Harry Shannon

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

150

Gender

Male

Birthday

1890-06-12

Day of death

1964-07-27 (74 years old)

Place of Birth

Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Harry Shannon

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.

Known For

  • Have Gun, Will Travel

    Have Gun, Will Travel

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • Lassie

    Lassie

  • Cheyenne

    Cheyenne

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • Rawhide

    Rawhide

  • The Real McCoys

    The Real McCoys

  • The Untouchables

    The Untouchables

  • Bat Masterson

    Bat Masterson

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Sugarfoot

    Sugarfoot

  • The Texan

    The Texan

  • State Trooper

    State Trooper

  • The Millionaire

    The Millionaire

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • The Ford Television Theatre

    The Ford Television Theatre

  • Navy Log

    Navy Log

  • The Thin Man

    The Thin Man

  • Lock-Up

    Lock-Up

  • Citizen Kane

    Citizen Kane

  • Cavalcade of America

    Cavalcade of America

  • Cavalcade of America

    Cavalcade of America

  • The Underworld Story

    The Underworld Story

  • 26 Men

    26 Men

  • A Peach of a Pair

    A Peach of a Pair

  • The Dakotas

    The Dakotas

  • Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'

    Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'

  • Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

    Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

  • The Sound of Fury

    The Sound of Fury

  • The Jackie Robinson Story

    The Jackie Robinson Story

  • High Noon

    High Noon

  • The Flying Missile

    The Flying Missile

  • The Violent Men

    The Violent Men

  • Wire Service

    Wire Service

  • Parole Fixer

    Parole Fixer

  • Come Next Spring

    Come Next Spring

  • 20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang

    20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang

  • This Gun for Hire

    This Gun for Hire

  • The Mad Martindales

    The Mad Martindales

  • The Tall Men

    The Tall Men

  • Tulsa

    Tulsa

  • City of Chance

    City of Chance

  • The Yellow Rose of Texas

    The Yellow Rose of Texas

  • Mr. Soft Touch

    Mr. Soft Touch

  • Letter to Loretta

    Letter to Loretta

  • The Man Behind the Badge

    The Man Behind the Badge

  • I Ring Doorbells

    I Ring Doorbells

  • The Scarf

    The Scarf

  • In Old Oklahoma

    In Old Oklahoma

  • The Lonely Man

    The Lonely Man

  • Mary Ryan, Detective

    Mary Ryan, Detective

  • Once Upon a Honeymoon

    Once Upon a Honeymoon

  • At Gunpoint

    At Gunpoint

  • Champion

    Champion

  • Kansas Pacific

    Kansas Pacific

  • The Lady from Shanghai

    The Lady from Shanghai

  • Angel

    Angel

  • Witness to Murder

    Witness to Murder

  • Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

    Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

  • Touch of Evil

    Touch of Evil

  • Sailor's Lady

    Sailor's Lady

  • Curtain Call at Cactus Creek

    Curtain Call at Cactus Creek

  • Flesh and Fury

    Flesh and Fury

  • The Marauders

    The Marauders

  • The Big Street

    The Big Street

  • Phantom Stallion

    Phantom Stallion

  • The Lady Is Willing

    The Lady Is Willing

  • Three Little Words

    Three Little Words

  • Tugboat Annie Sails Again

    Tugboat Annie Sails Again

  • Gypsy

    Gypsy

  • Executive Suite

    Executive Suite

  • The Peacemaker

    The Peacemaker

  • Idaho

    Idaho

  • The Falcon Takes Over

    The Falcon Takes Over

  • Night Editor

    Night Editor

  • Fighting Father Dunne

    Fighting Father Dunne

  • Yellowstone Kelly

    Yellowstone Kelly

  • Lure of the Wilderness

    Lure of the Wilderness

  • Al Jennings of Oklahoma

    Al Jennings of Oklahoma

  • The Devil Thumbs a Ride

    The Devil Thumbs a Ride

  • Wild in the Country

    Wild in the Country

  • Singing Guns

    Singing Guns

  • Canyon Passage

    Canyon Passage

  • The Campus Mystery

    The Campus Mystery

  • San Quentin

    San Quentin

  • Pride of the Marines

    Pride of the Marines

  • True to Life

    True to Life

  • Cow Town

    Cow Town

  • Take a Chance

    Take a Chance

  • The Killer That Stalked New York

    The Killer That Stalked New York

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Blue Blood

    Blue Blood

  • The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

    The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

  • The Gunfighter

    The Gunfighter

  • The Mummy's Ghost

    The Mummy's Ghost

  • The Girl from Avenue A

    The Girl from Avenue A

  • Close Relations

    Close Relations

  • The Invisible Wall

    The Invisible Wall

  • The Last Crooked Mile

    The Last Crooked Mile

  • Nora Prentiss

    Nora Prentiss

  • Summer and Smoke

    Summer and Smoke

  • Young Tom Edison

    Young Tom Edison

  • Someone to Remember

    Someone to Remember

  • The Red House

    The Red House

  • Hell's Crossroads

    Hell's Crossroads

  • Written on the Wind

    Written on the Wind

  • Hold Back the Dawn

    Hold Back the Dawn

  • The Lemon Drop Kid

    The Lemon Drop Kid

  • Crime, Inc.

    Crime, Inc.

  • Jack Slade

    Jack Slade

  • In Old California

    In Old California

  • Hunt the Man Down

    Hunt the Man Down

  • Song of Texas

    Song of Texas

  • Rustlers

    Rustlers

  • Dangerous Years

    Dangerous Years

  • The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair

    The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair

  • Man or Gun

    Man or Gun

  • The World of Tomorrow

    The World of Tomorrow

  • The Saint In Palm Springs

    The Saint In Palm Springs

  • Big Town Scandal

    Big Town Scandal

  • Smoked Hams

    Smoked Hams

  • The Buccaneer

    The Buccaneer

  • Shake, Mr. Shakespeare

    Shake, Mr. Shakespeare

  • Captain Eddie

    Captain Eddie

  • Rails Into Laramie

    Rails Into Laramie

  • One Crowded Night

    One Crowded Night

  • The Powers Girl

    The Powers Girl

  • Cry of the Hunted

    Cry of the Hunted

  • Too Many Girls

    Too Many Girls

  • Crack-Up

    Crack-Up

  • Exposed

    Exposed

  • When the Lights Go On Again

    When the Lights Go On Again

  • Gambling on the High Seas

    Gambling on the High Seas

  • Tarnished

    Tarnished

  • Alibi Mark

    Alibi Mark

  • Where Danger Lives

    Where Danger Lives

  • The Farmer's Daughter

    The Farmer's Daughter

  • My Girl Tisa

    My Girl Tisa

  • Time Out of Mind

    Time Out of Mind

  • Headin' for God's Country

    Headin' for God's Country

  • Wrongorilla

    Wrongorilla

  • Tear Gas Squad

    Tear Gas Squad

  • Heads Up

    Heads Up

  • Alaska Highway

    Alaska Highway

  • Duel at Apache Wells

    Duel at Apache Wells

  • Roar of the Crowd

    Roar of the Crowd

  • No More West

    No More West

  • Sympathy

    Sympathy

  • Faint Heart

    Faint Heart