Morris Ankrum

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

177

Gender

Male

Birthday

1896-08-28

Day of death

1964-09-02 (68 years old)

Place of Birth

Danville, Illinois, USA

Morris Ankrum

Biography

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.

Known For

  • Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

  • Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

  • Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

  • Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

  • Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

  • Maverick

    Maverick

  • Cheyenne

    Cheyenne

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Sea Hunt

    Sea Hunt

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show

    The Barbara Stanwyck Show

  • M Squad

    M Squad

  • Return from Nowhere

    Return from Nowhere

  • Vera Cruz

    Vera Cruz

  • Southwest Passage

    Southwest Passage

  • The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

    The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

  • Trail Dust

    Trail Dust

  • Doomed Caravan

    Doomed Caravan

  • Omar Khayyam

    Omar Khayyam

  • Apache

    Apache

  • Rustlers' Valley

    Rustlers' Valley

  • Flight Nurse

    Flight Nurse

  • High Wall

    High Wall

  • Gentle Annie

    Gentle Annie

  • Sky Commando

    Sky Commando

  • Cynthia

    Cynthia

  • The Fountainhead

    The Fountainhead

  • Fighting Back

    Fighting Back

  • Fort Vengeance

    Fort Vengeance

  • Silver Lode

    Silver Lode

  • Crashout

    Crashout

  • Borderland

    Borderland

  • Rationing

    Rationing

  • Kronos

    Kronos

  • Tennessee Johnson

    Tennessee Johnson

  • The Power of the Resurrection

    The Power of the Resurrection

  • Swing Fever

    Swing Fever

  • Border Vigilantes

    Border Vigilantes

  • Desire Me

    Desire Me

  • Chain Lightning

    Chain Lightning

  • Ride 'Em Cowboy

    Ride 'Em Cowboy

  • Naked Gun

    Naked Gun

  • Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

    Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

  • The Moonlighter

    The Moonlighter

  • Fall Guy

    Fall Guy

  • The Thin Man Goes Home

    The Thin Man Goes Home

  • The Giant Claw

    The Giant Claw

  • Colorado Territory

    Colorado Territory

  • How to Make a Monster

    How to Make a Monster

  • Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

    Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

  • Joan of Arc

    Joan of Arc

  • Hiawatha

    Hiawatha

  • Cherokee Strip

    Cherokee Strip

  • Cattle Queen of Montana

    Cattle Queen of Montana

  • Mexican Manhunt

    Mexican Manhunt

  • Adventure

    Adventure

  • In a Lonely Place

    In a Lonely Place

  • The Desperados Are in Town

    The Desperados Are in Town

  • Flight to Mars

    Flight to Mars

  • Red Planet Mars

    Red Planet Mars

  • Chief Crazy Horse

    Chief Crazy Horse

  • The Raiders

    The Raiders

  • X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

    X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

  • Tower of London

    Tower of London

  • The Sea of Grass

    The Sea of Grass

  • The Man Behind The Gun

    The Man Behind The Gun

  • Guns of Diablo

    Guns of Diablo

  • Borderline

    Borderline

  • The Heavenly Body

    The Heavenly Body

  • The Postman Always Rings Twice

    The Postman Always Rings Twice

  • I Wake Up Screaming

    I Wake Up Screaming

  • Drums Across the River

    Drums Across the River

  • The Last Command

    The Last Command

  • Ten Gentlemen from West Point

    Ten Gentlemen from West Point

  • Lady in the Lake

    Lady in the Lake

  • Invaders from Mars

    Invaders from Mars

  • The Eternal Sea

    The Eternal Sea

  • Phantoms, Inc.

    Phantoms, Inc.

  • The Green Years

    The Green Years

  • The Saga of Hemp Brown

    The Saga of Hemp Brown

  • My Favorite Spy

    My Favorite Spy

  • Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman

    Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman

  • Taza, Son of Cochise

    Taza, Son of Cochise

  • Three Men from Texas

    Three Men from Texas

  • Roxie Hart

    Roxie Hart

  • Main Street Today

    Main Street Today

  • Giant from the Unknown

    Giant from the Unknown

  • Son of Ali Baba

    Son of Ali Baba

  • Hopalong Cassidy Returns

    Hopalong Cassidy Returns

  • Reunion in France

    Reunion in France

  • The Damned Don't Cry

    The Damned Don't Cry

  • Zombies of Mora Tau

    Zombies of Mora Tau

  • In Old Colorado

    In Old Colorado

  • Meet the People

    Meet the People

  • Road Agent

    Road Agent

  • The Light of Western Stars

    The Light of Western Stars

  • Most Dangerous Man Alive

    Most Dangerous Man Alive

  • Along the Great Divide

    Along the Great Divide

  • The Harvey Girls

    The Harvey Girls

  • Tennessee's Partner

    Tennessee's Partner

  • Because of You

    Because of You

  • Hills of Old Wyoming

    Hills of Old Wyoming

  • The Lion Hunters

    The Lion Hunters

  • The Outlaw Stallion

    The Outlaw Stallion

  • Song of the Thin Man

    Song of the Thin Man

  • Twilight for the Gods

    Twilight for the Gods

  • The Bandit Trail

    The Bandit Trail

  • When Gangland Strikes

    When Gangland Strikes

  • Wide Open Town

    Wide Open Town

  • Tales of Manhattan

    Tales of Manhattan

  • Souvenirs of Death

    Souvenirs of Death

  • Duel on the Mississippi

    Duel on the Mississippi

  • Let's Face It

    Let's Face It

  • Beginning of the End

    Beginning of the End

  • From the Earth to the Moon

    From the Earth to the Moon

  • The Omaha Trail

    The Omaha Trail

  • Three Young Texans

    Three Young Texans

  • Fury at Gunsight Pass

    Fury at Gunsight Pass

  • Rocketship X-M

    Rocketship X-M

  • The Mighty McGurk

    The Mighty McGurk

  • Tomorrow Is Another Day

    Tomorrow Is Another Day

  • North of the Rio Grande

    North of the Rio Grande

  • The Roundup

    The Roundup

  • The Cross of Lorraine

    The Cross of Lorraine

  • The Steel Cage

    The Steel Cage

  • The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come

    The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come

  • Walk the Proud Land

    Walk the Proud Land

  • Time to Kill

    Time to Kill

  • Stand Up and Cheer!

    Stand Up and Cheer!

  • Little Mister Jim

    Little Mister Jim

  • Hell's Crossroads

    Hell's Crossroads

  • The Silver Star

    The Silver Star

  • Cowboy G-Men

    Cowboy G-Men

  • Tarawa Beachhead

    Tarawa Beachhead

  • Badman's Country

    Badman's Country

  • Merton of the Movies

    Merton of the Movies

  • Southside 1-1000

    Southside 1-1000

  • The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe

    The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe

  • This Woman Is Mine

    This Woman Is Mine

  • A Star Shall Rise

    A Star Shall Rise

  • Devil's Canyon

    Devil's Canyon

  • Purity Squad

    Purity Squad

  • Good News

    Good News

  • The Redhead and The Cowboy

    The Redhead and The Cowboy

  • Curse of the Faceless Man

    Curse of the Faceless Man

  • Young and Wild

    Young and Wild

  • Quincannon, Frontier Scout

    Quincannon, Frontier Scout

  • For the Love of Mary

    For the Love of Mary

  • Courage of Lassie

    Courage of Lassie

  • The Showdown

    The Showdown

  • Fighting Coast Guard

    Fighting Coast Guard

  • Best Foot Forward

    Best Foot Forward

  • The Movie Orgy

    The Movie Orgy

  • No Man's Woman

    No Man's Woman

  • The Cockeyed Miracle

    The Cockeyed Miracle

  • Mutiny

    Mutiny

  • We Were Strangers

    We Were Strangers

  • Two Guns and a Badge

    Two Guns and a Badge

  • The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story

    The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story

  • Bad Men of Tombstone

    Bad Men of Tombstone

  • I Beheld His Glory

    I Beheld His Glory

  • Fort Osage

    Fort Osage

  • Marriage Is a Private Affair

    Marriage Is a Private Affair

  • Arena

    Arena

  • Frontier Gun

    Frontier Gun

  • Buck Benny Rides Again

    Buck Benny Rides Again

  • Drango

    Drango

  • The Hidden Eye

    The Hidden Eye

  • Dark Shadows

    Dark Shadows

  • Barbary Coast Gent

    Barbary Coast Gent

  • Short Grass

    Short Grass

  • Dixie Dugan

    Dixie Dugan

  • The Fabulous Fraud

    The Fabulous Fraud

  • Pirates on Horseback

    Pirates on Horseback

  • Knights of the Range

    Knights of the Range