Hank Worden
Biography
Hank Worden was an American actor whose cowboy and rodeo background led him into a long career in Westerns. He grew up on a Montana cattle ranch after being born in Rolfe, Iowa. An expert horseman and saddle bronc rider, he and fellow cowboy Tex Ritter were picked at a Madison Square Garden rodeo to act in Green Grow the Lilacs (1931). His first screen appearance was as an extra in The Plainsman, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, and he went on to play sidekick roles in several Tex Ritter Westerns. After a minor role in Come and Get It, a Howard Hawks film, he worked more for Hawks, who suggested him to John Ford. Ford directed him 12 times in film and television, and Worden appeared in 17 of John Wayne's films, memorably as Mose Harper in The Searchers (1956). He also worked in television, including six episodes of The Lone Ranger and David Lynch's Twin Peaks.
91years old at death
- Born Rolfe
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: LeoFirst day of the sign, on the Cancer cusp
Movie Career
- Films
- 31
- Career span
- 53 years1935 to 1988
Genres
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First role
Worden was in a rodeo at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There, he and fellow cowboy Tex Ritter were chosen for the 1931 Broadway play Green Grow the Lilacs.
First role
After meeting actress Billie Burke by chance at a dude ranch, Worden was recommended by her to several film producers. He first appeared on screen as an extra in Cecil B. DeMille's The Plainsman.
About the name
In several of his early screen appearances, Worden was billed under the name Heber Snow before he went back to using his real name.
Big break
Worden got a small role in Howard Hawks's Come and Get It, which brought him more work with Hawks. Hawks also put in a good word for him with John Ford.
Hank Worden movies on Netflix
Once Upon a Texas Trainas Old Timer
Runaway Trainas Old Con
The Ice Piratesas Elderly Jason
UFOriaas Colonel
Screamas John
Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.as Old Geezer
Bronco Billyas Station Mechanic
Big Wednesdayas Shopping Cart
Every Which Way But Looseas Trailer Court Manager
Good Timesas Kid
McLintock!as Curly Fletcher
The Music Manas Undertaker
One-Eyed Jacksas Doc
The Alamoas Parson
The Horse Soldiersas Deacon Clump
Forty Gunsas Marshal John Chisum
Davy Crockett and the River Piratesas Fiddler
The Searchersas Mose Harper
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontieras Cave Bar Patron
The Indian Fighteras Crazy Bear / Guardhouse Keeper
The Big Skyas Poordevil
Comin' Round the Mountainas Shooting Match Official
Wagon Masteras Luke Clegg
Cover Upas Undertaker
The Fighting Kentuckianas Abner Todd
3 Godfathersas Deputy Curly
Fort Apacheas Southern Recruit
Red Riveras Simms Reeves
Flesh and Fantasyas Circus Spectator
The Cowboy and the Ladyas Cowhand Leonard
Barbary Coastas Barfly / Townsman
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
John Ford directed five of these films, Howard Hawks three and Norman Foster two. John Wayne appears in eight 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.










Films together
John Wayne8 films together, 1948 to 1963
John Wayne's page McLintock!1963IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Curly FletcherWayne as George Washington McLintock
The Alamo1960IMDb rating 6.8Worden as ParsonWayne as Col. Davy Crockett
The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Deacon ClumpWayne as Col. John Marlowe
The Searchers1956IMDb rating 7.8Worden as Mose HarperWayne as Ethan Edwards
The Fighting Kentuckian1949IMDb rating 6.4Worden as Abner ToddWayne as John Breen
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Worden as Deputy CurlyWayne as Robert Marmaduke Sangster Hightower
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Worden as Southern RecruitWayne as Capt. Kirby York
Red River1948IMDb rating 7.7Worden as Simms ReevesWayne as Thomas Dunson
Harry Carey Jr.6 films together, 1948 to 1988
Harry Carey Jr.'s page Once Upon a Texas Train1988IMDb rating 5.7Worden as Old TimerCarey as Herald Fitch
UFOria1984IMDb rating 6.0Worden as ColonelCarey as George Martin
The Searchers1956IMDb rating 7.8Worden as Mose HarperCarey as Brad Jorgensen
Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Luke CleggCarey as Sandy
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Worden as Deputy CurlyCarey as William Kearney ('The Abilene Kid')
Red River1948IMDb rating 7.7Worden as Simms ReevesCarey as Dan Latimer
Ward Bond4 films together, 1948 to 1956
Ward Bond's page The Searchers1956IMDb rating 7.8Worden as Mose HarperBond as Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton
Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Luke CleggBond as Wiggs / Elder Wiggs
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Worden as Deputy CurlyBond as Perley 'Buck' Sweet
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Worden as Southern RecruitBond as Sgt. Maj. Michael O'Rourke
Ben Johnson4 films together, 1948 to 1981
Ben Johnson's page Soggy Bottom, U.S.A.1981IMDb rating 5.4Worden as Old GeezerJohnson as Isum Gorch
One-Eyed Jacks1961IMDb rating 7.1Worden as DocJohnson as Bob Amory
Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Luke CleggJohnson as Travis / Travis Blue
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Worden as Deputy CurlyJohnson as Posse Man #1
Mae Marsh4 films together, 1948 to 1956
Mae Marsh's page The Searchers1956IMDb rating 7.8Worden as Mose HarperMarsh as Dark Cloaked Woman at Fort Guarding Deranged Woman
The Fighting Kentuckian1949IMDb rating 6.4Worden as Abner ToddMarsh as Sister Hattie
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Worden as Deputy CurlyMarsh as Mrs. Perley Sweet
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Worden as Southern RecruitMarsh as Mrs. Gates
Ken Curtis4 films together, 1956 to 1988
Ken Curtis's page Once Upon a Texas Train1988IMDb rating 5.7Worden as Old TimerCurtis as Kelly Sutton
The Alamo1960IMDb rating 6.8Worden as ParsonCurtis as Capt. Almeron Dickinson
The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Deacon ClumpCurtis as Cpl. Wilkie
The Searchers1956IMDb rating 7.8Worden as Mose HarperCurtis as Charlie McCorry
John FordDirector, 5 films, 1948 to 1959
All films by John Ford The Horse Soldiers1959IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Deacon Clump
The Searchers1956IMDb rating 7.8Worden as Mose Harper
Wagon Master1950IMDb rating 7.1Worden as Luke Clegg
3 Godfathers1948IMDb rating 7.0Worden as Deputy Curly
Fort Apache1948IMDb rating 7.4Worden as Southern Recruit
Howard HawksDirector, 3 films, 1935 to 1952
All films by Howard Hawks The Big Sky1952IMDb rating 6.9Worden as Poordevil
Red River1948IMDb rating 7.7Worden as Simms Reeves
Barbary Coast1935IMDb rating 6.7Worden as Barfly / Townsman
Norman FosterDirector, 2 films, 1955 to 1956
All films by Norman Foster Davy Crockett and the River Pirates1956IMDb rating 6.6Worden as Fiddler
Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier1955IMDb rating 6.8Worden as Cave Bar Patron
Box office
What Hank Worden's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$189 million
13 of the 31 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 31 films: 13 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 1 never in cinemas; 13 figure not found.
- 13Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 1Never in cinemas
- 13Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 94% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$85M45.0% of the total
- 2$24M12.8% of the total
- 3$15M7.9% of the total
- 4$15M7.7% of the total
- 5$14M7.5% of the total
- 6$9.0M4.8% of the total
- 7$7.9M4.2% of the total
- 8$7.9M4.2% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.









