Harry Shannon

Harry Shannon

Acting
Born 1890-06-12 - Died 1964-07-27Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Biography

Born and raised on a farm in Michigan in 1890, Irish-American character actor Harry Shannon had the credentials for becoming a staple player in westerns. He started off his career traveling around with repertory and stock companies and developed his musical abilities in tent shows, burlesque houses and such tuneful Broadway shows as "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Hold Everything" (1928), "Simple Simon" (1931), and "Pardon My English" (1933). A company member of Joseph Schildkraut's Hollywood Theater Guild, Shannon broke into films at the advent of sound and started things off in comedy film shorts opposite such celebrated players as Bert Lahr, Shemp Howard, and Leon Errol. In the 1940s Shannon established himself in feature-length movies and although he remained a minor, second-string player, he proved himself a durable presence in westerns usually remaining on the good side of the law as sheriffs and bucolic dads. In lighthearted entertainment he could be found as a friendly Irish cop or bartender. He made a slight but memorable impression as Kane's alcoholic father in the classic Citizen Kane (1941), while his last role would be as the grandfather in the musical Gypsy (1962). In between were small parts in such notable films as The Fighting Sullivans (1944), The Jolson Story (1946), High Noon (1952), Touch of Evil (1958), and The Buccaneer (1958). 1950s TV westerns such as Cheyenne (1955), Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), and Gunsmoke (1955) made consistent use of his rustic demeanor. Shannon died in 1964 at age 74.

Movies (122)

Citizen Kane
8.0

Citizen Kane

1941Movie8.0
High Noon
7.7

High Noon

1952Movie7.7
Touch of Evil
7.7

Touch of Evil

1958Movie7.7
The Gunfighter
7.4

The Gunfighter

1950Movie7.4
The Lady from Shanghai
7.3

The Lady from Shanghai

1947Movie7.3
The Tall Men
6.5

The Tall Men

1955Movie6.5
Written on the Wind
7.0

Written on the Wind

1956Movie7.0
City of Chance
5.6

City of Chance

1940Movie5.6
Where Danger Lives
6.4

Where Danger Lives

1950Movie6.4
Summer and Smoke
6.6

Summer and Smoke

1961Movie6.6
This Gun for Hire
7.0

This Gun for Hire

1942Movie7.0
In Old Oklahoma
6.2

In Old Oklahoma

1943Movie6.2
One Crowded Night
5.5

One Crowded Night

1940Movie5.5
Gypsy
6.3

Gypsy

1962Movie6.3
Nora Prentiss
6.2

Nora Prentiss

1947Movie6.2
Canyon Passage
6.7

Canyon Passage

1946Movie6.7
The Mummy's Ghost
5.6

The Mummy's Ghost

1944Movie5.6
Three Little Words
6.3

Three Little Words

1950Movie6.3
Dangerous Years
6.8

Dangerous Years

1947Movie6.8
Witness to Murder
6.3

Witness to Murder

1954Movie6.3
The Underworld Story
6.3

The Underworld Story

1950Movie6.3
Executive Suite
7.1

Executive Suite

1954Movie7.1
The Buccaneer
6.5

The Buccaneer

1958Movie6.5
The Violent Men
6.5

The Violent Men

1955Movie6.5
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
7.0

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

1948Movie7.0
Champion
6.7

Champion

1949Movie6.7
Mr. Soft Touch
6.8

Mr. Soft Touch

1949Movie6.8
Yellowstone Kelly
6.2

Yellowstone Kelly

1959Movie6.2
Wild in the Country
6.3

Wild in the Country

1961Movie6.3
The Red House
6.3

The Red House

1947Movie6.3
The Sound of Fury
6.5

The Sound of Fury

1950Movie6.5
Idaho
6.3

Idaho

1943Movie6.3
Tarnished
7.2

Tarnished

1950Movie7.2
The Lonely Man
6.1

The Lonely Man

1957Movie6.1
Crack-Up
5.8

Crack-Up

1946Movie5.8
The Scarf
5.7

The Scarf

1951Movie5.7
Rails Into Laramie
6.5

Rails Into Laramie

1954Movie6.5
Fighting Father Dunne
7.5

Fighting Father Dunne

1948Movie7.5
The Farmer's Daughter
7.1

The Farmer's Daughter

1947Movie7.1
The Last Crooked Mile
5.5

The Last Crooked Mile

1946Movie5.5
Young Tom Edison
5.9

Young Tom Edison

1940Movie5.9
Exposed
6.2

Exposed

1947Movie6.2
Sympathy
4.0

Sympathy

1929Movie4.0
Phantom Stallion
9.0

Phantom Stallion

1954Movie9.0
The Big Street
5.8

The Big Street

1942Movie5.8
Tulsa
6.3

Tulsa

1949Movie6.3
Duel at Apache Wells
6.0

Duel at Apache Wells

1957Movie6.0
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
6.4

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

1942Movie6.4
My Girl Tisa
9.0

My Girl Tisa

1948Movie9.0
Hold Back the Dawn
6.7

Hold Back the Dawn

1941Movie6.7
Once Upon a Honeymoon
6.3

Once Upon a Honeymoon

1942Movie6.3
The Lemon Drop Kid
6.5

The Lemon Drop Kid

1951Movie6.5
San Quentin
6.3

San Quentin

1946Movie6.3
Jack Slade
7.0

Jack Slade

1953Movie7.0
In Old California
5.3

In Old California

1942Movie5.3
The Falcon Takes Over
6.3

The Falcon Takes Over

1942Movie6.3
True to Life
8.0

True to Life

1943Movie8.0
Hell's Crossroads
5.6

Hell's Crossroads

1957Movie5.6
Crime, Inc.
4.8

Crime, Inc.

1945Movie4.8
Kansas Pacific
5.0

Kansas Pacific

1953Movie5.0
Al Jennings of Oklahoma
6.0

Al Jennings of Oklahoma

1951Movie6.0
The Lady Is Willing
6.5

The Lady Is Willing

1942Movie6.5
The Killer That Stalked New York
6.2

The Killer That Stalked New York

1950Movie6.2
The Invisible Wall
6.0

The Invisible Wall

1947Movie6.0
Captain Eddie
7.2

Captain Eddie

1945Movie7.2
Flesh and Fury
6.6

Flesh and Fury

1952Movie6.6
Faint Heart
10.0

Faint Heart

1929Movie10.0
20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang
7.0

20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang

1933Movie7.0
At Gunpoint
6.7

At Gunpoint

1955Movie6.7
Time Out of Mind
5.6

Time Out of Mind

1947Movie5.6
The Jackie Robinson Story
6.3

The Jackie Robinson Story

1950Movie6.3
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair
6.6

The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair

1939Movie6.6
Wrongorilla
9.0

Wrongorilla

1933Movie9.0
The Powers Girl
7.0

The Powers Girl

1943Movie7.0
Tugboat Annie Sails Again
6.0

Tugboat Annie Sails Again

1940Movie6.0
Pride of the Marines
6.8

Pride of the Marines

1945Movie6.8
Singing Guns
6.4

Singing Guns

1950Movie6.4
Sailor's Lady
6.5

Sailor's Lady

1940Movie6.5
Lure of the Wilderness
6.1

Lure of the Wilderness

1952Movie6.1
Too Many Girls
5.9

Too Many Girls

1940Movie5.9
Parole Fixer
5.0

Parole Fixer

1940Movie5.0
Night Editor
5.5

Night Editor

1946Movie5.5
The Marauders
5.8

The Marauders

1955Movie5.8
The Mad Martindales
7.5

The Mad Martindales

1942Movie7.5
Mary Ryan, Detective
5.3

Mary Ryan, Detective

1949Movie5.3
The Flying Missile
5.3

The Flying Missile

1950Movie5.3
Man or Gun
4.0

Man or Gun

1958Movie4.0
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
6.6

The Devil Thumbs a Ride

1947Movie6.6
Pride of Maryland
9.0

Pride of Maryland

1951Movie9.0
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
8.0

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

1942Movie8.0
Cry of the Hunted
6.1

Cry of the Hunted

1953Movie6.1
Come Next Spring
5.9

Come Next Spring

1956Movie5.9
The Girl from Avenue A
7.5

The Girl from Avenue A

1940Movie7.5
Hunt the Man Down
6.3

Hunt the Man Down

1950Movie6.3
The Saint In Palm Springs
6.1

The Saint In Palm Springs

1941Movie6.1
The Yellow Rose of Texas
6.1

The Yellow Rose of Texas

1944Movie6.1
The Peacemaker
5.3

The Peacemaker

1956Movie5.3
No More West
10.0

No More West

1934Movie10.0
Alaska Highway
6.3

Alaska Highway

1943Movie6.3
Smoked Hams
7.0

Smoked Hams

1934Movie7.0
Tear Gas Squad
5.3

Tear Gas Squad

1940Movie5.3
Song of Texas
6.3

Song of Texas

1943Movie6.3
Alibi Mark
7.0

Alibi Mark

1937Movie7.0
Blue Blood
10.0

Blue Blood

1951Movie10.0
Roar of the Crowd
8.0

Roar of the Crowd

1953Movie8.0
Rustlers
6.3

Rustlers

1949Movie6.3
Big Town Scandal
5.3

Big Town Scandal

1948Movie5.3
Gambling on the High Seas
5.7

Gambling on the High Seas

1940Movie5.7
Someone to Remember
7.7

Someone to Remember

1943Movie7.7
The Campus Mystery
7.0

The Campus Mystery

1932Movie7.0
Headin' for God's Country
8.0

Headin' for God's Country

1943Movie8.0
Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'
7.3

Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'

1948Movie7.3
Curtain Call at Cactus Creek
6.4

Curtain Call at Cactus Creek

1950Movie6.4
Take a Chance
5.5

Take a Chance

1933Movie5.5
When the Lights Go On Again
6.0

When the Lights Go On Again

1944Movie6.0
Close Relations
7.0

Close Relations

1933Movie7.0
Heads Up
7.0

Heads Up

1930Movie7.0
The World of Tomorrow
5.5

The World of Tomorrow

1984Movie5.5
A Peach of a Pair
8.0

A Peach of a Pair

1934Movie8.0
I Ring Doorbells
7.0

I Ring Doorbells

1946Movie7.0
Cow Town
5.5

Cow Town

1950Movie5.5
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
6.5

Shake, Mr. Shakespeare

1936Movie6.5

TV Shows (27)

Lassie
6.3

Lassie

1954Series6.3
The Virginian
6.5

The Virginian

1962Series6.5
Have Gun, Will Travel
7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957Series7.3
The Untouchables
8.0

The Untouchables

1959Series8.0
Cheyenne
6.2

Cheyenne

1955Series6.2
Rawhide
7.2

Rawhide

1959Series7.2
Gunsmoke
6.7

Gunsmoke

1955Series6.7
The Millionaire
5.8

The Millionaire

1955Series5.8
Bat Masterson
6.4

Bat Masterson

1958Series6.4
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955Series7.8
Sugarfoot
5.1

Sugarfoot

1957Series5.1
The Real McCoys
5.9

The Real McCoys

1957Series5.9
The Texan
6.0

The Texan

1958Series6.0
State Trooper
5.7

State Trooper

1956Series5.7
The Ford Television Theatre
7.8

The Ford Television Theatre

1952Series7.8
Navy Log
5.2

Navy Log

1955Series5.2
Lock-Up
6.4

Lock-Up

1959Series6.4
Cavalcade of America
4.6

Cavalcade of America

1952Series4.6
The Thin Man
7.6

The Thin Man

1957Series7.6
26 Men
5.0

26 Men

1957Series5.0
Angel
4.2

Angel

1960Series4.2
The Man Behind the Badge
6.3

The Man Behind the Badge

1953Series6.3
Crossroads
6.8

Crossroads

1955Series6.8
The Dakotas
6.5

The Dakotas

1963Series6.5
Wire Service
9.0

Wire Service

1956Series9.0
Letter to Loretta
6.6

Letter to Loretta

1953Series6.6
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2