Barton MacLane


Barton MacLane was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC television comedy series I Dream of Jeannie, with Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman.

Early life

Barton MacLane was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on Christmas Day, 1902. He attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he excelled at American football. His first movie role, in The Quarterback, was a result of his athletic ability. He then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Career

He made his Broadway debut in 1927, playing the assistant district attorney in Bayard Veiller's The Trial of Mary Dugan. He then performed in the 1928 Broadway production of Gods of the Lightning and was part of the original cast of Subway Express as Officer Mulvaney in 1929. He appeared in the Marx Brothers' 1929 film debut The Cocoanuts. MacLane made his first credited film appearance in the 1931 romantic drama His Woman. The following year, he wrote the play Rendezvous, which he sold to Arthur Hopkins. The play was performed on Broadway, with MacLane in a featured role.

Film work: 1930s–1950s

The success of Rendezvous landed MacLane a contract with Warner Bros. and brought him to the attention of several renowned film directors, including Fritz Lang, Michael Curtiz, and William Keighley. As a result, throughout the remainder of the 1930s, MacLane was highly active in film, with major supporting roles in such productions as The Case of the Curious Bride, G Men, The Prince and the Pauper, and Lang's You Only Live Once and You and Me. He also played the role of detective Steve McBride, opposite Glenda Farrell in seven of the nine films featuring the fictional newspaper reporter Torchy Blane.
During the 1930s and 1940s, MacLane worked alongside Humphrey Bogart in several films. He played Lieutenant Dundy, who interacted with Bogart's Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon, writer/director John Huston's acclaimed film noir based upon Dashiell Hammett's novel. MacLane again collaborated with both Bogart and Huston on the Academy Award-winning 1948 adventure film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
MacLane's many other film credits during the 1940s include The Big Street, Victor Fleming's Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Fritz Lang's Western Union, Reginald Le Borg's The Mummy's Ghost, and Frank Borzage's The Spanish Main. He also played villains in two Tarzan films starring Johnny Weissmuller – Tarzan and the Amazons and Tarzan and the Huntress. Some of MacLane's films during the 1950s include Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, The Glenn Miller Story, and Three Violent People. In 1955 MacLane appeared as Jim Mablett in the movie Foxfire co-starring Jane Russell.

Television and final films

In the 1950s, MacLane began to appear regularly on television. Between 1953 and 1967, he guest starred on such programs as Conflict, Lux Video Theatre, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Laramie, The Monkees, and Gunsmoke. In 1958 he played Sen. Harriman Baylor in the Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll". In 1960 he played Eugene Norris, Perry's friend and small-town sheriff, in "The Case of the Violent Village". In 1964 he played Archer Osmond in "The Case of the Ruinous Road".
During the 1960–1961 television season, MacLane was a series regular on twenty-seven episodes of NBC's western, Outlaws, in which he played Marshal Frank Caine. His last feature film was Buckskin.
In 1965, MacLane, who had played real-life Air Force General "Hap" Arnold in The Glenn Miller Story, was cast in the recurring role of fictional Air Force General Martin Peterson on I Dream of Jeannie. He appeared in 35 episodes of the TV series between 1965 and 1969. Three of MacLane's episodes were aired after his death in January 1969. His character was replaced on later episodes of the series by General Winfield Schaeffer, portrayed by Vinton Hayworth, until Hayworth's death in 1970. Hayworth also died before all episodes featuring his character were broadcast.

Personal life

MacLane played several musical instruments, including the violin, piano, and guitar. In 1939, MacLane married actress Charlotte Wynters. From the 1940s until his death, he maintained a cattle ranch in eastern Madera County, California, where he made his home when he was not acting. He adopted a daughter.

Death

MacLane died of double pneumonia on New Year's Day 1969 at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, a week after his 66th birthday. He had been admitted two weeks prior to his death.
MacLane was buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.

Recognition

For his contribution to the television industry, MacLane has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6719 Hollywood Boulevard.

Selected filmography

The Quarterback as Football Player The Cocoanuts as Bather or Muscle Man at Beach His Woman as Crewman State's Attorney as Court Reporter The Thundering Herd as PruittMan of the Forest as Henchman MulveyTo the Last Man as Neil StanleyTillie and Gus as Commissioner McLennanBig Executive as Harry the GuideLone Cowboy as Policeman BaxterHell and High Water as Dance Hall ManagerAll of Me as First Cop The Last Round-Up as Charley BensonBlack Fury as McGeeThe Case of the Curious Bride as Detective LucasG Men as CollinsGo Into Your Dance as Duke HutchinsonStranded as SharkeyPage Miss Glory as BlackieThe Case of the Lucky Legs as Police Chief BisonetteDr. Socrates as Red BastianI Found Stella Parish as Clifton JeffordsFrisco Kid as Spider BurkeMan of Iron as Chris BennettCeiling Zero as Al StoneThe Walking Dead as LoderTimes Square Playboy as Casey, Vic's Butler / TrainerBullets or Ballots as Al KrugerBengal Tiger as Cliff BallengerJailbreak as Detective Captain RourkeSmart Blonde as Steve McBrideGod's Country and the Woman as BullheadYou Only Live Once as Stephen WhitneyThe Prince and the Pauper as John CantyDraegerman Courage as Andrew BeaupreSan Quentin as Lt. DrugginFly-Away Baby as Steve McBrideEver Since Eve as Al McCoyBorn Reckless as Jim BarnesWine, Women and Horses as Jim TurnerThe Adventurous Blonde as Steve MacBrideBlondes at Work as Lieutenant Steve McBrideThe Kid Comes Back as 'Gunner' MaloneGold Is Where You Find It as Slag MartinYou and Me as Mickey BainPrison Break as Joaquin ShannonThe Storm as Capt. CogswellTorchy Gets Her Man as Steve McBrideStand Up and Fight as CrowderTorchy Blane in Chinatown as Police Lieutenant Steve McBrideI Was a Convict as Ace KingBig Town Czar as Phil DaleyTorchy Runs for Mayor as Steve McBrideMutiny in the Big House as Red MansonGangs of Chicago as Jim RamseyMen Without Souls as Blackie Drew