Name
Paul Hurst
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1888-10-14
Deathday
1953-02-27 (65 years old)
Place of Birth
Traver, California, USA
Biography
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)
Known For
7.9
The spoiled daughter of a Georgia plantation owner conducts a tumultuous romance with a cy...
6.704
The O'Leary brothers -- honest Jack and roguish Dion -- become powerful figures, and event...
6.92
An obsessed scientist conducts profane experiments in evolution, eventually establishing h...
7.548
Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life. When a relative...
6.919
Joe and Paul Fabrini are Wildcat, or independent, truck drivers who have their own small o...
6.981
In 1867, a gang robs a bank and flees into the desert. Out of water, the outlaws encounter...
5.1
Deputy Sheriff John Steele recruits bandit Sonora Joe to help him find out who's been bump...
6.897
Popular monarch Queen Christina of Sweden must choose between love and loyalty to her nati...
6.9
Rebecca's Uncle Harry leaves her with Aunt Miranda who forbids her to associate with show ...
- 1943 The Ox-Bow Incident as Monty Smith
- 1939 Gone with the Wind as Yankee Deserter
- 1932 Island of Lost Souls as Capt. Donahue
- 1930 Paradise Island as Beauty
- 1947 Angel and the Badman as Frederick Carson
- 1945 Steppin' in Society as Cookie
- 1926 Roaring Road as Checking Board Tabulator (uncredited)
- 1941 Petticoat Politics as Slats O'Dell
- 1937 Trouble in Morocco as Tiger Malone
- 1931 The Secret Six as Nick Mizoski - the Gouger
- 1912 The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach as Bad Bill - a Desperado
- 1945 Scared Stiff as Sheriff
- 1917 The Railroad Raiders as Steve Arnold (as Paul C. Hurst)
- 1917 The Hazards of Helen as Benton - a Foreman
- 1915 The Girl Detective as Blair / Thompson / Michaels / Snake Henely / Mike Donegal / Bat Dorgan / Kelly / Dalton / Blake
- 1916 A Lass of the Lumberlands
- 1943 Hi'ya, Chum as Archie Billings
- 1940 The Westerner as Chickenfoot
- 1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band as Bill Mulligan
- 1952 Toughest Man in Arizona
- 1951 Million Dollar Pursuit as Ray Harvey
- 1938 Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm as Mug
- 1932 The Big Stampede as 'Arizona' Frank Bailey
- 1941 Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring as Page
- 1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Emeralda's Torturer (uncredited)
- 1944 Summer Storm as Orloff
- 1933 The Sphinx as Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan
- 1938 Topper Takes a Trip as Charlie - the Bartender
- 1935 The Gay Deception as Bell Captain
- 1916 Whispering Smith as Murray Sinclair
- 1937 Angel's Holiday as Sgt. Murphy
- 1941 Tall, Dark and Handsome as Biff Sage
- 1914 The Quicksands as Captain Lanning - Osborn's Rival
- 1932 The Thirteenth Guest as Detective Grump
- 1931 Bad Company as Paul Hurst
- 1914 The Chief of Police as Daniels
- 1938 In Old Chicago as Mitch
- 1929 The Racketeer as Mehaffy - Policeman
- 1943 December 7th as World War I Ghost Soldier
- 1918 Rimrock Jones as Ike Bray
- 1915 Stingaree as Howie - Stingaree's Partner
- 1917 The Further Adventures of Stingaree as Howie
- 1933 Terror Aboard as Boatswain
- 1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town as Captain
- 1941 Caught in the Draft as Sgt. Burns
- 1953 The Sun Shines Bright as Jimmy Bagby
- 1915 The Red Signal as Chief Dispatcher
- 1914 The Plot at the Railroad Cut as Benton, the Foreman
- 1935 Sequoia as Bergman
- 1916 The Diamond Runners as Paul - the Brains of the I.D.B.
- 1916 Judith of the Cumberlands as Blatchley Turrentine
- 1916 Medicine Bend as Murray Sinclair
- 1942 Night in New Orleans as Sergeant Casper Riordan
- 1939 Broadway Serenade as Reynolds, a Drunk
- 1930 Swellhead as Mugsy
- 1937 Danger – Love at Work as NYC policeman
- 1938 Island in the Sky as Happy
- 1939 It Could Happen to You as Sandy
- 1930 Borrowed Wives as Bull Morgan
- 1949 Ranger of Cherokee Strip as Sheriff Jug Mason
- 1931 That's My Line as Mexican Bandit
- 1937 Second Honeymoon as Dennis Huggins
- 1934 Midnight Alibi as Babe the Butcher
- 1936 I'd Give My Life as "Sport" Conly
- 1928 The Cossacks as Sitchi
- 1943 Calaboose as Ed the bartender
- 1931 Sweepstakes as Bartender
- 1930 Hot Curves as 'Slug', Baseball Player
- 1935 Shadow of Doubt as Lt. Sackville
- 1938 Secrets of a Nurse as Arlington Bysshe 'Slice' Cavanaugh
- 1945 The Big Show-Off as Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler
- 1940 Tugboat Annie Sails Again as Pete
- 1939 Remember? as Policeman
- 1939 Bad Lands as Curly Tom
- 1946 The Plainsman and the Lady as Al
- 1937 The Legion of Missing Men as Muggsy
- 1937 Wake Up and Live as McCabe
- 1944 Girl Rush as Muley
- 1941 Virginia as Thomas
- 1938 Prison Break as Soapy
- 1938 Hold That Co-ed as Slapsy
- 1943 The Sky's the Limit as Dock Foreman (uncredited)
- 1944 Something for the Boys as Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited)
- 1930 The Runaway Bride as Sergeant Daly
- 1938 My Lucky Star as Louie
- 1930 Officer O'Brien as Captain Antrim
- 1932 State's Attorney as Police Captain Morgan
- 1927 The Devil's Saddle as 'Swig' Moran
- 1931 The Single Sin as Slug
- 1929 The California Mail as Rowdy Ryan
- 1932 Men Are Such Fools as Stiles
- 1927 The Red Raiders as Sergeant Murphy
- 1929 The Lawless Legion as Ramirez
- 1930 Lucky Larkin as Pete Brierson
- 1930 Mountain Justice as Lem Harland
- 1913 The Cave Men's War as Red Axe
- 1932 My Pal, the King as Red
- 1937 She's No Lady as Cop
- 1937 The Lady Fights Back as Maloney
- 1929 Tide of Empire as Poppy
- 1930 Shadow of the Law as Pete Shore
- 1937 Slave Ship as Drunk
- 1938 Josette as A. Adolphus Heyman
- 1919 Lightning Bryce as Powder Solvang
- 1935 Public Hero Number 1 as Rufe Parker
- 1915 The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight as A Trainman
- 1929 Sailor's Holiday as Jimmylegs
- 1937 We Who Are About to Die as Tip Fuller
- 1926 Blue Streak O'Neil
- 1937 You Can't Have Everything as Truck Driver (uncredited)
- 1936 Robin Hood of El Dorado as Wilson
- 1934 A Very Honorable Guy as Butler
- 1939 Cafe Society as Bartender
- 1928 Lilac Time as (uncredited)
- 1931 The Secret Witness as Officer Brannigan
- 1948 Who Killed Doc Robbin? as Jailer
- 1946 The Virginian
- 1934 Tomorrow's Youth as Detective
- 1931 The Public Defender as Doc
- 1935 Maybe It's Love as Expressman (uncredited)
- 1939 On Your Toes as Variety Club Bartender
- 1939 Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence as Empire State Building Guard
- 1939 Each Dawn I Die as Garsky
- 1934 Take the Stand as Denny O'Brien
- 1942 Dudes Are Pretty People as Two-Gun
- 1949 Prince of the Plains as Sheriff Hank Hartley
- 1939 Glove Slingers as Chuck Brenner
- 1949 Pioneer Marshal as Huck Homer
- 1940 Spring Parade as Headwaiter
- 1927 The Valley of the Giants as Randeau
- 1949 San Antone Ambush as Happy Daniels
- 1932 The Phantom President as Sailor (uncredited)
- 1934 Among the Missing as Capt. W.F. 'Big Bill' Connors
- 1948 The Arizona Ranger as Ben Riddle
- 1933 Tugboat Annie as Sam
- 1929 Oh, Yeah! as Railroad-Yard Superintendent
- 1932 Hold 'Em Jail as Butch
- 1941 The Great Mr. Nobody as Michael O'Connor
- 1935 The Daring Young Man as Prison Guard
- 1949 South of Rio as Andy Weems
- 1915 The Vivisectionist as Bart - Jardine's Servant
- 1936 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as 1st Deputy (uncredited)
- 1945 Dakota as Captain Spotts
- 1940 Edison, the Man as Sheriff
- 1946 Death Valley as Sergeant Dailey
- 1937 You Can't Beat Love as Foreman Butch Mehaffey
- 1948 Madonna of the Desert as Pete Connors
- 1943 Coney Island as Louie
- 1936 North of Nome as Carlson
- 1931 Maker of Men as Gabby
- 1938 No Time to Marry as Sergeant
- 1948 Son of God’s Country as Eli Walker
- 1941 The Parson of Panamint as Jake Waldren
- 1938 The Last Express as Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer
- 1948 Gun Smugglers as Sergeant Hasty Jones
- 1937 This Is My Affair as Bowler
- 1946 In Old Sacramento as Stagecoach Driver
- 1945 Midnight Manhunt as Murphy
- 1948 California Firebrand as Chuck Waggoner
- 1918 Smashing Through as Stevens
- 1934 Queen Christina as Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited)
- 1936 To Mary - with Love as Drunk
- 1937 Wife, Doctor and Nurse as Bill
- 1940 Torrid Zone as Daniels
- 1940 Castle on the Hudson as Guard (uncredited)
- 1940 They Drive by Night as Pete Haig (uncredited)
- 1932 Panama Flo as Al
- 1950 The Missourians as John X. Finn
- 1950 The Old Frontier as Skipper Horton
- 1941 This Woman Is Mine as Second Mate Mumford
- 1942 Sundown Jim as Broderick
- 1952 Big Jim McLain as Mr. Lexiter
- 1931 Kick In as Detective Whip Fogarty
- 1940 Goin' Fishin'
- 1947 Under Colorado Skies as Lucky John Hawkins
- 1935 Carnival as Policeman
- 1950 The Vanishing Westerner as Waldorf Worthington
- 1949 Law of the Golden West as Otis Ellis
- 1949 Outcasts of the Trail as Doc Meadowlark
- 1936 The Gay Desperado as American Detective
- 1948 Yellow Sky as Drunk (uncredited)
- 1944 Barbary Coast Gent as Jake Compton
- 1933 Saturday's Millions as Doc Maloney, Trainer
- 1948 Heart of Virginia as Whit Galtry
- 1937 Super-Sleuth as Motorcycle Cop
- 1937 Fifty Roads to Town as Tom
- 1940 Star Dust as Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech
- 1933 Day of Reckoning as Harry
- 1946 Murder in the Music Hall as Hobarth
- 1934 The Big Race as Skipper O'Neal
- 1933 The Women in His Life as Paul, Perez's Second Bodyguard
- 1933 Grand Slam as Man Who Speaks Final Line of the Film
- 1927 Outlaw's Paradise as McDonald
- 1942 Pardon My Stripes as Feets
- 1926 The Fighting Ranger
- 1944 The Ghost That Walks Alone as Sheriff Slim Carson
- 1936 Blackmailer as Inspector Killian
- 1940 South to Karanga as Slats
- 1927 Buttons as Slugger McGlue
- 1916 The Manager of the B & A as Roger Oakley (as Paul C. Hurst)
- 1930 The Third Alarm as 'Beauty' Johnson
- 1939 Quick Millions as Sheriff
- 1935 Mississippi as Hefty
- 1929 His First Command as Sgt. Westbrook
- 1936 Riffraff as Belcher
- 1934 The Ballad of Paducah Jail as Escaped Felon
- 1934 Charlie Chan's Courage as Undetermined Role
- 1935 Calm Yourself as Detective Roscoe
- 1933 Hold Your Man as Aubrey C. Mitchell (uncredited)
- 1935 The Case of the Curious Bride as Fibo Morgan (uncredited)
- 1924 The Man Who Would Not Die
- 1934 The Line-Up as Detective Sgt. Doyle
- 1929 The Rainbow as Pat
- 1935 Wilderness Mail as Jules
