Glenn Strange
Acting
- Born:
- 1899-08-16
- Died:
- 1973-09-20
- Place of birth:
- Weed, New Mexico, USA
Biography
At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6' 5") beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. Of Irish and Cherokee Indian descent, he taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country. Gunsmoke Strange first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1960 after James Arness asked him, "When are you going to do a Gunsmoke? I like to work with big guys." During Gunsmoke's sixth season, Strange played a Long Branch customer in "Old Faces" and a cowboy in "Melinda Miles". Strange began playing Sam Noonan during the seventh season and continued in the role for 222 episodes. In 1972 Strange was diagnosed with lung cancer but worked as long as he was able. Five of his episodes were broadcast after his death. His last appearance was on the November 26, 1973, episode "The Hanging of Newly O'Brien". Death On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Singer Eddie Dean, with whom Strange had collaborated on various songs and opening themes for films, sang at Strange's funeral service as a final tribute. Strange is interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. CLR
Known For
Filmography
I Was a Teenage Movie Maker: Don Glut's Amateur Movies
The Many Faces of Dracula
Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'
Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld
Dracula in the Movies
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook
The Horror Show
Spaceship to the Unknown
Petticoat Junction
The Adventures of the Spirit
Thriller
Last Train from Gun Hill
Alias Jesse James
Rawhide
The Rifleman
Frontier Doctor
Quantrill's Raiders
Gunfire at Indian Gap
26 Men
Sugarfoot
Last Stagecoach West
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Halliday Brand
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
The Fastest Gun Alive
Backlash
The Vanishing American
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Gunsmoke
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
Judge Roy Bean
The Road to Denver
Marty
Buffalo Bill Jr.
Cattle Queen of Montana
Escape from Fort Bravo
Calamity Jane
The Veils of Bagdad
Devil's Canyon
The Great Sioux Uprising
Born to the Saddle
General Electric Theater
The Lawless Breed
The Abbott and Costello Show
The Lusty Men
Hopalong Cassidy
Wagons West
The Legend Of The Lone Ranger
Callaway Went Thataway
Texas Carnival
The Red Badge of Courage
The Adventures of Kit Carson
Comin' Round the Mountain
Double Crossbones
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Comanche Territory
Master Minds
The Lone Ranger
Roll, Thunder, Roll!
Rimfire
Disaster
Red River
Four Faces West
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
The Gallant Legion
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
Hollywood Wonderland
The Sea of Grass
Sinbad the Sailor
Up Goes Maisie
House of Dracula
Saratoga Trunk
Bad Men of the Border
Renegades of the Rio Grande
House of Frankenstein
Harmony Trail
Alaska
Trail to Gunsight
San Antonio Kid
Silver City Kid
Forty Thieves
Sonora Stagecoach
The Contender
Valley Of Vengeance
The Monster Maker
Knickerbocker Holiday
The Woman of the Town
Death Valley Rangers
False Colors
Bullets and Saddles
The Return of the Rangers
Arizona Trail
The Kansan
Black Market Rustlers
Cattle Stampede
Action in the North Atlantic
The Black Raven
The Desperadoes
Western Cyclone
Mission to Moscow
Wild Horse Stampede
Haunted Ranch
The Kid Rides Again
Little Joe, the Wrangler
Beyond the Line of Duty
The Mummy's Tomb
Overland Stagecoach
Bandit Ranger
Texas Trouble Shooters
The Spoilers
Come on Danger
Down Texas Way
Romance on the Range
The Mad Monster
Rolling Down the Great Divide
Boot Hill Bandits
Sunset on the Desert
Billy the Kid Trapped
Raiders of the West
Stagecoach Buckaroo
Western Mail
The Lone Rider and the Bandit
Dude Cowboy
Billy The Kid's Round-Up
Lone Star Law Men
Go West, Young Lady
Arizona Cyclone
The Driftin' Kid
The Bandit Trail
Billy the Kid Wanted
Westward Ho-Hum
Badlands of Dakota
Wide Open Town
Fugitive Valley
Riders of Death Valley
Saddlemates
The Kid's Last Ride
San Francisco Docks
The Fargo Kid
Three Men from Texas
Wagon Train
Triple Justice
Wyoming
The Cowboy from Sundown
Stage to Chino
Land of the Six Guns
Pals of the Silver Sage
Dark Command
Covered Wagon Trails
Rhythm of the Rio Grande
Teddy the Rough Rider
Pioneer Days
Days of Jesse James
The Llano Kid
Overland Mail
Law of the Pampas
Range War
Oklahoma Terror
The Fighting Gringo
Across the Plains
Blue Montana Skies
The Night Riders
Rough Riders' Round-up
The Lone Ranger Rides Again
Sunset Trail
The Phantom Stage
Arizona Legion
Honor of the West
Ghost Town Riders
California Frontier
Gun Packer
Guilty Trail
The Mysterious Rider
Black Bandit
The Mexicali Kid
In Old Mexico
Pride of the West
Six Shootin' Sheriff
Air Devils
Whirlwind Horseman
Call of the Rockies
The Last Stand
State Police
Border Wolves
The Painted Trail
The Spy Ring
Adventure's End
The Devil's Saddle Legion
Empty Holsters
Blazing Sixes
The Cherokee Strip
Land Beyond the Law
Arizona Days
Guns of the Pecos
California Mail
The Sunday Round-Up
The Fugitive Sheriff
A Tenderfoot Goes West
Trailin' West
Avenging Waters
Flash Gordon
The Law of 45's
Lawless Range
Moonlight on the Prairie
The New Frontier
Stormy
Westward Ho
Cyclone of the Saddle
The Man from Hell
The Star Packer
The Thrill Hunter
Ride Him, Cowboy
The Hurricane Express
Cavalier of the West
The Range Feud
Wild Horse