🎬Ray Teal

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Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the television series Bonanza (1959–1972), which was only one of dozens of sheriffs on television and in movies that he played during his long and prolific career stretching from 1937 to 1970. He appeared in pictures such as Western Jamboree (1938) with Gene Autry, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) with Fredric March and Myrna Loy, The Black Arrow (1948), Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole (1951) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) with Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster.

Teal was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A saxophone player, he worked his way through the University of California, Los Angeles as a bandleader before becoming an actor.

His longest-running role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee, a law-enforcing sheriff on Bonanza. Teal was one of the most senior members of the crew having a permanent role. He had also played a sheriff in the Billy Wilder film Ace in the Hole (1951). Teal co-starred in numerous TV westerns throughout his career: he appeared five times on Cheyenne, four times on The Lone Ranger, on The Alaskans, three times in different roles on another long-running western series, Wagon Train, on NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo, on the ABC western series Broken Arrow, five times on the ABC western comedy Maverick, on the CBS western series The Texan, the NBC western series The Californians, twice on Colt .45, once on Wanted: Dead or Alive, and as "Sheriff Clay" for a single 1960 episode of the NBC western series Riverboat, and four times on a western series about the rodeo titled Wide Country.

After more than 15 years performing in films and in early television, Teal secured a recurring role as a police officer in the 1953–1955 ABC sitcom with a variety-show theme, Where's Raymond?, later renamed The Ray Bolger Show.

In 1955, Teal appeared as McCanles, a ruthless cattle baron in the episode "Julesburg" of the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series, Cheyenne. Altogether, Teal appeared five times on Cheyenne. He later appeared in a guest-starring role in another ABC/WB Western series, The Alaskans. From 1957 to 1962, Teal was cast three times in different roles on the Western series, Wagon Train. He also appeared in a number of episodes of Bat Masterson, an episode of The Rifleman and later in Green Acres.

In 1957, Teal played a lawman, Captain McNelly, in the episode "Sam Bass" of NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo. Teal was cast as Fenster in "The Bounty Hunters" (1957) on the ABC Western series, Broken Arrow. In 1958, Teal guest-starred "No Tears for the Dead" on the CBS Western series, The Texan. He also later appeared in the CBS sitcom, Dennis the Menace.

In 1960, Teal was cast as Sheriff Roy Coffee in Bonanza, a role he played until 1972, appearing in 98 episodes, occasionally as the lead character. He also portrayed judge/dentist/shoe repairman H.G. Cogswell in Bat Masterson starring Gene Barry.

He died of undisclosed causes on April 2, 1976, at age 74 in Santa Monica, California. CLR

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Recent movies

#	Name	Character	Rating
1	Chisum (1970)	Justice J.B. Wilson		7
2	Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)	Curtiss Ives		7.9
3	One-Eyed Jacks (1961)	Barney		8
4	Home from the Hill (1960)	Dr. Carson		4
5	Inherit the Wind (1960)	Jessie H. Dunlap		1
6	Gunman's Walk (1958)	Jensen Sieverts		6
7	Band of Angels (1957)	Mr. Calloway		5
8	Decision at Sundown (1957)	Morley Chase		6.7
9	The Desperate Hours (1955)	State Police Lt. Fredericks		4
10	Rogue Cop (1954)	Patrolman Mullins		4
11	The Wild One (1953)	Frank Bleeker		8.3
12	Carrie (1952)	Allen - Bondsman		5
13	The Turning Point (1952)	Clint, Police Captain		3
14	Jumping Jacks (1952)	W.W. Timmons		4.5
15	Hangman's Knot (1952)	Quincey	-	-
16	The Captive City (1952)	Chief Gillette		6
17	Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951)	Mr. Dawson		6
18	Ace in the Hole (1951)	Sheriff		7.3
19	Home Town Story (1951)	Complaining Electrical Worker (uncredited)	-	-
20	Quicksand (1950)	Motorcycle Officer		7
21	Convicted (1950)	Cell Block / Yard Guard (uncredited)		5
22	Southside 1-1000 (1950)	Detective		4
23	Edge of Doom (1950)	Ned Moore		4
24	Where Danger Lives (1950)	Sheriff Joe Borden (uncredited)		4
25	Gun Crazy (1950)	California Border Inspector (uncredited)		5.3
26	No Way Out (1950)	Day Deputy in Hospital Prison Ward (uncredited)	-	-
27	The Men (1950)	Man at Bar		5
28	Winchester '73 (1950)	Marshall Noonan (uncredited)		7.5
29	The Asphalt Jungle (1950)	Cop in Car Barn Slugged by Dix (uncredited)		6.8
30	Oh, You Beautiful Doll (1949)	Policeman	-	-
31	Raw Deal (1948)	(uncredited)		7
32	I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (1948)	Death Row Guard (uncredited)		5
33	Road House (1948)	Policeman		5
34	Joan of Arc (1948)	Bertrand de Poulengy, a squire		4
35	Walk a Crooked Mile (1948)	Police Sergeant		4
36	Ramrod (1947)	Ed Burma		6
37	Desert Fury (1947)	Bus Driver (uncredited)		5
38	My Favorite Brunette (1947)	State Trooper Sergeant (uncredited)		5
39	The Long Night (1947)	Mr. Hudson (uncredited)		5
40	High Wall (1947)	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)		4
41	Brute Force (1947)	Jackson - Guard (uncredited)		6
42	Deep Valley (1947)	Prison Official		5
43	Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)	Movie Studio Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)	-	-
44	Canyon Passage (1946)	Neal Howison (uncredited)		5.5
45	The Strange Woman (1946)	Alex Duncan (uncredited)		3
46	The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)	Mr. Mollett		6.5
47	Decoy (1946)	Policeman (uncredited)		6
48	Dead Reckoning (1946)	Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)		6
49	Circumstantial Evidence (1945)	Policeman		3
50	Anchors Aweigh (1945)	Assistant Movie Director (uncredited)		3.5
51	The Clock (1945)	Policeman		5
52	Hollywood Canteen (1944)	Army Captain (uncredited)	-	-
53	None Shall Escape (1944)	Oremski		5
54	Cry of the Werewolf (1944)	Ed, a Policeman (uncredited)		5
55	Madame Curie (1943)	Driver (uncredited)		5
56	Fingers at the Window (1942)	Police Car #12 Driver (uncredited)		5
57	Woman of the Year (1942)	Married Sports Reporter (uncredited)		3.5
58	They Died with Their Boots On (1941)	Barfly (uncredited)		7
59	Billy the Kid (1941)	Sammy Axel (uncredited)	-	-
60	Sergeant York (1941)	Marching Soldier (uncredited)		4
61	Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)	Cab Driver (uncredited)		9
62	Melody Ranch (1940)	Henchman		5
63	Kitty Foyle (1940)	Clarinet Player (uncredited)		5