Roy Edwin Glenn, Sr. (June 3, 1914 – March 12, 1971) was an American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

Early life

Glenn was born in

Pittsburg, Kansas Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, Crawford County, Kansas, United States, located in southeast Kansas near the Missouri state border. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 United S ...

on June 3, 1914.

Career

Glenn's career spanned five decades, beginning in

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

in the 1940s with multiple appearances on '' The Amos 'n' Andy Show'' and '' The Jack Benny Program'', as well as appearances on other shows into the 1950s including '' Rocky Jordan'', ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...

'', ''

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar ''Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar'' is a radio drama that aired on CBS Radio from February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962. The first several seasons imagined protagonist Johnny Dollar as a private investigator drama, with Charles Russell, Edmond O ...

'', and ''

CBS Radio Workshop ''The CBS Radio Workshop'' was an experimental dramatic radio anthology series that aired on CBS from January 27, 1956, until September 22, 1957. Subtitled “radio’s distinguished series to man’s imagination,” it was a revival of the earli ...

''. He made numerous appearances from the dawn of

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

(including many authoritative roles on '' The Amos 'n' Andy Show'', 1951–53) until 1970. His first film appearance was in '' Kelly the Second'' (1936), followed by '' Dark Manhattan'' (1937). His other film credits include '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' (1950), '' Carmen Jones'' (1954), ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' ( ) is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play ''Porgy (play), ...

'' (1959), '' The Sound and the Fury'' (1959), '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1961), with Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee and Claudia McNeil, and a memorable turn as Mr. Prentice (the father of Poitier's character) in the 1967 film '' Guess Who's Coming to Dinner''. Roy Glenn's last big screen appearance was in '' Support Your Local Gunfighter'' (1971).

Personal life

Glenn's wife was Pauline "Lilla" (née Fractious). They had two sons and a daughter. Glenn died from a heart attack in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, California on March 12, 1971, at the age of 56.

Filmography

* '' Kelly the Second'' (1936) as Fight Spectator (uncredited) * '' Dark Manhattan'' (1937) as Harry Patton (uncredited) * '' Uncle Tom's Bungalow'' (1937) as Uncle Tom (voice, uncredited) * ''

Slave Ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting Slavery, slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea ( ...

'' (1937) as Slave in Ship's Hold (uncredited) * '' Life Begins in College'' (1937) as Singing Porter (uncredited) * ''

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

'' (1946) as Br'er Frog (voice, uncredited) * '' Half-Pint Pygmy'' as Pygmy (voice, uncredited) * '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' (1950) as Mr. Gaines, Attorney (uncredited) * '' Chicago Calling'' (1951) as Shoeshine Man (uncredited) * '' Lydia Bailey'' (1952) as Mirabeau * ''

Affair in Trinidad ''Affair in Trinidad'' is a 1952 American film noir directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. It was produced by Hayworth's Beckworth Corporation and released by Columbia Pictures. It is notable as Hayworth's "comeba ...

'' (1952) as Fisherman (uncredited) * '' The Lusty Men'' (1952) as Cook (uncredited) * '' Bomba and the Jungle Girl'' (1952) as Kaje * '' Jungle Drums of Africa'' (1953) as Naganto, Witch Doctor * '' Perils of the Jungle'' (1953) as Korjah * '' So This Is Love'' (1953) as Man in Negro Congregation (uncredited) * '' The Royal African Rifles'' (1953) as Corporal John * '' The Golden Idol'' (1954) as Gomo * '' Riot in Cell Block 11'' (1954) as Guard Delmar * '' The Long Wait'' (1954) as Parking Attendant (uncredited) * '' The Raid'' (1954) as Emmanuel, Mrs. Bishop's Butler (uncredited) * '' Killer Leopard'' (1954) as Daniel * '' Jungle Gents'' (1954) as Omotowa (uncredited) * '' Carmen Jones'' (1954) as Rum Daniels * '' Panther Girl of the Kongo'' (1955, Serial) as Danka * '' A Man Called Peter'' (1955) as The Laborer (uncredited) * '' Time Table'' (1956) as Train Porter (uncredited) * '' The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit'' (1956) as Sergeant Matthews (uncredited) * '' Written on the Wind'' (1956) as Sam * ''

Three Brave Men ''Three Brave Men'' is a 1956 American drama film directed by Philip Dunne and starring Ray Milland, Ernest Borgnine and Frank Lovejoy. The film was based on real-life events arising in Greenbelt, Maryland,Knepper, Cathy D. ''Greenbelt, Maryla ...

'' (1956) as Charley, Plant Security Guard (uncredited) * '' Edge of the City'' (1957) as Stevedore (uncredited) * '' The Green-Eyed Blonde'' (1957) as Mr. Budlong (uncredited) * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1958) (Season 4 Episode 2: "Don't Interrupt") as Bartender * '' St. Louis Blues'' (1958) as Bull Neck (uncredited) * '' Tarzan's Fight for Life'' (1958) as Native Chief (uncredited) * '' Voice in the Mirror'' (1958) as Janitor at Flophouse (uncredited) * '' The Sound and the Fury'' (1959) as Job * ''

'' (1959) as Frazier * '' Take a Giant Step'' (1959) as Minister at Gram's Funeral (uncredited) * '' The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'' (1960) as Drayman (uncredited) * '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1961) as Willie Harris * '' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1962) as Charles (uncredited) * '' Where Love Has Gone'' (1964) as Valerie's Servant (uncredited) * '' A Man Called Adam'' (1966) as Police Detective Sergeant * '' Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round'' (1966) as Sergeant Elmer K. Coxe * '' The Way West'' (1967) as Saunders * '' Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'' (1967) as Mr. Prentice * '' Hang 'Em High'' (1968) as Guard #2 * '' I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!'' (1968) as Gas Station Attendant * '' Finian's Rainbow'' (1968) as Passion Pilgrim Gospeleer (uncredited) * '' ...tick...tick...tick...'' (1970) as The Drunk * '' The Great White Hope'' (1970) as Pastor * '' Support Your Local Gunfighter'' (1971) as Headwaiter (released posthumously) * '' Escape from the Planet of the Apes'' (1971) as Lawyer (final film role; released posthumously)

References

External links