Morris Ankrum

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

178

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

  • Maverick

    Maverick

  • The Rifleman

    The Rifleman

  • Cheyenne

    Cheyenne

  • Studio One

    Studio One

  • Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

  • Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

  • Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

  • Four Star Playhouse

    Four Star Playhouse

  • Omar Khayyam

    Omar Khayyam

  • High Wall

    High Wall

  • Badman's Country

    Badman's Country

  • M Squad

    M Squad

  • Silver Lode

    Silver Lode

  • Sky Commando

    Sky Commando

  • Crashout

    Crashout

  • Desire Me

    Desire Me

  • The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

    The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour

    The 20th Century Fox Hour

  • Rationing

    Rationing

  • Swing Fever

    Swing Fever

  • Sea Hunt

    Sea Hunt

  • Mexican Manhunt

    Mexican Manhunt

  • Hell's Crossroads

    Hell's Crossroads

  • Wide Open Town

    Wide Open Town

  • Fighting Back

    Fighting Back

  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show

    The Barbara Stanwyck Show

  • Roxie Hart

    Roxie Hart

  • Colorado Territory

    Colorado Territory

  • Fall Guy

    Fall Guy

  • Chain Lightning

    Chain Lightning

  • Cherokee Strip

    Cherokee Strip

  • Cynthia

    Cynthia

  • Stand Up and Cheer!

    Stand Up and Cheer!

  • Son of Ali Baba

    Son of Ali Baba

  • Borderline

    Borderline

  • The Redhead and the Cowboy

    The Redhead and the Cowboy

  • Rocketship X-M

    Rocketship X-M

  • Souvenirs of Death

    Souvenirs of Death

  • Borderland

    Borderland

  • Rustlers' Valley

    Rustlers' Valley

  • Fort Vengeance

    Fort Vengeance

  • My Favorite Spy

    My Favorite Spy

  • The Green Years

    The Green Years

  • Two Guns and a Badge

    Two Guns and a Badge

  • Doomed Caravan

    Doomed Caravan

  • Hiawatha

    Hiawatha

  • Tarawa Beachhead

    Tarawa Beachhead

  • I Beheld His Glory

    I Beheld His Glory

  • Time to Kill

    Time to Kill

  • Taza, Son of Cochise

    Taza, Son of Cochise

  • Lady in the Lake

    Lady in the Lake

  • Bad Men of Tombstone

    Bad Men of Tombstone

  • The Steel Cage

    The Steel Cage

  • Courage of Lassie

    Courage of Lassie

  • Red Planet Mars

    Red Planet Mars

  • Fighting Coast Guard

    Fighting Coast Guard

  • Trail Dust

    Trail Dust

  • Phantoms, Inc.

    Phantoms, Inc.

  • The Fountainhead

    The Fountainhead

  • Tennessee's Partner

    Tennessee's Partner

  • In a Lonely Place

    In a Lonely Place

  • Road Agent

    Road Agent

  • Invaders from Mars

    Invaders from Mars

  • Gentle Annie

    Gentle Annie

  • Dr. Fu Manchu

    Dr. Fu Manchu

  • Border Vigilantes

    Border Vigilantes

  • Vera Cruz

    Vera Cruz

  • The Movie Orgy

    The Movie Orgy

  • Cowboy G-Men

    Cowboy G-Men

  • The Cockeyed Miracle

    The Cockeyed Miracle

  • The Postman Always Rings Twice

    The Postman Always Rings Twice

  • Reunion in France

    Reunion in France

  • Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

    Earth vs. the Flying Saucers

  • The Harvey Girls

    The Harvey Girls

  • Little Mister Jim

    Little Mister Jim

  • Purity Squad

    Purity Squad

  • Guns of Diablo

    Guns of Diablo

  • Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

    Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

  • Joan of Arc

    Joan of Arc

  • The Sea of Grass

    The Sea of Grass

  • Along the Great Divide

    Along the Great Divide

  • X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

    X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

  • Quincannon, Frontier Scout

    Quincannon, Frontier Scout

  • The Thin Man Goes Home

    The Thin Man Goes Home

  • Apache

    Apache

  • Tales of Manhattan

    Tales of Manhattan

  • Song of the Thin Man

    Song of the Thin Man

  • The Last Command

    The Last Command

  • Naked Gun

    Naked Gun

  • Flight to Mars

    Flight to Mars

  • We Were Strangers

    We Were Strangers

  • I Wake Up Screaming

    I Wake Up Screaming

  • The Giant Claw

    The Giant Claw

  • Mutiny

    Mutiny

  • The Man Behind The Gun

    The Man Behind The Gun

  • Adventure

    Adventure

  • The Damned Don't Cry

    The Damned Don't Cry

  • Most Dangerous Man Alive

    Most Dangerous Man Alive

  • The Moonlighter

    The Moonlighter

  • Because of You

    Because of You

  • Cattle Queen of Montana

    Cattle Queen of Montana

  • Ride 'Em Cowboy

    Ride 'Em Cowboy

  • The Cross of Lorraine

    The Cross of Lorraine

  • Drango

    Drango

  • Beginning of the End

    Beginning of the End

  • From the Earth to the Moon

    From the Earth to the Moon

  • Devil's Canyon

    Devil's Canyon

  • Chief Crazy Horse

    Chief Crazy Horse

  • Zombies of Mora Tau

    Zombies of Mora Tau

  • The Hidden Eye

    The Hidden Eye

  • Drums Across the River

    Drums Across the River

  • Good News

    Good News

  • Walk the Proud Land

    Walk the Proud Land

  • Fort Osage

    Fort Osage

  • Three Young Texans

    Three Young Texans

  • The Raiders

    The Raiders

  • Duel on the Mississippi

    Duel on the Mississippi

  • The Lion Hunters

    The Lion Hunters

  • The Silver Star

    The Silver Star

  • Best Foot Forward

    Best Foot Forward

  • Kronos

    Kronos

  • Pirates on Horseback

    Pirates on Horseback

  • Southwest Passage

    Southwest Passage

  • The Saga of Hemp Brown

    The Saga of Hemp Brown

  • Giant from the Unknown

    Giant from the Unknown

  • Merton of the Movies

    Merton of the Movies

  • The Eternal Sea

    The Eternal Sea

  • The Light of Western Stars

    The Light of Western Stars

  • Tennessee Johnson

    Tennessee Johnson

  • Dixie Dugan

    Dixie Dugan

  • Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman

    Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman

  • Twilight for the Gods

    Twilight for the Gods

  • Fury at Gunsight Pass

    Fury at Gunsight Pass

  • The Mighty McGurk

    The Mighty McGurk

  • The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come

    The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come

  • The Heavenly Body

    The Heavenly Body

  • Flight Nurse

    Flight Nurse

  • Hopalong Cassidy Returns

    Hopalong Cassidy Returns

  • Buck Benny Rides Again

    Buck Benny Rides Again

  • Southside 1-1000

    Southside 1-1000

  • For the Love of Mary

    For the Love of Mary

  • Arena

    Arena

  • Tower of London

    Tower of London

  • This Woman Is Mine

    This Woman Is Mine

  • The Omaha Trail

    The Omaha Trail

  • Barbary Coast Gent

    Barbary Coast Gent

  • The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe

    The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe

  • The Showdown

    The Showdown

  • Ten Gentlemen from West Point

    Ten Gentlemen from West Point

  • The Outlaw Stallion

    The Outlaw Stallion

  • How to Make a Monster

    How to Make a Monster

  • Dark Shadows

    Dark Shadows

  • Marriage Is a Private Affair

    Marriage Is a Private Affair

  • Short Grass

    Short Grass

  • Let's Face It

    Let's Face It

  • No Man's Woman

    No Man's Woman

  • Meet the People

    Meet the People

  • Curse of the Faceless Man

    Curse of the Faceless Man

  • Tomorrow Is Another Day

    Tomorrow Is Another Day

  • North of the Rio Grande

    North of the Rio Grande

  • The Bandit Trail

    The Bandit Trail

  • Young and Wild

    Young and Wild

  • Main Street Today

    Main Street Today

  • Return from Nowhere

    Return from Nowhere

  • When Gangland Strikes

    When Gangland Strikes

  • The Power of the Resurrection

    The Power of the Resurrection

  • The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story

    The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story

  • In Old Colorado

    In Old Colorado

  • Hills of Old Wyoming

    Hills of Old Wyoming

  • The Fabulous Fraud

    The Fabulous Fraud

  • The Roundup

    The Roundup

  • Frontier Gun

    Frontier Gun

  • Knights of the Range

    Knights of the Range

  • Three Men from Texas

    Three Men from Texas

  • A Star Shall Rise

    A Star Shall Rise

  • The Desperados Are in Town

    The Desperados Are in Town