Paul Hurst (actor)

Paul Hurst (actor)
Paul Causey Hurst (October 15, 1888 – February 27, 1953) was an American actor and director.
Career
Born in Traver, California, Hurst was half-Cherokee and half-Seneca. He was raised on a ranch. He appeared in hundreds of films during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. However, he got his start painting scenery as part of the backstage crew during the silent movie era. By 1911, he was active in films as an actor, writer and director. He freelanced and worked for many of the movie studios, building a solid reputation for his work both on and off screen.
Hurst is best remembered for two roles: as the Yankee deserter who trespasses at Tara and is shot by Scarlett in Gone with the Wind (1939); and his memorable characterization of the drunken and sadistic vigilante Smith in The Ox Bow Incident (1943).
However, he was most proud of his role as a crotchety, old rancher who refuses water to a Quaker family in the movie Angel and the Badman, until John Wayne's character convinces him to share the water. It was after this latter role that Republic Pictures signed him as the comic sidekick in Monte Hale's Western series. His last film was John Ford's The Sun Shines Bright.
Personal life and death
Hurst was married to actress Hedda Nova. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late 1952, and committed suicide on February 27, 1953. He is buried in Reedley Cemetery in Reedley, California.
Filmography
As actor
Jean of the Jail (1912) - Alcalde
The Stolen Invention (1912) - John Rawley, a Promoter
The Outlaw (1912) - Black Pete
The Loneliness of the Hills (1912) - The Indian Chief
When Youth Meets Youth (1912) - Will Thurvell, the Foreman
The Redskin Raiders (1912)
Shannon of the Sixth (1914) - Captain Arlington
The Invisible Power (1914) - Lorenzo
The Hazards of Helen (1914) - Benton - a Foreman [Ch. 2]
The Tragedy on Bear Mountain (1915, Short) - Steve Barty
The Girl Detective (1915) - (Episode #1, 2, etc.)
Mysteries of the Grand Hotel (1915)
The Pitfall (1915) - Garvin - a Crooked Politician
Stingaree (1915) - Howie - Stingaree's Partner
The Social Pirates (1916) - Mona's Accomplice
Whispering Smith (1916) - Murray Sinclair
Medicine Bend (1916) - Murray Sinclair
Judith of the Cumberlands (1916) - Blatchley Turrentine
The Diamond Runners (1916) - Paul - the Brains of the I.D.B.
The Manager of the B & A (1916) - Roger Oakley
A Lass of the Lumberlands (1916)
The Railroad Raiders (1917) - Steve Arnold
The Further Adventures of Stingaree (1917) - Howie
Rimrock Jones (1918) - Ike Bray
With Hoops of Steel (1918)
Smashing Through (1918) - Stevens
The Tiger's Trail (1919, director)
Lightning Bryce (1919) - Powder Solvang
The Roaring Road (1926)
The High Hand (1926) - Chris Doble
The Fighting Ranger (1926)
Battling Kid (1926)
The Outlaw Express (1926) - Secretary
Son of a Gun (1926)
The Midnight Message (1926, director)
Blue Streak O'Neil (1927)
Rider of the Law (1927) - Henry Baker
The Overland Stage (1927) - Hell-A-Poppin' Casey
The Range Raiders (1927)
The Man from Hard Pan (1927) - Larry Lackey
Outlaw's Paradise (1927)
The Range Riders (1927)
The Devil's Saddle (1927) - 'Swig' Moran
The Red Raiders (1927) - Sergeant Murphy
The Valley of the Giants (1927) - Randeau
Buttons (1927) - Slugger McGlue
The Cossacks (1928) - Sitchi
Lilac Time (1928) - (uncredited)
The Rainbow (1929) - Pat
The Lawless Legion (1929) - Ramirez
The California Mail (1929) - Rowdy Ryan
Tide of Empire (1929) - Poppy
Sailor's Holiday (1929) - Jimmylegs
Oh, Yeah! (1929) - Railroad-Yard Superintendent
The Racketeer (1929) - Mehaffy
His First Command (1929) - Sgt. Westbrook
Officer O'Brien (1930) - Captain Antrim
Lucky Larkin (1930) - Pete Brierson
The Swellhead (1930) - Mugsy
Mountain Justice (1930) - Lem Harland
The Runaway Bride (1930) - Sergeant Daly
Shadow of the Law (1930) - Pete Shore
Hot Curves (1930) - 'Slug', Baseball Player
Paradise Island (1930) - Beauty
Borrowed Wives (1930) - Bull Morgan
The Lottery Bride (1930) - Lottery Agent (uncredited)
The Third Alarm (1930) - 'Beauty' Johnson
The Single Sin (1931) - Slug
The Secret Six (1931) - Nick Mizoski - the Gouger
Kick In (1931) - Detective Whip Fogarty
Sweepstakes (1931) - Cantina Bartender
That's My Line (1931, Short) - Mexican Bandit
The Public Defender (1931) - Doc
Bad Company (1931) - Goldie's Butler
The Secret Witness (1931) - Officer Brannigan (uncredited)
Maker of Men (1931) - Gabby
Panama Flo (1932) - Al
State's Attorney (1932) - Captain Morgan
My Pal, the King (1932) - Red
The Thirteenth Guest (1932) - Detective Grump
Hold 'Em Jail (1932) - Coach Butch
The Phantom President (1932) - Sailor (uncredited)
The Big Stampede (1932) - Arizona - Arizona
Men Are Such Fools (1932) - Stiles
Island of Lost Souls (1932) - Donahue
Grand Slam (1933) - Canadian Bridge Player (uncredited)
Out All Night (1933) - Henry (uncredited)
Terror Aboard (1933) - Boatswain
The Sphinx (1933) - Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan
Hold Your Man (1933) - Aubrey C. Mitchell (uncredited)
Tugboat Annie (1933) - Sam
Saturday's Millions (1933) - Doc Maloney, Trainer
Day of Reckoning (1933) - Harry
The Women in His Life (1933) - Paul
Queen Christina (1933) - Swedish Soldier (uncredited)
Nana (1934) - Nana's First Employer (uncredited)
The Big Race (1934) - Skipper O'Neal
The Line-Up (1934) - Detective Sergeant Doyle
A Very Honorable Guy (1934) - Butler (uncredited)
Sing and Like It (1934) - Tied Up Mug (uncredited)
Charlie Chan's Courage (1934) - Minor Role
Midnight Alibi (1934) - Babe the Butcher
Take the Stand (1934) - Denny O'Brien
Among the Missing (1934) - Police Capt. Bill Connors
Tomorrow's Youth (1934) - Detective
Sequoia (1934) - Bergman
Romance in Manhattan (1935) - Joe - Policeman (uncredited)
Maybe It's Love (1935) - Expressman (uncredited)
Carnival (1935) - Policeman (uncredited)
Shadow of Doubt (1935) - Police Lt. Jack Sackville
Wilderness Mail (1935) - Jules - Henchman
Mississippi (1935) - Hefty
Star of Midnight (1935) - Detective Corbett (uncredited)
The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) - Fibo Morgan - Florabelle's Cousin (uncredited)
Public Hero No. 1 (1935) - Rufe Parker
Calm Yourself (1935) - Detective Roscoe
The Daring Young Man (1935) - Prison Guard (uncredited)
The Gay Deception (1935) - Bell Captain
Riffraff (1936) - Belcher
It Had to Happen (1936) - Workman (uncredited)
The Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936) - Wilson
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) - 1st Deputy (uncredited)
Blackmailer (1936) - Inspector Killian
To Mary - with Love (1936) - Drunk
I'd Give My Life (1936) - Conly
The Gay Desperado (1936) - American Detective
North of Nome (1936) - Carlson
We Who Are About to Die (1937) - Tip Fuller
Trouble in Morocco (1937) - Tiger Malone
Song of the City (1937) - First Detective (uncredited)
This Is My Affair (1937) - Bowler
Angel's Holiday (1937) - Sergeant Murphy
Fifty Roads to Town (1937) - Tom
Slave Ship (1937) - Drunk
You Can't Beat Love (1937) - Foreman Butch Mehaffey
Super-Sleuth (1937) - Motorcycle Cop
Wake Up and Live (1937) - McCabe
The Legion of Missing Men (1937) - Muggsy
You Can't Have Everything (1937) - Truck Driver (uncredited)
She's No Lady (1937) - Cop
Wife, Doctor and Nurse (1937) - Bill
Danger – Love at Work (1937) - Police Officer
The Lady Fights Back (1937) - Maloney
Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937) - Captain
Second Honeymoon (1937) - Dennis Huggins
45 Fathers (1937) - Policeman (uncredited)
In Old Chicago (1938) - Edward (Mitch) Mitchell
No Time to Marry (1938) - Sergeant
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938) - Mug
Island in the Sky (1938) - Happy
Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) - Bill Mulligan
Josette (1938) - A. Adolphus Heyman
Prison Break (1938) - Soapy
My Lucky Star (1938) - Louie
Hold That Co-ed (1938) - Slapsy
The Last Express (1938) - Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer
Secrets of a Nurse (1938) - Slice Cavanaugh
Thanks for Everything (1938) - Guard
Topper Takes a Trip (1938) - Bartender
Cafe Society (1939) - Bartender
Broadway Serenade (1939) - Reynolds
The Kid from Kokomo (1939) - First Old Man in Fistfight
It Could Happen to You (1939) - Sandy
Each Dawn I Die (1939) - Garsky
Bad Lands (1939) - Curly Tom
Quick Millions (1939) - Sheriff
On Your Toes (1939) - Variety Club Bartender (uncredited)
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence (1939) - Empire State Building Guard (uncredited)
Remember? (1939) - Policeman
Gone with the Wind (1939) - the Yankee Deserter
Castle on the Hudson (1940) - Guard (uncredited)
Star Dust (1940) - Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech
Edison, the Man (1940) - Sheriff
Torrid Zone (1940) - Daniels
They Drive By Night (1940) - Pete Haig (uncredited)
South to Karanga (1940) - Slats
The Westerner (1940) - Chickenfoot
Men Against the Sky (1940) - Mechanic (uncredited)
Spring Parade (1940) - Headwaiter (uncredited)
Tugboat Annie Sails Again (1940) - Pete
Goin' Fishin' (1940, Short) - Bus conductor
Street of Memories (1940) - Minor Role (uncredited)
Bowery Boy (1940) - Blubber Mullins
Tall, Dark and Handsome (1941) - Biff Sage
Virginia (1941) - Thomas
Petticoat Politics (1941) - Slats O'Dell
The Great Mr. Nobody (1941) - Michael O'Connor
Caught in the Draft (1941) - Sgt. Burns
The Parson of Panamint (1941) - Jake Waldren
This Woman is Mine (1941) - Second Mate Mumford
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring (1941) - Page
Pardon My Stripes (1942) - Feets
Sundown Jim (1942) - Broderick
Night in New Orleans (1942) - Sergeant Casper Riordan
Calaboose (1943) - Bartender Ed
Young and Willing (1943) - First Cop
Hi'ya, Chum (1943) - Archie Billings
The Ox Bow Incident (1943) - Monty Smith
Coney Island (1943) - Louie
The Sky's the Limit (1943) - Dock Foreman (uncredited)
Jack London (1943) - 'Lucky Luke' Lannigan
December 7th (1943) - World War I Ghost Soldier
The Ghost That Walks Alone (1944) - Sheriff Slim Carson (uncredited)
Summer Storm (1944) - Officer Orloff
Greenwich Village (1944) - Milkman (scenes deleted)
Barbary Coast Gent (1944) - Jake Compton
Girl Rush (1944) - Muley
Something for the Boys (1944) - Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited)
The Big Show-Off (1945) - The Devil
Her Lucky Night (1945) - Maloney (uncredited)
Nob Hill (1945) - El Dorado Doorman (uncredited)
Penthouse Rhythm (1945) - Police Desk Sergeant
Scared Stiff (1945) - Sheriff
Steppin' in Society (1945) - Cookie
Midnight Manhunt (1945) - Murphy
The Dolly Sisters (1945) - Tim Dowling (uncredited)
Dakota (1945) - Captain Spotts
Murder in the Music Hall (1946) - Hobarth
The Virginian (1946) - Bartender (uncredited)
In Old Sacramento (1946) - Stagecoach Driver
Death Valley (1946) - Sergeant Dailey
Plainsman and the Lady (1946) - Al
Angel and the Badman (1947) - Frederick Carson
Under California Skies (1947) - Lucky John Hawkins
On Our Merry Way (1948) - Sheriff (uncredited)
Madonna of the Desert (1948) - Pete Connors
California Firebrand (1948) - Chuck Waggoner
Who Killed Doc Robbin (1948) - Jailer
Old Los Angeles (1948) - Bartender (uncredited)
Heart of Virginia (1948) - Whit Galtry
The Arizona Ranger (1948) - Ben Riddle
Son of God's Country (1948) - Eli Walker
Yellow Sky (1948) - Drunk (uncredited)
Gun Smugglers (1949) - Sergeant Hasty Jones
Prince of the Plains (1949) - Sheriff Hank Hartley
Law of the Golden West (1949) - Otis Ellis
Outcasts of the Trail (1949) - Doc Meadowlark
South of Rio (1949) - Andy Weems
San Antone Ambush (1949) - Happy Daniels
Ranger of Cherokee Strip (1949) - Sheriff Jug Mason
Pioneer Marshal (1949) - Huck Homer
The Vanishing Westerner (1950) - Waldorf Worthington
The Old Frontier (1950) - Skipper Horton
The Missourians (1950) - Lawyer John Finn
Million Dollar Pursuit (1951) - Ray Harvey
Big Jim McLain (1952) - Mr. Lexiter
Toughest Man in Arizona (1952) - Dalton
The Sun Shines Bright (1953) - Army Sgt. Jimmy Bagby (final film role)
As director
The Hazards of Helen (1914 serial) (uncredited)
A Woman in the Web (1918 serial)
Play Straight or Fight (1918)
The Kingfisher's Roost (1921)
The Crow's Nest (1922)
Battling Bunyan (1924)
Folly of Youth (1925)
The Law of the Snow Country (1926)
Blue Streak O'Neil (1926)
The Roaring Road (1926)
Rider of the Law (1927)
References
Rothel, David. 1984. Those Great Cowboy Sidekicks. Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, New Jersey.
External links
, with a wardrobe still from Gone With the Wind
1888 births
1953 deaths
American male film actors
American male silent film actors
Suicides in California
20th-century American male actors
People from Tulare County, California
People from Reedley, California
Film directors from California
1953 suicides
Male Western (genre) film actors