Dixon Howard "Dick" Hogan (November 27, 1917 – August 18, 1995) was an American actor of the 1930s and 1940s. During his 12-year career he appeared in over three dozen films, in roles which varied from unnamed bellhops to featured and starring roles. His final film performance was as the murder victim in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

's ''

Rope A rope is a group of yarns, Plying, plies, fibres, or strands that are plying, twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have high tensile strength and can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger ...

'' (1948).

Life and career

Hogan was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on November 27, 1917. While he attended the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States. It is the Flagship campus, flagship campus of the University of Arkan ...

, he sang in local venues and modeled for department stores. He entered the film industry at the age of 19, his first role in the small part of one of the young men in a

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...

(CCC) camp in the 1937 drama ''Blazing Barriers''. His next film had him in the featured role of Bob D. Wilson in ''

Annapolis Salute ''Annapolis Salute'' is a 1937 drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring James Ellison, Marsha Hunt and Harry Carey. It was produced and distributed by RKO Pictures. A few scenes were shot at William Paca House in Maryland. Plot The ...

'', directed by

Christy Cabanne William Christy Cabanne (April 16, 1888 – October 15, 1950) was an American film director, screenwriter, and silent film actor. Biography Born in 1888 in St. Louis, Missouri, Cabanne (pronounced CAB-a-nay) was educated at the Culver Military ...

. After small roles in '' Saturday's Heroes'' (1937), and ''The Storm'' (1938), he was again seen in a principal role in the 1938

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...

comedy-drama, ''

Submarine Patrol ''Submarine Patrol'' is a 1938 film directed by John Ford. The screenplay was by Rian James, Darrell Ware, and Jack Yellen. The film starred Richard Greene, Nancy Kelly and Preston Foster. The supporting cast features George Bancroft, Eli ...

''. In 1939 he appeared in '' Charlie Chan in Reno'' (1939). The early 1940s had Hogan appearing in lead and featured roles in numerous films. In 1940, he was featured in '' The Marines Fly High'' (1940), starring

Richard Dix Richard Dix (born Ernst Carlton Brimmer; July 18, 1893 – September 20, 1949) was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent film, silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and sta ...

and

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedian, producer, and studio executive. She was recognized by ''Time (magazine), Time'' in 2020 as one of the most influential women of the 20th century for h ...

, as one of Dix's company of marines. He then appeared in '' Rancho Grande'', in which he played a spoiled rich heir unhappy at having to live on his grandfather's ranch. He also had a featured role later that year in ''

One Crowded Night ''One Crowded Night'' is a 1940 drama film directed by Irving Reis. Plot In a motor court in the Mojave Desert we are introduced to the Matthews consisting of Mae, the wife of a convict, Annie, her sister, Ma and Pa, their parents, and Mae's yo ...

'', starring

Billie Seward Billie Seward (born Rita Ann Seward; October 23, 1912 – March 20, 1982) was a 1930s motion picture actress from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Film actress Seward performed with Lou Holtz at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel Gold Room in Decemb ...

and

William Haade William Haade (March 2, 1903 – November 15, 1966) was an American film actor.McClure, Arthur F. (1972). Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush; A Pictorial History of the "B" Western Players'. New York: A. S. Barnes and Company. p. 173. . He a ...

. Hogan had a starring role in the 1940 western, '' Prairie Law'', which also starred George O'Brien and Virginia Vale. Hogan also had a featured role that year in the drama ''

''. Hogan began 1941 as a bellhop in '' Play Girl'', a romantic comedy starring

Kay Francis Kay Francis (born Katharine Edwina Gibbs; January 13, 1905 – August 26, 1968) was an American stage and film actress. After a brief period on Broadway in the late 1920s, she moved to film and achieved her greatest success between 1930 an ...

, and then appeared in a featured role in '' Pot o' Gold'', a musical comedy starring

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morali ...

and

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress and socialite. Her career spanned six decades, from the 1920s to the early 1970s. She was a prominent leading actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood ...

. The film was remarkable, as it was the only film produced by

James Roosevelt James Roosevelt II (December 23, 1907 – August 13, 1991) was an American businessman, Marine officer, activist, and Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician. The eldest son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor R ...

, the eldest son of

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

. In 1942 he appeared in several films in smaller roles, until late in the year when he had the featured role of Gibby Dapper in the

Lew Landers Lew Landers (born Louis Friedlander, January 2, 1901 – December 16, 1962) was an American independent film and television director. Biography Born as Louis Friedlander in New York City, Lew Landers began his movie career as an actor. In 1914, ...

' biopic, ''Smith of Minnesota'' (1942), about and starring the

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...

winner

Bruce Smith Bruce Bernard Smith (born June 18, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 19 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Vir ...

, after which ''Mug Town'' was released, in which Hogan starred along with the

Dead End Kids The Dead End Kids were a group of young actors from New York City who appeared in Sidney Kingsley's Broadway play '' Dead End'' in 1935. In 1937, producer Samuel Goldwyn brought all of them to Hollywood and turned the play into a film. They ...

. ''Mug Town'' was followed quickly with a leading role in the 1943 comedy-drama, '' Cinderella Swings It'', the final film in the "Scattergood Baines" film series. After a small role in the spy film, ''

They Came to Blow Up America ''They Came to Blow Up America'', also known as ''School for Sabotage'' and ''School for Saboteurs'', is a 1943 American war spy film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring George Sanders and Anna Sten. It is based on the World War II Operation P ...

'', starring

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous charac ...

, Hogan had a featured role in the World War II drama, ''

Action in the North Atlantic ''Action in the North Atlantic'' is a 1943 American war film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Jerry Wald, directed by Lloyd Bacon, and adapted by John Howard Lawson from a story by Guy Gilpatric. The film stars Humphrey Bogart and R ...

'' (1943), starring

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart ( ; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart ...

. His final screen performance of the year was in another World War II drama, this one set in the Pacific theater, ''

So Proudly We Hail! ''So Proudly We Hail!'' is a 1943 American war film directed and produced by Mark Sandrich from a screenplay by Allan Scott based on the book ''I Served on Bataan'' by Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Redmond. Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, an ...

'', starring

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...

(nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), and

Veronica Lake Constance Frances Marie Ockelman (November 14, 1922 – July 7, 1973), known professionally as Veronica Lake, was an American film, stage, and television actress. Lake was best known for her femme fatale roles in films noir with Alan Ladd durin ...

. In October 1942, Hogan joined the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

. As part of a company of actors in the Corps, Hogan and his wife appeared in an Air Corps production titled, ''Winged Victory'', written and directed by

Moss Hart Moss Hart (October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961) was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director. Early years Hart was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (Solomon) and Barnett Hart, a cigar maker. He had a younger brother ...

, which was a large hit on Broadway at the

44th Street Theatre The 44th Street Theatre was a Broadway theater at 216 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City from 1912 to 1945. It was originally named Weber and Fields' Music Hall when it opened in November 1912 as a resident ve ...

, before touring the United States for two years. Hogan, cast as Cpl. Richard Hogan, would also appear in

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor ( ; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer, producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO Pictures, RKO when David O. Selzn ...

's film version of the same name. However, on Broadway he played the role of Frankie Davis one of the leads, while in the film he was cast as Jimmy Gardner. After leaving the service, Hogan returned to the film industry, but only for a short time. In 1947 he appeared in a featured role in ''

Blaze of Noon ''Blaze of Noon'' is a 1947 aviation adventure film directed by John Farrow and based on writer and aviator Ernest K. Gann's best-selling novel ''Blaze of Noon'' (1946), a story about early air mail operations. The screenplay was from well-known ...

'', starring

Anne Baxter Anne Baxter (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985) was an American actress, star of Hollywood films, Broadway theatre, Broadway productions, and television series. She won an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, Golden Globe, and t ...

and

William Holden William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film '' Stalag 17'' (1953) and the Pri ...

. In 1948 he was featured in two more films: '' Beyond Glory'', starring

Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in ...

and

Donna Reed Donna Reed (born Donna Belle Mullenger; January 27, 1921 – January 14, 1986) was an American actress. Her career spanned more than 40 years, with performances in more than 40 films. She is well known for her portrayal of Mary Hatch Bailey in ...

; and '' Shed No Tears'', starring

Wallace Ford Wallace Ford (born Samuel Grundy Jones; 12 February 1898 – 11 June 1966) was an English–American vaudevillian, stage performer and screen actor. Usually playing wise-cracking characters, he combined a tough but friendly-faced demeanor with ...

and June Vincent. Even though it was the first film he worked on in 1948, his final on-screen performance was in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Rope''. In it, Hogan played the crucial role of David Kentley, the erstwhile friend who is strangled at the beginning of the picture and whose body is hidden in a chest while the murderers' guests have dinner in the same room. Hogan is only alive for a number of seconds in the film, but he has a larger scene with dialogue in film's trailer. Hogan's final acting appearance was on the Broadway stage, in the unsuccessful comedy, ''

Time for Elizabeth ''Time for Elizabeth'' is a 1948 play written by Norman Krasna and Groucho Marx. Krasna and Marx were good friends and Krasna says writing it took 10–15 years.*McGilligan, Patrick, "Norman Krasna: The Woolworth's Touch", ''Backstory: Interview ...

'', which ran for only eight performances at the

Fulton Theatre The Fulton Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 210 West 46th Street in Manhattan, New York City, that was opened in 1911. It was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre in 1955. The theatre was demolished in 1982. After the former Little Theatre o ...

in September–October 1948. He retired from acting after the close of the play, and returned to his hometown of Little Rock, where he became an insurance agent. He was known as an avid fan of

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

, and (as of 1943) he had a complete collection of all of Crosby's records. Hogan died on August 18, 1995, at the age of 77 in Little Rock.

Singing

Before he began acting in films, Hogan sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and in nightclubs.

Filmography

(Per AFI database.)

References

External links

*
Rope trailer
where Hogan has a bigger scene than in the film itself. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hogan, Dick 1917 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors Businesspeople from Arkansas Male actors from Little Rock, Arkansas Military personnel from Arkansas United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces soldiers University of Arkansas alumni