Charles McGraw

Biography

Charles McGraw was an American actor who worked in film, television and theater for over three decades. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he grew up in Akron, Ohio, and performed with theatrical road companies and off-Broadway before entering films. He made his debut in an uncredited part in The Undying Monster (1942), then served in the Army during World War II. McGraw became a lead in film noir in the late 1940s and early 1950s, known for his voice and build. His first notable role came in The Killers (1946), and he went on to leads in Roadblock (1951) and The Narrow Margin (1952). Later parts included the gladiator trainer in Spartacus (1960), Perry Smith's father in In Cold Blood (1967), and The Preacher in A Boy and His Dog (1975). On television he starred as Mike Waring in Adventures of the Falcon and as Rick Blaine in Casablanca, and he received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1960.

66years old at death

Born May 10, 1914Des Moines
Died July 30, 1980Studio City
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20

Movie Career

Films: 29
Career span: 35 years1942 to 1977

Genres

Drama62%, 18 films
Crime41%, 12 films
Western24%, 7 films
Film-Noir21%, 6 films
Thriller21%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
McGraw took on the part of Rick Blaine in the first television version of Casablanca, which came out in 1955. He was playing the role that Humphrey Bogart had originated.
First role
In 1942, McGraw appeared in his first film, taking a small role that went uncredited in The Undying Monster at Fox.
Big break
In 1950, McGraw finally got a leading role in the RKO film Armored Car Robbery, which was directed by Richard Fleischer.

Charles McGraw movies on Netflix

Twilight's Last Gleaming1977IMDb rating 6.7as Air Force Gen. Peter Crane
A Boy and His Dog1975IMDb rating 6.4as Preacher
The Night Stalker1972IMDb rating 7.4as Chief Masterson
Johnny Got His Gun1971IMDb rating 7.8as Mike Burkeman
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here1969IMDb rating 6.3as Wilson
Hang 'em High1968IMDb rating 7.0as Sheriff Ray Calhoun
In Cold Blood1967IMDb rating 7.9as Tex Smith
The Busy Body1967IMDb rating 5.5as Fred Harwell
The Birds1963IMDb rating 7.6as Sebastian Sholes
Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4as Bob Yountis
Spartacus1960IMDb rating 7.9as Marcellus
The Wonderful Country1959IMDb rating 6.1as Dr. Stovall
Saddle the Wind1958IMDb rating 6.6as Larry Venables
The Defiant Ones1958IMDb rating 7.5as Capt. Frank Gibbons
Away All Boats1956IMDb rating 6.3as Lieut. Mike O'Bannion
The Bridges at Toko-Ri1954IMDb rating 6.7as Cmdr. Wayne Lee
War Paint1953IMDb rating 5.8as Sgt. Clarke
The Narrow Margin1952IMDb rating 7.6as Det. Sgt. Walter Brown
His Kind of Woman1951IMDb rating 7.0as Thompson / Narrator
Roadblock1951IMDb rating 6.6as Joe Peters
Side Street1950IMDb rating 7.1as Det. Stan Simon
Border Incident1949IMDb rating 7.0as Jeff Amboy
Reign of Terror1949IMDb rating 6.9as Sergeant
Berlin Express1948IMDb rating 6.8as USET Col. Johns
Blood on the Moon1948IMDb rating 6.9as Milo Sweet
T-Men1947IMDb rating 6.9as Moxie
The Long Night1947IMDb rating 6.5as Policeman Stevens
The Killers1946IMDb rating 7.7as Al
The Undying Monster1942IMDb rating 6.1as Strud Strudwick

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Birds1963 Horror, Thrilleras Sebastian Sholes
IMDb rating 7.6222K votes
Hang 'em High1968 Drama, Westernas Sheriff Ray Calhoun
IMDb rating 7.049K votes
The Narrow Margin1952as Det. Sgt. Walter Brown
IMDb rating 7.610K votes
The Defiant Ones1958as Capt. Frank Gibbons
IMDb rating 7.520K votes
Johnny Got His Gun1971as Mike Burkeman
IMDb rating 7.820K votes
A Boy and His Dog1975as Preacher
IMDb rating 6.421K votes
Spartacus1960as Marcellus
IMDb rating 7.9152K votes
In Cold Blood1967as Tex Smith
IMDb rating 7.932K votes

Most often with

Anthony Mann directed five of these films, Richard Fleischer two and Robert Parrish two. Peter Brocco appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Peter Brocco

Robert Mitchum

Vincent Price

Burt Lancaster

Tony Curtis

Whit BissellAnthony MannDirector, 5 films

Richard FleischerDirector, 2 films

Robert ParrishDirector, 2 films

Films together

Peter Brocco4 films together, 1951 to 1971
Peter Brocco's page
- Johnny Got His Gun1971IMDb rating 7.8McGraw as Mike BurkemanBrocco as Ancient Prelate
- The Narrow Margin1952IMDb rating 7.6McGraw as Det. Sgt. Walter BrownBrocco as Vincent Yost
- His Kind of Woman1951IMDb rating 7.0McGraw as Thompson / NarratorBrocco as Thompson's First Henchman
- Roadblock1951IMDb rating 6.6McGraw as Joe PetersBrocco as Bank Heist Man
Robert Mitchum3 films together, 1948 to 1959
Robert Mitchum's page
- The Wonderful Country1959IMDb rating 6.1McGraw as Dr. StovallMitchum as Martin Brady
- His Kind of Woman1951IMDb rating 7.0McGraw as Thompson / NarratorMitchum as Dan Milner
- Blood on the Moon1948IMDb rating 6.9McGraw as Milo SweetMitchum as Jim Garry
Vincent Price2 films together, 1947 to 1951
Vincent Price's page
- His Kind of Woman1951IMDb rating 7.0McGraw as Thompson / NarratorPrice as Mark Cardigan
- The Long Night1947IMDb rating 6.5McGraw as Policeman StevensPrice as Maximilian the Great
Burt Lancaster2 films together, 1946 to 1977
Burt Lancaster's page
- Twilight's Last Gleaming1977IMDb rating 6.7McGraw as Air Force Gen. Peter CraneLancaster as Gen. Lawrence Dell
- The Killers1946IMDb rating 7.7McGraw as AlLancaster as Ole 'Swede' Anderson
Tony Curtis2 films together, 1958 to 1960
Tony Curtis's page
- Spartacus1960IMDb rating 7.9McGraw as MarcellusCurtis as Antoninus
- The Defiant Ones1958IMDb rating 7.5McGraw as Capt. Frank GibbonsCurtis as John 'Joker' Jackson
Whit Bissell2 films together, 1950 to 1958
Whit Bissell's page
- The Defiant Ones1958IMDb rating 7.5McGraw as Capt. Frank GibbonsBissell as Lou Gans
- Side Street1950IMDb rating 7.1McGraw as Det. Stan SimonBissell as Harold Simpson (chief teller)
Anthony MannDirector, 5 films, 1947 to 1960
All films by Anthony Mann
- Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4McGraw as Bob Yountis
- Side Street1950IMDb rating 7.1McGraw as Det. Stan Simon
- Border Incident1949IMDb rating 7.0McGraw as Jeff Amboy
- Reign of Terror1949IMDb rating 6.9McGraw as Sergeant
- T-Men1947IMDb rating 6.9McGraw as Moxie
Richard FleischerDirector, 2 films, 1951 to 1952
All films by Richard Fleischer
- The Narrow Margin1952IMDb rating 7.6McGraw as Det. Sgt. Walter Brown
- His Kind of Woman1951IMDb rating 7.0McGraw as Thompson / Narrator
Robert ParrishDirector, 2 films, 1958 to 1959
All films by Robert Parrish
- The Wonderful Country1959IMDb rating 6.1McGraw as Dr. Stovall
- Saddle the Wind1958IMDb rating 6.6McGraw as Larry Venables
Also two films together30 more actors
- Jeff CoreyIn Cold Blood (1967) and The Killers (1946)
- Robert RyanThe Busy Body (1967) and Berlin Express (1948)
- Elisha Cook Jr.The Night Stalker (1972) and The Long Night (1947)
- Jason RobardsA Boy and His Dog (1975) and Johnny Got His Gun (1971)
- Franklyn FarnumThe Narrow Margin (1952) and Roadblock (1951)
- L.Q. JonesA Boy and His Dog (1975) and Hang 'em High (1968)
- Claude AkinsThe Night Stalker (1972) and The Defiant Ones (1958)
- Frank FaylenAway All Boats (1956) and Blood on the Moon (1948)
- Paul StewartIn Cold Blood (1967) and Berlin Express (1948)
- Albert DekkerThe Wonderful Country (1959) and The Killers (1946)
- James WesterfieldHang 'em High (1968) and Away All Boats (1956)
- Anne BaxterThe Busy Body (1967) and Cimarron (1960)
- Anthony CarusoThe Wonderful Country (1959) and His Kind of Woman (1951)
- Jack LambertBorder Incident (1949) and The Killers (1946)
- Stanley AdamsThe Night Stalker (1972) and Saddle the Wind (1958)
- Robert BlakeTell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969) and In Cold Blood (1967)
- Harry AntrimSide Street (1950) and Border Incident (1949)
- David ClarkeThe Narrow Margin (1952) and The Long Night (1947)
- John GallaudetIn Cold Blood (1967) and Side Street (1950)
- Charles AidmanTwilight's Last Gleaming (1977) and Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969)
- William ChalleeSaddle the Wind (1958) and Reign of Terror (1949)
- Gerald S. O'LoughlinTwilight's Last Gleaming (1977) and In Cold Blood (1967)
- Otto WaldisBorder Incident (1949) and Berlin Express (1948)
- Tom KeeneBerlin Express (1948) and Blood on the Moon (1948)
- Arnold MossBorder Incident (1949) and Reign of Terror (1949)
- Arlene GolonkaHang 'em High (1968) and The Busy Body (1967)
- Nedrick YoungThe Defiant Ones (1958) and Border Incident (1949)
- Barbara Bel GeddesBlood on the Moon (1948) and The Long Night (1947)
- Julie LondonThe Wonderful Country (1959) and Saddle the Wind (1958)
- Ned RomeroTell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969) and Hang 'em High (1968)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Charles McGraw's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$116 million

8 of the 29 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
3US gross only
1Never in cinemas
17Figure not found

Top grosser

Spartacus1960Marcellus$60.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Spartacus1960as Marcellus
$60M51.9% of the total
2
In Cold Blood1967as Tex Smith
$13M11.2% of the total
3
The Birds1963as Sebastian Sholes
$12M9.9% of the total
4
Cimarron1960as Bob Yountis
$11M9.5% of the total
5
A Boy and His Dog1975as Preacher
$6.9M6.0% of the total
6
Hang 'em High1968as Sheriff Ray Calhoun
$6.8M5.9% of the total
7
Twilight's Last Gleaming1977as Air Force Gen. Peter Crane
$4.5M3.9% of the total
8
His Kind of Woman1951as Thompson / Narrator
$2.0M1.7% of the total