1888-10-14 Traver, California, USA
Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect). In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide. Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California (suicide)
 |
The Sun Shines Bright | Jimmy Bagby | 1953-05-02 |
 |
Toughest Man in Arizona | 1952-10-10 | |
 |
Big Jim McLain | Mr. Lexiter | 1952-08-30 |
 |
Million Dollar Pursuit | Ray Harvey | 1951-05-30 |
 |
The Missourians | John X. Finn | 1950-11-25 |
 |
The Old Frontier | Skipper Horton | 1950-07-20 |
 |
The Vanishing Westerner | Waldorf Worthington | 1950-03-31 |
 |
San Antone Ambush | Happy Daniels | 1949-10-06 |
 |
South of Rio | Andy Weems | 1949-07-29 |
 |
Ranger of Cherokee Strip | Sheriff Jug Mason | 1949-11-04 |
 |
Outcasts of the Trail | Doc Meadowlark | 1949-06-08 |
 |
Law of the Golden West | Otis Ellis | 1949-05-23 |
 |
Pioneer Marshal | Huck Homer | 1949-11-24 |
 |
Prince of the Plains | Sheriff Hank Hartley | 1949-04-08 |
 |
Yellow Sky | Drunk (uncredited) | 1948-12-24 |
 |
The Arizona Ranger | Ben Riddle | 1948-05-14 |
 |
California Firebrand | Chuck Waggoner | 1948-04-01 |
 |
Who Killed Doc Robbin? | Jailer | 1948-04-09 |
 |
Heart of Virginia | Whit Galtry | 1948-04-25 |
 |
Madonna of the Desert | Pete Connors | 1948-02-23 |
 |
Gun Smugglers | Sergeant Hasty Jones | 1948-12-28 |
 |
Son of God’s Country | Eli Walker | 1948-09-15 |
 |
Under Colorado Skies | Lucky John Hawkins | 1947-12-15 |
 |
Angel and the Badman | Frederick Carson | 1947-02-15 |
 |
Death Valley | Sergeant Dailey | 1946-08-15 |
 |
In Old Sacramento | Stagecoach Driver | 1946-05-31 |
 |
Murder in the Music Hall | Hobarth | 1946-04-10 |
 |
The Virginian | 1946-05-05 | |
 |
The Plainsman and the Lady | Al | 1946-11-11 |
 |
Steppin' in Society | Cookie | 1945-07-09 |
 |
The Big Show-Off | Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler | 1945-01-22 |
 |
Scared Stiff | Sheriff | 1945-06-22 |
 |
Midnight Manhunt | Murphy | 1945-07-27 |
 |
Dakota | Captain Spotts | 1945-12-15 |
 |
Girl Rush | Muley | 1944-10-21 |
 |
Summer Storm | Orloff | 1944-07-14 |
 |
Barbary Coast Gent | Jake Compton | 1944-09-01 |
 |
The Ghost That Walks Alone | Sheriff Slim Carson | 1944-02-10 |
 |
Something for the Boys | Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited) | 1944-11-01 |
 |
Hi'ya, Chum | Archie Billings | 1943-02-25 |
 |
The Sky's the Limit | Dock Foreman (uncredited) | 1943-07-13 |
 |
Coney Island | Louie | 1943-06-18 |
 |
Calaboose | Ed the bartender | 1943-01-29 |
 |
December 7th | World War I Ghost Soldier | 1943-03-01 |
 |
The Ox-Bow Incident | Monty Smith | 1943-03-11 |
 |
Night in New Orleans | Sergeant Casper Riordan | 1942-07-01 |
 |
Sundown Jim | Broderick | 1942-03-27 |
 |
Pardon My Stripes | Feets | 1942-01-26 |
 |
Dudes Are Pretty People | Two-Gun | 1942-03-13 |
 |
Petticoat Politics | Slats O'Dell | 1941-01-31 |
 |
Virginia | Thomas | 1941-01-28 |
 |
The Great Mr. Nobody | Michael O'Connor | 1941-02-15 |
 |
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring | Page | 1941-11-18 |
 |
This Woman Is Mine | Second Mate Mumford | 1941-08-22 |
 |
Tall, Dark and Handsome | Biff Sage | 1941-01-24 |
 |
Caught in the Draft | Sgt. Burns | 1941-07-04 |
 |
The Parson of Panamint | Jake Waldren | 1941-07-25 |
 |
Goin' Fishin' | 1940-10-26 | |
 |
Tugboat Annie Sails Again | Pete | 1940-10-26 |
 |
Star Dust | Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech | 1940-04-06 |
 |
Torrid Zone | Daniels | 1940-05-18 |
 |
Edison, the Man | Sheriff | 1940-05-10 |
 |
The Westerner | Chickenfoot | 1940-09-18 |
 |
Castle on the Hudson | Guard (uncredited) | 1940-02-17 |
 |
Spring Parade | Headwaiter | 1940-09-27 |
 |
South to Karanga | Slats | 1940-08-02 |
 |
They Drive by Night | Pete Haig (uncredited) | 1940-07-26 |
 |
Remember? | Policeman | 1939-12-19 |
 |
Bad Lands | Curly Tom | 1939-08-28 |
 |
Gone with the Wind | Yankee Deserter | 1939-12-15 |
 |
On Your Toes | Variety Club Bartender | 1939-10-14 |
 |
Quick Millions | Sheriff | 1939-08-25 |
 |
Each Dawn I Die | Garsky | 1939-08-19 |
 |
Glove Slingers | Chuck Brenner | 1939-11-24 |
 |
Broadway Serenade | Reynolds, a Drunk | 1939-04-07 |
 |
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence | Empire State Building Guard | 1939-11-03 |
 |
Cafe Society | Bartender | 1939-03-03 |
 |
It Could Happen to You | Sandy | 1939-06-08 |
 |
No Time to Marry | Sergeant | 1938-02-05 |
 |
The Last Express | Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer | 1938-10-27 |
 |
Josette | A. Adolphus Heyman | 1938-06-03 |
 |
My Lucky Star | Louie | 1938-09-09 |
 |
Hold That Co-ed | Slapsy | 1938-09-16 |
 |
Alexander's Ragtime Band | Bill Mulligan | 1938-05-24 |
 |
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Florabelle's Father | 1938-03-18 |
 |
Topper Takes a Trip | Charlie - the Bartender | 1938-12-29 |
 |
In Old Chicago | Mitch | 1938-04-15 |
 |
Secrets of a Nurse | Arlington Bysshe 'Slice' Cavanaugh | 1938-12-02 |
 |
Island in the Sky | Happy | 1938-04-01 |
 |
Prison Break | Soapy | 1938-07-12 |
 |
You Can't Beat Love | Foreman Butch Mehaffey | 1937-06-25 |
 |
You Can't Have Everything | Truck Driver (uncredited) | 1937-08-02 |
 |
Danger – Love at Work | NYC policeman | 1937-09-30 |
 |
Wake Up and Live | McCabe | 1937-08-23 |
 |
Second Honeymoon | Dennis Huggins | 1937-11-13 |
 |
Super-Sleuth | Motorcycle Cop | 1937-07-16 |
 |
Angel's Holiday | Sgt. Murphy | 1937-06-07 |
 |
Ali Baba Goes to Town | Captain | 1937-10-29 |
 |
Fifty Roads to Town | Tom | 1937-06-03 |
 |
Slave Ship | Drunk | 1937-06-16 |
 |
We Who Are About to Die | Tip Fuller | 1937-01-08 |
|
The Lady Fights Back | Maloney | 1937-10-01 |
 |
This Is My Affair | Bowler | 1937-05-28 |
 |
She's No Lady | Cop | 1937-08-20 |
 |
The Legion of Missing Men | Muggsy | 1937-07-28 |
 |
Trouble in Morocco | Tiger Malone | 1937-03-09 |
 |
Wife, Doctor and Nurse | Bill | 1937-09-17 |
 |
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | 1st Deputy (uncredited) | 1936-04-09 |
 |
Riffraff | Belcher | 1936-01-03 |
 |
To Mary - with Love | Drunk | 1936-08-01 |
 |
Blackmailer | Inspector Killian | 1936-07-23 |
 |
The Gay Desperado | American Detective | 1936-10-02 |
|
I'd Give My Life | "Sport" Conly | 1936-08-13 |
 |
North of Nome | Carlson | 1936-11-14 |
 |
Robin Hood of El Dorado | Wilson | 1936-03-17 |
 |
Public Hero Number 1 | Rufe Parker | 1935-05-31 |
 |
Shadow of Doubt | Lt. Sackville | 1935-02-15 |
 |
The Daring Young Man | Prison Guard | 1935-07-17 |
 |
Calm Yourself | Detective Roscoe | 1935-06-28 |
 |
The Gay Deception | Bell Captain | 1935-09-13 |
 |
Carnival | Policeman | 1935-02-15 |
 |
Sequoia | Bergman | 1935-01-16 |
 |
Mississippi | Hefty | 1935-03-22 |
 |
Maybe It's Love | Expressman (uncredited) | 1935-01-12 |
 |
The Case of the Curious Bride | Fibo Morgan (uncredited) | 1935-04-13 |
 |
Among the Missing | Capt. W.F. 'Big Bill' Connors | 1934-09-25 |
 |
Queen Christina | Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited) | 1934-02-09 |
 |
The Big Race | Skipper O'Neal | 1934-02-14 |
 |
The Ballad of Paducah Jail | Escaped Felon | 1934-10-20 |
 |
Charlie Chan's Courage | Undetermined Role | 1934-07-06 |
 |
Tomorrow's Youth | Detective | 1934-10-14 |
 |
Take the Stand | Denny O'Brien | 1934-08-07 |
 |
A Very Honorable Guy | Butler | 1934-04-18 |
 |
Midnight Alibi | Babe the Butcher | 1934-07-12 |
 |
Grand Slam | Man Who Speaks Final Line of the Film | 1933-02-22 |
 |
Saturday's Millions | Doc Maloney, Trainer | 1933-09-30 |
 |
The Sphinx | Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan | 1933-06-01 |
 |
The Women in His Life | Paul, Perez's Second Bodyguard | 1933-12-08 |
 |
Hold Your Man | Aubrey C. Mitchell (uncredited) | 1933-06-30 |
 |
Terror Aboard | Boatswain | 1933-04-14 |
 |
Tugboat Annie | Sam | 1933-08-04 |
 |
Day of Reckoning | Harry | 1933-10-26 |
 |
State's Attorney | Police Captain Morgan | 1932-05-20 |
 |
The Phantom President | Sailor (uncredited) | 1932-09-23 |
 |
The Thirteenth Guest | Detective Grump | 1932-08-09 |
 |
My Pal, the King | Red | 1932-04-03 |
 |
Men Are Such Fools | Stiles | 1932-11-18 |
 |
Panama Flo | Al | 1932-01-19 |
 |
Island of Lost Souls | Capt. Donahue | 1932-12-24 |
 |
The Big Stampede | 'Arizona' Frank Bailey | 1932-09-29 |
 |
Hold 'Em Jail | Butch | 1932-08-19 |
 |
Kick In | Detective Whip Fogarty | 1931-05-22 |
 |
The Secret Six | Nick Mizoski - the Gouger | 1931-04-18 |
 |
The Single Sin | Slug | 1931-02-23 |
 |
Maker of Men | Gabby | 1931-08-03 |
 |
The Secret Witness | Officer Brannigan | 1931-12-12 |
 |
Bad Company | Paul Hurst | 1931-10-16 |
 |
Sweepstakes | Bartender | 1931-07-10 |
 |
That's My Line | Mexican Bandit | 1931-07-13 |
 |
The Public Defender | Doc | 1931-08-01 |
 |
The Third Alarm | 'Beauty' Johnson | 1930-11-16 |
 |
Shadow of the Law | Pete Shore | 1930-06-06 |
 |
Officer O'Brien | Captain Antrim | 1930-02-15 |
 |
Lucky Larkin | Pete Brierson | 1930-02-01 |
 |
The Runaway Bride | Sergeant Daly | 1930-05-04 |
 |
Hot Curves | 'Slug', Baseball Player | 1930-06-14 |
 |
Paradise Island | Beauty | 1930-07-15 |
 |
The Swellhead | Mugsy | 1930-03-20 |
 |
Mountain Justice | Lem Harland | 1930-05-04 |
 |
Borrowed Wives | Bull Morgan | 1930-08-20 |
 |
The Racketeer | Mehaffy - Policeman | 1929-11-09 |
 |
Sailor's Holiday | Jimmylegs | 1929-09-14 |
 |
His First Command | Sgt. Westbrook | 1929-12-28 |
 |
Oh, Yeah! | Railroad-Yard Superintendent | 1929-10-19 |
 |
The California Mail | Rowdy Ryan | 1929-04-07 |
 |
Tide of Empire | Poppy | 1929-03-23 |
 |
The Lawless Legion | Ramirez | 1929-02-17 |
 |
Lilac Time | (uncredited) | 1928-10-18 |
 |
The Cossacks | Sitchi | 1928-06-23 |
|
Outlaw's Paradise | McDonald | 1927-03-01 |
 |
Buttons | Slugger McGlue | 1927-12-24 |
 |
The Valley of the Giants | Randeau | 1927-12-04 |
 |
The Red Raiders | Sergeant Murphy | 1927-09-27 |
 |
The Devil's Saddle | 'Swig' Moran | 1927-07-10 |
 |
Roaring Road | Checking Board Tabulator (uncredited) | 1926-05-01 |
|
The Fighting Ranger | 1926-09-15 | |
 |
Blue Streak O'Neil | 1926-12-15 | |
|
The Man Who Would Not Die | 1924-02-03 | |
 |
The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Emeralda's Torturer (uncredited) | 1923-09-06 |
 |
Lightning Bryce | Powder Solvang | 1919-10-14 |
 |
Smashing Through | Stevens | 1918-06-09 |
 |
Rimrock Jones | Ike Bray | 1918-01-21 |
 |
The Railroad Raiders | Steve Arnold (as Paul C. Hurst) | 1917-04-09 |
 |
The Further Adventures of Stingaree | Howie | 1917-06-01 |
 |
The Hazards of Helen | Benton - a Foreman | 1917-02-24 |
 |
The Manager of the B & A | Roger Oakley (as Paul C. Hurst) | 1916-09-25 |
|
The Diamond Runners | Paul - the Brains of the I.D.B. | 1916-08-28 |
 |
Medicine Bend | Murray Sinclair | 1916-07-03 |
 |
Judith of the Cumberlands | Blatchley Turrentine | 1916-07-31 |
 |
Whispering Smith | Murray Sinclair | 1916-06-05 |
 |
A Lass of the Lumberlands | 1916-01-02 | |
 |
The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight | A Trainman | 1915-02-06 |
 |
The Vivisectionist | Bart - Jardine's Servant | 1915-06-23 |
 |
The Girl Detective | Blair / Thompson / Michaels / Snake Henely / Mike Donegal / Bat Dorgan / Kelly / Dalton / Blake | 1915-01-02 |
 |
The Red Signal | Chief Dispatcher | 1915-02-13 |
 |
Stingaree | Howie - Stingaree's Partner | 1915-11-24 |
 |
The Plot at the Railroad Cut | Benton, the Foreman | 1914-11-21 |
|
The Quicksands | Captain Lanning - Osborn's Rival | 1914-06-10 |
|
The Chief of Police | Daniels | 1914-08-04 |
 |
The Cave Men's War | Red Axe | 1913-12-03 |
 |
The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach | Bad Bill - a Desperado | 1912-12-07 |
