Barton MacLane
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.
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.
Known for
Bogart: The Untold Story
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
It's Showtime
Buckskin
Arizona Bushwhackers
The Mummy's Ghost
Hondo
The Monkees
I Dream of Jeannie
Town Tamer
The Rounders
The Munsters
Law of the Lawless
Pocketful of Miracles
Outlaws
Noose for a Gunman
Gunfighters of Abilene
Tightrope
Black Saddle
The Geisha Boy
Frontier Gun
77 Sunset Strip
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Girl in the Woods
Perry Mason
Naked In The Sun
Sierra Stranger
Hell's Crossroads
Three Violent People
Naked Gun
The Man Is Armed
Wire Service
Wetbacks
Telephone Time
Backlash
Jaguar
Last of the Desperados
Cheyenne
Jail Busters
Gunsmoke
Foxfire
The Silver Star
Treasure of Ruby Hills
Hell's Outpost
The Wonderful World of Disney: Presented by Disney+
Studio 57
Jubilee Trail
Rails Into Laramie
The Glenn Miller Story
Jack Slade
Sea of Lost Ships
Captain Scarface
Cow Country
Kansas Pacific
Thunderbirds
The Half-Breed
Bugles in the Afternoon
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Drums in the Deep South
Best of the Badmen
The Bandit Queen
Let's Dance
Lux Video Theatre
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Red Light
The Walls of Jericho
Angel in Exile
Unknown Island
Relentless
The Dude Goes West
Silver River
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Jungle Flight
Cheyenne
Tarzan and the Huntress
San Quentin
Santa Fe Uprising
Mysterious Intruder
The Spanish Main
Scared Stiff
Tarzan and the Amazons
Gentle Annie
Cry of the Werewolf
Secret Command
Marine Raiders
The Mummy's Ghost
Nabonga
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
The Underdog
Song of Texas
Bombardier
Man of Courage
Highways by Night
The Big Street
All Through the Night
The Maltese Falcon
Wild Geese Calling
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Manpower
Hit the Road
Barnacle Bill
Western Union
Come Live with Me
High Sierra
Melody Ranch
The Secret Seven
Men Without Souls
Gangs of Chicago
Breakdowns of 1939
Mutiny in the Big House
Torchy Runs for Mayor
Big Town Czar
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
Stand Up and Fight
Torchy Gets Her Man
The Storm
Prison Break
You and Me
The Kid Comes Back
Blondes at Work
Breakdowns of 1937
The Adventurous Blonde
Wine, Women and Horses
Ever Since Eve
Born Reckless
Fly Away Baby
San Quentin
Draegerman Courage
The Prince and the Pauper
You Only Live Once
God's Country and the Woman
Smart Blonde
Breakdowns of 1936
Jailbreak
Bengal Tiger
Bullets or Ballots
Times Square Playboy
The Walking Dead
Ceiling Zero
A Dream Comes True
Man of Iron
Frisco Kid
I Found Stella Parish
Dr. Socrates
The Case of the Lucky Legs
Page Miss Glory
Stranded
Black Fury
'G' Men
Go Into Your Dance
The Case of the Curious Bride
The Last Round-up
All of Me
Lone Cowboy
Big Executive
Tillie and Gus
To the Last Man
Man of the Forest
Let's Dance
The Thundering Herd
His Woman
The Gigolo Racket
Crimes Square
The Cocoanuts
The Quarterback