Image of Paul Hurst

Paul Hurst

American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect). In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide. Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California  (suicide)


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Born:
Oct 15, 1888 In Traver, Tulare County, California
Movie/TV Credits:
175
First Appeared:
In the movie The Girl Detective: The Mystery of the Tea Dansant 1915-01-02
Latest Project:
Movie The Sun Shines Bright 1953-05-02
Known For
Poster of The Missourians
Poster of Ranger of Cherokee Strip
Poster of Prince of the Plains
Poster of The Lawless Legion
Filmography
Movie The Sun Shines Bright Jimmy Bagby 1953-05-02
Movie Big Jim McLain Mr. Lexiter 1952-08-30
Movie Toughest Man in Arizona 1952-10-10
Movie Million Dollar Pursuit Ray Harvey 1951-05-30
Movie The Vanishing Westerner Waldorf Worthington 1950-03-31
Movie The Missourians John X. Finn 1950-11-25
Movie The Old Frontier Skipper Horton 1950-07-20
Movie Law of the Golden West Otis Ellis 1949-05-23
Movie South of Rio Andy Weems 1949-07-29
Movie Prince of the Plains Sheriff Hank Hartley 1949-04-08
Movie Outcasts of the Trail Doc Meadowlark 1949-06-08
Movie Ranger of Cherokee Strip Sheriff Jug Mason 1949-11-04
Movie Pioneer Marshal Huck Homer 1949-11-24
Movie San Antone Ambush Happy Daniels 1949-10-06
Movie Who Killed Doc Robbin? Jailer 1948-04-09
Movie California Firebrand Chuck Waggoner 1948-04-01
Movie Madonna of the Desert Pete Connors 1948-02-23
Movie Heart of Virginia Whit Galtry 1948-04-25
Movie Son of God’s Country Eli Walker 1948-09-15
Movie Yellow Sky Drunk (uncredited) 1948-12-24
Movie The Arizona Ranger Ben Riddle 1948-05-14
Movie Gun Smugglers Sergeant Hasty Jones 1948-12-28
Movie Angel and the Badman Frederick Carson 1947-02-15
Movie Under Colorado Skies Lucky John Hawkins 1947-12-15
Movie The Plainsman and the Lady Al 1946-11-11
Movie Murder in the Music Hall Hobarth 1946-04-10
Movie The Virginian 1946-05-05
Movie Death Valley Sergeant Dailey 1946-08-15
Movie In Old Sacramento Stagecoach Driver 1946-05-31
Movie The Big Show-Off Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler 1945-01-22
Movie Scared Stiff Sheriff 1945-06-22
Movie Dakota Captain Spotts 1945-12-15
Movie Steppin' in Society Cookie 1945-07-09
Movie Midnight Manhunt Murphy 1945-07-27
Movie The Ghost That Walks Alone Sheriff Slim Carson 1944-02-10
Movie Summer Storm Orloff 1944-07-14
Movie Something for the Boys Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited) 1944-11-01
Movie Barbary Coast Gent Jake Compton 1944-09-01
Movie Girl Rush Muley 1944-10-21
Movie Hi'ya, Chum Archie Billings 1943-02-25
Movie Calaboose Ed the bartender 1943-01-29
Movie Coney Island Louie 1943-06-18
Movie December 7th World War I Ghost Soldier 1943-03-01
Movie The Sky's the Limit Dock Foreman (uncredited) 1943-07-13
Movie Sundown Jim Broderick 1942-03-27
Movie Dudes Are Pretty People Two-Gun 1942-03-13
Movie Night in New Orleans Sergeant Casper Riordan 1942-07-01
Movie Virginia Thomas 1941-01-28
Movie Tall, Dark and Handsome Biff Sage 1941-01-24
Movie Caught in the Draft Sgt. Burns 1941-07-04
Movie The Great Mr. Nobody Michael O'Connor 1941-02-15
Movie This Woman Is Mine Second Mate Mumford 1941-08-22
Movie Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring Page 1941-11-18
Movie The Parson of Panamint Jake Waldren 1941-07-25
Movie Edison, the Man Sheriff 1940-05-10
Movie Star Dust Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech 1940-04-06
Movie Castle on the Hudson Guard (uncredited) 1940-02-17
Movie Torrid Zone Daniels 1940-05-18
Movie Spring Parade Headwaiter 1940-09-27
Movie They Drive by Night Pete Haig (uncredited) 1940-07-26
Movie Goin' Fishin' 1940-10-26
Movie Tugboat Annie Sails Again Pete 1940-10-26
Movie The Westerner Chickenfoot 1940-09-18
Movie It Could Happen to You Sandy 1939-06-08
Movie Broadway Serenade Reynolds, a Drunk 1939-04-07
Movie Cafe Society Bartender 1939-03-03
Movie Quick Millions Sheriff 1939-08-25
Movie Gone with the Wind Yankee Deserter 1939-03-12
Movie Each Dawn I Die Garsky 1939-08-19
Movie Remember? Policeman 1939-12-19
Movie Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence Empire State Building Guard 1939-11-03
Movie Glove Slingers Chuck Brenner 1939-11-24
Movie On Your Toes Variety Club Bartender 1939-10-14
Movie Bad Lands Curly Tom 1939-08-28
Movie In Old Chicago Mitch 1938-04-15
Movie Island in the Sky Happy 1938-04-01
Movie No Time to Marry Sergeant 1938-02-05
Movie Alexander's Ragtime Band Bill Mulligan 1938-05-24
Movie Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Florabelle's Father 1938-03-18
Movie Josette A. Adolphus Heyman 1938-06-03
Movie Secrets of a Nurse Arlington Bysshe 'Slice' Cavanaugh 1938-12-02
Movie Topper Takes a Trip Charlie - the Bartender 1938-12-29
Movie Hold That Co-ed Slapsy 1938-09-16
Movie The Last Express Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer 1938-10-27
Movie Prison Break Soapy 1938-07-12
Movie My Lucky Star Louie 1938-09-09
Movie You Can't Beat Love Foreman Butch Mehaffey 1937-06-25
Movie Super-Sleuth Motorcycle Cop 1937-07-16
Movie Slave Ship Drunk 1937-06-16
Movie We Who Are About to Die Tip Fuller 1937-01-08
Movie The Legion of Missing Men Muggsy 1937-07-28
Movie This Is My Affair Bowler 1937-05-28
Movie Angel's Holiday Sgt. Murphy 1937-06-07
Movie Ali Baba Goes to Town Captain 1937-10-29
Movie Second Honeymoon Dennis Huggins 1937-11-13
Movie You Can't Have Everything Truck Driver (uncredited) 1937-08-02
Movie The Lady Fights Back Maloney 1937-10-01
Movie Danger – Love at Work NYC policeman 1937-09-30
Movie She's No Lady Cop 1937-08-20
Movie Wake Up and Live McCabe 1937-08-23
Movie Wife, Doctor and Nurse Bill 1937-09-17
Movie Robin Hood of El Dorado Wilson 1936-03-17
Movie Riffraff Belcher 1936-01-03
Movie Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 1st Deputy (uncredited) 1936-04-09
Movie The Gay Desperado American Detective 1936-10-02
Movie To Mary - with Love Drunk 1936-08-01
Movie North of Nome Carlson 1936-11-14
Movie I'd Give My Life "Sport" Conly 1936-08-13
Movie Carnival Policeman 1935-02-15
Movie Sequoia Bergman 1935-01-16
Movie Maybe It's Love Expressman (uncredited) 1935-01-12
Movie Mississippi Hefty 1935-03-22
Movie Shadow of Doubt Lt. Sackville 1935-02-15
Movie Public Hero Number 1 Rufe Parker 1935-05-31
Movie Calm Yourself Detective Roscoe 1935-06-28
Movie The Daring Young Man Prison Guard 1935-07-17
Movie The Gay Deception Bell Captain 1935-09-13
Movie Charlie Chan's Courage Undetermined Role 1934-07-06
Movie A Very Honorable Guy Butler 1934-04-18
Movie Midnight Alibi Babe the Butcher 1934-07-12
Movie Take the Stand Denny O'Brien 1934-08-07
Movie Among the Missing Capt. W.F. 'Big Bill' Connors 1934-09-25
Movie Tomorrow's Youth Detective 1934-10-14
Movie The Sphinx Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan 1933-06-01
Movie Terror Aboard Boatswain 1933-04-14
Movie Grand Slam Man Who Speaks Final Line of the Film 1933-02-22
Movie Tugboat Annie Sam 1933-08-04
Movie Queen Christina Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited) 1933-12-26
Movie Saturday's Millions Doc Maloney, Trainer 1933-09-30
Movie The Women in His Life Paul, Perez's Second Bodyguard 1933-12-08
Movie Day of Reckoning Harry 1933-10-26
Movie The Thirteenth Guest Detective Grump 1932-08-09
Movie State's Attorney Police Captain Morgan 1932-05-20
Movie Panama Flo Al 1932-01-19
Movie My Pal, the King Red 1932-04-03
Movie The Phantom President Sailor (uncredited) 1932-09-23
Movie Hold 'Em Jail Butch 1932-08-19
Movie Men Are Such Fools Stiles 1932-11-18
Movie Island of Lost Souls Capt. Donahue 1932-12-24
Movie The Big Stampede 'Arizona' Frank Bailey 1932-09-29
Movie Kick In Detective Whip Fogarty 1931-05-22
Movie The Secret Six Nick Mizoski - the Gouger 1931-04-18
Movie The Single Sin Slug 1931-02-23
Movie Sweepstakes Bartender 1931-07-10
Movie The Public Defender Doc 1931-08-01
Movie The Secret Witness Officer Brannigan 1931-12-12
Movie Bad Company Paul Hurst 1931-10-16
Movie Maker of Men Gabby 1931-08-03
Movie Mountain Justice Lem Harland 1930-05-04
Movie Officer O'Brien Captain Antrim 1930-02-15
Movie The Runaway Bride Sergeant Daly 1930-05-04
Movie Lucky Larkin Pete Brierson 1930-02-01
Movie Shadow of the Law Pete Shore 1930-06-06
Movie Paradise Island Beauty 1930-07-15
Movie Borrowed Wives Bull Morgan 1930-08-20
Movie Hot Curves 'Slug', Baseball Player 1930-06-14
Movie Tide of Empire Poppy 1929-03-23
Movie The Lawless Legion Ramirez 1929-02-17
Movie The California Mail Rowdy Ryan 1929-04-07
Movie The Racketeer Mehaffy - Policeman 1929-11-09
Movie His First Command Sgt. Westbrook 1929-12-28
Movie Oh, Yeah! Railroad-Yard Superintendent 1929-10-19
Movie Sailor's Holiday Jimmylegs 1929-09-14
Movie The Cossacks Sitchi 1928-06-23
Movie Lilac Time (uncredited) 1928-10-18
Movie The Devil's Saddle 'Swig' Moran 1927-07-10
Movie The Red Raiders Sergeant Murphy 1927-09-27
Movie The Valley of the Giants Randeau 1927-12-04
Movie Buttons Slugger McGlue 1927-12-24
Movie Blue Streak O'Neil 1926-12-15
Movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame Emeralda's Torturer (uncredited) 1923-09-06
Movie Lightning Bryce Powder Solvang 1919-10-14
Movie The Girl Detective: The Mystery of the Tea Dansant (Episode #1, 2, etc.) 1915-01-02
Movie The Girl Detective: Old Isaacson's Diamonds Snake Henely 1915-02-25
Movie The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight A Trainman 1915-02-06
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