Paul Hurst
from Traver, California, USA
from Traver, California, USA
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)
Jimmy Bagby
Mr. Lexiter
(Unknown)
Ray Harvey
Waldorf Worthington
Skipper Horton
John X. Finn
Sheriff Hank Hartley
Otis Ellis
Doc Meadowlark
Andy Weems
Happy Daniels
Sheriff Jug Mason
Huck Homer
Pete Connors
Chuck Waggoner
Jailer
Whit Galtry
Ben Riddle
Eli Walker
Drunk (uncredited)
Sergeant Hasty Jones
Frederick Carson
Lucky John Hawkins
Hobarth
(Unknown)
Stagecoach Driver
Sergeant Dailey
Al
Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler
Sheriff
Cookie
Murphy
Captain Spotts
Sheriff Slim Carson
Orloff
Jake Compton
Muley
Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited)
Ed the bartender
Archie Billings
World War I Ghost Soldier
Monty Smith
Louie
Dock Foreman (uncredited)
Feets
Two-Gun
Broderick
Sergeant Casper Riordan
Biff Sage
Thomas
Slats O'Dell
Michael O'Connor
Sgt. Burns
Jake Waldren
Second Mate Mumford
Page
Guard (uncredited)
Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech
Sheriff
Daniels
Pete Haig (uncredited)
Slats
Chickenfoot
Headwaiter
(Unknown)
Pete
Bartender
Reynolds, a Drunk
It Could Happen to You
Sandy
Garsky
Sheriff
Curly Tom
Variety Club Bartender
Empire State Building Guard
Chuck Brenner
Yankee Deserter
Policeman
Sergeant
Mug
Happy
Mitch
Bill Mulligan
A. Adolphus Heyman
Soapy
Louie
Slapsy
Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer
Arlington Bysshe 'Slice' Cavanaugh
Charlie - the Bartender
Tip Fuller
Tiger Malone
Bowler
Tom
Sgt. Murphy
Drunk
Foreman Butch Mehaffey
Motorcycle Cop
Muggsy
Truck Driver (uncredited)
Cop
McCabe
Bill
NYC policeman
The Lady Fights Back
Maloney
Captain
Dennis Huggins
Belcher
Wilson
1st Deputy (uncredited)
Inspector Killian
Drunk
I'd Give My Life
"Sport" Conly
American Detective
Carlson
Expressman (uncredited)
Bergman
Policeman
Lt. Sackville
Hefty
Fibo Morgan (uncredited)
Rufe Parker
Detective Roscoe
Prison Guard
Wilderness Mail
Jules
Bell Captain
Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited)
Skipper O'Neal
Detective Sgt. Doyle
Butler
Undetermined Role
Babe the Butcher
Denny O'Brien
Capt. W.F. 'Big Bill' Connors
Detective
Escaped Felon
Man Who Speaks Final Line of the Film
Boatswain
Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan
Aubrey C. Mitchell (uncredited)
Sam
Doc Maloney, Trainer
Harry
Paul, Perez's Second Bodyguard
Al
Red
Police Captain Morgan
Detective Grump
Butch
Sailor (uncredited)
'Arizona' Frank Bailey
Stiles
Capt. Donahue
Slug
Nick Mizoski - the Gouger
Detective Whip Fogarty
Bartender
Mexican Bandit
Doc
Gabby
Paul Hurst
Officer Brannigan
Pete Brierson
Captain Antrim
Mugsy
Lem Harland
Sergeant Daly
Pete Shore
'Slug', Baseball Player
Beauty
Bull Morgan
'Beauty' Johnson
Pat
Ramirez
Poppy
Rowdy Ryan
Jimmylegs
Railroad-Yard Superintendent
Mehaffy - Policeman
Sgt. Westbrook
Sitchi
(uncredited)
Outlaw's Paradise
McDonald
'Swig' Moran
Sergeant Murphy
Randeau
Slugger McGlue
Checking Board Tabulator (uncredited)
The Fighting Ranger
Director
Director
Director
The Law of the Snow Country
Director
Director
Director
Director
The Were-Tiger
Director
The Fighting Cub
Director
Director
The Man Who Would Not Die
Director
Director
Director
Scenario Writer
Emeralda's Torturer (uncredited)
Golden Silence
Director
Writer
Scenario Writer
Scenario Writer
Director
South of Northern Lights
Director
Director
Scenario Writer
Powder Solvang
Director
Ike Bray
Stevens
Director
Play Straight or Fight
Director
Benton - a Foreman
Steve Arnold (as Paul C. Hurst)
Howie
Director
Murray Sinclair
Murray Sinclair
Blatchley Turrentine
The Diamond Runners
Paul - the Brains of the I.D.B.
Roger Oakley (as Paul C. Hurst)
Blair / Thompson / Michaels / Snake Henely / Mike Donegal / Bat Dorgan / Kelly / Dalton / Blake
A Trainman
Chief Dispatcher
Bart - Jardine's Servant
Howie - Stingaree's Partner
The Quicksands
Captain Lanning - Osborn's Rival
The Chief of Police
Daniels
Benton, the Foreman
Red Axe
Bad Bill - a Desperado