Roscoe Karns

Roscoe Karns

Acting
Born 1891-09-06 - Died 1970-02-06San Bernardino, California, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s. Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as Wings and Beggars of Life, his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up Claudette Colbert in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, His Girl Friday.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with Lynne Overman as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime. From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular DuMont Television Network series Rocky King, Inside Detective. His son, character actor Todd Karns, also appeared in that series. From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Admiral Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper in the title role of a United States Navy physician, and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale. His final film was another Hawks comedy, Man's Favorite Sport?, in 1964. Karns was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Los Angeles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Roscoe Karns, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Movies (138)

His Girl Friday
7.4

His Girl Friday

1940Movie7.4
It Happened One Night
7.8

It Happened One Night

1934Movie7.8
The Jazz Singer
6.1

The Jazz Singer

1927Movie6.1
Twentieth Century
6.8

Twentieth Century

1934Movie6.8
Woman of the Year
7.0

Woman of the Year

1942Movie7.0
Stage Door Canteen
6.3

Stage Door Canteen

1943Movie6.3
King of Chinatown
5.6

King of Chinatown

1939Movie5.6
Wings
7.2

Wings

1927Movie7.2
Man's Favorite Sport?
7.0

Man's Favorite Sport?

1964Movie7.0
You and Me
6.6

You and Me

1938Movie6.6
The Ten Commandments
6.5

The Ten Commandments

1923Movie6.5
A Tragedy at Midnight
5.2

A Tragedy at Midnight

1942Movie5.2
Onionhead
5.5

Onionhead

1958Movie5.5
Avalanche
9.0

Avalanche

1946Movie9.0
Vigilantes of Boomtown
4.3

Vigilantes of Boomtown

1947Movie4.3
If I Had a Million
6.5

If I Had a Million

1932Movie6.5
Dancing Co-Ed
6.6

Dancing Co-Ed

1939Movie6.6
Alice in Wonderland
6.1

Alice in Wonderland

1933Movie6.1
Dirigible
5.5

Dirigible

1931Movie5.5
Stowaway
6.5

Stowaway

1932Movie6.5
They Drive by Night
6.9

They Drive by Night

1940Movie6.9
Dollar Down
7.0

Dollar Down

1925Movie7.0
Old Acquaintance
7.1

Old Acquaintance

1943Movie7.1
Warming Up
9.0

Warming Up

1928Movie9.0
One Way Passage
7.3

One Way Passage

1932Movie7.3
Object: Alimony
7.0

Object: Alimony

1928Movie7.0
Yokel Boy
5.8

Yokel Boy

1942Movie5.8
That's My Man
6.7

That's My Man

1947Movie6.7
Clarence
9.0

Clarence

1937Movie9.0
Tip-Off Girls
7.5

Tip-Off Girls

1938Movie7.5
Night of Mystery
10.0

Night of Mystery

1937Movie10.0
Woman Trap
8.0

Woman Trap

1936Movie8.0
Something Always Happens
10.0

Something Always Happens

1928Movie10.0
The Vanishing Pioneer
9.0

The Vanishing Pioneer

1928Movie9.0
Play Girl
5.0

Play Girl

1932Movie5.0
Beau Sabreur
9.0

Beau Sabreur

1928Movie9.0
Beggars of Life
7.1

Beggars of Life

1928Movie7.1
Elmer and Elsie
10.0

Elmer and Elsie

1934Movie10.0
Dangerous to Know
6.6

Dangerous to Know

1938Movie6.6
Petticoat Politics
9.0

Petticoat Politics

1941Movie9.0
Three Cheers for Love
8.0

Three Cheers for Love

1936Movie8.0
Footsteps in the Dark
7.0

Footsteps in the Dark

1941Movie7.0
The Flying Fleet
6.9

The Flying Fleet

1929Movie6.9
Bluff
10.0

Bluff

1924Movie10.0
On Such a Night
7.0

On Such a Night

1937Movie7.0
Minstrel Man
5.5

Minstrel Man

1944Movie5.5
Copy
6.5

Copy

1929Movie6.5
Lawyer Man
6.1

Lawyer Man

1932Movie6.1
Saturday's Children
6.9

Saturday's Children

1940Movie6.9
Meet the Missus
7.0

Meet the Missus

1940Movie7.0
Today We Live
6.3

Today We Live

1933Movie6.3
Front Page Woman
5.9

Front Page Woman

1935Movie5.9
The Gay Vagabond
9.0

The Gay Vagabond

1941Movie9.0
I Sell Anything
5.0

I Sell Anything

1934Movie5.0
Alibi Ike
6.2

Alibi Ike

1935Movie6.2
Partners in Crime
8.0

Partners in Crime

1937Movie8.0
You'd Be Surprised
7.0

You'd Be Surprised

1926Movie7.0
Border Flight
6.5

Border Flight

1936Movie6.5
Ladies Must Live
7.0

Ladies Must Live

1940Movie7.0
A Lady's Profession
7.0

A Lady's Profession

1933Movie7.0
Red Hot Tires
6.0

Red Hot Tires

1935Movie6.0
Troopers Three
7.0

Troopers Three

1930Movie7.0
The Woman in Red
6.0

The Woman in Red

1935Movie6.0
A Western Governor's Humanity
7.0

A Western Governor's Humanity

1915Movie7.0
Scandal Street
8.0

Scandal Street

1938Movie8.0
One Way to Love
7.0

One Way to Love

1946Movie7.0
Wings in the Dark
6.4

Wings in the Dark

1935Movie6.4
Everything's on Ice
5.3

Everything's on Ice

1939Movie5.3
The Midnight Express
4.7

The Midnight Express

1924Movie4.7
Riding High
5.6

Riding High

1943Movie5.6
His Butler's Sister
7.2

His Butler's Sister

1943Movie7.2
That's Right – You're Wrong
6.3

That's Right – You're Wrong

1939Movie6.3
Cain and Mabel
6.4

Cain and Mabel

1936Movie6.4
Two-Fisted
8.5

Two-Fisted

1935Movie8.5
The Women in His Life
4.3

The Women in His Life

1933Movie4.3
The Life of the Party
5.6

The Life of the Party

1920Movie5.6
The Shopworn Angel
9.0

The Shopworn Angel

1928Movie9.0
Come On, Marines!
5.6

Come On, Marines!

1934Movie5.6
Shoot the Works
6.7

Shoot the Works

1934Movie6.7
The Desert Bride
5.5

The Desert Bride

1928Movie5.5
High Pressure
5.8

High Pressure

1932Movie5.8
Gambling Ship
5.6

Gambling Ship

1933Movie5.6
The Navy Way
6.3

The Navy Way

1944Movie6.3
The Inside Story
6.6

The Inside Story

1948Movie6.6
Night After Night
6.3

Night After Night

1932Movie6.3
Little Accident
9.0

Little Accident

1930Movie9.0
The Trail of '98
6.1

The Trail of '98

1928Movie6.1
Conquering the Woman
8.0

Conquering the Woman

1922Movie8.0
You Can't Escape Forever
6.0

You Can't Escape Forever

1942Movie6.0
Three Married Men
8.0

Three Married Men

1936Movie8.0
Four Hours to Kill!
5.7

Four Hours to Kill!

1935Movie5.7
Ladies of the Big House
6.0

Ladies of the Big House

1931Movie6.0
One Sunday Afternoon
6.6

One Sunday Afternoon

1933Movie6.6
Safety in Numbers
5.5

Safety in Numbers

1930Movie5.5
My Son, The Hero
7.0

My Son, The Hero

1943Movie7.0
Thanks for the Memory
5.8

Thanks for the Memory

1938Movie5.8
Laughing Sinners
5.3

Laughing Sinners

1931Movie5.3
Win That Girl
10.0

Win That Girl

1928Movie10.0
Road to Happiness
5.7

Road to Happiness

1941Movie5.7
Left Over Ladies
7.0

Left Over Ladies

1931Movie7.0
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
5.8

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

1948Movie5.8
Grand Slam
4.6

Grand Slam

1933Movie4.6
Devil's Cargo
5.9

Devil's Cargo

1948Movie5.9
Half Shot at Sunrise
10.0

Half Shot at Sunrise

1941Movie10.0
Double Alibi
5.3

Double Alibi

1940Movie5.3
Under-Cover Man
6.2

Under-Cover Man

1932Movie6.2
Week-End Marriage
5.5

Week-End Marriage

1932Movie5.5
The Roadhouse Murder
5.0

The Roadhouse Murder

1932Movie5.0
Murder Goes to College
5.0

Murder Goes to College

1937Movie5.0
The Family Honor
8.0

The Family Honor

1920Movie8.0
Her Own Money
10.0

Her Own Money

1922Movie10.0
Moran of the Marines
7.0

Moran of the Marines

1928Movie7.0
They Call It Sin
6.0

They Call It Sin

1932Movie6.0
The Foolish Virgin
10.0

The Foolish Virgin

1924Movie10.0
The Overland Limited
10.0

The Overland Limited

1925Movie10.0
Many a Slip
10.0

Many a Slip

1931Movie10.0
Two Against the World
5.5

Two Against the World

1932Movie5.5
New York Nights
5.5

New York Nights

1929Movie5.5
Jazz Mad
8.0

Jazz Mad

1928Movie8.0
Speed to Spare
6.7

Speed to Spare

1948Movie6.7
The Costello Case
8.0

The Costello Case

1930Movie8.0
Hi, Good Lookin'!
6.5

Hi, Good Lookin'!

1944Movie6.5
I Ring Doorbells
7.0

I Ring Doorbells

1946Movie7.0
The Gorilla
9.0

The Gorilla

1930Movie9.0
Mr. Carlson of Arizona

Mr. Carlson of Arizona

1915Movie
The Crooked Circle
5.2

The Crooked Circle

1932Movie5.2
The Man Tamer
10.0

The Man Tamer

1921Movie10.0
This Thing Called Love
9.0

This Thing Called Love

1929Movie9.0
Ten Modern Commandments
10.0

Ten Modern Commandments

1927Movie10.0
The Trouper
8.0

The Trouper

1922Movie8.0
Pleasure
4.2

Pleasure

1931Movie4.2
Man Trouble
7.5

Man Trouble

1930Movie7.5
Black Eyes and Blues
9.0

Black Eyes and Blues

1941Movie9.0
Ritzy
8.0

Ritzy

1927Movie8.0
From Champion to Tramp
9.0

From Champion to Tramp

1915Movie9.0
Other Men's Daughters
8.0

Other Men's Daughters

1923Movie8.0
Poor Relations
8.0

Poor Relations

1919Movie8.0
A Species of Mexican Man
8.0

A Species of Mexican Man

1915Movie8.0

TV Shows (6)

The Lucy Show
7.0

The Lucy Show

1962Series7.0
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
6.8

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

1957Series6.8
December Bride
6.3

December Bride

1954Series6.3
Hennesey
7.7

Hennesey

1959Series7.7
Rocky King, Detective
6.5

Rocky King, Detective

1950Series6.5
Inside Detective

Inside Detective

1950Series