Jay C. Flippen

Biography

Jay C. Flippen was an American actor known for crusty sergeants, police officers, and weary criminals in 1940s and 1950s movies, especially film noir. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, he joined the Al G. Field Minstrels at fourteen after his mother, a dance and theater instructor, encouraged him. He began as a stand-up comedian in burlesque in 1921 and became a leading vaudeville performer and master of ceremonies, headlining New York's Palace Theatre six times between 1926 and 1931. His film career began in earnest in 1947. He supported James Stewart in five Anthony Mann films, among them Winchester '73 (1950), and appeared in John Wayne vehicles such as Flying Leathernecks (1951), Jet Pilot (1957), and Hellfighters (1968). In Stanley Kubrick's The Killing (1956), he was one of the gang. On television he played Chief Petty Officer Homer Nelson on Ensign O'Toole in the 1962 to 1963 season. He died in 1971.

71years old at death

Born March 6, 1899Little Rock
Died February 3, 1971Los Angeles
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Also credited as John Constantine Flippen Jr. and J. C. Flippen

Movie Career

Films: 34
Career span: 24 years1947 to 1971

Genres

Drama65%, 22 films
Action26%, 9 films
Crime26%, 9 films
Romance26%, 9 films
Western26%, 9 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Big break
In 1920, Bert Williams, the famed African-American comedian, discovered Flippen. Flippen then became Williams's understudy on Broadway and his replacement on tour for the musical revue Broadway Brevities.
A first
Flippen headlined the Palace Theatre in New York six times between March 1926 and February 1931, the most coveted booking in vaudeville.
Beyond film
From 1924 to 1929, Flippen recorded more than 30 songs. Columbia, Perfect, and Brunswick were the labels he recorded for.
First role
The 1928 Vitaphone short subject The Ham What Am was Flippen's first film. In it he performs a comedy monologue and closes with a song, and his vaudeville act is captured without blackface.

Jay C. Flippen movies on Netflix

The Seven Minutes1971IMDb rating 5.5as Luther Yerkes
Firecreek1968IMDb rating 6.8as Mr. Pittman
Hellfighters1968IMDb rating 6.5as Jack Lomax
The Spirit Is Willing1967IMDb rating 5.6as Mother
Fame Is the Name of the Game1966IMDb rating 6.9as Dizzy Shaner
Cat Ballou1965IMDb rating 6.7as Sheriff Ed Cardigan
Wild River1960IMDb rating 7.5as Hamilton Garth
From Hell to Texas1958IMDb rating 6.9as Jake Leffertfinger
Jet Pilot1957IMDb rating 5.6as Maj. Gen. Black
Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6as Ben Kimball
Run of the Arrow1957IMDb rating 6.6as Walking Coyote
The Midnight Story1957IMDb rating 6.7as Sgt. Jack Gillen
The Restless Breed1957IMDb rating 5.3as Marshal Evans
The Killing1956IMDb rating 7.9as Marvin Unger
The King and Four Queens1956IMDb rating 6.1as Bartender
It's Always Fair Weather1955IMDb rating 7.0as Charles Z. Culloran
Man Without a Star1955IMDb rating 6.8as Strap Davis
Oklahoma!1955IMDb rating 7.0as Skidmore
Six Bridges to Cross1955IMDb rating 6.7as Vincent Concannon
Strategic Air Command1955IMDb rating 6.3as Tom Doyle
The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1as Rube
The Wild One1953IMDb rating 6.7as Sheriff Stew Singer
Thunder Bay1953IMDb rating 6.5as Kermit MacDonald
Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2as Jeremy Baile
The Las Vegas Story1952IMDb rating 6.4as Capt. H.A. Harris
Flying Leathernecks1951IMDb rating 6.3as MSgt. Clancy, Line Chief
The People Against O'Hara1951IMDb rating 6.8as Sven Norson
Two Flags West1950IMDb rating 6.7as Terrance Duey
Winchester '731950IMDb rating 7.6as Sgt. Wilkes
A Woman's Secret1949IMDb rating 6.0as Police Insp. Jim Fowler
Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4as Luke Sewell
They Live by Night1949IMDb rating 7.4as Henry "T-Dub" Mansfield
Trapped1949IMDb rating 6.4as Bartender
Brute Force1947IMDb rating 7.5as Hodges - Guard

Best known for

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

Top

The Killing1956 Crime, Drama, Film-Noiras Marvin Unger
IMDb rating 7.9107K votes
The Wild One1953 Crime, Drama, Romanceas Sheriff Stew Singer
IMDb rating 6.719K votes
They Live by Night1949as Henry "T-Dub" Mansfield
IMDb rating 7.411K votes
Bend of the River1952as Jeremy Baile
IMDb rating 7.211K votes
Oklahoma!1955as Skidmore
IMDb rating 7.016K votes
Winchester '731950as Sgt. Wilkes
IMDb rating 7.623K votes
Hellfighters1968as Jack Lomax
IMDb rating 6.57.4K votes
The Far Country1954as Rube
IMDb rating 7.19.7K votes

Most often with

Anthony Mann directed five of these films, Nicholas Ray three and Henry Hathaway two. James Stewart appears in seven 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.

Top

James Stewart

Harry Morgan

Frank Chase

John Wayne

Tony Curtis

Jack ElamAnthony MannDirector, 5 films

Nicholas RayDirector, 3 films Henry HathawayDirector, 2 films

Films together

James Stewart7 films together, 1950 to 1968
James Stewart's page
- Firecreek1968IMDb rating 6.8Flippen as Mr. PittmanStewart as Johnny Cobb
- Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6Flippen as Ben KimballStewart as Grant McLaine
- Strategic Air Command1955IMDb rating 6.3Flippen as Tom DoyleStewart as Lt. Col. Robert 'Dutch' Holland
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Flippen as RubeStewart as Jeff Webster
- Thunder Bay1953IMDb rating 6.5Flippen as Kermit MacDonaldStewart as Steve Martin
- Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2Flippen as Jeremy BaileStewart as Glyn McLyntock
- Winchester '731950IMDb rating 7.6Flippen as Sgt. WilkesStewart as Lin McAdam
Harry Morgan5 films together, 1949 to 1955
Harry Morgan's page
- Strategic Air Command1955IMDb rating 6.3Flippen as Tom DoyleMorgan as Sgt. Bible (flight engineer)
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Flippen as RubeMorgan as Ketchum
- Thunder Bay1953IMDb rating 6.5Flippen as Kermit MacDonaldMorgan as Rawlings
- Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2Flippen as Jeremy BaileMorgan as Shorty
- Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4Flippen as Luke SewellMorgan as Britton
Frank Chase4 films together, 1952 to 1957
Frank Chase's page
- Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6Flippen as Ben KimballChase as Trinidad
- Man Without a Star1955IMDb rating 6.8Flippen as Strap DavisChase as Little Waco
- Thunder Bay1953IMDb rating 6.5Flippen as Kermit MacDonaldChase as Radio Technician
- Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2Flippen as Jeremy BaileChase as Wasco
John Wayne3 films together, 1951 to 1968
John Wayne's page
- Hellfighters1968IMDb rating 6.5Flippen as Jack LomaxWayne as Chance Buckman
- Jet Pilot1957IMDb rating 5.6Flippen as Maj. Gen. BlackWayne as Col. Jim Shannon
- Flying Leathernecks1951IMDb rating 6.3Flippen as MSgt. Clancy, Line ChiefWayne as Maj. Daniel Xavier Kirby
Tony Curtis3 films together, 1950 to 1957
Tony Curtis's page
- The Midnight Story1957IMDb rating 6.7Flippen as Sgt. Jack GillenCurtis as Joe Martini
- Six Bridges to Cross1955IMDb rating 6.7Flippen as Vincent ConcannonCurtis as Jerry Florea
- Winchester '731950IMDb rating 7.6Flippen as Sgt. WilkesCurtis as Doan
Jack Elam3 films together, 1954 to 1968
Jack Elam's page
- Firecreek1968IMDb rating 6.8Flippen as Mr. PittmanElam as Norman
- Night Passage1957IMDb rating 6.6Flippen as Ben KimballElam as Shotgun
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Flippen as RubeElam as Frank Newberry
Anthony MannDirector, 5 films, 1950 to 1955
All films by Anthony Mann
- Strategic Air Command1955IMDb rating 6.3Flippen as Tom Doyle
- The Far Country1954IMDb rating 7.1Flippen as Rube
- Thunder Bay1953IMDb rating 6.5Flippen as Kermit MacDonald
- Bend of the River1952IMDb rating 7.2Flippen as Jeremy Baile
- Winchester '731950IMDb rating 7.6Flippen as Sgt. Wilkes
Nicholas RayDirector, 3 films, 1949 to 1951
All films by Nicholas Ray
- Flying Leathernecks1951IMDb rating 6.3Flippen as MSgt. Clancy, Line Chief
- A Woman's Secret1949IMDb rating 6.0Flippen as Police Insp. Jim Fowler
- They Live by Night1949IMDb rating 7.4Flippen as Henry "T-Dub" Mansfield
Henry HathawayDirector, 2 films, 1949 to 1958
All films by Henry Hathaway
- From Hell to Texas1958IMDb rating 6.9Flippen as Jake Leffertfinger
- Down to the Sea in Ships1949IMDb rating 7.4Flippen as Luke Sewell
Also three films together9 more actors
- John McIntireThe Far Country (1954), Winchester '73 (1950) and Down to the Sea in Ships (1949)
- John HoytFame Is the Name of the Game (1966), Trapped (1949) and Brute Force (1947)
- Dan DuryeaNight Passage (1957), Thunder Bay (1953) and Winchester '73 (1950)
- Will WrightThe Wild One (1953), The Las Vegas Story (1952) and They Live by Night (1949)
- Robert J. WilkeNight Passage (1957), The Far Country (1954) and The Las Vegas Story (1952)
- Chuck RobersonCat Ballou (1965), Run of the Arrow (1957) and The King and Four Queens (1956)
- James BellStrategic Air Command (1955), Flying Leathernecks (1951) and Brute Force (1947)
- Malcolm AtterburyWild River (1960), From Hell to Texas (1958) and Man Without a Star (1955)
- Tito VuoloThe Midnight Story (1957), The Killing (1956) and Six Bridges to Cross (1955)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.