Harry Shannon profile
Actor profile

Harry Shannon

12th June 1890 Saginaw, Michigan, USA Acting

Born and raised on a farm in Michigan in 1890, Irish-American character actor Harry Shannon had the credentials for becoming a staple player in westerns. He started off his career traveling around with repertory and stock companies and developed his musical abilities in tent shows, burlesque houses and such tuneful Broadway shows as "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Hold Everything" (1928), "Simple Simon" (1931), and "Pardon My English" (1933). A company member of Joseph Schildkraut's Hollywood Theater Guild, Shannon broke into films at the advent of sound and started things off in comedy film shorts opposite such celebrated players as Bert Lahr, Shemp Howard, and Leon Errol. In the 1940s Shannon established himself in feature-length movies and although he remained a minor, second-string player, he proved himself a durable presence in westerns usually remaining on the good side of the law as sheriffs and bucolic dads. In lighthearted entertainment he could be found as a friendly Irish cop or bartender. He made a slight but memorable impression as Kane's alcoholic father in the classic Citizen Kane (1941), while his last role would be as the grandfather in the musical Gypsy (1962). In between were small parts in such notable films as The Fighting Sullivans (1944), The Jolson Story (1946), High Noon (1952), Touch of Evil (1958), and The Buccaneer (1958). 1950s TV westerns such as Cheyenne (1955), Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), and Gunsmoke (1955) made consistent use of his rustic demeanor. Shannon died in 1964 at age 74.

119 Movies 30 TV Shows 153 Credits
Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Gypsy poster
Gypsy 1st November 1962 as Grandpa
The Buccaneer poster
The Buccaneer 11th December 1958 as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian
The Scarf poster
The Scarf 6th April 1951 as Asylum Warden Anderson
Tulsa poster
Tulsa 13th April 1949 as Nelse Lansing
Exposed poster
Exposed 8th September 1947 as Severance
Crack-Up poster
Crack-Up 6th September 1946 as Cop (Uncredited)
Crime, Inc. poster
Crime, Inc. 15th April 1945 as Police Commissioner Collins
Idaho poster
Idaho 10th March 1943 as Judge John Grey
Rawhide poster
Rawhide 9th January 1959 as Sheriff Blanton
Crossroads poster
Crossroads 7th October 1955 as Detective Sergeant Dave Washburn