Sam Flint


Sam Flint was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films, and is perhaps most familiar to today's audiences from Charlie Chan mysteries, adventure serials, It's a Wonderful Life, and the Three Stooges short Micro-Phonies.
Flint was born in Gwinnett County, Georgia. As a young man, he became interested in the theater and appeared in many dramatic plays.
By 1933, he was a member of the Los Angeles company appearing in the hit play The Drunkard, under his real name of Sam Ethridge, and broke into movies with the small, independent Monogram Pictures. Comedian W. C. Fields wanted to include The Drunkard in one of his films, and arranged for Paramount Pictures to sign members of the company -- including Ethridge -- to movie contracts. While most of the actors returned to the live theater, Ethridge continued to work in pictures. Under the screen name Sam Flint, he became familiar for his weathered face, distinguished mustache, and dignified bearing, typecasting him profitably as authority figures: doctors, lawyers, judges, ship's captains, military officers, bankers, racetrack stewards, and senior officials. His last film was the satirical feature Head, starring The Monkees.

Personal life

Flint was married to actress Ella Ethridge, whom he met after she watched him in a play in Galveston, Texas. Later they had an agreement: "Neither will accept a part with any company unless the contract includes the other."

Selected filmography

Sensation Hunters - Ship's CaptainDevil's Mate - Prison Doctor Broken Dreams - Dr. Greenwood Ace of Aces - Army Doctor Mr. Skitch - General Matthews One Is Guilty - Coroner The Murder in the Museum - Councilman Blair NewgateSuch Women Are Dangerous - Doane, Doorman Money Means Nothing - Police Sergeant The Old Fashioned Way - Mary Wilson's father I Give My Love - Business Man The Girl from Missouri - Senator #2 Chained - Gun Repair Clerk Death on the Diamond - Baseball Commissioner Belle of the Nineties - Fire Chief Wake Up and Dream - Theatre Patron Student Tour - Captain Tomorrow's Youth - Jim Lawton - Mrs. Hall's AttorneyMrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch - Railroad Agent Jenkins Evelyn Prentice - Dr. Lyons I'll Fix It - Minor Role Broadway Bill - Racetrack OfficialFugitive Lady - Conductor The Best Man Wins - Doctor Helldorado - Hale The County Chairman - Wings in the Dark - Rockwell The Winning Ticket - Captain The Mystery Man - Jerome Roberts, PublisherThe Whole Town's Talking - City Commissioner Car 99 - Bank President In Spite of Danger - Sanders It Happened in New York - Ship's Officer I'll Love You Always - First Business Man Reckless - Jo Mercer's Father Mister Dynamite - Mr. Hollaner Vagabond Lady - Ship's Captain The Awakening of Jim Burke - Lawyer People Will Talk - Mr. Quimby Chinatown Squad - Ship's Captain Pursuit - Dr. Byers, a Veterinarian The Crusades - Captain of Hospitalers Atlantic Adventure - Colonel Barnett Anna Karenina - Husband - Second Couple Diamond Jim - Man at Bar Metropolitan - Bank Director The New Frontier - Milt DawsonGrand Exit - Mr. French Lawless Range - Sam Middleton Another Face - Police Sergeant A Tale of Two Cities - Aristocrat My Marriage - Simpson A Face in the Fog - Harrison - Newspaper EditorThe Lawless Nineties - Justice Department OfficialRed River Valley - George BaxterBig Brown Eyes - Martin Florida Special - Doctor Champagne Charlie - Board Member The Lonely Trail - Governor of TexasThe Crime of Dr. Forbes - Faculty Doctor Winds of the Wasteland - Dr. William ForsythePublic Enemy's Wife - Doctor Charlie Chan at the Race Track - Ship's Captain Wives Never Know - Doctor Two Minutes to Play - Martin Granville Sr.Along Came Love - Dinner Party Guest The Accusing Finger - District Attorney BentonRed Lights Ahead - Franklin Q. WhitneyThe Devil Diamond - Board Member Man of the People - Hearing Leader Blake of Scotland Yard - Chief Insp. HendersonBreezing Home - Steward Sea Devils - Yacht Captain Dick Tracy - Meeting Chairman Midnight Court - Judge Her Husband Lies - Crapshooter 23 1/2 Hours' Leave - Chief of Police Racketeers in Exile - Finance Man Jim Hanvey, Detective - Bit I Promise to Pay - Police Sergeant You Can't Buy Luck - Judge Criminals of the Air - Chafin It Could Happen to You - President of Faculty Topper - Board Member Saratoga - Racetrack Judge Windjammer - Marvin T. BishopSea Racketeers - Sam Collins Roaring Six Guns - George Ringold