Erville Alderson

Biography

Erville Alderson was a character actor who worked in Hollywood from the silent era through the 1950s. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he started in films in 1918 with Her Man, and D.W. Griffith used him in several of his pictures, among them America (1924) and Isn't Life Wonderful (1924). On Sally of the Sawdust (1925) he worked behind the camera as well, as assistant director. Once talkies became standard, his age and white hair brought him a long run of codger parts, from sheriff to clerk, many of them uncredited. Even so, he won some credited roles, notably Nate Tompkins in Sergeant York (1941). His final screen appearance was uncredited in The Spirit of St. Louis (1957). He died in 1957.

74years old at death

Born September 11, 1882Kansas City
Died August 4, 1957Glendale
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22

Movie Career

Films: 29
Career span: 33 years1924 to 1957

Genres

Drama69%, 20 films
Comedy28%, 8 films
Western24%, 7 films
Mystery17%, 5 films
History14%, 4 films

First and latest

Erville Alderson movies on Netflix

The Spirit of St. Louis1957IMDb rating 7.1as Burt
The Tall Target1951IMDb rating 7.2as Minister
Station West1948IMDb rating 6.6as Stageline Hired Hand
Pursued1947IMDb rating 7.2as Townsman
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman1947IMDb rating 6.3as Farmer
The Bishop's Wife1947IMDb rating 7.6as Stevens
The Sea of Grass1947IMDb rating 6.3as First Station Agent
The Spiral Staircase1946IMDb rating 7.3as Dr. Harvey
Along Came Jones1945IMDb rating 6.5as Bartender
Back to Bataan1945IMDb rating 6.6as Teacher
Objective, Burma!1945IMDb rating 7.3as Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
Tall in the Saddle1944IMDb rating 6.9as Wells Fargo Clerk
Commandos Strike at Dawn1942IMDb rating 6.6as Johan Garme
Sergeant York1941IMDb rating 7.7as Nate Tomkins
The Black Cat1941IMDb rating 6.1as Doctor Williams
Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3
Edison, the Man1940IMDb rating 7.0as First Lecturer
When the Daltons Rode1940IMDb rating 6.4as District Attorney Wade
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter1939IMDb rating 6.7as Clint Griffith
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1939IMDb rating 6.8as Sheriff at Jail
The Scarlet Empress1934IMDb rating 7.5as Chancelor Alexei Bestuchef
State Fair1933IMDb rating 6.6as Martin, Hog Breeder
The Stranger's Return1933IMDb rating 6.9as Farmhand
To the Last Man1933IMDb rating 6.2as Judge
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang1932IMDb rating 8.2as Police Chief
The Cabin in the Cotton1932IMDb rating 6.6as Sock Fisher
Arrowsmith1931IMDb rating 6.2as Pioneer
Sally of the Sawdust1925IMDb rating 6.6as Judge Henry L. Foster
Isn't Life Wonderful1924IMDb rating 6.9as The Professor

Best known for

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

Top

The Spiral Staircase1946 Drama, Horror, Mysteryas Dr. Harvey
IMDb rating 7.313K votes
The Scarlet Empress1934 Drama, History, Romanceas Chancelor Alexei Bestuchef
IMDb rating 7.58.0K votes
The Bishop's Wife1947as Stevens
IMDb rating 7.624K votes
Sally of the Sawdust1925as Judge Henry L. Foster
IMDb rating 6.6643 votes
Isn't Life Wonderful1924as The Professor
IMDb rating 6.9464 votes
The Spirit of St. Louis1957as Burt
IMDb rating 7.19.4K votes
Commandos Strike at Dawn1942as Johan Garme
IMDb rating 6.61.1K votes
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter1939as Clint Griffith
IMDb rating 6.7964 votes

Most often with

Raoul Walsh directed two of these films, John Ford two and Stuart Heisler two. Ward Bond 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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Ward Bond

Irving Bacon

Beulah Bondi

Grant Mitchell

Russell Simpson

David Landau

Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films

John FordDirector, 2 films Stuart HeislerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ward Bond4 films together, 1931 to 1944
Ward Bond's page
- Tall in the Saddle1944IMDb rating 6.9Alderson as Wells Fargo ClerkBond as 'Judge' Robert Garvey
- Sergeant York1941IMDb rating 7.7Alderson as Nate TomkinsBond as Ike Botkin
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Bond as Lov Bensey
- Arrowsmith1931IMDb rating 6.2Alderson as PioneerBond as Cop
Irving Bacon3 films together, 1932 to 1941
Irving Bacon's page
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Bacon as Bank Teller
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1939IMDb rating 6.8Alderson as Sheriff at JailBacon as Tad
- I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang1932IMDb rating 8.2Alderson as Police ChiefBacon as Bill - Barber
Beulah Bondi3 films together, 1931 to 1945
Beulah Bondi's page
- Back to Bataan1945IMDb rating 6.6Alderson as TeacherBondi as Bertha Barnes
- The Stranger's Return1933IMDb rating 6.9Alderson as FarmhandBondi as Beatrice
- Arrowsmith1931IMDb rating 6.2Alderson as PioneerBondi as Mrs. Tozer
Grant Mitchell3 films together, 1933 to 1941
Grant Mitchell's page
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Mitchell as George Payne
- Edison, the Man1940IMDb rating 7.0Alderson as First LecturerMitchell as Snade
- The Stranger's Return1933IMDb rating 6.9Alderson as FarmhandMitchell as Allen
Russell Simpson3 films together, 1932 to 1945
Russell Simpson's page
- Along Came Jones1945IMDb rating 6.5Alderson as BartenderSimpson as Pop de Longpre
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3Simpson as Chief of Police
- The Cabin in the Cotton1932IMDb rating 6.6Alderson as Sock FisherSimpson as Uncle Joe
David Landau3 films together, 1931 to 1932
David Landau's page
- I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang1932IMDb rating 8.2Alderson as Police ChiefLandau as The Warden
- The Cabin in the Cotton1932IMDb rating 6.6Alderson as Sock FisherLandau as Tom Blake
- Arrowsmith1931IMDb rating 6.2Alderson as PioneerLandau as State Veterinarian
Raoul WalshDirector, 2 films, 1945 to 1947
All films by Raoul Walsh
- Pursued1947IMDb rating 7.2Alderson as Townsman
- Objective, Burma!1945IMDb rating 7.3Alderson as Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
John FordDirector, 2 films, 1931 to 1941
All films by John Ford
- Tobacco Road1941IMDb rating 6.3
- Arrowsmith1931IMDb rating 6.2Alderson as Pioneer
Stuart HeislerDirector, 2 films, 1945 to 1947
All films by Stuart Heisler
- Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman1947IMDb rating 6.3Alderson as Farmer
- Along Came Jones1945IMDb rating 6.5Alderson as Bartender