Morris Ankrum
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.
Filmography (176 Appearances)
The Movie Orgy
Guns of Diablo
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
Tower of London
Most Dangerous Man Alive
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
From the Earth to the Moon
Tarawa Beachhead
Frontier Gun
The Rifleman
The Saga of Hemp Brown
Curse of the Faceless Man
Twilight for the Gods
Badman's Country
How to Make a Monster
Young and Wild
Sea Hunt
Giant from the Unknown
The Power of the Resurrection
Maverick
Perry Mason
M Squad
Omar Khayyam
Beginning of the End
The Giant Claw
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Kronos
Hell's Crossroads
Zombies of Mora Tau
Down Liberty Road
Drango
Naked Gun
The Desperados Are in Town
Dr. Fu Manchu
Walk the Proud Land
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
Quincannon, Frontier Scout
When Gangland Strikes
Fury at Gunsight Pass
No Man's Woman
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Tennessee's Partner
Cheyenne
Duel on the Mississippi
Gunsmoke
The Last Command
The Eternal Sea
The Silver Star
Chief Crazy Horse
Crashout
The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story
Vera Cruz
The Steel Cage
Three Young Texans
Cattle Queen of Montana
Two Guns and a Badge
Apache
The Outlaw Stallion
Silver Lode
Drums Across the River
Southwest Passage
Taza, Son of Cochise
Flight Nurse
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
The Moonlighter
Mexican Manhunt
Sky Commando
Devil's Canyon
Arena
Invaders from Mars
I Beheld His Glory
Fort Vengeance
The Man Behind The Gun
Hiawatha
A Star Shall Rise
Because of You
The Raiders
Four Star Playhouse
Cowboy G-Men
Son of Ali Baba
Red Planet Mars
Mutiny
Fort Osage
My Favorite Spy
Flight to Mars
Tomorrow Is Another Day
Along the Great Divide
Fighting Coast Guard
The Lion Hunters
The Redhead and the Cowboy
Short Grass
Southside 1-1000
Rocketship X-M
In a Lonely Place
The Damned Don't Cry
Borderline
Chain Lightning
The Fountainhead
Colorado Territory
We Were Strangers
Bad Men of Tombstone
Joan of Arc
Studio One
For the Love of Mary
The Fabulous Fraud
Fighting Back
Souvenirs of Death
High Wall
Good News
Desire Me
Merton of the Movies
Cynthia
Song of the Thin Man
The Sea of Grass
Little Mister Jim
The Mighty McGurk
Lady in the Lake
Courage of Lassie
The Cockeyed Miracle
The Green Years
The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Harvey Girls
Adventure
Purity Squad
The Hidden Eye
Phantoms, Inc.
Fall Guy
The Thin Man Goes Home
Dark Shadows
Gentle Annie
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Return from Nowhere
Barbary Coast Gent
Marriage Is a Private Affair
Meet the People
Main Street Today
Rationing
The Heavenly Body
The Cross of Lorraine
Swing Fever
Best Foot Forward
Let's Face It
Dixie Dugan
Reunion in France
Time to Kill
Tennessee Johnson
The Omaha Trail
The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
Tales of Manhattan
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Roxie Hart
Road Agent
Ride 'Em Cowboy
I Wake Up Screaming
The Bandit Trail
This Woman Is Mine
Wide Open Town
Pirates on Horseback
Border Vigilantes
The Roundup
In Old Colorado
Doomed Caravan
Three Men from Texas
Cherokee Strip
Buck Benny Rides Again
The Light of Western Stars
The Showdown
Knights of the Range
Rustlers' Valley
North of the Rio Grande
Hills of Old Wyoming
Borderland
Trail Dust
Hopalong Cassidy Returns
Stand Up and Cheer!