Alan Bridge
Alfred Morton Bridge was an American character actor who played mostly small roles in over 270 films between 1931 and 1954. Bridge's persona was an unpleasant, gravel-voiced man with an untidy moustache. Sometimes credited as Alan Bridge, and frequently not credited onscreen at all, he appeared in many Westerns, especially in the Hopalong Cassidy series, where he played crooked sheriffs and henchmen.
Life and career
Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Philadelphia, Bridge and his sister, who became actress Loie Bridge, grew up with their mother and stepfather, a local butcher. Having entered into vaudeville alongside his sister while still a teenager, Bridge served in the American infantry during World War I. Picking up where they left off shortly thereafter, they toured the U.S. as a team until 1924. Among those who appeared alongside the Bridges during those years were future film players such as Emmett Lynn, Harry Cheshire, Chill Wills, and Joan Crawford.
In 1930, Bridge broke into movies by co-scripting the comedy short Her Hired Husband. The following year he co-wrote and costarred in the Western, God's Country and the Man.
Bridge spent the next 25 years as a familiar face in B-Westerns and mainstream comedies and dramas. In the forties, Bridge was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in ten of the eleven American films that Sturges wrote and directed. He is perhaps best remembered for his role as "The Mister", the chain-gang boss over Joel McCrea in Preston Sturges' Sullivan's Travels. Bridge played against type as a kindly lawyer in Sturges' The Miracle of Morgan's Creek.
Bridge's television work, which began in 1950 includes appearances on The Range Rider and The Gene Autry Show as well as other programs.
Bridge married Blanche Valarie Soules on December 24, 1935 at the United Christian Church of America in Los Angeles, California. She died on April 19, 1945.
Bridge died in Los Angeles at the age 66. His remains are interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood.
Selected filmography
God's Country and the Man - LivermoreRider of the Plains - Deputy Bill GainesThe Ridin' Fool - NikkosPartners of the Trail - Henchman Galloping Thru - Sandy ThompsonSouth of Santa Fe - Henchman BullyPolice Court The Forty-Niners - Squaw O'HaraSpirit of the West - Tom FallonUnholy Love - Police Sergeant A Man's Land - Steve - RustlerMillion Dollar Legs - Secret Emissary #3 The Hurricane Express - CarlsonThe Thirteenth Guest - Policeman Broadway to Cheyenne - AlBlonde Venus - Bouncer Cowboy Counsellor - Sheriff Matt FarradaySlightly Married - Tenant The Devil Horse - Curley Bates - HenchmanThe Wyoming Whirlwind - Steve CantrellWhen a Man Rides Alone - Montana SladeThe Cheyenne Kid - Denver EdDrum Taps - Lariat SmithThe Thundering Herd - Catlee - Pruitt's HenchmanSucker Money - George HunterBlack Beauty - Hack DriverSon of the Border - TupperThe Lone Avenger - Burl AdamsSunset Pass - TomFighting Texans - Gus DurkinFighting with Kit Carson - Henchman Reynolds The Trail Drive - Henchman Bucko Murder on the Campus - Grimes, City Editor Twin Husbands - Highway Patrolman Public Stenographer - Detective Scott Good Dame - Patrol Car Cop Looking for Trouble - Lineman The Trumpet Blows - Policeman Honor of the Range - Townsman We're Not Dressing - Ship's Officer - Rescue Party Burn 'Em Up Barnes - Henchman Tucker The Curtain Falls - Mover Mystery Mountain - Tom HendersonNorth of Arizona - George TullyOutlaw Rule - Deputy Bat LindstromTransient Lady - Sheriff Angel VernerCircumstantial Evidence - John Cassidy Alias Mary Dow - Ditch-Digger Silent Valley - Jim FarleyThe Headline Woman - Baker, Editor The Murder Man - Judge John C. Garfield The Adventures of Rex and Rinty - Henchman Mitchell Diamond Jim - Poker Player on Train The Gay Deception - Jail Attendant Confidential - Hanover - Walsh's HenchmanValley of Wanted Men - Ranger Sergeant ParsonsMelody Trail - Matt KirbyRendezvous - Sergeant The New Frontier - KitA Night at the Opera - Immigration Inspector Gallant Defender - Salty SmithThe Adventures of Frank Merriwell - Henchman BlackThe Bridge of Sighs - Ballistics Expert The Lawless Nineties - SteeleFast Bullets - TravisThe Music Goes 'Round - Police Inspector Call of the Prairie - Sam PorterThese Three - Mrs. Walton's Chauffeur And So They Were Married - Motorcycle Cop Public Enemy's Wife - SwartzmanMary of Scotland - Crash Donovan - Desk Sergeant They Met in a Taxi - Detective The Three Mesquiteers - Olin CanfieldAce Drummond - Paul WyckoffTrail Dust - Tom BabsonDodge City Trail - DawsonJungle Jim - SladeWestbound Mail - 'Bull' FeeneyYou Only Live Once - Guard Borderland - Dandy Morgan - HenchmanSong of the City - Captain Two Gun Law - Kipp FaulknerWoman Chases Man - Process Server Married Before Breakfast - Police Driver One Man Justice - Red GrindyWild West Days - Steve ClaggettThey Won't Forget - Mob Leader Outside Governor's Mansion Dead End - Policeman in Drina's Apartment Western Gold - HolmanThe Awful Truth - Motor Cop Springtime in the Rockies - BriggsTim Tyler's Luck - Capt. Trowbridge Partners of the Plains - Scar LewisLittle Miss Roughneck - SheriffBorn to Be Wild - Kennedy - Trucker in Cafe Jezebel - New Orleans Sheriff Two Gun Justice - SheriffCrime School - Mr. BurkeGunsmoke Trail - Sheriff chasing LomaReformatory - Guard Highway Patrol - JarvisThe Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok - Blackie Flaming Frontiers - John Merkle Marie Antoinette - Official in Passport Office The Colorado Trail - Mark SheldonDown in 'Arkansaw' - JakeAdventure in Sahara - Cpl. DronovCall of the Rockies - WestonThe Phantom Creeps - White Rose Sailor Devil's Island - Captain of the Guards Frontiers of '49 - Army Sergeant Risky Business - Cop The Oklahoma Kid - Would-Be Settler Romance of the Redwoods - Boss WhittakerBuck Rogers - Dynamo Room Floor Guard Blue Montana Skies - MarshalThe Man from Sundown - Slick LarsonThunder Afloat - Fisherman No Place to Go - Frank CrowleyOklahoma Frontier - Kentuck Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Senator Dwight The Roaring Twenties - Ship Captain The Stranger from Texas - Jeff BrowningMy Son Is Guilty - Police Lieutenant at Holdup West of Carson City - Foreman of the Jury My Little Chickadee - Barfly Drinking Straight Whiskey Pioneers of the Frontier - Marshal LarsenThe Courageous Dr. Christian - SheriffBlazing Six Shooters - Bert KarsinDark Command - Slave Trader If I Had My Way - Doorman Passport to Alcatraz - James Carver Winners of the West - Captain When the Daltons Rode - Townsman Flowing Gold - Highway Patrolman Diamond Frontier - Guard Barnyard Follies - Policeman Christmas in July - Mr. HillbeinerSanta Fe Trail - Palmyra Townsman The Green Hornet Strikes Again! - Ship's Captain The Lone Rider Rides On - Bob CameronThe Face Behind the Mask - Flop House Manager The Kid's Last Ride - Bob Harmon, aka Jim BreedenThe Lady Eve - First Steward Double Date - Sergeant O'Rourke The Lady from Cheyenne - Mr. MatthewsThe Lone Rider Rides On - Bob CameronRoad to Zanzibar - Colonial Policeman with Inspector Lady from Louisiana - Captain of Police The Big Boss - Minor Role Country Fair - Law of the Range - JamisonRawhide Rangers - RawlingsWild Geese Calling - Minor Role The Little Foxes - Dawson Badlands of Dakota - Plainview Lawman Honky Tonk - Townsman at Meeting House Tuxedo Junction - Chief Conway Sullivan's Travels - The MisterFighting Bill Fargo - Tom HoustonHonolulu Lu - Shooting Gallery Proprietor Road Agent - Rancher Sealed Lips - Newspaper Morgue Attendant West of Tombstone - U. S. Marshal Pardon My Stripes - Guard Wild [Bill Hickok Rides] - Man The Man Who Returned to Life - Hobo The Mad Doctor of Market Street - Ship's Officer on Bridge Reap the Wild Wind - Cutler Man in Barrel Room The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine - TrusteeSaboteur - Marine MP Sergeant In This Our Life - Worker Meet the Stewarts - Police Turnkey Juke Girl - Farmer Hiring Bean Pickers Lady in a Jam - Furniture Mover Men of Texas - Goodrich Bad Men of the Hills - Sheriff Mace ArnoldThe Talk of the Town - Desk Sergeant The Palm Beach Story - ConductorBells of Capistrano - Westfall Saloon Bartender A Man's World - Capt. Peterson I Married a Witch - Second Prison Guard The Traitor Within - Henchman Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground - Matt WarnerIdaho - Jailer The Man from Thunder River - Prospector Petticoat Larceny - Jack Goss Nobody's Darling - Bum The Miracle of Morgan's Creek - Mr. JohnsonAnd the Angels Sing - Squad Car Policeman The Great Moment - Mr. Stone Hail the Conquering Hero - Political BossCry of the Werewolf - Coroner at Inquest The Merry Monahans - Man on Train The Unwritten Code - Sheriff The Missing Juror - Deputy Sheriff Ben The Princess and the Pirate - Pirate The Jade Mask - Sheriff MackA Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Cheap Charlie A Guy, a Gal and a Pal - Mayor Thunderhead, Son of Flicka - Dr. Hicks Salty O'Rourke - Bartender The Clock - Second Subway Official Escape in the Desert - Citizen Gunman The Unseen - Truck Driver Both Barrels Blazing - Lucky Thorpe Blazing the Western Trail - Forrest Brent Saratoga Trunk - Soule Gang Engineer She Wouldn't Say Yes - Conductor Road to Utopia - Ship Captain They Were Expendable - Lieutenant Colonel Miss Susie Slagle's - Cab Driver Deadline at Dawn - Detective Smiley The Falcon's Alibi - Police Inspector BlakeShadows Over Chinatown - Capt. AllenMy Pal Trigger - Henry Wallace Cowboy Blues - Jim Peters Below the Deadline - TurnerTwo Years Before the Mast - Publisher Cross My Heart - Det. FlynnIt's a Wonderful Life - Sheriff with arrest warrant Alias Mr. Twilight - Sam BartlettSingin' in the Corn - Honest John RichardsThe Mighty McGurk - Toothless Derelict California - Town Marshal Nora Prentiss - NYC Policeman The Sin of Harold Diddlebock - Wild Bill HickokThe Michigan Kid - Sheriff Dick Tracy's Dilemma - Mr. Cudd Framed - Judge Robin Hood of Texas - SheriffDown to Earth - Police Captain Song of the Thin Man - Nagle - Waterfront Policeman The Hal Roach Comedy Carnival - Bartender, in 'Fabulous Joe'The Fabulous Joe - Florida Club BartenderBlack Gold - Dr. Jonas, Veterinarian Unconquered - Militiaman at Fair Messenger of Peace - Harry FranzmeirerT-Men - Agent in Phone Booth Road to Rio - Ship's Officer Smart Woman - Hotel Clerk Fury at Furnace Creek - Lawyer Silver River - Sam SladeUnfaithfully Yours - House DetectiveQuick on the Trigger - Judge KormacThat Wonderful Urge - Conovan The Paleface - Governor's Horseman South of St. Louis - Farmer The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend - Sheriff AmbroseThe Doolins of Oklahoma - Deputy Sheriff Trail of the Yukon - The Drunk The Devil's Henchman - Elmer HoodRoseanna McCoy - Medicine Seller The Traveling Saleswoman - P. Carter A Woman of Distinction - Editor North of the Great Divide - Henry Gates The Tougher They Come - JensenCalifornia Passage - ConoverHunt the Man Down - Ulysses Grant Sheldon Oh! Susanna - Jake LedbetterIn Old Amarillo - Sheriff Strangers on a Train - Tennis Judge Utah Wagon Train - Sam SickleAll That I Have - John Biddle, GardenerThe Last Musketeer - Lem ShaverWe're Not Married! - Det. Magnus Barbed Wire - McGraw Iron Mountain Trail - The MarshalJubilee Trail - Mr. Turner Hell's Outpost - Banker