Paul Hurst

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

211

Gender

Male

Birthday

1888-10-14

Day of death

1953-02-27 (64 years old)

Place of Birth

Traver, California, USA

Paul Hurst

Biography

Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an 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)

Known For

  • Gone with the Wind

    Gone with the Wind

  • The Ox-Bow Incident

    The Ox-Bow Incident

  • Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

    Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

  • Topper Takes a Trip

    Topper Takes a Trip

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • The Sun Shines Bright

    The Sun Shines Bright

  • The Case of the Curious Bride

    The Case of the Curious Bride

  • Lilac Time

    Lilac Time

  • Island of Lost Souls

    Island of Lost Souls

  • The Lawless Legion

    The Lawless Legion

  • State's Attorney

    State's Attorney

  • Coney Island

    Coney Island

  • Second Honeymoon

    Second Honeymoon

  • The Arizona Ranger

    The Arizona Ranger

  • The Daring Young Man

    The Daring Young Man

  • Sequoia

    Sequoia

  • Each Dawn I Die

    Each Dawn I Die

  • Slave Ship

    Slave Ship

  • Broadway Serenade

    Broadway Serenade

  • In Old Chicago

    In Old Chicago

  • I'd Give My Life

    I'd Give My Life

  • The Westerner

    The Westerner

  • Queen Christina

    Queen Christina

  • South to Karanga

    South to Karanga

  • Tide of Empire

    Tide of Empire

  • The Ghost That Walks Alone

    The Ghost That Walks Alone

  • Ranger of Cherokee Strip

    Ranger of Cherokee Strip

  • The Great Mr. Nobody

    The Great Mr. Nobody

  • The Old Frontier

    The Old Frontier

  • Madonna of the Desert

    Madonna of the Desert

  • Edison, the Man

    Edison, the Man

  • Goin' Fishin'

    Goin' Fishin'

  • Day of Reckoning

    Day of Reckoning

  • The Last Express

    The Last Express

  • Star Dust

    Star Dust

  • Hold Your Man

    Hold Your Man

  • The Vanishing Westerner

    The Vanishing Westerner

  • Steppin' in Society

    Steppin' in Society

  • Tugboat Annie Sails Again

    Tugboat Annie Sails Again

  • The Runaway Bride

    The Runaway Bride

  • The Thirteenth Guest

    The Thirteenth Guest

  • In Old Sacramento

    In Old Sacramento

  • Terror Aboard

    Terror Aboard

  • Gun Smugglers

    Gun Smugglers

  • My Pal, the King

    My Pal, the King

  • Dakota

    Dakota

  • The Secret Witness

    The Secret Witness

  • Prison Break

    Prison Break

  • Paradise Island

    Paradise Island

  • Sailor's Holiday

    Sailor's Holiday

  • Remember?

    Remember?

  • Glove Slingers

    Glove Slingers

  • Quick Millions

    Quick Millions

  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame

    The Hunchback of Notre Dame

  • Panama Flo

    Panama Flo

  • Danger – Love at Work

    Danger – Love at Work

  • Josette

    Josette

  • Robin Hood of El Dorado

    Robin Hood of El Dorado

  • Heart of Virginia

    Heart of Virginia

  • To Mary - with Love

    To Mary - with Love

  • Night in New Orleans

    Night in New Orleans

  • Trouble in Morocco

    Trouble in Morocco

  • Yellow Sky

    Yellow Sky

  • Alexander's Ragtime Band

    Alexander's Ragtime Band

  • The Phantom President

    The Phantom President

  • Angel and the Badman

    Angel and the Badman

  • The California Mail

    The California Mail

  • Summer Storm

    Summer Storm

  • San Antone Ambush

    San Antone Ambush

  • Hold That Co-ed

    Hold That Co-ed

  • Bad Company

    Bad Company

  • Shadow of Doubt

    Shadow of Doubt

  • Outlaw's Paradise

    Outlaw's Paradise

  • The Parson of Panamint

    The Parson of Panamint

  • Calm Yourself

    Calm Yourself

  • The Lady Fights Back

    The Lady Fights Back

  • Pardon My Stripes

    Pardon My Stripes

  • Maker of Men

    Maker of Men

  • Riffraff

    Riffraff

  • Hold 'Em Jail

    Hold 'Em Jail

  • Tall, Dark and Handsome

    Tall, Dark and Handsome

  • Lightning Bryce

    Lightning Bryce

  • The Single Sin

    The Single Sin

  • Midnight Manhunt

    Midnight Manhunt

  • Officer O'Brien

    Officer O'Brien

  • Big Jim McLain

    Big Jim McLain

  • Public Hero Number 1

    Public Hero Number 1

  • The Racketeer

    The Racketeer

  • Carnival

    Carnival

  • North of Nome

    North of Nome

  • The Sky's the Limit

    The Sky's the Limit

  • Ali Baba Goes to Town

    Ali Baba Goes to Town

  • A Very Honorable Guy

    A Very Honorable Guy

  • Murder in the Music Hall

    Murder in the Music Hall

  • December 7th

    December 7th

  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

    Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

  • Borrowed Wives

    Borrowed Wives

  • California Firebrand

    California Firebrand

  • Shadow of the Law

    Shadow of the Law

  • Death Valley

    Death Valley

  • Fifty Roads to Town

    Fifty Roads to Town

  • Whispering Smith

    Whispering Smith

  • Scared Stiff

    Scared Stiff

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi

  • The Secret Six

    The Secret Six

  • Saturday's Millions

    Saturday's Millions

  • The Cossacks

    The Cossacks

  • Bad Lands

    Bad Lands

  • The Railroad Raiders

    The Railroad Raiders

  • Toughest Man in Arizona

    Toughest Man in Arizona

  • The Public Defender

    The Public Defender

  • Something for the Boys

    Something for the Boys

  • Island in the Sky

    Island in the Sky

  • Maybe It's Love

    Maybe It's Love

  • The Sphinx

    The Sphinx

  • On Your Toes

    On Your Toes

  • It Could Happen to You

    It Could Happen to You

  • Men Are Such Fools

    Men Are Such Fools

  • The Devil's Saddle

    The Devil's Saddle

  • The Big Race

    The Big Race

  • The Big Show-Off

    The Big Show-Off

  • Take the Stand

    Take the Stand

  • The Third Alarm

    The Third Alarm

  • The Missourians

    The Missourians

  • Million Dollar Pursuit

    Million Dollar Pursuit

  • They Drive by Night

    They Drive by Night

  • Among the Missing

    Among the Missing

  • Blackmailer

    Blackmailer

  • Sweepstakes

    Sweepstakes

  • Secrets of a Nurse

    Secrets of a Nurse

  • Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring

    Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring

  • Caught in the Draft

    Caught in the Draft

  • Pioneer Marshal

    Pioneer Marshal

  • The Big Stampede

    The Big Stampede

  • Wife, Doctor and Nurse

    Wife, Doctor and Nurse

  • That's My Line

    That's My Line

  • This Woman Is Mine

    This Woman Is Mine

  • Super-Sleuth

    Super-Sleuth

  • The Women in His Life

    The Women in His Life

  • Prince of the Plains

    Prince of the Plains

  • Buttons

    Buttons

  • You Can't Have Everything

    You Can't Have Everything

  • The Gay Deception

    The Gay Deception

  • Tugboat Annie

    Tugboat Annie

  • Spring Parade

    Spring Parade

  • This Is My Affair

    This Is My Affair

  • Rimrock Jones

    Rimrock Jones

  • Charlie Chan's Courage

    Charlie Chan's Courage

  • You Can't Beat Love

    You Can't Beat Love

  • Hi'ya, Chum

    Hi'ya, Chum

  • The Plot at the Railroad Cut

    The Plot at the Railroad Cut

  • Wake Up and Live

    Wake Up and Live

  • The Gay Desperado

    The Gay Desperado

  • Son of God’s Country

    Son of God’s Country

  • Calaboose

    Calaboose

  • His First Command

    His First Command

  • The Plainsman and the Lady

    The Plainsman and the Lady

  • Midnight Alibi

    Midnight Alibi

  • Sundown Jim

    Sundown Jim

  • The Hazards of Helen

    The Hazards of Helen

  • Girl Rush

    Girl Rush

  • Outcasts of the Trail

    Outcasts of the Trail

  • Angel's Holiday

    Angel's Holiday

  • Swellhead

    Swellhead

  • The Vivisectionist

    The Vivisectionist

  • The Legion of Missing Men

    The Legion of Missing Men

  • Mountain Justice

    Mountain Justice

  • Tomorrow's Youth

    Tomorrow's Youth

  • No Time to Marry

    No Time to Marry

  • Kick In

    Kick In

  • Petticoat Politics

    Petticoat Politics

  • Grand Slam

    Grand Slam

  • The Girl Detective

    The Girl Detective

  • The Valley of the Giants

    The Valley of the Giants

  • The Quicksands

    The Quicksands

  • Castle on the Hudson

    Castle on the Hudson

  • Oh, Yeah!

    Oh, Yeah!

  • Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence

    Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence

  • Cafe Society

    Cafe Society

  • Torrid Zone

    Torrid Zone

  • Barbary Coast Gent

    Barbary Coast Gent

  • The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight

    The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight

  • South of Rio

    South of Rio

  • The Red Raiders

    The Red Raiders

  • The Chief of Police

    The Chief of Police

  • Hot Curves

    Hot Curves

  • Stingaree

    Stingaree

  • Dudes Are Pretty People

    Dudes Are Pretty People

  • Lucky Larkin

    Lucky Larkin

  • Who Killed Doc Robbin?

    Who Killed Doc Robbin?

  • She's No Lady

    She's No Lady

  • We Who Are About to Die

    We Who Are About to Die

  • The Cave Men's War

    The Cave Men's War

  • Virginia

    Virginia

  • Under Colorado Skies

    Under Colorado Skies

  • The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach

    The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach

  • Blue Streak O'Neil

    Blue Streak O'Neil

  • My Lucky Star

    My Lucky Star

  • Law of the Golden West

    Law of the Golden West

  • Smashing Through

    Smashing Through

  • The Red Signal

    The Red Signal

  • Medicine Bend

    Medicine Bend

  • The Further Adventures of Stingaree

    The Further Adventures of Stingaree

  • A Lass of the Lumberlands

    A Lass of the Lumberlands

  • The Ballad of Paducah Jail

    The Ballad of Paducah Jail

  • The Fighting Ranger

    The Fighting Ranger

  • The Diamond Runners

    The Diamond Runners

  • The Manager of the B & A

    The Manager of the B & A

  • Judith of the Cumberlands

    Judith of the Cumberlands

  • Roaring Road

    Roaring Road

  • The Man Who Would Not Die

    The Man Who Would Not Die