From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum, August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor.
Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Nussbaum had already changed his last name to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he chose to use the name "Stephen Morris" before changing it to Morris Ankrum in 1939.
Ankrum's stern visage and sharply defined features helped cast him in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures, including scientists, military men (particularly army officers), judges and even psychiatrists in more than 150 films, mostly B movies. One standout role was in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's production of Tennessee Johnson (1942), a biographical film about Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S. president. As Sen. Jefferson Davis, Ankrum movingly addresses the United States Senate upon his resignation to lead the Confederate States of America as that republic's first—and only—president. Ankrum's film career was extensive and spanned 30 years. His credits were largely concentrated in the western and science-fiction genres.
Ankrum appeared in such westerns as Ride 'Em Cowboy in 1942, Vera Cruz opposite Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, Apache (1954), and Cattle Queen of Montana with Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan.
In the sci-fi genre, he appeared in Rocketship X-M (1950), Flight to Mars (1951), as a Martian, Red Planet Mars (1952), playing the United States Secretary of Defense; the cult classic Invaders From Mars (1953), playing a United States Army officer; and as an Army general in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). In 1957 he played a psychiatrist in the cult sci-fi classic Kronos and had military-officer roles in Beginning of the End and The Giant Claw.
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The tumultuous presidency of 19th-president Andrew Johnson is chronicled in this biopic. The story b...
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The twisted Richard III is haunted by the ghosts of those he has murdered in his attempt to become t...
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Clips from assorted television programs, B-movies, commercials, music performances, newsreels, bloop...
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Recent movies
| # | Name | Character | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Movie Orgy (1968) | Self (archive footage) | - | - |
| 2 | X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) | Mr. Bowhead (uncredited) | 6.8 | |
| 3 | Tower of London (1962) | The Archbishop | 4 | |
| 4 | How to Make a Monster (1958) | Police Capt. Hancock | - | - |
| 5 | Beginning of the End (1957) | Gen. John Hanson | 3 | |
| 6 | The Giant Claw (1957) | Lt. Gen. Edward Considine | 5 | |
| 7 | Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) | Brig. Gen. John Hanley | 6 | |
| 8 | Tennessee's Partner (1955) | Judge Parker | 6 | |
| 9 | No Man's Woman (1955) | Capt. Hostedder | 3 | |
| 10 | Crashout (1955) | Head Guard | 5 | |
| 11 | Apache (1954) | Dawson | 4 | |
| 12 | Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) | J.I. 'Pop' Jones | 6.5 | |
| 13 | Vera Cruz (1954) | Gen. RamĂrez | 8 | |
| 14 | Silver Lode (1954) | Zachary Evans | 5 | |
| 15 | The Moonlighter (1953) | Alexander Prince | 7 | |
| 16 | Invaders from Mars (1953) | Col. Fielding | 5.5 | |
| 17 | Red Planet Mars (1952) | Secretary of Defense Sparks | 5 | |
| 18 | Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951) | Hugh Wagner | 6 | |
| 19 | Southside 1-1000 (1950) | Eugene Deane | 4 | |
| 20 | Rocketship X-M (1950) | Dr. Ralph Fleming | 7 | |
| 21 | The Damned Don't Cry (1950) | Jim Whitehead | 6 | |
| 22 | Borderline (1950) | Bill Whittaker | 5 | |
| 23 | In a Lonely Place (1950) | Lloyd Barnes | 7.3 | |
| 24 | We Were Strangers (1949) | M. Seymour | - | - |
| 25 | Colorado Territory (1949) | United States Marshal | 7 | |
| 26 | The Fountainhead (1949) | Prosecutor (uncredited) | 4.5 | |
| 27 | Joan of Arc (1948) | Poton de Xaintrailles, Captain | 4 | |
| 28 | High Wall (1947) | Dr. Stanley Griffin | 4 | |
| 29 | Song of the Thin Man (1947) | Inspector (uncredited) | 9 | |
| 30 | Cynthia (1947) | Mr. Phillips, Principal | - | - |
| 31 | The Green Years (1946) | Dr. Galbraith | - | - |
| 32 | Lady in the Lake (1946) | Eugene Grayson | 6 | |
| 33 | Courage of Lassie (1946) | Farmer Crews | 6 | |
| 34 | The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) | Judge (uncredited) | 5.7 | |
| 35 | Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) | Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited) | - | - |
| 36 | The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) | Willoughby Peavy | 9 | |
| 37 | Tennessee Johnson (1942) | Jefferson Davis | 10 | |
| 38 | Roxie Hart (1942) | Martin S. Harrison | 7 | |
| 39 | Ride 'Em Cowboy (1941) | Ace Anderson | - | - |
| 40 | I Wake Up Screaming (1941) | Assistant District Attorney | 5 |
