Harry Shannon
Born and raised on a farm in Michigan in 1890 IrishAmerican 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 Schildkrauts 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 featurelength movies and although he remained a minor secondstring 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 Kanes 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
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