Charles McGraw

Charles McGraw(bornCharles Crisp Butters;May 10, 1914 – July 29, 1980) was an American stage, film and television actor whose career spanned more than three decades.

Charles McGraw
TrailerforThe Narrow Margin(1952)
Born	Charles Crisp Butters (1914-05-10)May 10, 1914 Des Moines, Iowa,U.S.
Died	July 29, 1980(1980-07-29)(aged 66) Los Angeles, California,U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1942–1977
Spouse	Freda Choy Kitt ​ ​ (m.1938;div.1968)​
Children	1

Early life

McGraw was born to Beatrice (néeCrisp) and Francis P. Butters inDes Moines, Iowa.Federal census records indicate that he later moved with his parents toAkron, Ohio,where his father worked as a salesman and service manager. In January 1932, McGraw graduated from high school in Akron and then attended one semester of college.

His early jobs included working on a freighter and dancing in night clubs.

Career

Stage

Before getting into film, McGraw was active in theatrical road companies.He also appeared in "dozens of off-Broadway productions."

Film

McGraw made his first film in 1942 with a small, uncredited role inThe Undying Monsterat Fox. He was inTonight We Raid Calais(1942) andThey Came to Blow Up America(1943) at the same studio, and alsoTwo Tickets to London(1943),Destroyer(1943),Corvette K-225(1943),The Mad Ghoul(1943),The Impostor(1944), andThe Seventh Cross(1944).

He developed into a leading man, especially in thefilm noirgenre, during the late 1940s and early 1950s. His gravelly voice and rugged looks enhanced his appeal in that very stylistic genre.

McGraw (left) andWilliam Conradplay the titular roles inThe Killers(1946)

His first notable role was inThe Killers(1946), which opens with McGraw and fellow heavyWilliam Conradas the two hitmen who terrorize a small-town diner in their search for double-crossing hoodlumBurt Lancaster.

McGraw was unbilled inThe Farmer's Daughter(1947) andBrute Force(1947) and had small roles inThe Big Fix(1947) andThe Long Night(1947). He had slightly bigger parts inOn the Old Spanish Trail(1947), aRoy RogersWestern, and some noirs,Roses Are Red(1947) andThe Gangster(1947).

McGraw's parts remained small inT-Men(1947) forAnthony Mann,The Hunted(1948),Berlin Express(1948),Hazard(1948), andBlood on the Moon(1948). He had a bigger role inOnce More, My Darling(1949), then went back to small parts inReign of Terror(1949) andBorder Incident(1949) for Mann, andThe Story of Molly X(1949).

McGraw moved up to third billing in the noirThe Threat(1949). He played a cop inSide Street(1950) for Mann and a gangster inMa and Pa Kettle Go to Town(1951). He played Perry Smith's (Robert Blake) father in "In Cold Blood" (1967).

Leading man

Trailer forHis Kind of Woman(1951)

McGraw was finally given a leading role in RKO'sArmored Car Robbery(1950) directed byRichard Fleischer.He played a gangster inHis Kind of Woman(1951), then had the lead inRoadblock(1951) as "Honest Joe," the insurance investigator turned thief by love.

Fleischer used McGraw in the lead ofThe Narrow Margin(1952). He was a sergeant inOne Minute to Zero(1952) andWar Paint(1953) and was a villain inThunder Over the Plains(1954).

McGraw's other notable roles were asKirk Douglas's gladiator trainer in the epicSpartacus(1960) and as "The Preacher" in the science fiction filmA Boy and His Dog.

Television

After appearing in radio, including the 03/13/1949 episode "Rubin Callaway's Pictures" of the noir-ish detective radio programPat Novak for Hire,McGraw moved to television. In the 1954-55 television season, McGraw starred as the character Mike Waring in the 39-episodesyndicatedseriesAdventures of the Falcon.The series updated the original Falcon premise to portray Waring as a secret agent in theCold War.He also starred in the first television version ofCasablanca(1955), takingHumphrey Bogart's role as Rick Blaine. Additionally, he had the role of Captain Hughes inThe Smith Family.

In 1963, McGraw played Dr. Simon Oliver in the pilot ofDiagnosis: Danger,a medical drama.He later had various single-appearance roles in television episodes such as the gruff and menacing Sheriff Gains in "The Gamble," an installment of theNBCwesternseriesBonanza.In 1964, he guest starred onGunsmokeas Albert Calvin, rich farm owner who lets jealousy ruin his life and drive him to murder in "Bently" (S9E28).

In 1960, McGraw playedUnited States Armyscout Tom Barrows in the episode "The Scout" on theABC/DesiluWestern television seriesThe Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpstarringHugh O'Brian.Though he has an Apache wife, Barrows is known for his attacks on Apache warriors. He is called "The Listener" because he cuts off and wears the ears of the Indians he has killed. The Indians retaliate by killing Barrows's wife. McGraw also appeared in an episode ofThe Untouchablestitled "The Jake Lingle Killing". McGraw portrayed an trigger-happy rear admiral in an episode ofVoyage to the Bottom of the Seatitled "The Sky is Falling."

Late in his career, McGraw performed too as a voice actor, providing voice-over narrations for several productions.He portrayed a boat captain in "Harbor Division," a 1973 episode ofAdam-12.He also appeared in 1973 inHawkins: Death and the Maiden,a TV movie that served as thepilotfor the seriesHawkinsstarringJames Stewart.

Personal life

McGraw married Freda Choy Kitt in 1938, and had one daughter. They divorced in 1968.

On July 29, 1980, he died accidentally at his home inStudio City, California,slipping in the bathroom and falling through a glass shower door, causing several cuts, including a gash to his arm that severed thebrachial artery.Paramedicsarrived after he bled to death.

Honors and awards

In recognition of his contributions to the entertainment industry as an actor, McGraw was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of FameinLos Angeles, Californiaon February 8, 1960. His star is located at 6927 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography

• The Undying Monster(1942) as Strud Strudwick (uncredited)
• The Moon Is Down(1943) as Ole (uncredited)
• Tonight We Raid Calais(1943) as German Corporal (uncredited)
• They Came to Blow Up America(1943) as Zellerbach
• Two Tickets to London(1943) as Hendrik (uncredited)
• Mechanized Patrolling(1943) as Cpl. McGraw
• Destroyer(1943) as Assistant Chief Engineer (uncredited)
• Corvette K-225(1943) as Chief Engineer (uncredited)
• The Mad Ghoul(1943) as Garrity
• The Impostor(1944) as Menessier
• The Seventh Cross(1944) as Allbright (uncredited)
• The Killers(1946) as Al
• The Farmer's Daughter(1947) as Fisher, Finley's Henchman (uncredited)
• The Big Fix(1947) as Armiston
• The Long Night(1947) as Policeman Stevens
• Brute Force(1947) as Andy (uncredited)
• On the Old Spanish Trail(1947) as Harry Blaisdell
• Roses Are Red(1947) as Duke Arno
• The Gangster(1947) as Dugas
• T-Men(1947) as Moxie
• The Hunted(1948) as Detective
• Berlin Express(1948) as USFET Colonel Johns (uncredited)
• Hazard(1948) as Chick
• Blood on the Moon(1948) as Milo Sweet
• Once More, My Darling(1949) as Herman Schmelz, Chauffeur
• Reign of Terror(1949) as Sergeant
• Border Incident(1949) as Jeff Amboy
• The Story of Molly X(1949) as Police Captain Breen
• The Threat(1949) as Arnold 'Red' Kluger
• Side Street(1949) as Detective Stan Simon
• Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town(1950) as Shotgun Mike Munger
• Armored Car Robbery(1950) as Lieutenant Jim Cordell
• Double Crossbones(1951) as Captain Ben Wickett
• His Kind of Woman(1951) as Thompson / Narrator
• Roadblock(1951) as Joe Peters
• The Narrow Margin(1952) as Detective Sergeant Walter Brown
• One Minute to Zero(1952) as Sfc. Baker
• War Paint(1953) as Sergeant Clarke
• Thunder Over the Plains(1953) as Ben Westman
• Loophole(1954) as Gus Slavin
• The Bridges at Toko-Ri(1955) as Commander Wayne Lee
• Away All Boats(1956) as Lieutenant Mike O'Bannion
• Toward the Unknown(1956) as Colonel 'Mickey' McKee
• The Cruel Tower(1956) as Harry 'Stretch' Clay
• Joe Butterfly(1957) as Sgt. Jim McNulty
• Slaughter on Tenth Avenue(1957) as Lt. Anthony Vosnick
• Joe Dakota(1957) as Cal Moore
• Saddle the Wind(1958) as Larry Venables
• The Defiant Ones(1958) as Captain Frank Gibbons
• Twilight for the Gods(1958) as Yancy
• The Man in the Net(1959) as Sheriff Steve Ritter
• The Wonderful Country(1959) as Dr. Herbert J. Stovall
• Spartacus(1960) as Marcellus
• Cimarron(1960) as Bob Yountis
• The Horizontal Lieutenant(1962) as Colonel Charles Korotny
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1963) (Season 1 Episode 22: "Diagnosis: Danger" ) as Dr. Simon P. Oliver
• The Birds(1963) as Sebastian Sholes, Fisherman in Diner
• It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(1963) as Lt. Matthews
• Nightmare in Chicago(1964) as Harry Brockman
• In Cold Blood(1967) as Tex Smith
• The Busy Body(1967) as Fred Harwell
• Hang 'Em High(1968) as Sheriff Ray Calhoun
• Pendulum(1969) as Deputy Chief John P. Hildebrand
• Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here(1969) as Sheriff Frank Wilson
• Johnny Got His Gun(1971) as Mike Burkeman
• Chandler(1971) as Bernie Oakman
• The Night Stalker(1972) as Chief Masterson
• The Longest Night(1972) as Father Chase
• A Boy and His Dog(1975) as Preacher
• The Killer Inside Me(1976) as Howard Hendricks
• Twilight's Last Gleaming(1977) as Air Force General Peter Crane (final film role)

External links

• Charles McGrawatIMDb
• Charles McGrawatAllMovie
• Charles McGrawat theInternet Broadway Database