Max Terhune
Biography
Max Terhune was an American actor who made close to 70 films, mostly B-westerns. Born in Franklin, he worked as a tool maker and played semi-pro baseball before entering pictures. Gene Autry, a radio colleague in Chicago, persuaded him to come to Hollywood. He became a comic sidekick in the Republic western series The Three Mesquiteers, playing Lullaby Joslin in 21 entries and sharing 15 of them with Robert Livingston and Ray Corrigan. Later he worked with Corrigan and John King in 24 entries of the Monogram trio western series The Range Busters, and he did supporting roles in Johnny Mack Brown westerns. He rode with his dummy Elmer, who received screen credit, and he was a ventriloquist and magician whose vaudeville act included juggling and bird calls. His last film role was Dr. Walker in Giant.
82years old at death
- Born Franklin
- Died Cottonwood
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Movie Career
- Films
- 3
- Career span
- 4 years1937 to 1941
Every film, newest first
- 1941The Trail of the Silver SpursIMDb rating 5.7
- 1937Manhattan Merry-Go-RoundIMDb rating 5.4
- 1937The Riders of the Whistling SkullIMDb rating 5.8
Genres
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Own stunts
Terhune's comic sidekick characters always traveled with his ventriloquist dummy Elmer, who shared his saddle and even received a film credit for his appearances.
Beyond film
Terhune worked as a ventriloquist, whistler and animal imitator, and he was a magician too. Card tricks were his specialty, and he frequently did them in his movies.
A change of course
Besides his trade as a tool maker, Terhune played semi-pro baseball at age 20 for clubs in Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Newark, then spent the 1913 season with the Vincennes Alices in Class-D ball.
Big break
Terhune had worked with Autry in radio in Chicago, and it was Autry who talked him into heading to Hollywood.
Own stunts
In 1956, Terhune's hands were used as doubles for Clark Gable's hands in the film The King and Four Queens.
Max Terhune movies on Netflix
Most often with
Three actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Ray Corrigan's page
Frank Ellis's page
Elmer's page
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.