular role supporting Craig Stevens in his post "Peter Gunn" dramatic series Mr. Broadway (1964), set in New York. The veteran's intrepid cops also infiltrated later films as well -- Susan Slept Here (1954), Blackboard Jungle (1955), My Sister Eileen (1955), The Delicate Delinquent (1957) and The Swinger (1966). He ended his on-camera career on TV with guest spots on the mild comedies "My Three Sons" and "Family Affair."
Long married to retired actress Louise Campbell who was best known for her recurring role as Phyllis on the "Bulldog Drummond" movie series. They had three children. McMahon died of a heart ailment on August 17, 1971, aged 65.- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Sy Miller was born on 8 February 1908 in New York, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Lullaby of Broadway (1951), Hawaiian Eye (1959) and Hit Parade of 1951 (1950). He was married to Harley Wood. He died on 17 August 1971 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Hiroshi Ohkawa was born on 30 December 1896 in Niigata, Japan. He was a producer, known for Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961), Revenge (1964) and Ronin of Ako (1961). He died on 17 August 1971 in Tokyo, Japan.
- Actor
- Director
Thomas Moseley was born on 16 June 1878 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Hell's Alley (1931). He died on 17 August 1971 in New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Hilding Rolin was born on 11 November 1899 in Björklunda, Skaraborgs län, Sweden. He was an actor, known for Pengar: En tragikomisk saga (1946), Sten Stensson kommer till stan (1945) and Ebberöds bank (1946). He was married to Dagmar Bentzen. He died on 17 August 1971 in Täby, Stockholms län, Sweden.- Alexander Field was born on 6 June 1892 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for F. P. 1 Doesn't Answer (1933), The Six Proud Walkers (1954) and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950). He was married to Alice R. Parkinson. He died on 17 August 1971 in London, England, UK.
- Sheila Mossman was born on 10 August 1923 in Greenwich, London, England, UK. She died on 17 August 1971 in Orpington, Kent, England, UK.