Known For
Acting
Born
Aug 28, 1896
Died
Sep 02, 1964
Place of Birth
Danville, Illinois, USA
Credits
180 titles
Morris Ankrum
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Morris Ankrum (born Morris Nussbaum, August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor. Before signing with Paramount Pictures in the 1930s, Nussbaum had already changed his last name to Ankrum. Upon signing with the studio, he chose to use the name "Stephen Morris" before changing it to Morris Ankrum in 1939. Ankrum's stern visage and sharply defined features helped cast him in supporting roles as stalwart authority figures, including scientists, military men (particularly army officers), judges and even psychiatrists in more than 150 films, mostly B movies. One standout role was in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's production of Tennessee Johnson (1942), a biographical film about Andrew Johnson, the 17th U.S. president. As Sen. Jefferson Davis, Ankrum movingly addresses the United States Senate upon his resignation to lead the Confederate States of America as that republic's first—and only—president. Ankrum's film career was extensive and spanned 30 years. His credits were largely concentrated in the western and science-fiction genres. Ankrum appeared in such westerns as Ride 'Em Cowboy in 1942, Vera Cruz opposite Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, Apache (1954), and Cattle Queen of Montana with Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan. In the sci-fi genre, he appeared in Rocketship X-M (1950), Flight to Mars (1951), as a Martian, Red Planet Mars (1952), playing the United States Secretary of Defense; the cult classic Invaders From Mars (1953), playing a United States Army officer; and as an Army general in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). In 1957 he played a psychiatrist in the cult sci-fi classic Kronos and had military-officer roles in Beginning of the End and The Giant Claw.
Known For
Filmography
The Movie Orgy
Self (archive footage)
Guns of Diablo
Ray Macklin
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
Mr. Bowhead (uncredited)
Tower of London
The Archbishop
Most Dangerous Man Alive
Capt. Davis
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
Gen. Lew Wallace
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Walter Harwood
Bonanza
Mr. Mason
From the Earth to the Moon
President Ulysses S. Grant
Tarawa Beachhead
Chief of Staff, Pearl Harbor (uncredited)
Frontier Gun
Andrew Barton
The Rifleman
Bronco
Gilbert Groves
The Saga of Hemp Brown
Bo Slauter
Curse of the Faceless Man
Narrator (unconfirmed)
Twilight for the Gods
Sea Captain
Badman's Country
Mayor Coleman
How to Make a Monster
Police Capt. Hancock
Young and Wild
Police Capt. Egan
Sea Hunt
Giant from the Unknown
Dr. Frederick Cleveland
The Power of the Resurrection
Annas
Maverick
Joshua Haines
Perry Mason
Judge
M Squad
Police Inspector Dean
Omar Khayyam
Sharain's Father
Beginning of the End
Gen. John Hanson
The Giant Claw
Lt. Gen. Edward Considine
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Dr. Carl Jordan
Kronos
Dr. Albert Stern
Hell's Crossroads
Wheeler
Zombies of Mora Tau
Dr. Jonathan Eggert
Down Liberty Road
Fred Schroder
Drango
Henry Calder
Naked Gun
Sheriff Jim Jackson (as Morrie Ankrum)
The Desperados Are in Town
Mr. Rutherford
On Trial
Judge
Dr. Fu Manchu
Professor Rutledge
Walk the Proud Land
Gen. Wade
Earth vs. the Flying Saucers
Brig. Gen. John Hanley
Quincannon, Frontier Scout
Col. Harry Conover
When Gangland Strikes
Leo Fantzler
Fury at Gunsight Pass
Doc Phillips
No Man's Woman
Capt. Hostedder
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Henry
Tennessee's Partner
Judge Parker
Cheyenne
John Clements
Duel on the Mississippi
Magistrate (uncredited)
Gunsmoke
Merle
The Last Command