Roscoe Karns
Roscoe Karns

Roscoe Karns

Born: September 6, 1891 - Died: February 6, 1970 (78 years)
San Bernardino, California, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s. Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as Wings and Beggars of Life, his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up Claudette Colbert in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, His Girl Friday.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with Lynne Overman as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime. From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular DuMont Television Network series Rocky King, Inside Detective. His son, character actor Todd Karns, also appeared in that series. From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Admiral Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper in the title role of a United States Navy physician, and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale. His final film was another Hawks comedy, Man's Favorite Sport?, in 1964. Karns was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Los Angeles. Description above from the Wikipedia article Roscoe Karns, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Movies as Actor (137)
Man's Favorite Sport?

Man's Favorite Sport?

as Major Phipps

Jan 31, 1964

Onionhead

Onionhead

as 'Windy' Woods

Oct 25, 1958

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven

as Officer Carmody

Jul 16, 1948

Speed to Spare

Speed to Spare

as Kangaroo

May 14, 1948

Devil's Cargo

Devil's Cargo

as Lt. Hardy

Apr 1, 1948

The Inside Story

The Inside Story

as Eustace Peabody

Mar 14, 1948

That's My Man

That's My Man

as Toby Gleeton

Jun 1, 1947

Vigilantes of Boomtown

Vigilantes of Boomtown

as Bill Delaney

Feb 15, 1947

Avalanche

Avalanche

as Red Kelly

Jun 30, 1946

I Ring Doorbells

I Ring Doorbells

as Stubby

Feb 28, 1946

One Way to Love

One Way to Love

as Hobie Simmons

Jan 8, 1946

Hi, Good Lookin'!

Hi, Good Lookin'!

as Archie

Mar 22, 1944

The Navy Way

The Navy Way

as Frankie Gimble

Feb 26, 1944

Minstrel Man

Minstrel Man

as Lasses White

Jan 2, 1944

Old Acquaintance

Old Acquaintance

as Charlie Archer

Nov 27, 1943

His Butler's Sister

His Butler's Sister

as Fields

Nov 26, 1943

Riding High

Riding High

as Shorty

Nov 11, 1943

Stage Door Canteen

Stage Door Canteen

as Roscoe Karns

Jun 24, 1943

My Son, The Hero

My Son, The Hero

as Big-Time Morgan

Apr 5, 1943

You Can't Escape Forever

You Can't Escape Forever

as 'Mac' McTurk

Oct 10, 1942

Yokel Boy

Yokel Boy

as Al Devers

Mar 13, 1942

Woman of the Year

Woman of the Year

as Phil Whittaker

Feb 5, 1942

A Tragedy at Midnight

A Tragedy at Midnight

as Cassidy

Feb 2, 1942

Road to Happiness

Road to Happiness

as Charley Grady

Dec 19, 1941

Half Shot at Sunrise

Half Shot at Sunrise

as Henry Warren

Sep 4, 1941

The Gay Vagabond

The Gay Vagabond

as Arthur Dixon / Jerry Dixon

May 12, 1941

Black Eyes and Blues

Black Eyes and Blues

as Alfred Harmon

Apr 18, 1941

Footsteps in the Dark

Footsteps in the Dark

as Monahan

Mar 8, 1941

Petticoat Politics

Petticoat Politics

as Joe Higgins

Jan 31, 1941

Meet the Missus

Meet the Missus

as Joe Higgins

Nov 29, 1940

Ladies Must Live

Ladies Must Live

as Pete Larrabee

Jul 27, 1940

They Drive by Night

They Drive by Night

as Irish McGurn

Jul 26, 1940

Saturday's Children

Saturday's Children

as Willie Sands

May 4, 1940

Double Alibi

Double Alibi

as Jeremiah Jenkins

Mar 1, 1940

His Girl Friday

His Girl Friday

as McCue

Jan 18, 1940

That's Right – You're Wrong

That's Right – You're Wrong

as Mal Stamp

Nov 24, 1939

Everything's on Ice

Everything's on Ice

as Felix Miller

Oct 5, 1939

Dancing Co-Ed

Dancing Co-Ed

as Joe Drews

Sep 29, 1939

King of Chinatown

King of Chinatown

as Rip Harrigan

Mar 17, 1939

Thanks for the Memory

Thanks for the Memory

as George Kent

Nov 11, 1938

You and Me

You and Me

as Cuffy

Jun 1, 1938

Tip-Off Girls

Tip-Off Girls

as Tom Benson aka Tommy Logan

Apr 1, 1938

Dangerous to Know

Dangerous to Know

as Duncan

Mar 11, 1938

Scandal Street

Scandal Street

as Austin Brown

Feb 11, 1938

Partners in Crime

Partners in Crime

as Sim Perkins

Oct 8, 1937

On Such a Night

On Such a Night

as Joe Flynn

Aug 27, 1937

Night of Mystery

Night of Mystery

as Sergeant Heath

May 21, 1937

Murder Goes to College

Murder Goes to College

as Sim Perkins

Feb 24, 1937

Clarence

Clarence

as Clarence Smith

Feb 12, 1937

Cain and Mabel

Cain and Mabel

as Reilly

Sep 26, 1936

Three Married Men

Three Married Men

as Peter Cary

Sep 24, 1936

Border Flight

Border Flight

as Calico Smith

May 29, 1936

Woman Trap

Woman Trap

as Mopsy

Mar 6, 1936

Two-Fisted

Two-Fisted

as Chick Moran

Oct 3, 1935

Front Page Woman

Front Page Woman

as Toots O'Grady

Jul 11, 1935

Alibi Ike

Alibi Ike

as Carey

Jun 15, 1935

Four Hours to Kill!

Four Hours to Kill!

as Johnson

Apr 11, 1935

The Woman in Red

The Woman in Red

as Man in court room (uncredited)

Feb 16, 1935

Red Hot Tires

Red Hot Tires

as Bud Keene

Feb 2, 1935

Wings in the Dark

Wings in the Dark

as Nick Williams

Feb 1, 1935

I Sell Anything

I Sell Anything

as Monk

Oct 20, 1934

Elmer and Elsie

Elmer and Elsie

as Rocky Cott

Aug 4, 1934

Shoot the Works

Shoot the Works

as Sailor Burke

Jul 18, 1934

Twentieth Century

Twentieth Century

as Owen O'Malley

May 11, 1934

Come On, Marines!

Come On, Marines!

as Spud McGurke

Mar 23, 1934

It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night

as Oscar Shapeley

Feb 22, 1934

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

as Tweedledee

Dec 18, 1933

The Women in His Life

The Women in His Life

as Aloysius Lester

Dec 8, 1933

One Sunday Afternoon

One Sunday Afternoon

as Snappy Downer

Sep 1, 1933

Gambling Ship

Gambling Ship

as Blooey

Jun 23, 1933

A Lady's Profession

A Lady's Profession

as Tony

Mar 3, 1933

Today We Live

Today We Live

as McGinnis

Mar 3, 1933

Grand Slam

Grand Slam

as Contest Radio Announcer

Feb 22, 1933

Lawyer Man

Lawyer Man

as Merritt - Reporter (uncredited)

Dec 24, 1932

Under-Cover Man

Under-Cover Man

as Dannie

Dec 2, 1932

If I Had a Million

If I Had a Million

as Private O'Brien

Nov 18, 1932

They Call It Sin

They Call It Sin

as Brad - Rehearsal Director (uncredited)

Nov 5, 1932

Night After Night

Night After Night

as Leo

Oct 29, 1932

One Way Passage

One Way Passage

as S.S. Maloa Bartender (uncredited)

Oct 4, 1932

The Crooked Circle

The Crooked Circle

as Harry Carter

Sep 25, 1932

Two Against the World

Two Against the World

as Segall, reporter

Sep 3, 1932

Week-End Marriage

Week-End Marriage

as Jim Davis

Jun 18, 1932

The Roadhouse Murder

The Roadhouse Murder

as Dale

Apr 28, 1932

Play Girl

Play Girl

as Gambler (uncredited)

Mar 12, 1932

Stowaway

Stowaway

as Insp. Redding

Mar 1, 1932

High Pressure

High Pressure

as Telephone Salesman (uncredited)

Jan 10, 1932

Ladies of the Big House

Ladies of the Big House

as Frank - Twenty Questions player (uncredited)

Dec 26, 1931

Left Over Ladies

Left Over Ladies

as 'Scoop'

Sep 30, 1931

Pleasure

Pleasure

as Arnie

Sep 1, 1931

Laughing Sinners

Laughing Sinners

as Fred Geer

May 30, 1931

Many a Slip

Many a Slip

as Stan Price

Mar 2, 1931

Dirigible

Dirigible

as Sock McGuire

Feb 1, 1931

The Gorilla

The Gorilla

as Simmons

Nov 2, 1930

The Costello Case

The Costello Case

as Blair

Oct 14, 1930

Man Trouble

Man Trouble

as Scott

Aug 24, 1930

Little Accident

Little Accident

as Gilbert

Aug 3, 1930

Safety in Numbers

Safety in Numbers

as Bertram Shapiro

May 30, 1930

Troopers Three

Troopers Three

as Bugs

Feb 23, 1930

New York Nights

New York Nights

as Johnny Dolan

Dec 28, 1929

This Thing Called Love

This Thing Called Love

as Harry Bertrand

Dec 13, 1929

Copy

Copy

as City Editor John Mack

Oct 11, 1929

The Flying Fleet

The Flying Fleet

as Shipwrecked Radio Operator (uncredited)

Jan 19, 1929

The Shopworn Angel

The Shopworn Angel

as Dance Director

Dec 29, 1928

Object: Alimony

Object: Alimony

as Al Bryant

Dec 22, 1928

Jazz Mad

Jazz Mad

as Sol Levy

Nov 18, 1928

Moran of the Marines

Moran of the Marines

as Swatty

Oct 13, 1928

Beggars of Life

Beggars of Life

as Lame Hoppy

Sep 22, 1928

Win That Girl

Win That Girl

as Johnny Norton II

Sep 16, 1928

Warming Up

Warming Up

as Hippo

Aug 4, 1928

The Vanishing Pioneer

The Vanishing Pioneer

as Ray Hearn

Jun 23, 1928

Something Always Happens

Something Always Happens

as George

Mar 28, 1928

The Desert Bride

The Desert Bride

as Pvt. Terry

Mar 26, 1928

The Trail of '98

The Trail of '98

as Man on Ship (uncredited)

Mar 20, 1928

Beau Sabreur

Beau Sabreur

as Buddy

Jan 22, 1928

The Jazz Singer

The Jazz Singer

as Agent (uncredited)

Oct 6, 1927

Wings

Wings

as Lieutenant Cameron

Aug 12, 1927

Ten Modern Commandments

Ten Modern Commandments

as Benny Burnaway

Jul 27, 1927

Ritzy

Ritzy

as Smith's Valet

Apr 9, 1927

You'd Be Surprised

You'd Be Surprised

as Party Guest (uncredited)

Sep 24, 1926

Dollar Down

Dollar Down

as Gene Meadows

Sep 20, 1925

The Overland Limited

The Overland Limited

as Patrick Henry Madden

Jul 14, 1925

The Foolish Virgin

The Foolish Virgin

as Chuck Brady

Aug 15, 1924

The Midnight Express

The Midnight Express

as Switch Hogan

Jun 1, 1924

Bluff

Bluff

as Jack Hallowell

May 12, 1924

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments

as The Boy in the Rain (uncredited)

Nov 23, 1923

Other Men's Daughters

Other Men's Daughters

as Hubert

Oct 15, 1923

Conquering the Woman

Conquering the Woman

as Shorty Thompson

Dec 10, 1922

The Trouper

The Trouper

Jul 23, 1922

Her Own Money

Her Own Money

as Jerry Woodward

Jan 1, 1922

The Man Tamer

The Man Tamer

as Bradley P. Caldwell Jr

May 30, 1921

The Life of the Party

The Life of the Party

as Sam Perkins

Nov 21, 1920

The Family Honor

The Family Honor

as Dal Tucker

Mar 15, 1920

Poor Relations

Poor Relations

as Henry

Nov 1, 1919

A Western Governor's Humanity

A Western Governor's Humanity

as The Sheriff

Nov 3, 1915

A Species of Mexican Man

A Species of Mexican Man

Aug 25, 1915

From Champion to Tramp

From Champion to Tramp

as The Girl's Father

Jun 17, 1915

Mr. Carlson of Arizona

Mr. Carlson of Arizona

Apr 8, 1915