Morris Ankrum

Biography

Morris Ankrum was an American character actor in radio, television, and film. Born in Danville, Illinois, he studied law and then taught economics at the University of California, Berkeley before turning to drama at the Pasadena Playhouse. Between 1923 and 1939 he acted on Broadway in productions such as Gods of the Lightning and Within the Gates. He signed with Paramount Pictures, briefly using the name Stephen Morris, and became Morris Ankrum in 1939. He was known for supporting parts as authority figures, among them scientists, military officers, judges, and psychiatrists. His over 270 film and television credits were mostly westerns and science fiction. He played a rocket project leader in Rocketship X-M (1950) and a Martian leader in Flight to Mars. He appeared as a colonel in Invaders from Mars. His film work slowed after 1958, but he continued on television, including 22 Perry Mason appearances as judges. He died in 1964.

67years old at death

Born August 28, 1897Danville
Died September 2, 1964Pasadena
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Morris Winslow Ankrum (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 55
Career span: 24 years1940 to 1964

Genres

Drama38%, 21 films
Western33%, 18 films
Romance22%, 12 films
Sci-Fi22%, 12 films
Crime20%, 11 films

First and latest

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A change of course
Before acting, Ankrum earned a law degree from the University of Southern California and became an associate professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he joined the drama department and later taught and directed at the Pasadena Playhouse.
About the name
After signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Ankrum chose the name "Stephen Morris" and later changed it to Morris Ankrum in 1939.

Morris Ankrum movies on Netflix

Guns of Diablo1964IMDb rating 5.7as Ray Macklin
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes1963IMDb rating 6.6as Mr. Bowhead
Tower of London1962IMDb rating 6.3as The Archbishop
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come1961IMDb rating 6.0as Gen. Lew Wallace
Curse of the Faceless Man1958IMDb rating 4.9as Narrator (unconfirmed)
From the Earth to the Moon1958IMDb rating 5.1as President Ulysses S. Grant
How to Make a Monster1958IMDb rating 5.6as Police Capt. Hancock
Beginning of the End1957IMDb rating 4.2as Gen. John Hanson
Kronos1957IMDb rating 5.7as Dr. Albert Stern
The Giant Claw1957IMDb rating 4.6as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
Zombies of Mora Tau1957IMDb rating 5.2as Dr. Jonathan Eggert
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers1956IMDb rating 6.3as Brig. Gen. John Hanley
Chief Crazy Horse1955IMDb rating 6.1as Red Cloud
Crashout1955IMDb rating 6.9as Head Guard
No Man's Woman1955IMDb rating 6.4as Capt. Hostedder
Tennessee's Partner1955IMDb rating 6.5as Judge Parker
Apache1954IMDb rating 6.3as Dawson
Cattle Queen of Montana1954IMDb rating 5.7as J.I. 'Pop' Jones
Drums Across the River1954IMDb rating 6.2as Chief Ouray
Silver Lode1954IMDb rating 6.8as Zachary Evans
Taza, Son of Cochise1954IMDb rating 5.6as Grey Eagle
Vera Cruz1954IMDb rating 7.0as Gen. Ramírez
Invaders from Mars1953IMDb rating 6.3as Col. Fielding
The Man Behind The Gun1953IMDb rating 6.0as Bram Creegan
Red Planet Mars1952IMDb rating 4.9as Secretary of Defense Sparks
Along the Great Divide1951IMDb rating 6.8as Ed Roden
Flight To Mars1951IMDb rating 5.1as Ikron
Tomorrow Is Another Day1951IMDb rating 7.1as Hugh Wagner
Chain Lightning1950IMDb rating 6.0as Ed Bostwick
In a Lonely Place1950IMDb rating 7.9as Lloyd Barnes
Rocketship X-M1950IMDb rating 4.9as Dr. Ralph Fleming
The Damned Don't Cry1950IMDb rating 7.1as Jim Whitehead
Colorado Territory1949IMDb rating 7.2as United States Marshal
The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0as Prosecutor
We Were Strangers1949IMDb rating 6.6as M. Seymour
Good News1947IMDb rating 6.7as Dean Griswold
High Wall1947IMDb rating 6.9as Dr. Stanley Griffin
Merton of the Movies1947IMDb rating 6.3as Goodfellow's Club Manager
Song of the Thin Man1947IMDb rating 6.9as Inspector
The Sea of Grass1947IMDb rating 6.3as A.J. Crane
Courage of Lassie1946IMDb rating 6.2as Farmer Crews
Lady in the Lake1946IMDb rating 6.5as Eugene Grayson
The Postman Always Rings Twice1946IMDb rating 7.4as Judge
Adventure1945IMDb rating 6.2as Mr. Ludlow - Farmer
The Thin Man Goes Home1944IMDb rating 7.3as Willoughby
Best Foot Forward1943IMDb rating 6.4as Col. Harkrider
The Cross of Lorraine1943IMDb rating 6.6as Col. Demas
Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3as Martin
Ride 'Em Cowboy1942IMDb rating 6.5as Ace Anderson
Roxie Hart1942IMDb rating 6.9as Martin S. Harrison
Time to Kill1942IMDb rating 6.5as Alexander Morny
Doomed Caravan1941IMDb rating 6.3as Stephen Westcott
I Wake Up Screaming1941IMDb rating 7.2as Assistant District Attorney
Light of Western Stars1940IMDb rating 5.5as Nat Hayworth
Three Men from Texas1940IMDb rating 6.8as Bruce Morgan

Best known for

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

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Earth vs. the Flying Saucers1956 Action, Sci-Fias Brig. Gen. John Hanley
IMDb rating 6.310K votes
In a Lonely Place1950 Drama, Film-Noir, Mysteryas Lloyd Barnes
IMDb rating 7.940K votes
The Giant Claw1957as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
IMDb rating 4.65.0K votes
Invaders from Mars1953as Col. Fielding
IMDb rating 6.310K votes
Beginning of the End1957as Gen. John Hanson
IMDb rating 4.23.2K votes
Lady in the Lake1946as Eugene Grayson
IMDb rating 6.57.2K votes
Zombies of Mora Tau1957as Dr. Jonathan Eggert
IMDb rating 5.21.4K votes
Kronos1957as Dr. Albert Stern
IMDb rating 5.72.5K votes

Most often with

Lesley Selander directed four of these films, Allan Dwan three and Tay Garnett two. Leon Ames appears in five 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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Leon Ames

Walter Sande

Hugh Sanders

Charles Bronson

Douglas Fowley

Monte BlueLesley SelanderDirector, 4 films Allan DwanDirector, 3 films

Tay GarnettDirector, 2 films

Films together

Leon Ames5 films together, 1944 to 1947
Leon Ames's page
- Merton of the Movies1947IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as Goodfellow's Club ManagerAmes as Lawrence Rupert
- Song of the Thin Man1947IMDb rating 6.9Ankrum as InspectorAmes as Mitchell Talbin
- Lady in the Lake1946IMDb rating 6.5Ankrum as Eugene GraysonAmes as Derace Kingsby
- The Postman Always Rings Twice1946IMDb rating 7.4Ankrum as JudgeAmes as Kyle Sackett
- The Thin Man Goes Home1944IMDb rating 7.3Ankrum as WilloughbyAmes as Edgar Draque
Walter Sande4 films together, 1951 to 1954
Walter Sande's page
- Apache1954IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as DawsonSande as Lt. Col. Beck
- Invaders from Mars1953IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as Col. FieldingSande as Police Sgt. Mack Finlay
- Red Planet Mars1952IMDb rating 4.9Ankrum as Secretary of Defense SparksSande as Admiral Bill Carey
- Tomorrow Is Another Day1951IMDb rating 7.1Ankrum as Hugh WagnerSande as Sheriff
Hugh Sanders4 films together, 1950 to 1954
Hugh Sanders's page
- Silver Lode1954IMDb rating 6.8Ankrum as Zachary EvansSanders as Reverend Field
- Along the Great Divide1951IMDb rating 6.8Ankrum as Ed RodenSanders as Frank Newcombe
- Tomorrow Is Another Day1951IMDb rating 7.1Ankrum as Hugh WagnerSanders as Detective Lt. George Conover
- The Damned Don't Cry1950IMDb rating 7.1Ankrum as Jim WhiteheadSanders as Grady
Charles Bronson3 films together, 1954 to 1964
Charles Bronson's page
- Guns of Diablo1964IMDb rating 5.7Ankrum as Ray MacklinBronson as Linc Murdock
- Apache1954IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as DawsonBronson as Hondo
- Vera Cruz1954IMDb rating 7.0Ankrum as Gen. RamírezBronson as Pittsburgh
Douglas Fowley3 films together, 1947 to 1964
Douglas Fowley's page
- Guns of Diablo1964IMDb rating 5.7Ankrum as Ray MacklinFowley as Mr. Knudsen
- The Man Behind The Gun1953IMDb rating 6.0Ankrum as Bram CreeganFowley as Buckley Saloon Manager
- Merton of the Movies1947IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as Goodfellow's Club ManagerFowley as Phil
Monte Blue3 films together, 1949 to 1954
Monte Blue's page
- Apache1954IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as DawsonBlue as Geronimo
- Colorado Territory1949IMDb rating 7.2Ankrum as United States MarshalBlue as U.S. Marshal
- The Fountainhead1949IMDb rating 7.0Ankrum as ProsecutorBlue as Gas Station Executive
Lesley SelanderDirector, 4 films, 1940 to 1951
All films by Lesley Selander
- Flight To Mars1951IMDb rating 5.1Ankrum as Ikron
- Doomed Caravan1941IMDb rating 6.3Ankrum as Stephen Westcott
- Light of Western Stars1940IMDb rating 5.5Ankrum as Nat Hayworth
- Three Men from Texas1940IMDb rating 6.8Ankrum as Bruce Morgan
Allan DwanDirector, 3 films, 1954 to 1955
All films by Allan Dwan
- Tennessee's Partner1955IMDb rating 6.5Ankrum as Judge Parker
- Cattle Queen of Montana1954IMDb rating 5.7Ankrum as J.I. 'Pop' Jones
- Silver Lode1954IMDb rating 6.8Ankrum as Zachary Evans
Tay GarnettDirector, 2 films, 1943 to 1946
All films by Tay Garnett
- The Postman Always Rings Twice1946IMDb rating 7.4Ankrum as Judge
- The Cross of Lorraine1943IMDb rating 6.6Ankrum as Col. Demas
Also three films together16 more actors
- Moroni OlsenThe Fountainhead (1949), High Wall (1947) and Reunion in France (1942)
- Harry DavenportCourage of Lassie (1946), Adventure (1945) and The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)
- Robert WarwickChief Crazy Horse (1955), Silver Lode (1954) and In a Lonely Place (1950)
- Gloria GrahameIn a Lonely Place (1950), Merton of the Movies (1947) and Song of the Thin Man (1947)
- Trevor BardetteFlight To Mars (1951), The Sea of Grass (1947) and Doomed Caravan (1941)
- Donald MacBrideGood News (1947), The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) and Best Foot Forward (1943)
- Anthony CarusoTennessee's Partner (1955), Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) and The Man Behind The Gun (1953)
- Paul GuilfoyleChief Crazy Horse (1955), Apache (1954) and Time to Kill (1942)
- Tristram CoffinFlight To Mars (1951), The Damned Don't Cry (1950) and The Fountainhead (1949)
- Robert ShayneHow to Make a Monster (1958), Kronos (1957) and The Giant Claw (1957)
- James SeayBeginning of the End (1957), Vera Cruz (1954) and Time to Kill (1942)
- Audrey TotterHigh Wall (1947), Lady in the Lake (1946) and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
- David BondFlight To Mars (1951), In a Lonely Place (1950) and We Were Strangers (1949)
- King BaggotGood News (1947), Merton of the Movies (1947) and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
- Russell HaydenDoomed Caravan (1941), Light of Western Stars (1940) and Three Men from Texas (1940)
- Thomas Browne HenryHow to Make a Monster (1958), Beginning of the End (1957) and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Morris Ankrum's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$26.8 million

9 of the 55 films have a worldwide figure.

9Worldwide figure
5US gross only
1Never in cinemas
40Figure not found

Top grosser

The Postman Always Rings Twice1946Judge$5.1 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 95% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Postman Always Rings Twice1946as Judge
$5.1M19.0% of the total
2
The Sea of Grass1947as A.J. Crane
$4.7M17.5% of the total
3
Courage of Lassie1946as Farmer Crews
$4.1M15.3% of the total
4
The Thin Man Goes Home1944as Willoughby
$2.8M10.5% of the total
5
Best Foot Forward1943as Col. Harkrider
$2.7M10.1% of the total
6
Lady in the Lake1946as Eugene Grayson
$2.7M9.9% of the total
7
Reunion in France1942as Martin
$1.9M7.0% of the total
8
I Wake Up Screaming1941as Assistant District Attorney
$1.5M5.6% of the total