Dennis Moore (born Dennis Meadows; January 26, 1908 – March 1, 1964) was an American
actor
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
who specialized in
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
films and
film serial
A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, ge ...
s.
Early years
Moore was born Dennis Meadows in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
, and attended schools in El Paso. He was active in aviation and had a pilot's license. Before going into films, he worked in
stock theater.
A plane crash nearly ended his life. After more than a year spent in a hospital and two additional years of recovery, he could not pass the physical examination for a pilot's license, so he chose to change from aviation to acting.
Career
Moore began appearing in short subjects and low-budget feature films in the 1930s under the name Denny Meadows
[ and enjoyed greater recognition and employment after he changed his professional name to Dennis Moore.
His dark looks and solemn demeanor kept him working steadily as an all-purpose utility player, in both heroic and villainous roles. Moore became a familiar face in Westerns, but never became a major star. In 1942, he co-starred for six films in PRC's ''Lone Rider'' series, beginning with '']The Lone Rider and the Bandit
''The Lone Rider and the Bandit'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Sam Robins. The film stars George F. Houston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Sm ...
'' and ending with ''Overland Stagecoach
''Overland Stagecoach'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Smoky Moo ...
''.
He also appeared on television in the syndicated '' The Range Rider'', with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones, in the 1955 CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
series '' Brave Eagle'' with Keith Larsen
Keith Larsen (born Keith Larsen Burt, June 17, 1924 – December 13, 2006) was an American actor who starred in three short-lived television series between 1955 and 1961.
Background
Larsen was born in Salt Lake City in 1924. He was of Norwegia ...
, and in the 1956 episode "Panhandle" of the CBS series ''Tales of the Texas Rangers
''Tales of the Texas Rangers'' is a 20th century Western old-time radio and television police procedural drama which originally aired on NBC Radio from 1950 to 1952 and later on CBS Television from 1955 to 1958. Film star Joel McCrea voiced the ...
'', with Willard Parker and Harry Lauter.
He was cast as Mr. Finley in "The Gold Watch" and as Jeb in "A Permanent Juliet" on the NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
Western series '' Buckskin'', starring Tom Nolan, Sally Brophy, and Mike Road. He was cast as Walker in the 1958 episode "Three Wanted Men" of the syndicated Western series ''Frontier Doctor
''Frontier Doctor'' is an American Western television series starring Rex Allen that aired in syndication from September 26, 1958, until June 20, 1959. The series was also known as ''Unarmed'' and ''Man of the West''.TV Guide Guide to TV. Bar ...
,'' starring Rex Allen
Rex Elvie Allen Sr. (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "The Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his cont ...
. At this time, he also made multiple appearances on Richard Carlson's syndicated Western series '' Mackenzie's Raiders''.
He also guest-starred on the syndicated adventure series ''Rescue 8
''Rescue 8'' is a syndicated American action adventure drama series about Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) Rescue Squad 8. It premiered in 1958 and originally ran for two seasons with syndicated reruns continuing for almost a deca ...
'', starring Jim Davis and Lang Jeffries, the crime drama '' U.S. Marshal'', starring John Bromfield, and the NBC Western ''Riverboat
A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...
'', starring Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor.
McGavin began his career working as a set painter for Columbia Pictures. In 1954, he originated roles in Broadway productions of '' My Three ...
.
Moore played leads or second leads in serials, and holds the distinction of having appeared in the last serials produced by Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
in 1946 and Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
in 1956.
Later years
Moore moved with his family from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake, operating a gift shop there.[
]
Death
On March 1, 1964, Moore died of rheumatic heart disease[ in ]San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino ( ) is a city in and the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 census, making it the List of ...
.
Selected filmography
* '' The Dawn Rider'' (1935)
* '' China Clipper'' (1936) as Engineer on Clipper
* '' Desert Justice'' (1936)
* '' Fugitive in the Sky'' (1936) Unbilled
* '' Irish Luck'' (1939)
* '' Overland Mail'' (1939)
* '' Girl from Rio'' (1939)
* '' Boys of the City'' (1940) as Giles
*'' Fugitive from a Prison Camp'' (1940)
* '' Flying Wild'' (1941) as George
* '' Bowery Blitzkrieg'' (1941) as Dorgan
* '' Spooks Run Wild'' (1941) as Dr. Von Grosch
* ''The Lone Rider Fights Back
''The Lone Rider Fights Back'' is a 1941 American western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars George Houston as the Lone Rider and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, with Dorothy Short, Denn ...
'' (1941) as Al Williams
* '' Billy the Kid in Santa Fe'' (1941) as Silent Don Benson
* ''The Lone Rider and the Bandit
''The Lone Rider and the Bandit'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Sam Robins. The film stars George F. Houston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Sm ...
'' (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore
* ''The Lone Rider in Cheyenne
''The Lone Rider in Cheyenne'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Oliver Drake and Elizabeth Beecher. The film stars George Houston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Denn ...
'' (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore
* ''The Lone Rider in Texas Justice
''The Lone Rider in Texas Justice'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Steve Braxton. The film stars George Houston as the "Lone Rider", Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones and Dennis Moore as Sherif ...
'' (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore
* ''Border Roundup
''Border Roundup'' is a 1942 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars George F. Houston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Dennis Moore (actor ...
'' (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore
* ''Outlaws of Boulder Pass
''Outlaws of Boulder Pass'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield. The film stars George Houston as the "Lone Rider" and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Smoky Hammer, with Marjorie Man ...
'' (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore
* ''Overland Stagecoach
''Overland Stagecoach'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider, Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy" Jones, and Dennis Moore as Sheriff Smoky Moo ...
'' (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore
* '' Arizona Trail'' (1943)
* '' West of the Rio Grande'' (1944)
* '' The Mummy's Curse'' (1944) as Dr. James Halsey
* ''Song of the Range
''Song of the Range'' is a 1944 American musical Western film directed by Wallace Fox
Wallace Fox (March 9, 1895 – June 30, 1958) was an American film director. He directed more than 80 films between 1927 and 1953. He was born in Pur ...
'' (1944) as Denny
* '' The Frozen Ghost'' (1945) Radio Show Announcer (uncredited)
* ''The Crime Doctor's Courage
''The Crime Doctor's Courage'' is a 1945 American mystery film directed by George Sherman and starring Warner Baxter, Hillary Brooke and Jerome Cowan.Erickson p.203 It is part of the Crime Doctor series of films made by Columbia Pictures.
Plot
...
'' (1945) David Lee (uncredited)
* '' The Master Key'' (1945)
* '' Colorado Serenade'' (1946) as Duke Dillon
* '' Rainbow Over the Rockies'' (1947)
* '' Frontier Agent'' (1948)
* '' Range Renegades'' (1948)
* '' Across the Rio Grande'' (1949) as Carson
* '' Life of St. Paul'' series (1949) as Roman Centurion
* '' I Killed Geronimo'' (1950) as Henchman Luke
* ''Hot Rod
Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...
'' (1950)
* '' Federal Man'' (1950) as Harry
* '' Snow Dog'' (1950) as LaFontaine Factor (uncredited)
* '' Gunslingers'' (1950) as Marshal Dean
* '' Yukon Manhunt'' (1951) as Henchman
* '' Blazing Bullets'' (1951) as Crowley - Henchman
* ''The Lusty Men
''The Lusty Men '' is a 1952 Contemporary Western film released by Wald-Krasna Productions and RKO Radio Pictures starring Susan Hayward, Robert Mitchum, Arthur Kennedy and Arthur Hunnicutt. The picture was directed by Nicholas Ray and pro ...
'' (1952)
* '' The Shrike'' (1955) as spectator
* ''The White Squaw
''The White Squaw'' is a 1956 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring David Brian, May Wynn and William Bishop (actor), William Bishop.
Plot
A Swedish settler (David Brian) starts a war when he tries to drive ...
'' (1956) as rancher (uncredited)
* '' Friendly Persuasion'' (1956) Farmer (uncredited)
* '' Blazing the Overland Trail'' (1956) as Ed Marr, Pony Express relay station manager
* '' The Phantom Stagecoach'' (1957) as Townsman
* ''The Restless Gun
''The Restless Gun'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne (actor), John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Ci ...
'' (1958) in Episode "The Manhunters"
* ''Bat Masterson
Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...
'' (1959) as Tom
* ''Bat Masterson
Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...
'' (1960) as Sheriff
* ''Bat Masterson
Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...
'' (1961) as Hacker
References
External links
*
Dennis Moore
at Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcas ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Dennis (actor)
1908 births
1964 deaths
American male film actors
American male television actors
Male Western (genre) film actors
Male actors from Fort Worth, Texas
Actors from San Bernardino, California
20th-century American male actors
Western (genre) television actors