John McIntire(1907-1991)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
John McIntire possessed the requisite grit, craggy features and crusty,
steely-eyed countenance to make for one of television and film's most
durable supporting players of western settings. Born in Spokane,
Washington in 1907 and the son of a lawyer, he grew up in Montana where
he learned to raise and ride broncos on the family homestead. After two
years at USC, he spent some time out at sea before turning his
attentions to entertainment and the stage. As a radio announcer, he
gained quite a following announcing on the "March of Time" broadcasts.
In the late 1940s, John migrated west and found a niche for himself in
rugged oaters and crimers. Normally the politicians, ranchers and
lawmen he portrayed could be counted on for their integrity, maturity
and worldly wise, no-nonsense approach to life such as in
Black Bart (1948),
Down to the Sea in Ships (1949),
The Asphalt Jungle (1950),
Saddle Tramp (1950) and
The World in His Arms (1952).
However, director Anthony Mann
tapped his versatility and gave him a few shadier, more interesting
villains to play in two of his top-notch western films:
Winchester '73 (1950) and
The Far Country (1954) and a kindhearted role in
The Tin Star (1957).
Television helped John gain an even stronger foothold in late 1950s
Hollywood. Although his character departed the first season of the
Naked City (1958) program, he
became a familiar face in two other classic western series. He won the
role of Christopher Hale in 1961 after
Wagon Train (1957) series' star
Ward Bond died, and then succeeded the late
Charles Bickford in
The Virginian (1962) in 1967
playing Bickford's brother, Clay Grainger, for three years.
John's deep, dusty, resonant voice was utilized often for narratives
and documentaries. In the ensuing years, he and his longtime wife,
actress Jeanette Nolan, became the
Ossie Davis and
Ruby Dee of the sagebrush set,
appearing together as the quintessential frontier couple for decades
and decades. They were married for 56 years until John's death of
emphysema in 1991. They both outlived their son,
Tim McIntire, a strapping, imposing
actor himself, who died in 1986 of heart problems.
steely-eyed countenance to make for one of television and film's most
durable supporting players of western settings. Born in Spokane,
Washington in 1907 and the son of a lawyer, he grew up in Montana where
he learned to raise and ride broncos on the family homestead. After two
years at USC, he spent some time out at sea before turning his
attentions to entertainment and the stage. As a radio announcer, he
gained quite a following announcing on the "March of Time" broadcasts.
In the late 1940s, John migrated west and found a niche for himself in
rugged oaters and crimers. Normally the politicians, ranchers and
lawmen he portrayed could be counted on for their integrity, maturity
and worldly wise, no-nonsense approach to life such as in
Black Bart (1948),
Down to the Sea in Ships (1949),
The Asphalt Jungle (1950),
Saddle Tramp (1950) and
The World in His Arms (1952).
However, director Anthony Mann
tapped his versatility and gave him a few shadier, more interesting
villains to play in two of his top-notch western films:
Winchester '73 (1950) and
The Far Country (1954) and a kindhearted role in
The Tin Star (1957).
Television helped John gain an even stronger foothold in late 1950s
Hollywood. Although his character departed the first season of the
Naked City (1958) program, he
became a familiar face in two other classic western series. He won the
role of Christopher Hale in 1961 after
Wagon Train (1957) series' star
Ward Bond died, and then succeeded the late
Charles Bickford in
The Virginian (1962) in 1967
playing Bickford's brother, Clay Grainger, for three years.
John's deep, dusty, resonant voice was utilized often for narratives
and documentaries. In the ensuing years, he and his longtime wife,
actress Jeanette Nolan, became the
Ossie Davis and
Ruby Dee of the sagebrush set,
appearing together as the quintessential frontier couple for decades
and decades. They were married for 56 years until John's death of
emphysema in 1991. They both outlived their son,
Tim McIntire, a strapping, imposing
actor himself, who died in 1986 of heart problems.