1910-10-27 Carman, Manitoba, Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Elmer "Jack" Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born, American film actor, with a film career spanning the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Though he was primarily used in supporting roles for comic relief, his work in films such as Mildred Pierce (1945) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) displayed his mastery of "straight" dramatic actor roles as well. He worked for RKO and MGM (cast opposite Myrna Loy and William Powell in Love Crazy), but most of his memorable work was for Warner Bros. His trademark character was the wisecracking know-it-all, typically and inevitably undone by his own smug cockiness. Carson initially landed bit roles at RKO Radio Pictures in films such as Bringing Up Baby (1938), starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. An early standout role for Carson was as a mock-drunk undercover G-Man opposite Richard Cromwell in Universal Pictures's anti-Nazi action drama entitled Enemy Agent. This led to contract-player status with Warner Brothers shortly thereafter. While there, he was teamed with Dennis Morgan in a number of films, supposedly to compete with Paramount's popular Bing Crosby - Bob Hope Road to … pictures. Most of his work at Warner Brothers was limited to light comedy work with Morgan, and later Doris Day (who in her autobiography would credit Carson as one of her early Hollywood mentors). Critics generally agree that Carson's best work was in Mildred Pierce (1945), where he played the perpetually scheming Wally Fay opposite Joan Crawford in the title role. Also in 1945, he played the role of Harold Pierson, the second husband of Louise Randall, played by Rosalind Russell, in Roughly Speaking. Another role which won accolades for him was as publicist Matt Libby in A Star is Born (1954). One of his last film roles was as the older brother "Gooper" in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). His TV appearances, extending into the early 1960s, included The Martha Raye Show, The Guy Mitchell Show, and The Polly Bergen Show in 1957; Alcoa Theatre and Bonanza (Season 1, Ep.9: "Mr. Henry Comstock") in 1959; Thriller ("The Big Blackout") in 1960; and The Twilight Zone (Season 2, Ep. 14: "The Whole Truth") in 1961. On February 8, 1960, Carson received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television and radio industry. The television star is located at 1560 Vine Street, the radio star is at 6361 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1983, after his death, Jack Carson was inducted into the Wisconsin Performing Artists Hall of Fame along with his film pal, Dennis Morgan, who was also from Wisconsin.
 |
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life | Self (archive footage) | 1987-03-13 |
 |
Going Hollywood: The '30s | (archive footage) | 1984-01-01 |
 |
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1983-02-25 |
 |
Sammy, the Way-Out Seal | Harold Sylvester | 1962-10-28 |
 |
The Children of Alda Nuova | Frankie Fane | 1962-06-05 |
 |
Who Killed Julie Greer? | Fairchild | 1961-09-26 |
 |
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein | Timothy W. 'Big Tim' O'Brien | 1961-06-11 |
 |
The Bramble Bush | Bert Mosley | 1960-02-24 |
 |
Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! | Captain Hoxie | 1958-12-23 |
 |
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Gooper | 1958-08-29 |
 |
The Tattered Dress | Sheriff Nick Hoak | 1957-03-14 |
 |
The Tarnished Angels | Jiggs | 1957-11-21 |
 |
Three Men on a Horse | Patsy | 1957-04-18 |
 |
Magnificent Roughnecks | Bix Decker | 1956-07-22 |
 |
The Bottom of the Bottle | Hal Breckinridge | 1956-02-01 |
 |
Arroyo | Lamar Kendall | 1955-10-26 |
 |
Ain't Misbehavin' | Harold North | 1955-06-30 |
 |
A Star Is Born | Matt Libby | 1954-10-01 |
 |
A Star Is Born World Premiere | Self - Host | 1954-09-28 |
 |
Phffft | Charlie Nelson | 1954-11-10 |
 |
Red Garters | Jason Carberry | 1954-02-09 |
 |
Dangerous When Wet | Windy Webbe | 1953-06-18 |
 |
Mister Universe | Jeff Clayton | 1951-01-10 |
 |
The Groom Wore Spurs | Ben Castle | 1951-03-13 |
 |
Bright Leaf | Chris Malley | 1950-06-16 |
 |
The Good Humor Man | Biff Jones | 1950-03-24 |
 |
My Dream Is Yours | Doug Blake | 1949-04-15 |
 |
John Loves Mary | Fred Taylor | 1949-02-04 |
 |
It's a Great Feeling | Jack Carson | 1949-08-20 |
 |
Romance on the High Seas | Peter Virgil | 1948-06-25 |
 |
Two Guys from Texas | Danny Foster | 1948-08-27 |
 |
April Showers | Joe Tyme | 1948-03-27 |
 |
Love and Learn | Jingles Collins | 1947-05-02 |
 |
Always Together | Bill (uncredited) | 1947-12-10 |
|
So You Want to Be in Pictures | Man Giving Directions (uncredited) | 1947-06-07 |
 |
The Time, The Place and The Girl | Jeff Howard | 1946-12-26 |
 |
One More Tomorrow | Patrick 'Pat' Regan | 1946-05-24 |
 |
Two Guys from Milwaukee | Buzz Williams | 1946-07-26 |
 |
Okay for Sound | 1946-09-07 | |
 |
Mildred Pierce | Wally Fay | 1945-10-20 |
 |
Roughly Speaking | Harold C. Pierson | 1945-01-31 |
 |
Shine on Harvest Moon | The Great Georgetti | 1944-03-10 |
|
The Road to Victory | Jack Carson (uncredited) | 1944-05-18 |
 |
The Doughgirls | Arthur Halstead | 1944-11-25 |
 |
Breakdowns of 1944 | Self | 1944-12-31 |
 |
The Shining Future | Self | 1944-04-11 |
 |
Make Your Own Bed | Jerry Curtis | 1944-06-10 |
 |
Hollywood Canteen | Self | 1944-12-15 |
 |
Arsenic and Old Lace | Officer Patrick O'Hara | 1944-09-01 |
 |
Thank Your Lucky Stars | Self | 1943-09-25 |
 |
The Hard Way | Albert Runkel | 1943-01-13 |
 |
Princess O'Rourke | Dave Campbell | 1943-10-23 |
 |
Food and Magic | 1943-11-18 | |
 |
The Male Animal | Joe Ferguson | 1942-03-12 |
 |
Larceny, Inc. | Jeff Randolph | 1942-04-24 |
 |
Breakdowns of 1942 | Self | 1942-12-31 |
 |
Gentleman Jim | Walter Lawrie | 1942-11-14 |
 |
Wings for the Eagle | Brad Maple | 1942-07-18 |
 |
The Bride Came C.O.D. | Allen Brice | 1941-07-12 |
 |
Navy Blues | 'Buttons' Johnson | 1941-09-13 |
 |
Blues in the Night | Leo Powell | 1941-11-15 |
 |
Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Chuck | 1941-01-31 |
 |
Love Crazy | Ward Willoughby | 1941-05-23 |
 |
The Strawberry Blonde | Hugo Barnstead | 1941-02-21 |
 |
Breakdowns of 1941 | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1941-11-14 |
 |
City of Chance | Narration - Prologue (voice) | 1940-01-13 |
 |
Sandy Gets Her Man | Policeman Tom Garrity | 1940-11-08 |
 |
Enemy Agent | Ralph | 1940-04-18 |
 |
I Take This Woman | Joe | 1940-02-02 |
 |
Parole Fixer | George Mattison | 1940-02-02 |
 |
Alias the Deacon | Sullivan | 1940-05-13 |
 |
Love Thy Neighbor | Policeman | 1940-12-27 |
 |
Lucky Partners | Frederick Harper | 1940-08-02 |
 |
Queen of the Mob | Agent Ross Waring | 1940-06-28 |
 |
Girl in 313 | Police Lt. Pat O'Farrell | 1940-05-31 |
 |
Shooting High | Gabby Cross | 1940-04-25 |
 |
Typhoon | Mate | 1940-05-16 |
 |
The Escape | Chet Warren | 1939-10-05 |
 |
The Kid From Texas | Stanley Brown | 1939-04-14 |
 |
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | Sweeney Farrell (uncredited) | 1939-10-19 |
 |
Destry Rides Again | Jack Tyndall | 1939-11-30 |
 |
Fifth Avenue Girl | Minnesota (uncredited) | 1939-09-22 |
 |
Legion of Lost Flyers | Larry Barrigan | 1939-11-02 |
 |
Vivacious Lady | Waiter Captain | 1938-05-13 |
 |
Next Time I Marry | Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited) | 1938-12-09 |
 |
The Saint in New York | Red Jenks | 1938-05-25 |
 |
Carefree | Connors | 1938-09-02 |
 |
Law of the Underworld | Henchman Johnny | 1938-05-06 |
 |
Crashing Hollywood | Dickson | 1938-01-07 |
 |
Having Wonderful Time | Emil Beatty | 1938-07-01 |
 |
This Marriage Business | "Candid" Perry | 1938-04-08 |
 |
Go Chase Yourself | Warren Miles | 1938-04-22 |
 |
Night Spot | Shallen | 1938-02-25 |
 |
Maid's Night Out | Rollercoaster Ride Attendant (uncredited) | 1938-03-03 |
 |
Everybody's Doing It | Detective Lieutenant | 1938-01-14 |
 |
Bringing Up Baby | Circus Roustabout (uncredited) | 1938-02-18 |
 |
Condemned Women | Plainclothes Policeman | 1938-03-18 |
 |
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off | Rochet | 1938-10-07 |
 |
On Again—Off Again | Cop | 1937-07-09 |
 |
A Rented Riot | 1937-11-07 | |
 |
Stage Door | Mr. Milbanks | 1937-10-08 |
 |
High Flyers | Dave Hanlon | 1937-11-07 |
 |
Harris in the Spring | Taxicab Driver | 1937-12-03 |
 |
She's Got Everything | Ransome (uncredited) | 1937-12-31 |
 |
Too Many Wives | Hodges | 1937-04-09 |
 |
You Only Live Once | Attendant in First Gas Station | 1937-01-23 |
 |
Stand-In | Tom Potts | 1937-10-29 |
 |
Music for Madame | Assistant Director | 1937-10-08 |
 |
Quick Money | Coach Woodford | 1937-12-10 |
