Al Bridge was an American character actor, a fixture both in Westerns and in the comedies of Preston Sturges.
Although frequently billed as Alan Bridge, he was born Alfred Morton Bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1891 (not as Alford Bridge in 1890, as his tombstone erroneously states).
Following service as a corporal in the U.S. Army infantry in the first World War, Bridge joined a theatrical troupe. He dabbled in writing and in 1930 sold a script to a short film, Her Hired Husband (1930). He followed this with a B-Western script, God's Country and the Man (1931), in which he made his film debut as an actor.
For the next quarter century, he managed the atypical achievement of maintaining a career in both B-Westerns and in bigger dramatic and comedy features. Ten films for director Preston Sturges represent probably his most familiar contribution to Hollywood history. Bridge also appeared frequently on television until his death in 1957 at 66.
Known For
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Sheriff (uncredited)
The Little Foxes
(1941)
Dawson (uncredited)
T-Men
(1947)
Agent in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
(1939)
Senator Dwight (uncredited)
Dead End
(1937)
Policeman in Drina's Apartment (Uncredited)
The Roaring Twenties
(1939)
Ship Captain (uncredited)
The Awful Truth
(1937)
Motor Cop (uncredited)
The Lady Eve
(1941)
First Steward (uncredited)
In This Our Life
(1942)
Worker (uncredited)
Jezebel
(1938)
New Orleans Sheriff (uncredited)
Sullivan's Travels
(1941)
The Mister
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
(1943)
Mr. Johnson
You Only Live Once
(1937)
Guard (uncredited)
A Night at the Opera
(1935)
Immigration Inspector (uncredited)
The Talk of the Town
(1942)
Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
(1942)
Conductor
Full Filmography
Acting
God's Country and the Man
(1931)
Livermore
Galloping Thru
(1931)
Sandy Thompson
The Ridin' Fool
(1931)
Nikkos (as Al Bridges)
The Greater Love
(1931)
Deputy Bill Gaines
The Wyoming Whirlwind
(1932)
Steve Cantrell
Blonde Venus
(1932)
Bouncer (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express
(1932)
The Station Agent
Slightly Married
(1932)
Tenant
The Spirit of the West
(1932)
Tom Fallon
The Devil Horse
(1932)
Henchman Curley Bates
Million Dollar Legs
(1932)
Secret Emissary #3 (uncredited)
South of Santa Fe
(1932)
Henchman Wooly
Police Court
(1932)
The Thirteenth Guest
(1932)
Policeman (Uncredited)
Broadway to Cheyenne
(1932)
Al
A Man's Land
(1932)
Steve - Rustler
The Forty-Niners
(1932)
Squaw O'Hara
The Cowboy Counsellor
(1932)
Sheriff Matt Farraday
Fighting With Kit Carson
(1933)
Reynolds
The Lone Avenger
(1933)
Burl Adams
Son of the Border
(1933)
Tupper
Drum Taps
(1933)
Lariat Smith
The Cheyenne Kid
(1933)
Denver Ed
Sucker Money
(1933)
George Hunter
When a Man Rides Alone
(1933)
Montana Slade
Black Beauty
(1933)
Hack Driver
Fighting Texans
(1933)
Gur Durkin
Honor of the Range
(1934)
Townsman (uncredited)
Mystery Mountain
(1934)
Tom Henderson
The Curtain Falls
(1934)
Mover
Silent Valley
(1935)
Jim Farley
Valley of Wanted Men
(1935)
Ranger Sergeant Parsons
Gallant Defender
(1935)
Salty Smith
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
(1935)
Mitchell
Melody Trail
(1935)
Matt Kirby
North of Arizona
(1935)
George Tully
The New Frontier
(1935)
Kit
Transient Lady
(1935)
Sheriff Angel Verner
Confidential
(1935)
Hanover - Walsh's Henchman
Diamond Jim
(1935)
Poker Player on Train
Outlaw Rule
(1935)
Deputy Bat Lindstrom
Alibi Racket
(1935)
Chief Inspector August Wilmer
A Night at the Opera
(1935)
Immigration Inspector (uncredited)
The Murder Man
(1935)
Judge John C. Garfield (uncredited)
Rendezvous
(1935)
Sergeant (uncredited)
Alias Mary Dow
(1935)
Ditch-Digger (uncredited)
The Gay Deception
(1935)
Jail Attendant (uncredited)
The Lawless Nineties
(1936)
Steele
Fast Bullets
(1936)
Travis
Ace Drummond
(1936)
Paul Wyckoff
Public Enemy's Wife
(1936)
Swartzman
They Met in a Taxi
(1936)
Detective
Call of the Prairie
(1936)
Sam Porter
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell
(1936)
Henchman Black
Dodge City Trail
(1936)
Dawson
These Three
(1936)
Mrs. Walton's Chauffeur (uncredited)
Crash Donovan
(1936)
Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
The Three Mesquiteers
(1936)
Alden Canfield
The Bridge of Sighs
(1936)
Ballistics Expert (uncredited)
Trail Dust
(1936)
Babson
Dead End
(1937)
Policeman in Drina's Apartment (Uncredited)
Springtime in the Rockies
(1937)
Briggs
Jungle Jim
(1937)
Slade
Wild West Days
(1937)
Steve Claggett, Henchman
Woman Chases Man
(1937)
Process Server (uncredited)
Borderland
(1937)
Dandy Morgan
The Awful Truth
(1937)
Motor Cop (uncredited)
Two Gun Law
(1937)
Kipp Faulkner
Tim Tyler's Luck
(1937)
Capt. Trowbridge
You Only Live Once
(1937)
Guard (uncredited)
Western Gold
(1937)
Holman (as Alan Bridge)
They Won't Forget
(1937)
Mob Leader Outside Governor's Mansion (uncredited)
Crime School
(1938)
Mr. Burke
Partners of the Plains
(1938)
Scar Lewis
Gunsmoke Trail
(1938)
Sheriff chasing Loma
Adventure in Sahara
(1938)
Cpl. Dronov
Jezebel
(1938)
New Orleans Sheriff (uncredited)
Colorado Trail
(1938)
Mark Sheldon
Marie Antoinette
(1938)
Official in Passport Office (uncredited)
Little Miss Roughneck
(1938)
Sheriff
Two Gun Justice
(1938)
Sheriff (as Al Bridges)
Born to Be Wild
(1938)
Kennedy - Trucker in Cafe (uncredited)
Sons of Liberty
(1939)
Prisoner (uncredited)
The Phantom Creeps
(1939)
White Rose Sailor
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
(1939)
Senator Dwight (uncredited)
Buck Rogers
(1939)
Dynamo Room Floor Guard
Devil's Island
(1939)
Captain of the Guards
The Oklahoma Kid
(1939)
Would-Be Settler (uncredited)
Thunder Afloat
(1939)
Fisherman (uncredited)
The Roaring Twenties
(1939)
Ship Captain (uncredited)
Oklahoma Frontier
(1939)
Kentuck
Romance of the Redwoods
(1939)
Boss Whittaker
The Man from Sundown
(1939)
Slick Larson
Blue Montana Skies
(1939)
Marshal
The Stranger from Texas
(1939)
Jeff Browning
Christmas in July
(1940)
Mr. Hillbeiner
The Green Hornet Strikes Again!
(1940)
Ship's Captain
When the Daltons Rode
(1940)
My Little Chickadee
(1940)
Barfly Drinking Straight Whiskey (uncredited)
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Palmyra Townsman (uncredited)
Dark Command
(1940)
Slave Trader
Winners of the West
(1940)
Captain
Flowing Gold
(1940)
Highway Patrolman (uncredited)
The Courageous Dr. Christian
(1940)
Sheriff
Blazing Six Shooters
(1940)
Bert Karsin
Pioneers of the Frontier
(1940)
Marshal Larsen
The Kid's Last Ride
(1941)
Bob Harmon / Jim Breeden
Rawhide Rangers
(1941)
Rawlings
The Lady Eve
(1941)
First Steward (uncredited)
The Lady from Cheyenne
(1941)
Mr. Matthews
The Little Foxes
(1941)
Dawson (uncredited)
Honolulu Lu
(1941)
Shooting Gallery Proprietor
Sullivan's Travels
(1941)
The Mister
Fighting Bill Fargo
(1941)
Tom Houston
The Lone Rider Rides On
(1941)
Bob Cameron
Law of the Range
(1941)
Jamison
Lady from Louisiana
(1941)
Captain of Police
Badlands Of Dakota
(1941)
Plainview Lawman
Honky Tonk
(1941)
Townsman at Meeting House
The Talk of the Town
(1942)
Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
(1942)
Conductor
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
(1942)
Man
Meet the Stewarts
(1942)
Police Turnkey (uncredited)
I Married a Witch
(1942)
Second Prison Guard (uncredited)
Bad Men of the Hills
(1942)
Mace Arnold
A Man's World
(1942)
Captain Peterson
In This Our Life
(1942)
Worker (uncredited)
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine
(1942)
Trustee
The Man Who Returned to Life
(1942)
Pardon My Stripes
(1942)
Guard (uncredited)
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
(1943)
Mr. Johnson
Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground
(1943)
Matt Warner
Idaho
(1943)
Jailer
Nobody's Darling
(1943)
Bum (uncredited)
Hail the Conquering Hero
(1944)
Political Boss
The Missing Juror
(1944)
Deputy Sheriff Ben (Uncredited)
Charlie Chan in The Jade Mask
(1945)
Sheriff Mack
Thunderhead - Son of Flicka
(1945)
Dr. Hicks
She Wouldn't Say Yes
(1945)
Conductor (uncredited)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
(1945)
Cheap Charlie (uncredited)
They Were Expendable
(1945)
Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited)
Salty O'Rourke
(1945)
Bartender (uncredited)
Saratoga Trunk
(1945)
Soule Gang Engineer (uncredited)
Below the Deadline
(1946)
Turner
Shadows Over Chinatown
(1946)
Captain Allen
The Falcon's Alibi
(1946)
Police Inspector Blake
Alias Mr. Twilight
(1946)
Sam Bartlett
Cross My Heart
(1946)
Detective Flynn
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Sheriff (uncredited)
Singin' in the Corn
(1946)
Honest John Richards
Road to Utopia
(1946)
Ship Captain (uncredited)
Deadline at Dawn
(1946)
Detective Smiley (uncredited)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
(1947)
Wild Bill Hickock
Robin Hood Of Texas
(1947)
Sheriff
The Fabulous Joe
(1947)
Florida Club Bartender
Black Gold
(1947)
Dr. Jonas - Veterinarian
Dick Tracy's Dilemma
(1947)
Mr. Cudd (uncredited)
Framed
(1947)
(uncredited)
The Mighty McGurk
(1947)
Toothless Derelict (uncredited)
Down to Earth
(1947)
Police Captain (uncredited)
T-Men
(1947)
Agent in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Quick on the Trigger
(1948)
Judge Kormac
Unfaithfully Yours
(1948)
House Detective
Silver River
(1948)
Sam Slade
Squadron of Doom
(1949)
Wyckoff
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
(1949)
Sheriff
The Devil's Henchman
(1949)
Elmer Hood
California Passage
(1950)
Conover
Hunt the Man Down
(1950)
Ulysses Grant Sheldon (uncredited)
Utah Wagon Train
(1951)
Sam Sickle
All That I Have
(1951)
John Biddle
In Old Amarillo
(1951)
Sheriff (uncredited)
Oh! Susanna
(1951)
Jake Ledbetter
Barbed Wire
(1952)
Homesteader McGraw
The Last Musketeer
(1952)
Lem Shaver
We're Not Married!
(1952)
Detective Magnus (uncredited)
Iron Mountain Trail
(1953)
Marshal
Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake
(1954)
Hotel Desk Clerk
Hell's Outpost
(1954)
Banker (uncredited)
Jubilee Trail
(1954)
Mr. Turner (uncredited)
Writing