John Dierkes

Biography

John Dierkes was an American actor who came to Hollywood by an unusual route after first working as an economist. Born in Cincinnati, he attended Brown University and later joined the Red Cross during World War II. In Britain he met director John Huston, who suggested he try Hollywood, and he went on to serve as technical advisor on To the Ends of the Earth before Orson Welles cast him as Ross in Macbeth (1948) and used him again in Touch of Evil (1958). His tall frame and craggy features suited him to character roles, often villains or soldiers. He was the scientist Dr. Chapman in The Thing from Another World (1951), a soldier in The Red Badge of Courage (1951), Morgan Ryker in Shane (1953) and Jocko in The Alamo (1960). Other credits included One-Eyed Jacks (1961), The Premature Burial (1962), X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963), The Haunted Palace (1963) and The Omega Man (1971).

69years old at death

Born February 10, 1905Cincinnati
Died January 8, 1975Los Angeles
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 24 years1948 to 1972

Genres

Drama43%, 10 films
Western35%, 8 films
Horror30%, 7 films
Adventure17%, 4 films
War17%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
After studying at Brown University, Dierkes worked as an economist for the State Department. He signed up with the Red Cross in 1941, served in Britain in World War II, and there met director John Huston, who urged him to give Hollywood a try once the war ended.
Big break
Dierkes took a job with the U.S. Treasury Department, which happened to send him to Hollywood as technical advisor on To the Ends of the Earth. That same year Orson Welles gave him the part of Ross in his Macbeth.

John Dierkes movies on Netflix

Rage1972IMDb rating 6.3as Bill Parker
The Omega Man1971IMDb rating 6.4as Family Member
The Haunted Palace1963IMDb rating 6.7as Benjamin West
The Raven1963IMDb rating 6.5as Roderick Craven
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes1963IMDb rating 6.6as Preacher
The Premature Burial1962IMDb rating 6.5as Sweeny
One-Eyed Jacks1961IMDb rating 7.1as Chet
The Alamo1960IMDb rating 6.8as Jocko Robertson
The Hanging Tree1959IMDb rating 7.1as Society Red
The Buccaneer1958IMDb rating 6.4as Deacon
The Left Handed Gun1958IMDb rating 6.4as McSween
Daughter of Dr. Jekyll1957IMDb rating 5.4as Jacob
The Guns of Fort Petticoat1957IMDb rating 6.3as Texas Storekeeper
Jubal1956IMDb rating 7.1as Carson - Horgan Rider
Not as a Stranger1955IMDb rating 6.7as Bursar
The Naked Jungle1954IMDb rating 6.7as Gruber
The Raid1954IMDb rating 6.9as Cpl. Fred Deane
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1953IMDb rating 6.4as Batley
Gun Fury1953IMDb rating 6.1
Shane1953IMDb rating 7.6as Morgan Ryker
The Red Badge of Courage1951IMDb rating 7.1as Jim Conklin - the Tall Soldier
The Thing from Another World1951IMDb rating 7.0as Dr. Chapman
Macbeth1948IMDb rating 7.4as Ross

Best known for

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

Top

The Raven1963 Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horroras Roderick Craven
IMDb rating 6.515K votes
The Omega Man1971 Action, Sci-Fias Family Member
IMDb rating 6.436K votes
Shane1953as Morgan Ryker
IMDb rating 7.648K votes
The Haunted Palace1963as Benjamin West
IMDb rating 6.710.0K votes
The Red Badge of Courage1951as Jim Conklin - the Tall Soldier
IMDb rating 7.15.4K votes
The Premature Burial1962as Sweeny
IMDb rating 6.55.5K votes
Macbeth1948as Ross
IMDb rating 7.48.6K votes
The Hanging Tree1959as Society Red
IMDb rating 7.15.6K votes

Most often with

Roger Corman directed four of these films, Delmer Daves two. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Charlton Heston

Elisha Cook Jr.

Lee Marvin

Leo Gordon

Douglas Spencer

Vincent Price

Roger CormanDirector, 4 films Delmer DavesDirector, 2 films

Films together

Charlton Heston3 films together, 1954 to 1971
Charlton Heston's page
- The Omega Man1971IMDb rating 6.4Dierkes as Family MemberHeston as Neville
- The Buccaneer1958IMDb rating 6.4Dierkes as DeaconHeston as Gen. Andrew Jackson
- The Naked Jungle1954IMDb rating 6.7Dierkes as GruberHeston as Christopher Leiningen
Elisha Cook Jr.3 films together, 1953 to 1963
Elisha Cook Jr.'s page
- The Haunted Palace1963IMDb rating 6.7Dierkes as Benjamin WestCook as Peter Smith
- One-Eyed Jacks1961IMDb rating 7.1Dierkes as ChetCook as Carvey
- Shane1953IMDb rating 7.6Dierkes as Morgan RykerCook as Stonewall Torrey
Lee Marvin3 films together, 1953 to 1955
Lee Marvin's page
- Not as a Stranger1955IMDb rating 6.7Dierkes as BursarMarvin as Brundage
- The Raid1954IMDb rating 6.9Dierkes as Cpl. Fred DeaneMarvin as Lt. Keating
- Gun Fury1953IMDb rating 6.1Marvin as Blinky
Leo Gordon3 films together, 1953 to 1963
Leo Gordon's page
- The Haunted Palace1963IMDb rating 6.7Dierkes as Benjamin WestGordon as Edgar Weeden
- The Raven1963IMDb rating 6.5Dierkes as Roderick CravenGordon as Grimesvoice
- Gun Fury1953IMDb rating 6.1Gordon as Tom 'Jess' Burgess
Douglas Spencer3 films together, 1951 to 1954
Douglas Spencer's page
- The Raid1954IMDb rating 6.9Dierkes as Cpl. Fred DeaneSpencer as Rev. Douglas
- Shane1953IMDb rating 7.6Dierkes as Morgan RykerSpencer as Axel 'Swede' Shipstead
- The Thing from Another World1951IMDb rating 7.0Dierkes as Dr. ChapmanSpencer as Scotty
Vincent Price2 films together, 1963
Vincent Price's page
- The Haunted Palace1963IMDb rating 6.7Dierkes as Benjamin WestPrice as Charles Dexter Ward
- The Raven1963IMDb rating 6.5Dierkes as Roderick CravenPrice as Dr. Erasmus Craven
Roger CormanDirector, 4 films, 1962 to 1963
All films by Roger Corman
- The Haunted Palace1963IMDb rating 6.7Dierkes as Benjamin West
- The Raven1963IMDb rating 6.5Dierkes as Roderick Craven
- X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes1963IMDb rating 6.6Dierkes as Preacher
- The Premature Burial1962IMDb rating 6.5Dierkes as Sweeny
Delmer DavesDirector, 2 films, 1956 to 1959
All films by Delmer Daves
- The Hanging Tree1959IMDb rating 7.1Dierkes as Society Red
- Jubal1956IMDb rating 7.1Dierkes as Carson - Horgan Rider
Also two films together24 more actors
- Boris KarloffThe Raven (1963) and Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953)
- Dick MillerX: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) and The Premature Burial (1962)
- Lon Chaney Jr.The Haunted Palace (1963) and Not as a Stranger (1955)
- Ray TealOne-Eyed Jacks (1961) and The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957)
- Whit BissellNot as a Stranger (1955) and The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
- Ray MillandX: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) and The Premature Burial (1962)
- Ben JohnsonOne-Eyed Jacks (1961) and Shane (1953)
- Karl MaldenOne-Eyed Jacks (1961) and The Hanging Tree (1959)
- Alan NapierThe Premature Burial (1962) and Macbeth (1948)
- Denver PyleThe Alamo (1960) and The Left Handed Gun (1958)
- George C. ScottRage (1972) and The Hanging Tree (1959)
- Nestor PaivaThe Left Handed Gun (1958) and The Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957)
- James BestThe Left Handed Gun (1958) and The Raid (1954)
- Hank WordenOne-Eyed Jacks (1961) and The Alamo (1960)
- Kenneth TobeyRage (1972) and The Thing from Another World (1951)
- Audie MurphyThe Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957) and The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
- Van HeflinThe Raid (1954) and Shane (1953)
- Jeanette NolanThe Guns of Fort Petticoat (1957) and Macbeth (1948)
- Robert EastonThe Raid (1954) and The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
- King DonovanThe Hanging Tree (1959) and Not as a Stranger (1955)
- Leonard StrongThe Naked Jungle (1954) and Shane (1953)
- Hazel CourtThe Raven (1963) and The Premature Burial (1962)
- Barboura MorrisThe Haunted Palace (1963) and X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)
- John CasonJubal (1956) and Gun Fury (1953)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What John Dierkes's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$50.9 million

9 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.

9Worldwide figure
2US gross only
12Figure not found

Top grosser

Shane1953Morgan Ryker$20.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Shane1953as Morgan Ryker
$20M39.3% of the total
2
The Omega Man1971as Family Member
$8.7M17.1% of the total
3
The Alamo1960as Jocko Robertson
$7.9M15.5% of the total
4
One-Eyed Jacks1961as Chet
$4.3M8.5% of the total
5
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1953as Batley
$2.6M5.1% of the total
6
The Haunted Palace1963as Benjamin West
$2.6M5.1% of the total
7
The Thing from Another World1951as Dr. Chapman
$1.9M3.8% of the total
8
The Raven1963as Roderick Craven
$1.5M2.9% of the total