Barton MacLane
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 25, 1902
- Died
- Jan 1, 1969 (aged 66)
- Place of birth
- Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Credits
- 174
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
1941Movie
Lt. of Detectives Dundy
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1948Movie
Pat McCormick
I Dream of Jeannie
1965TV
General Peterson
The Munsters
1964TV
High Sierra
1941Movie
Jake Kranmer
You Only Live Once
1937Movie
Stephen Whitney
Filmography
Bogart: The Untold Story
1997Movie
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983Movie
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
It's Showtime
1976Movie
Self (archive footage)
Buckskin
1968Movie
Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond
Arizona Bushwhackers
1968Movie
Sheriff Grover
Hondo
1967TV
The Monkees
1966TV
Bart
I Dream of Jeannie
1965TV
General Peterson
Town Tamer
1965Movie
James Fell
The Rounders
1965Movie
Tanner
The Munsters
1964TV
Law of the Lawless
1964Movie
Big Tom Stone
Pocketful of Miracles
1961Movie
Police Commissioner
Outlaws
1960TV
Marshal Frank Caine
Noose for a Gunman
1960Movie
Carl Avery
Gunfighters of Abilene
1960Movie
Seth
Tightrope
1959TV
Black Saddle
1959TV
General Fowler
The Geisha Boy
1958Movie
Major Ridgley
Frontier Gun
1958Movie
Simon Crayle
Girl on the Run
1958Movie
Francis J. Brannigan
77 Sunset Strip
1958TV
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958TV
Girl in the Woods
1958Movie
Big Jim
Perry Mason
1957TV
Senator Harriman Baylor, Sheriff Eugene Norris, Harold Minter, Archer Osmond
Naked In The Sun
1957Movie
Wilson
Sierra Stranger
1957Movie
Lem Gotch
Hell's Crossroads
1957Movie
Clyde O'Connell
Three Violent People
1956Movie
Yates
Naked Gun
1956Movie
Joe Barnum
The Man Is Armed
1956Movie
Det. Lt. Dan Coster
Wire Service
1956TV
Gen. Bailey
Conflict
1956TV
Charlie Ringle
Wetbacks
1956Movie
Karl Shanks
Telephone Time
1956TV
Backlash
1956Movie
Sergeant George Lake
Jaguar
1956Movie
Steve Bailey
Last of the Desperados
1955Movie
Mosby, Gang Leader
Cheyenne
1955TV
Jail Busters
1955Movie
Captain Jenkins
Gunsmoke
1955TV
Herkimer Crawford, Willard Kerner
Foxfire
1955Movie
Jim Mablett
The Silver Star
1955Movie
Henry 'Tiny' Longtree
Treasure of Ruby Hills
1955Movie
Chalk Reynolds
Hell's Outpost
1954Movie
Sheriff Olson
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954TV
Rawls Kettrick
Studio 57
1954TV
The Whistler
1954TV
Jubilee Trail
1954Movie
Deacon Bartlett
Rails Into Laramie
1954Movie
Lee Graham
The Glenn Miller Story
1954Movie
General Arnold
Jack Slade
1953Movie
Jules Reni
Sea of Lost Ships
1953Movie
Capt. Jack Matthews
Captain Scarface
1953Movie
Captain Scarface
Cow Country
1953Movie
Marvin Parker
Kansas Pacific
1953Movie
Cal Bruce
Thunderbirds
1952Movie
Sgt. Durkee
Four Star Playhouse
1952TV
Milo, Capt. Webber
The Half-Breed
1952Movie
Marshal Cassidy
Bugles in the Afternoon
1952Movie
Capt. Myles Moylan
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951TV
Chief Brooks
Drums in the Deep South
1951Movie
Sgt. Mac McCardle
Best of the Badmen
1951Movie
Joad
The Bandit Queen
1950Movie
Sheriff Jim Harden
Let's Dance
1950Movie
Larry Channock
Lux Video Theatre
1950TV
Steve, Marvin Platt
Rookie Fireman
1950Movie
Captain Jess Henshaw
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950Movie
Lieutenant John Reece
Red Light
1949Movie
Detective Strecker
The Walls of Jericho
1948Movie
Rufus J. "Gotch" McCurdy
Angel in Exile
1948Movie
Max Giorgio
Unknown Island
1948Movie
Capt. Tarnowski
Relentless
1948Movie
Tex Brandow
The Dude Goes West
1948Movie
Texas Jack Barton
Silver River
1948Movie
'Banjo' Sweeney
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1948Movie
Pat McCormick
Jungle Flight
1947Movie
Case Hagin
Cheyenne
1947Movie
Webb Yancey
Tarzan and the Huntress
1947Movie
Paul Weir
San Quentin
1946Movie
Nick Taylor
Santa Fe Uprising
1946Movie
Crawford
Mysterious Intruder
1946Movie
Detective Taggart
The Spanish Main
1945Movie
Capt. Benjamin Black
Scared Stiff
1945Movie
George 'Deacon' Markham
Tarzan and the Amazons
1945Movie
Ballister
Gentle Annie
1944Movie
Sheriff Tatum
Cry of the Werewolf
1944Movie
Lt. Barry Lane
Secret Command
1944Movie
Red Kelly
Marine Raiders
1944Movie
Sgt. Maguire
The Mummy's Ghost
1944Movie
Inspector Walgreen
Nabonga
1944Movie
Carl Hurst
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
1943Movie
Detective Rief
The Underdog
1943Movie
John Tate
Song of Texas
1943Movie
Jim Calvert
Bombardier
1943Movie
Archie Dixon
Man of Courage
1943Movie
John Wallace
Highways by Night
1942Movie
Leo Bronson
The Big Street
1942Movie
Case Ables
All Through the Night
1942Movie
Marty Callahan
The Maltese Falcon
1941Movie
Lt. of Detectives Dundy
Wild Geese Calling
1941Movie
Pirate Kelly
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1941Movie
Sam Higgins
Manpower
1941Movie
Smiley Quinn
Hit the Road
1941Movie
James J. Ryan
Barnacle Bill
1941Movie
John Kelly
Western Union
1941Movie
Jack Slade
Come Live with Me
1941Movie
Barney Grogan
High Sierra
1941Movie
Jake Kranmer
Melody Ranch
1940Movie
Mark Wildhack
The Secret Seven
1940Movie
Sam O'Donnell
Men Without Souls
1940Movie
Blackie Drew
Gangs of Chicago
1940Movie
Jim Ramsey
Breakdowns of 1939
1939Movie
Self
Mutiny in the Big House
1939Movie
Red Manson
Torchy Runs for Mayor
1939Movie
Steve McBride
Big Town Czar
1939Movie
Phil Daley
I Was a Convict
1939Movie
Ace King
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
1939Movie
Det. Lt. Steve 'Mac' McBride
Stand Up and Fight
1939Movie
Crowder
Torchy Gets Her Man
1938Movie
Detective Steve McBride
The Storm
1938Movie
Captain Cogswell
Prison Break
1938Movie
Joaquin Shannon
You and Me
1938Movie
Mickey
Gold Is Where You Find It
1938Movie
Slag Martin
The Kid Comes Back
1938Movie
Gunner Malone
Blondes at Work
1938Movie
Lt. Steve McBride
Breakdowns of 1937
1937Movie
Self
The Adventurous Blonde
1937Movie
Det. Lt. Steve McBride
Wine, Women and Horses
1937Movie
Jim Turner
Ever Since Eve
1937Movie
Al McCoy
Born Reckless
1937Movie
Jim Barnes
Fly Away Baby
1937Movie
Steve McBride
San Quentin
1937Movie
Lt. Druggin
Draegerman Courage
1937Movie
Andrew Beaupre
The Prince and the Pauper
1937Movie
John Canty
You Only Live Once
1937Movie
Stephen Whitney
God's Country and the Woman
1937Movie
Bullhead
Smart Blonde
1937Movie
Steve McBride
Breakdowns of 1936
1936Movie
Self
Jailbreak
1936Movie
Detective Captain Rourke
Bengal Tiger
1936Movie
Cliff Ballenger
Bullets or Ballots
1936Movie
Al Kruger
Times Square Playboy
1936Movie
Casey (Vic's Butler/Trainer)
The Walking Dead
1936Movie
Loder
Ceiling Zero
1936Movie
Al Stone
A Dream Comes True
1935Movie
Himself (uncredited)
Man of Iron
1935Movie
Chris Bennett
Frisco Kid
1935Movie
Spider Burke
I Found Stella Parish
1935Movie
Clifton Jeffords
Dr. Socrates
1935Movie
Red Bastian
The Case of the Lucky Legs
1935Movie
Bisonette
Page Miss Glory
1935Movie
Blackie
Stranded
1935Movie
Sharkey
Black Fury
1935Movie
McGee
'G' Men
1935Movie
Collins
Go Into Your Dance
1935Movie
Duke Hutchinson
The Case of the Curious Bride
1935Movie
Detective Lucas
The Last Round-up
1934Movie
Charley Benson
All of Me
1934Movie
First Cop (uncredited)
Lone Cowboy
1933Movie
Policeman Baxter
Big Executive
1933Movie
Harry the Guide
Tillie and Gus
1933Movie
Commissioner McLennan
To the Last Man
1933Movie
Neil Stanley
Man of the Forest
1933Movie
Mulvey
Let's Dance
1933Movie
Buffalo Stampede
1933Movie
Henchman Pruitt
The Acid Test
1932Movie
Naughty-Cal
1932Movie
Sailor
His Woman
1931Movie
Crewman
The Gigolo Racket
1931Movie
Cafe Customer
Crimes Square
1931Movie
Detective with Handcuffs
Politics
1930Movie
The Cocoanuts
1929Movie
Bather
The Quarterback
1926Movie
Football Player (uncredited)