Alan Bridge

Alan Bridge
Alfred Morton Bridge (February 26, 1891 – December 27, 1957 ) was an American character actor who played mostly small roles in over 270 films between 1931 and 1954. Bridge's persona was an unpleasant, gravel-voiced man with an untidy moustache. Sometimes credited as Alan Bridge, and frequently not credited onscreen at all, he appeared in many westerns, especially in the Hopalong Cassidy series, where he played crooked sheriffs and henchmen.
Life and career
Bridge and his sister, who became actress Loie Bridge, were raised by their mother and stepfather, a Philadelphia butcher. Bridge went into vaudeville with relatives when he was still a teenager Bridge served in the American infantry during World War I. Rejoining relatives in a theatrical troupe, Bridge toured the U.S. as an actor and wrote a few scripts. He married Blanche Valarie Soules December 24, 1935 at the United Christian Church of America in Los Angeles, California. She died April 19, 1945 and was buried in Eaton, Colorado. He broke into movies with a pair of minor screenplays (the comedy short Her Hired Husband in 1930 and a Western, God's Country and the Man (1931), in which he also appeared. He spent the next 25 years as a familiar face in B-Westerns and mainstream comedies and dramas. In the forties, Bridge was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in ten of the eleven American films that Sturges wrote and directed. He is perhaps best remembered for his role as "The Mister", the chain-gang boss over Joel McCrea in Preston Sturges' Sullivan's Travels. Bridge played against type as a kindly lawyer in Sturges' The Miracle of Morgan's Creek.
Bridge's television work, which began in 1950 includes appearances on The Range Rider and The Gene Autry Show as well as other programs.
Death
Bridge died in Los Angeles two months before his 67th birthday. His remains are interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood.
Selected filmography
God's Country and the Man (1931) - Livermore
Rider of the Plains (1931) - Deputy Bill Gaines
The Ridin' Fool (1931) - Nikkos
Partners of the Trail (1931) - Henchman (uncredited)
Galloping Thru (1931) - Sandy Thompson
South of Santa Fe (1932) - Henchman Bully
Police Court (1932)
The Forty-Niners (1932) - Squaw O'Hara
Spirit of the West (1932) - Tom Fallon
Unholy Love (1932) - Police Sergeant (uncredited)
A Man's Land (1932) - Steve - Rustler
Million Dollar Legs (1932) - Secret Emissary #3 (uncredited)
The Hurricane Express (1932, Serial) - Carlson
The Thirteenth Guest (1932) - Policeman (uncredited)
Broadway to Cheyenne (1932) - Al
Blonde Venus (1932) - Bouncer (uncredited)
Cowboy Counsellor (1932) - Sheriff Matt Farraday
Slightly Married (1932) - Tenant (uncredited)
The Devil Horse (1932) - Curley Bates - Henchman
The Wyoming Whirlwind (1932) - Steve Cantrell
When a Man Rides Alone (1933) - Montana Slade
The Cheyenne Kid (1933) - Denver Ed
Drum Taps (1933) - Lariat Smith
The Thundering Herd (1933) - Catlee - Pruitt's Henchman
Sucker Money (1933) - George Hunter
Black Beauty (1933) - Hack Driver
Son of the Border (1933) - Tupper
The Lone Avenger (1933) - Burl Adams
Sunset Pass (1933) - Tom
Fighting Texans (1933) - Gus Durkin
Fighting with Kit Carson (1933, Serial) - Henchman Reynolds [Chs. 1–7, 10, 12]
The Trail Drive (1933) - Henchman Bucko (uncredited)
Murder on the Campus (1933) - Grimes, City Editor (uncredited)
Twin Husbands (1933) - Highway Patrolman (uncredited)
Public Stenographer (1934) - Detective Scott (uncredited)
Good Dame (1934) - Patrol Car Cop (uncredited)
Looking for Trouble (1934) - Lineman (uncredited)
The Trumpet Blows (1934) - Policeman (uncredited)
Honor of the Range (1934) - Townsman (uncredited)
We're Not Dressing (1934) - Ship's Officer - Rescue Party (uncredited)
Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1934, Serial) - Henchman Tucker [Chs. 3-12] (uncredited)
The Curtain Falls (1934) - Mover (uncredited)
Mystery Mountain (1934) - Tom Henderson
North of Arizona (1935) - George Tully
Outlaw Rule (1935) - Deputy Bat Lindstrom
Transient Lady (1935) - Sheriff Angel Verner
Circumstantial Evidence (1935) - John Cassidy (uncredited)
Alias Mary Dow (1935) - Ditch-Digger (uncredited)
Silent Valley (1935) - Jim Farley
The Headline Woman (1935) - Baker, Editor (uncredited)
The Murder Man (1935) - Judge John C. Garfield (uncredited)
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935, Serial) - Henchman Mitchell [Chs. 1–6, 10]
Diamond Jim (1935) - Poker Player on Train (uncredited)
The Gay Deception (1935) - Jail Attendant (uncredited)
Confidential (1935) - Hanover - Walsh's Henchman
Valley of Wanted Men (1935) - Ranger Sergeant Parsons
Melody Trail (1935) - Matt Kirby
Rendezvous (1935) - Sergeant (uncredited)
The New Frontier (1935) - Kit
A Night at the Opera (1935) - Immigration Inspector (uncredited)
Gallant Defender (1935) - Salty Smith
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell (1936, Serial) - Henchman Black
The Bridge of Sighs (1936) - Ballistics Expert (uncredited)
The Lawless Nineties (1936) - Steele
Fast Bullets (1936) - Travis
The Music Goes 'Round (1936) - Police Inspector (uncredited)
Call of the Prairie (1936) - Sam Porter
These Three (1936) - Mrs. Walton's Chauffeur (uncredited)
And So They Were Married (1936) - Motorcycle Cop (uncredited)
Public Enemy's Wife (1936) - Swartzman
Mary of Scotland (1936) - (uncredited)
Crash Donovan (1936) - Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
They Met in a Taxi (1936) - Detective (uncredited)
The Three Mesquiteers (1936) - Olin Canfield
Ace Drummond (1936, Serial) - Paul Wyckoff
Trail Dust (1936) - Tom Babson
Dodge City Trail (1936) - Dawson
Jungle Jim (1937, Serial) - Slade
Westbound Mail (1937) - 'Bull' Feeney
You Only Live Once (1937) - Guard (uncredited)
Borderland (1937) - Dandy Morgan - Henchman
Song of the City (1937) - Captain (uncredited)
Two Gun Law (1937) - Kipp Faulkner
Woman Chases Man (1937) - Process Server (uncredited)
Married Before Breakfast (1937) - Police Driver (uncredited)
One Man Justice (1937) - Red Grindy
Wild West Days (1937) - Steve Claggett
They Won't Forget (1937) - Mob Leader Outside Governor's Mansion (uncredited)
Dead End (1937) - Policeman in Drina's Apartment (uncredited)
Western Gold (1937) - Holman
The Awful Truth (1937) - Motor Cop (uncredited)
Springtime in the Rockies (1937) - Briggs
Tim Tyler's Luck (1937, Serial) - Capt. Trowbridge [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Partners of the Plains (1938) - Scar Lewis
Little Miss Roughneck (1938) - Sheriff
Born to Be Wild (1938) - Kennedy - Trucker in Cafe (uncredited)
Jezebel (1938) - New Orleans Sheriff (uncredited)
Two Gun Justice (1938) - Sheriff
Crime School (1938) - Mr. Burke
Gunsmoke Trail (1938) - Sheriff chasing Loma
Reformatory (1938) - Guard (uncredited)
Highway Patrol (1938) - Jarvis
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1938) - Blackie (uncredited)
Flaming Frontiers (1938, Serial) - John Merkle [Chs. 6-7] (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette (1938) - Official in Passport Office (uncredited)
The Colorado Trail (1938) - Mark Sheldon
Down in 'Arkansaw' (1938) - Jake
Adventure in Sahara (1938) - Cpl. Dronov
Call of the Rockies (1938) - Weston
The Phantom Creeps (1939) - White Rose Sailor (uncredited)
Devil's Island (1939) - Captain of the Guards (uncredited)
Frontiers of '49 (1939) - Army Sergeant (uncredited)
Risky Business (1939) - Cop (uncredited)
The Oklahoma Kid (1939) - Would-Be Settler (uncredited)
Romance of the Redwoods (1939) - Boss Whittaker
Buck Rogers (1939, Serial) - Dynamo Room Floor Guard (uncredited)
Blue Montana Skies (1939) - Marshal
The Man from Sundown (1939) - Slick Larson
Thunder Afloat (1939) - Fisherman (uncredited)
No Place to Go (1939) - Frank Crowley
Oklahoma Frontier (1939) - Kentuck (uncredited)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - Senator Dwight (uncredited)
The Roaring Twenties (1939) - Ship Captain (uncredited)
The Stranger from Texas (1939) - Jeff Browning
My Son Is Guilty (1939) - Police Lieutenant at Holdup (uncredited)
West of Carson City (1940) - Foreman of the Jury (uncredited)
My Little Chickadee (1940) - Barfly Drinking Straight Whiskey (uncredited)
Pioneers of the Frontier (1940) - Marshal Larsen
The Courageous Dr. Christian (1940) - Sheriff
Blazing Six Shooters (1940) - Bert Karsin
Dark Command (1940) - Slave Trader (uncredited)
If I Had My Way (1940) - Doorman (uncredited)
Passport to Alcatraz (1940) - James Carver (uncredited)
Winners of the West (1940, Serial) - Captain [Ch. 13] (uncredited)
When the Daltons Rode (1940) - Townsman (uncredited)
Flowing Gold (1940) - Highway Patrolman (uncredited)
Diamond Frontier (1940) - Guard (uncredited)
Barnyard Follies (1940) - Policeman (uncredited)
Christmas in July (1940) - Mr. Hillbeiner
Santa Fe Trail (1940) - Palmyra Townsman (uncredited)
The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1940, Serial) - Ship's Captain (uncredited)
The Lone Rider Rides On (1941) - Bob Cameron
The Face Behind the Mask (1941) - Flop House Manager (uncredited)
The Kid's Last Ride (1941) - Bob Harmon, aka Jim Breeden
The Lady Eve (1941) - First Steward (uncredited)
Double Date (1941) - Sergeant O'Rourke (uncredited)
The Lady from Cheyenne (1941) - Mr. Matthews
The Lone Rider Rides On (1941) - Bob Cameron
Road to Zanzibar (1941) - Colonial Policeman with Inspector (uncredited)
Lady from Louisiana (1941) - Captain of Police (uncredited)
The Big Boss (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited)
Country Fair (1941) - (uncredited)
Law of the Range (1941) - Jamison
Rawhide Rangers (1941) - Rawlings
Wild Geese Calling (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited)
The Little Foxes (1941) - Dawson (uncredited)
Badlands of Dakota (1941) - Plainview Lawman (uncredited)
Honky Tonk (1941) - Townsman at Meeting House (uncredited)
Tuxedo Junction (1941) - Chief Conway (uncredited)
Sullivan's Travels (1941) - The Mister
Fighting Bill Fargo (1941) - Tom Houston
Honolulu Lu (1941) - Shooting Gallery Proprietor (uncredited)
Road Agent (1941) - Rancher (uncredited)
Sealed Lips (1942) - Newspaper Morgue Attendant (uncredited)
West of Tombstone (1942) - U. S. Marshal (uncredited)
Pardon My Stripes (1942) - Guard (uncredited)
Wild Bill Hickok Rides (1942) - Man (uncredited)
The Man Who Returned to Life (1942) - Hobo (uncredited)
The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942) - Ship's Officer on Bridge (uncredited)
Reap the Wild Wind (1942) - Cutler Man in Barrel Room (uncredited)
The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine (1942) - Trustee
Saboteur (1942) - Marine MP Sergeant (uncredited)
In This Our Life (1942) - Worker (uncredited)
Meet the Stewarts (1942) - Police Turnkey (uncredited)
Juke Girl (1942) - Farmer Hiring Bean Pickers (uncredited)
Lady in a Jam (1942) - Furniture Mover (uncredited)
Men of Texas (1942) - Goodrich (uncredited)
Bad Men of the Hills (1942) - Sheriff Mace Arnold
The Talk of the Town (1942) - Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story (1942) - Conductor
Bells of Capistrano (1942) - Westfall Saloon Bartender (uncredited)
A Man's World (1942) - Capt. Peterson (uncredited)
I Married a Witch (1942) - Second Prison Guard (uncredited)
The Traitor Within (1942) - Henchman (uncredited)
Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground (1943) - Matt Warner
Idaho (1943) - Jailer (uncredited)
The Man from Thunder River (1943) - Prospector (uncredited)
Petticoat Larceny (1943) - Jack Goss (uncredited)
Nobody's Darling (1943) - Bum (uncredited)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943) - Mr. Johnson
And the Angels Sing (1944) - Squad Car Policeman (uncredited)
The Great Moment (1944) - Mr. Stone (uncredited)
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) - Political Boss
Cry of the Werewolf (1944) - Coroner at Inquest (uncredited)
The Merry Monahans (1944) - Man on Train (uncredited)
The Unwritten Code (1944) - Sheriff (uncredited)
The Missing Juror (1944) - Deputy Sheriff Ben (uncredited)
The Princess and the Pirate (1944) - Pirate (uncredited)
The Jade Mask (1945) - Sheriff Mack
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) - Cheap Charlie (uncredited)
A Guy, a Gal and a Pal (1945) - Mayor (uncredited)
Thunderhead, Son of Flicka (1945) - Dr. Hicks (uncredited)
Salty O'Rourke (1945) - Bartender (uncredited)
The Clock (1945) - Second Subway Official (uncredited)
Escape in the Desert (1945) - Citizen Gunman (uncredited)
The Unseen (1945) - Truck Driver (uncredited)
Both Barrels Blazing (1945) - Lucky Thorpe (uncredited)
Blazing the Western Trail (1945) - Forrest Brent (uncredited)
Saratoga Trunk (1945) - Soule Gang Engineer (uncredited)
She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945) - Conductor (uncredited)
Road to Utopia (1945) - Ship Captain (uncredited)
They Were Expendable (1945) - Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited)
Miss Susie Slagle's (1946) - Cab Driver (uncredited)
Deadline at Dawn (1946) - Detective Smiley (uncredited)
The Falcon's Alibi (1946) - Police Inspector Blake
Shadows Over Chinatown (1946) - Capt. Allen
My Pal Trigger (1946) - Henry Wallace (uncredited)
Cowboy Blues (1946) - Jim Peters (uncredited)
Below the Deadline (1946) - Turner
Two Years Before the Mast (1946) - Publisher (uncredited)
Cross My Heart (1946) - Det. Flynn
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Sheriff with arrest warrant (uncredited)
Alias Mr. Twilight (1946) - Sam Bartlett
Singin' in the Corn (1946) - Honest John Richards
The Mighty McGurk (1947) - Toothless Derelict (uncredited)
California (1947) - Town Marshal (uncredited)
Nora Prentiss (1947) - NYC Policeman (uncredited)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947) - Wild Bill Hickok
The Michigan Kid (1947) - Sheriff (uncredited)
Dick Tracy's Dilemma (1947) - Mr. Cudd (uncredited)
Framed (1947) - Judge (uncredited)
Robin Hood of Texas (1947) - Sheriff
Down to Earth (1947) - Police Captain (uncredited)
Song of the Thin Man (1947) - Nagle - Waterfront Policeman (uncredited)
The Hal Roach Comedy Carnival (1947) - Bartender, in 'Fabulous Joe'
The Fabulous Joe (1947) - Florida Club Bartender
Black Gold (1947) - Dr. Jonas, Veterinarian (uncredited)
Unconquered (1947) - Militiaman at Fair (uncredited)
Messenger of Peace (1947) - Harry Franzmeirer
T-Men (1947) - Agent in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Road to Rio (1947) - Ship's Officer (uncredited)
Smart Woman (1948) - Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Fury at Furnace Creek (1948) - Lawyer (uncredited)
Silver River (1948) - Sam Slade
Unfaithfully Yours (1948) - House Detective
Quick on the Trigger (1948) - Judge Kormac
That Wonderful Urge (1948) - Conovan (uncredited)
The Paleface (1948) - Governor's Horseman (uncredited)
South of St. Louis (1949) - Farmer (uncredited)
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend (1949) - Sheriff Ambrose
The Doolins of Oklahoma (1949) - Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Trail of the Yukon (1949) - The Drunk (uncredited)
The Devil's Henchman (1949) - Elmer Hood
Roseanna McCoy (1949) - Medicine Seller (uncredited)
The Traveling Saleswoman (1950) - P. Carter (uncredited)
A Woman of Distinction (1950) - Editor (uncredited)
North of the Great Divide (1950) - Henry Gates (uncredited)
The Tougher They Come (1950) - Jensen
California Passage (1950) - Conover
Hunt the Man Down (1950) - Ulysses Grant Sheldon (uncredited)
Oh! Susanna (1951) - Jake Ledbetter
In Old Amarillo (1951) - Sheriff (uncredited)
Strangers on a Train (1951) - Tennis Judge (uncredited)
Utah Wagon Train (1951) - Sam Sickle
All That I Have (1951) - John Biddle, Gardener
The Last Musketeer (1952) - Lem Shaver
We're Not Married! (1952) - Det. Magnus (uncredited)
Barbed Wire (1952) - McGraw (uncredited)
Iron Mountain Trail (1953) - The Marshal
Jubilee Trail (1954) - Mr. Turner (uncredited)
Hell's Outpost (1954) - Banker (uncredited) (final film role)
References
External links
1891 births
1957 deaths
20th-century American male actors
American male film actors
Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery
Male actors from Pennsylvania
Male Western (genre) film actors
Military personnel from Pennsylvania
Military personnel from Philadelphia
United States Army personnel of World War I
Western (genre) television actors