Barton MacLane

Barton MacLane

Biography: Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian. After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers. Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: December 25, 1902

Deathday: January 01, 1969

Popularity:

6.884

Known For

Pocketful of Miracles
Pocketful of Miracles

1961-12-18

The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon

1941-10-18

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

1941-08-12

Foxfire
Foxfire

1955-07-13

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

1948-01-15

The Secret Seven
The Secret Seven

1940-08-15

Politics
Politics

1930-11-14

Manpower
Manpower

1941-08-09

Nabonga
Nabonga

1944-01-25

The Rounders
The Rounders

1965-01-08

Come Live with Me
Come Live with Me

1941-01-31

Red Light
Red Light

1949-09-30

The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead

1936-03-01

High Sierra
High Sierra

1941-01-23

Bullets or Ballots
Bullets or Ballots

1936-06-06

Cry of the Werewolf
Cry of the Werewolf

1944-08-17

The Mummy's Ghost
The Mummy's Ghost

1944-07-07

Scared Stiff
Scared Stiff

1945-06-22

Mysterious Intruder
Mysterious Intruder

1946-04-11

The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper

1937-04-30

All Through the Night
All Through the Night

1942-01-10

Western Union
Western Union

1941-02-21

Backlash
Backlash

1956-03-14

The Geisha Boy
The Geisha Boy

1958-11-02

You and Me
You and Me

1938-06-01

The Glenn Miller Story
The Glenn Miller Story

1954-01-04

The Cocoanuts
The Cocoanuts

1929-05-23

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

1950-08-19

Kansas Pacific
Kansas Pacific

1953-02-22

San Quentin
San Quentin

1937-05-24

Tarzan and the Huntress
Tarzan and the Huntress

1947-04-05

You Only Live Once
You Only Live Once

1937-01-23

Secret Command
Secret Command

1944-07-30

The Man Is Armed
The Man Is Armed

1956-10-19

Man of Courage
Man of Courage

1943-01-04

Tarzan and the Amazons
Tarzan and the Amazons

1945-04-29

Times Square Playboy
Times Square Playboy

1936-05-09

San Quentin
San Quentin

1946-12-16

Lone Cowboy
Lone Cowboy

1933-12-02

The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case

1943-12-09

Ceiling Zero
Ceiling Zero

1936-01-16

Black Fury
Black Fury

1935-05-18

Bugles in the Afternoon
Bugles in the Afternoon

1952-03-04

The Spanish Main
The Spanish Main

1945-10-01

Smart Blonde
Smart Blonde

1937-01-02

The Big Street
The Big Street

1942-08-13

Highways by Night
Highways by Night

1942-10-02

Wetbacks
Wetbacks

1956-05-04

Drums in the Deep South
Drums in the Deep South

1951-09-01

God's Country and the Woman
God's Country and the Woman

1937-01-16

Best of the Badmen
Best of the Badmen

1951-08-09

The Walls of Jericho
The Walls of Jericho

1948-11-22

Tillie and Gus
Tillie and Gus

1933-10-13

Gunfighters of Abilene
Gunfighters of Abilene

1960-01-01

Song of Texas
Song of Texas

1943-06-14

The Case of the Lucky Legs
The Case of the Lucky Legs

1935-10-05

Stand Up and Fight
Stand Up and Fight

1939-01-06

The Thundering Herd
The Thundering Herd

1933-03-01

Frisco Kid
Frisco Kid

1935-11-30

Unknown Island
Unknown Island

1948-10-15

Blondes at Work
Blondes at Work

1938-02-05

Men Without Souls
Men Without Souls

1940-05-20

To the Last Man
To the Last Man

1933-09-15

Man of the Forest
Man of the Forest

1933-08-24

Hell's Crossroads
Hell's Crossroads

1957-03-08

Angel in Exile
Angel in Exile

1948-10-20

Girl on the Run
Girl on the Run

1958-10-10

Naked Gun
Naked Gun

1956-11-01

Fly Away Baby
Fly Away Baby

1937-06-19

The Adventurous Blonde
The Adventurous Blonde

1937-11-13

Torchy Runs for Mayor
Torchy Runs for Mayor

1939-05-13

Torchy Gets Her Man
Torchy Gets Her Man

1938-11-12

Torchy Blane in Chinatown
Torchy Blane in Chinatown

1939-02-02

Arizona Bushwhackers
Arizona Bushwhackers

1968-03-01

Buckskin
Buckskin

1968-05-01

Barnacle Bill
Barnacle Bill

1941-04-07

Wine, Women and Horses
Wine, Women and Horses

1937-09-11

Stranded
Stranded

1935-06-29

The Half-Breed
The Half-Breed

1952-05-03

Page Miss Glory
Page Miss Glory

1935-09-07

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

1983-02-25

Treasure of Ruby Hills
Treasure of Ruby Hills

1955-01-23

Cheyenne
Cheyenne

1947-06-06

Noose for a Gunman
Noose for a Gunman

1960-05-01

Relentless
Relentless

1948-06-15

Law of the Lawless
Law of the Lawless

1964-05-13

Jail Busters
Jail Busters

1955-09-18

The Acid Test
The Acid Test

1932-11-27

Melody Ranch
Melody Ranch

1940-09-15

Rails Into Laramie
Rails Into Laramie

1954-04-14

Naked In The Sun
Naked In The Sun

1957-09-20

Go Into Your Dance
Go Into Your Dance

1935-04-20

Jack Slade
Jack Slade

1953-11-08

Marine Raiders
Marine Raiders

1944-07-11

Dr. Socrates
Dr. Socrates

1935-10-19

Jungle Flight
Jungle Flight

1947-08-22

The Underdog
The Underdog

1943-10-17

Born Reckless
Born Reckless

1937-06-25

The Bandit Queen
The Bandit Queen

1950-12-22

Captain Scarface
Captain Scarface

1953-10-15

Prison Break
Prison Break

1938-07-12

The Last Round-up
The Last Round-up

1934-05-01

I Found Stella Parish
I Found Stella Parish

1935-11-16

Let's Dance
Let's Dance

1950-11-29

Sierra Stranger
Sierra Stranger

1957-05-01

His Woman
His Woman

1931-11-20

Gold Is Where You Find It
Gold Is Where You Find It

1938-02-12

The Dude Goes West
The Dude Goes West

1948-05-30

Bombardier
Bombardier

1943-05-14

Town Tamer
Town Tamer

1965-07-07

Cow Country
Cow Country

1953-04-25

Ever Since Eve
Ever Since Eve

1937-07-15

Santa Fe Uprising
Santa Fe Uprising

1946-11-15

Wild Geese Calling
Wild Geese Calling

1941-08-15

The Case of the Curious Bride
The Case of the Curious Bride

1935-04-13

'G' Men
'G' Men

1935-05-04

Gentle Annie
Gentle Annie

1944-12-05

Draegerman Courage
Draegerman Courage

1937-05-15

Mutiny in the Big House
Mutiny in the Big House

1939-10-24

Man of Iron
Man of Iron

1935-12-21

Jaguar
Jaguar

1956-01-19

Gangs of Chicago
Gangs of Chicago

1940-05-18

Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger

1936-07-29

Jailbreak
Jailbreak

1936-08-05

The Kid Comes Back
The Kid Comes Back

1938-02-12

I Was a Convict
I Was a Convict

1939-03-06

Naughty-Cal
Naughty-Cal

1932-02-19

Let's Dance
Let's Dance

1933-03-17

Hit the Road
Hit the Road

1941-06-27

Breakdowns of 1936
Breakdowns of 1936

1936-12-30

Hell's Outpost
Hell's Outpost

1954-12-15

Jubilee Trail
Jubilee Trail

1954-05-15

All of Me
All of Me

1934-02-01

Crimes Square
Crimes Square

1931-03-26

The Gigolo Racket
The Gigolo Racket

1931-06-15

Silver River
Silver River

1948-05-20

The Silver Star
The Silver Star

1955-04-07

Last of the Desperados
Last of the Desperados

1955-10-31

Three Violent People
Three Violent People

1956-12-01

Frontier Gun
Frontier Gun

1958-10-31

Big Town Czar
Big Town Czar

1939-05-03

Thunderbirds
Thunderbirds

1952-11-20

A Dream Comes True
A Dream Comes True

1935-12-31

Breakdowns of 1937
Breakdowns of 1937

1937-12-31

Breakdowns of 1939
Breakdowns of 1939

1939-12-31

The Storm
The Storm

1938-10-28

Bogart: The Untold Story
Bogart: The Untold Story

1997-01-05

Sea of Lost Ships
Sea of Lost Ships

1953-10-24

It's Showtime
It's Showtime

1976-03-31

Big Executive
Big Executive

1933-10-19

The Quarterback
The Quarterback

1926-10-11

Girl in the Woods
Girl in the Woods

1958-06-01