Acting · Danville, Illinois, USA · Born August 28, 1896
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum, August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor. Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Nussbaum had already changed his last name to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he chose to use the name "Stephen Morris" before changing it to Morris Ankrum in 1939. Ankrum's stern visage and sharply defined features helped cast him in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures, including scientists, military men (particularly army officers), judges and even psychiatrists in more than 150 films, mostly B movies. One standout role was in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's production of Tennessee Johnson (1942), a biographical film about Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S. president. As Sen. Jefferson Davis, Ankrum movingly addresses the United States Senate upon his resignation to lead the Confederate States of America as that republic's first—and only—president. Ankrum's film career was extensive and spanned 30 years. His credits were largely concentrated in the western and science-fiction genres. Ankrum appeared in such westerns as Ride 'Em Cowboy in 1942, Vera Cruz opposite Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, Apache (1954), and Cattle Queen of Montana with Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. In the sci-fi genre, he appeared in Rocketship X-M (1950), Flight to Mars (1951), as a Martian, Red Planet Mars (1952), playing the United States Secretary of Defense; the cult classic Invaders From Mars (1953), playing a United States Army officer; and as an Army general in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). In 1957 he played a psychiatrist in the cult sci-fi classic Kronos and had military-officer roles in Beginning of the End and The Giant Claw.
MovieThe Movie Orgy
1968
as Self (archive footage)
MovieGuns of Diablo
1964
as Ray Macklin
MovieX: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
1963
as Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
MovieTower of London
1962
as The Archbishop
MovieMost Dangerous Man Alive
1961
as Capt. Davis
MovieThe Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
1961
as Gen. Lew Wallace
TVThe Barbara Stanwyck Show
1960
as Walter Harwood
TVBonanza
1959
as Mr. Mason
MovieFrom the Earth to the Moon
1958
as President Ulysses S. Grant
MovieTarawa Beachhead
1958
as Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
MovieFrontier Gun
1958
as Andrew Barton
TVThe Rifleman
1958
TVBronco
1958
as Gilbert Groves
MovieThe Saga of Hemp Brown
1958
as Bo Slauter
MovieCurse of the Faceless Man
1958
as Narrator (unconfirmed)
MovieTwilight for the Gods
1958
as Sea Captain
MovieBadman's Country
1958
as Mayor Coleman
MovieHow to Make a Monster
1958
as Police Capt. Hancock
MovieYoung and Wild
1958
as Police Capt. Egan
TVSea Hunt
1958
MovieGiant from the Unknown
1958
as Dr. Frederick Cleveland
MovieThe Power of the Resurrection
1958
as Annas
TVMaverick
1957
as Joshua Haines
TVPerry Mason
1957
as Judge
TVM Squad
1957
as Police Inspector Dean
MovieOmar Khayyam
1957
as Sharain's Father
MovieBeginning of the End
1957
as Gen. John Hanson
MovieThe Giant Claw
1957
as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
MovieHalf Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
1957
as Dr. Carl Jordan
MovieKronos
1957
as Dr. Albert Stern
MovieHell's Crossroads
1957
as Wheeler
MovieZombies of Mora Tau
1957
as Dr. Jonathan Eggert
MovieDrango
1957
as Henry Calder
MovieDown Liberty Road
1957
as Fred Schroder
MovieThe Desperados Are in Town
1956
as Mr. Rutherford
MovieNaked Gun
1956
as Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
On Trial
1956
as Judge
TVDr. Fu Manchu
1956
as Professor Rutledge
MovieWalk the Proud Land
1956
as Gen. Wade
MovieEarth vs. the Flying Saucers
1956
as Brig. Gen. John Hanley
MovieQuincannon, Frontier Scout
1956
as Col. Harry Conover
MovieWhen Gangland Strikes
1956
as Leo Fantzler
MovieFury at Gunsight Pass
1956
as Doc Phillips
MovieNo Man's Woman
1955
as Capt. Hostedder
TVThe 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
as Henry
MovieTennessee's Partner
1955
as Judge Parker
TVCheyenne
1955
as John Clements
MovieDuel on the Mississippi
1955
as Magistrate (uncredited)
TVGunsmoke
1955
as Merle
MovieThe Last Command
1955
MovieThe Eternal Sea
1955
as Vice-Adm. Arthur Dewey Struble
MovieThe Silver Star
1955
as Charlie Childress
MovieChief Crazy Horse
1955
as Red Cloud
MovieCrashout
1955
as Head Guard
MovieThe Little Lamb: A Christmas Story
1955
as Azar the Shepherd
MovieVera Cruz
1954
as Gen. Ramírez
MovieThe Steel Cage
1954
as Prison Board Member Garvey, segment "The Hostages"
MovieThree Young Texans
1954
as Jeff Blair
MovieCattle Queen of Montana
1954
as J.I. 'Pop' Jones
MovieTwo Guns and a Badge
1954
as Sheriff Jackson
MovieApache
1954
as Dawson
MovieThe Outlaw Stallion
1954
as Sheriff
MovieSilver Lode
1954
as Zachary Evans
MovieDrums Across the River
1954
as Chief Ouray
MovieSouthwest Passage
1954
as Dr. Stanton
MovieTaza, Son of Cochise
1954
as Grey Eagle
MovieFlight Nurse
1953
as Interrogation Officer
The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
1953
MovieThe Moonlighter
1953
as Alexander Prince
MovieMexican Manhunt
1953
as Tip Morgan
MovieSky Commando
1953
as Gen. W.R. Combs
MovieDevil's Canyon
1953
as Ed
MovieArena
1953
as Bucky Hillberry
MovieInvaders from Mars
1953
as Col. Fielding
MovieI Beheld His Glory
1953
as Peter
MovieFort Vengeance
1953
as Chief Crowfoot
MovieThe Man Behind The Gun
1953
as Bram Creegan
MovieHiawatha
1952
as Iagoo
MovieA Star Shall Rise
1952
as King Herod
MovieBecause of You
1952
as Dr. Travis
MovieThe Raiders
1952
as Thomas Ainsworth
TVFour Star Playhouse
1952
as Warden
TVCowboy G-Men
1952
MovieSon of Ali Baba
1952
as Ali Baba
MovieRed Planet Mars
1952
as Secretary of Defense Sparks
MovieMutiny
1952
as Capt. Radford
MovieFort Osage
1952
as Arthur Pickett
MovieMy Favorite Spy
1951
as Gen. Frazer
MovieFlight to Mars
1951
as Ikron
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
MovieTomorrow Is Another Day
1951
as Hugh Wagner
MovieAlong the Great Divide
1951
as Ed Roden
MovieFighting Coast Guard
1951
as Navy Captain
MovieThe Lion Hunters
1951
as Tom Forbes
MovieThe Redhead and the Cowboy
1951
as Sheriff
MovieShort Grass
1950
as Hal Fenton
MovieSouthside 1-1000
1950
as Eugene Deane
MovieRocketship X-M
1950
as Dr. Ralph Fleming
MovieIn a Lonely Place
1950
as Lloyd Barnes
MovieThe Damned Don't Cry
1950
as Jim Whitehead
MovieBorderline
1950
as Bill Whittaker
MovieChain Lightning
1950
as Ed Bostwick
MovieThe Fountainhead
1949
as Prosecutor (uncredited)
MovieColorado Territory
1949
as United States Marshal
MovieWe Were Strangers
1949
as M. Seymour
MovieBad Men of Tombstone
1949
as Mr. Jones
MovieJoan of Arc
1948
as Poton de Xaintrailles, Captain
TVStudio One
1948
as Considine
MovieFor the Love of Mary
1948
as Adm. Walton
MovieThe Fabulous Fraud
1948
as Blind Girl's Father
MovieFighting Back
1948
as Robert J. Higby
MovieSouvenirs of Death
1948
as Gangster (uncredited)
MovieHigh Wall
1947
as Dr. Stanley Griffin
MovieGood News
1947
as Dean Griswold
MovieDesire Me
1947
as Hector Martin
MovieMerton of the Movies
1947
as Goodfellow's Club Manager (uncredited)
MovieCynthia
1947
as Mr. Phillips, Principal
MovieSong of the Thin Man
1947
as Inspector (uncredited)
MovieThe Sea of Grass
1947
as A.J. Crane
MovieLittle Mister Jim
1947
as Col. W.I. Starwell
MovieThe Mighty McGurk
1947
as Fowles
MovieLady in the Lake
1946
as Eugene Grayson
MovieCourage of Lassie
1946
as Farmer Crews
MovieThe Cockeyed Miracle
1946
as Dr. Wilson
MovieThe Green Years
1946
as Dr. Galbraith
MovieThe Postman Always Rings Twice
1946
as Judge (uncredited)
MovieThe Harvey Girls
1946
as Reverend Claggett
MovieAdventure
1945
as Mr. Ludlow - Farmer (uncredited)
MoviePurity Squad
1945
as Dr. Adams (uncredited)
MovieThe Hidden Eye
1945
as Ferris (henchman)
MoviePhantoms, Inc.
1945
as Narrator (voice)
MovieFall Guy
1945
as District Attorney (uncredited)
MovieThe Thin Man Goes Home
1944
as Willoughby Peavy
MovieDark Shadows
1944
as Lt. Pat McKay
MovieGentle Annie
1944
as Deputy Gansby
MovieThirty Seconds Over Tokyo
1944
as Adm. William F. Halsey - Captain of the 'Hornet' (uncredited)
MovieReturn from Nowhere
1944
as Doctor (uncredited)
MovieBarbary Coast Gent
1944
as Alec Veeder
MovieMarriage Is a Private Affair
1944
as Ed Scofield
MovieMeet the People
1944
as Monte Rowland
MovieMain Street Today
1944
as Mayor Charlie Maxwell (uncredited)
MovieRationing
1944
as Morgan
MovieThe Heavenly Body
1944
as Dr. Green
MovieThe Cross of Lorraine
1943
as Col. Demas (uncredited)
MovieSwing Fever
1943
as Dan Conlon
MovieBest Foot Forward
1943
as Col. Harkrider
MovieLet's Face It
1943
as Man in Sun Shell Cafe
MovieDixie Dugan
1943
as Editor
MovieReunion in France
1942
as Martin
MovieTime to Kill
1942
as Alexander Morny
MovieTennessee Johnson
1942
as Jefferson Davis
MovieThe Omaha Trail
1942
as Henchman Job
MovieThe Loves of Edgar Allan Poe
1942
as Mr. Graham
MovieTales of Manhattan
1942
as Judge
MovieTen Gentlemen from West Point
1942
as Wood
MovieRoxie Hart
1942
as Martin S. Harrison
MovieRoad Agent
1941
as Big John Morgan
MovieRide 'Em Cowboy
1941
as Ace Anderson
MovieI Wake Up Screaming
1941
as Assistant District Attorney
MovieThe Bandit Trail
1941
as Red Haggerty
MovieThis Woman Is Mine
1941
as Roussel
MovieWide Open Town
1941
as Jim Stuart
MoviePirates on Horseback
1941
as Ace Gibson
MovieBorder Vigilantes
1941
as Dan Forbes
MovieThe Roundup
1941
as 'Parenthesis'
MovieIn Old Colorado
1941
as Weiler, Davidson's Foreman
MovieDoomed Caravan
1941
as Stephen Westcott
MovieThree Men from Texas
1940
as Bruce Morgan
MovieCherokee Strip
1940
as Hawk Barrett
MovieBuck Benny Rides Again
1940
as Second Outlaw
MovieThe Light of Western Stars
1940
as Nat Hayworth
MovieThe Showdown
1940
as Baron Rendor
MovieKnights of the Range
1940
as Gamecock
MovieRustlers' Valley
1937
as Glen Randall
MovieNorth of the Rio Grande
1937
as Henry Stoneham
MovieHills of Old Wyoming
1937
as Andrews
MovieBorderland
1937
as Loco
MovieTrail Dust
1936
as Tex Anderson
MovieHopalong Cassidy Returns
1936
as Blackie Felton
MovieStand Up and Cheer!
1934
as Washington Press Correspondent
