Rudy Sooter (June 17, 1905 – June 9, 1991) was a Canadian-American film and television actor. He was known for playing the recurring role of

bartender A bartender (also known as a barkeep or barman or barmaid or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the Bar (establishment), bar, usually in a licensed bar (establishment), establishment as ...

Rudy in the American

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 ...

television series ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...

''.

Life and career

Sooter was born in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. He began his career in 1930, appearing in the film '' Trailing Trouble'', starring

Hoot Gibson Edmund Richard "Hoot" Gibson (August 6, 1892 – August 23, 1962) was an American rodeo champion, film actor, film director, and producer. While acting and stunt work began as a sideline to Gibson's focus on rodeo, he successfully transitioned ...

and

Margaret Quimby Margaret Quimby (1904–1965) was an American stage actress, stage and film actress. Lussier p. 123 She appeared in both lead role, lead and supporting roles during the silent era, silent and early sound era. Filmography * ''Fight and Win'' (192 ...

. Later in his career, Sooter appeared in numerous films such as '' The Unknown Ranger'' (1936), '' Rhythm of the Saddle'' (1938), ''

Destry Rides Again ''Destry Rides Again'' is a 1939 American Western comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. The supporting cast includes Mischa Auer, Charles Winninger, Brian Donlevy, Allen Jenkins, Irene Her ...

'' (1939), ''

Bad Man from Red Butte ''Bad Man from Red Butte'' is a 1940 American Western film directed by Ray Taylor and written by Sam Robins. The film stars Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Baker, Fuzzy Knight, Anne Gwynne, Bill Cody Jr. and Norman Willis. It was released on June 1, ...

'' (1940), ''

Texas Trouble Shooters ''Texas Trouble Shooters'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and written by Arthur Hoerl. The film is the fifteenth in Monogram Pictures' " Range Busters" series, and it stars Ray "Crash" Corrigan as Crash, John "Dusty" ...

'' (1942), '' Gunning for Vengeance'' (1946), '' Short Grass'' (1950), ''

Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired ...

'' (1955), ''

The Oklahoman ''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circul ...

'' (1957), ''

One Foot in Hell ''One Foot in Hell'' is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. The original LP was produced by Brian Slagel and Cirith Ungol. It was released in August 1986 on Metal Blade Records and re-released in March 1999 ...

'' (1960) and ''

Apache Uprising ''Apache Uprising'' is a 1965 American Technicolor Western (genre), Western Techniscope film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by Max Lamb and Harry Sanford. The film stars Rory Calhoun, Corinne Calvet, John Russell (actor), John Russe ...

'' (1965). He also appeared in numerous television programs including ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'', '' Wanted Dead or Alive'', ''

Rawhide Rawhide may refer to: *Rawhide (material), a hide or animal skin that has not been tanned * Whip made from rawhide Entertainment * ''Rawhide'' (1926 film), a Western directed by Richard Thorpe * ''Rawhide'' (1938 film), a Western starring baseball ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', ''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Ri ...

'' and ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American Western (genre), Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was ...

''. Sooter died on June 9, 1991, at the age of 85.

References

External links

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Rotten Tomatoes profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sooter, Rudy 1905 births 1991 deaths Male actors from British Columbia Canadian emigrants to the United States American male film actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors Male Western (genre) film actors Western (genre) television actors