CINEFILER

Barton MacLane

Born
December 25, 1902
Died
January 1, 1969
Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian. After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers. Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Known For
The Maltese Falcon
(1941)
Lt. of Detectives Dundy
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948)
Pat McCormick
Pocketful of Miracles
(1961)
Police Commissioner
Cry of the Werewolf
(1944)
Lt. Barry Lane
High Sierra
(1941)
Jake Kranmer
The Glenn Miller Story
(1954)
General Arnold
You Only Live Once
(1937)
Stephen Whitney
Bullets or Ballots
(1936)
Al Kruger
Western Union
(1941)
Jack Slade
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(1941)
Sam Higgins
The Big Street
(1942)
Case Ables
Three Violent People
(1956)
Yates
The Rounders
(1965)
Tanner
Backlash
(1956)
Sergeant George Lake
The Walking Dead
(1936)
Loder
'G' Men
(1935)
Collins
Full Filmography
Acting
The Quarterback
(1926)
Football Player (uncredited)
The Cocoanuts
(1929)
Bather
Politics
(1930)
The Gigolo Racket
(1931)
Cafe Customer
His Woman
(1931)
Crewman
Crimes Square
(1931)
Detective with Handcuffs
Naughty-Cal
(1932)
Sailor
The Acid Test
(1932)
Tillie and Gus
(1933)
Commissioner McLennan
Big Executive
(1933)
Harry the Guide
Man of the Forest
(1933)
Mulvey
To the Last Man
(1933)
Neil Stanley
Lone Cowboy
(1933)
Policeman Baxter
The Thundering Herd
(1933)
Henchman Pruitt
Let's Dance
(1933)
All of Me
(1934)
First Cop (uncredited)
The Last Round-up
(1934)
Charley Benson
Black Fury
(1935)
McGee
Page Miss Glory
(1935)
Blackie
Man of Iron
(1935)
Chris Bennett
'G' Men
(1935)
Collins
The Case of the Lucky Legs
(1935)
Bisonette
Go Into Your Dance
(1935)
Duke Hutchinson
Stranded
(1935)
Sharkey
I Found Stella Parish
(1935)
Clifton Jeffords
Frisco Kid
(1935)
Spider Burke
The Case of the Curious Bride
(1935)
Detective Lucas
A Dream Comes True
(1935)
Himself (uncredited)
Dr. Socrates
(1935)
Red Bastian
Breakdowns of 1936
(1936)
Self
Bullets or Ballots
(1936)
Al Kruger
The Walking Dead
(1936)
Loder
Bengal Tiger
(1936)
Cliff Ballenger
Jailbreak
(1936)
Detective Captain Rourke
Times Square Playboy
(1936)
Casey (Vic's Butler/Trainer)
Ceiling Zero
(1936)
Al Stone
You Only Live Once
(1937)
Stephen Whitney
San Quentin
(1937)
Lt. Druggin
Ever Since Eve
(1937)
Al McCoy
Born Reckless
(1937)
Jim Barnes
Draegerman Courage
(1937)
Andrew Beaupre
The Prince and the Pauper
(1937)
John Canty
Breakdowns of 1937
(1937)
Self
Wine, Women and Horses
(1937)
Jim Turner
Fly Away Baby
(1937)
Steve McBride
The Adventurous Blonde
(1937)
Det. Lt. Steve McBride
God's Country and the Woman
(1937)
Bullhead
Smart Blonde
(1937)
Steve McBride
You and Me
(1938)
Mickey
The Storm
(1938)
Captain Cogswell
Prison Break
(1938)
Joaquin Shannon
Gold Is Where You Find It
(1938)
Slag Martin
Torchy Gets Her Man
(1938)
Detective Steve McBride
Blondes at Work
(1938)
Lt. Steve McBride
The Kid Comes Back
(1938)
Gunner Malone
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
(1939)
Det. Lt. Steve 'Mac' McBride
Mutiny in the Big House
(1939)
Red Manson
Torchy Runs for Mayor
(1939)
Steve McBride
I Was a Convict
(1939)
Ace King
Breakdowns of 1939
(1939)
Self
Stand Up and Fight
(1939)
Crowder
Big Town Czar
(1939)
Phil Daley
The Secret Seven
(1940)
Sam O'Donnell
Men Without Souls
(1940)
Blackie Drew
Gangs of Chicago
(1940)
Jim Ramsey
Melody Ranch
(1940)
Mark Wildhack
Barnacle Bill
(1941)
John Kelly
Wild Geese Calling
(1941)
Pirate Kelly
Western Union
(1941)
Jack Slade
Come Live with Me
(1941)
Barney Grogan
High Sierra
(1941)
Jake Kranmer
Hit the Road
(1941)
James J. Ryan
Manpower
(1941)
Smiley Quinn
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(1941)
Sam Higgins
The Maltese Falcon
(1941)
Lt. of Detectives Dundy
Highways by Night
(1942)
Leo Bronson
All Through the Night
(1942)
Marty Callahan
The Big Street
(1942)
Case Ables
Song of Texas
(1943)
Jim Calvert
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
(1943)
Detective Rief
Man of Courage
(1943)
John Wallace
The Underdog
(1943)
John Tate
Bombardier
(1943)
Archie Dixon
Secret Command
(1944)
Red Kelly
Cry of the Werewolf
(1944)
Lt. Barry Lane
Nabonga
(1944)
Carl Hurst
The Mummy's Ghost
(1944)
Inspector Walgreen
Gentle Annie
(1944)
Sheriff Tatum
Marine Raiders
(1944)
Sgt. Maguire
Tarzan and the Amazons
(1945)
Ballister
The Spanish Main
(1945)
Capt. Benjamin Black
Scared Stiff
(1945)
George 'Deacon' Markham
San Quentin
(1946)
Nick Taylor
Mysterious Intruder
(1946)
Detective Taggart
Santa Fe Uprising
(1946)
Crawford
Tarzan and the Huntress
(1947)
Paul Weir
Jungle Flight
(1947)
Case Hagin
Cheyenne
(1947)
Webb Yancey
Unknown Island
(1948)
Capt. Tarnowski
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948)
Pat McCormick
Angel in Exile
(1948)
Max Giorgio
The Walls of Jericho
(1948)
Rufus J. "Gotch" McCurdy
Silver River
(1948)
'Banjo' Sweeney
Relentless
(1948)
Tex Brandow
The Dude Goes West
(1948)
Texas Jack Barton
Red Light
(1949)
Detective Strecker
Let's Dance
(1950)
Larry Channock
The Bandit Queen
(1950)
Sheriff Jim Harden
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
(1950)
Lieutenant John Reece
Best of the Badmen
(1951)
Joad
Drums in the Deep South
(1951)
Sgt. Mac McCardle
The Half-Breed
(1952)
Marshal Cassidy
Bugles in the Afternoon
(1952)
Capt. Myles Moylan
Thunderbirds
(1952)
Sgt. Durkee
Cow Country
(1953)
Marvin Parker
Captain Scarface
(1953)
Captain Scarface
Jack Slade
(1953)
Jules Reni
Sea of Lost Ships
(1953)
Capt. Jack Matthews
Kansas Pacific
(1953)
Cal Bruce
Rails Into Laramie
(1954)
Lee Graham
Jubilee Trail
(1954)
Deacon Bartlett
The Glenn Miller Story
(1954)
General Arnold
Hell's Outpost
(1954)
Sheriff Olson
Jail Busters
(1955)
Captain Jenkins
Treasure of Ruby Hills
(1955)
Chalk Reynolds
The Silver Star
(1955)
Henry 'Tiny' Longtree
Foxfire
(1955)
Jim Mablett
Last of the Desperados
(1955)
Mosby, Gang Leader
Naked Gun
(1956)
Joe Barnum
Wetbacks
(1956)
Karl Shanks
The Man Is Armed
(1956)
Det. Lt. Dan Coster
Backlash
(1956)
Sergeant George Lake
Three Violent People
(1956)
Yates
Jaguar
(1956)
Steve Bailey
Sierra Stranger
(1957)
Lem Gotch
Naked In The Sun
(1957)
Wilson
Hell's Crossroads
(1957)
Clyde O'Connell
Girl on the Run
(1958)
Francis J. Brannigan
The Geisha Boy
(1958)
Major Ridgley
Girl in the Woods
(1958)
Big Jim
Frontier Gun
(1958)
Simon Crayle
Noose for a Gunman
(1960)
Carl Avery
Gunfighters of Abilene
(1960)
Seth
Pocketful of Miracles
(1961)
Police Commissioner
Law of the Lawless
(1964)
Big Tom Stone
Town Tamer
(1965)
James Fell
The Rounders
(1965)
Tanner
Buckskin
(1968)
Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond
Arizona Bushwhackers
(1968)
Sheriff Grover
The Mummy's Ghost
(1968)
Mob Organizer (archive footage)
It's Showtime
(1976)
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
(1983)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bogart: The Untold Story
(1997)
Self (archive footage)
Writing
Data provided by TMDB