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Joe Sawyer

Joe Sawyer

Actor · Died April 21, 1982, aged 75 · Guelph, Ontario, Canada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers, August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. He was born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Sawyer gained acting experience in the Pasadena Playhouse. Popular roles that he portrayed included Sergeant Biff O'Hara in the Rin Tin Tin television program, a film, and on radio. On Stories of the Century in 1954, he portrayed Butch Cassidy, a role which he repeated in the 1958 episode "The Outlaw Legion" of the syndicated western series Frontier Doctor starring Rex Allen, with Doris Singleton and Michael Ansara as fellow guest stars. Sawyer also appeared on ABC's, Maverick, Sugarfoot, Peter Gunn, and Surfside 6 as well as NBC's Bat Masterson. Sawyer died April 21, 1982, in Ashland, Oregon from liver cancer. He was 75. His interment was in Oregon.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 29, 1906
Died
April 21, 1982 (aged 75)
From
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Works as
Actor
Titles
75 on MovieCove · 192 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 28% in 30 days

What are Joe Sawyer's films like?

Usually the Shadow: 7 of 15 analyzed roles.

Genres

Drama15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 25th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Western4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Western movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Roles they play

15 analyzed roles
Shadow
7 of 15
Threshold guardian
4 of 15
Ally
2 of 15
Trickster
1 of 15
Herald
1 of 15
Show the 15 roles

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joe Sawyer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 75 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joe Sawyer's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

192 credits, 75 with a MovieCove page.

  • Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey(1993)

    as Frank Daylon (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Legends of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Curley Bill in 'Frontier Marshall' (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Rin-Tin-Tin: Hero of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Sgt. Biff O'Hara

  • How the West Was Won(1962)

    as Riverboat Officer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Everglades (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • North to Alaska(1960)

    as Land Commissioner

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Harrigan and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Surfside 6 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Leon Huff

  • Lock-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Sgt. McEvoy

  • Peter Gunn(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • The Challenge of Rin Tin Tin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Sgt. 'Biff' O'Hara

  • Sugarfoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Fighting Sam Brown

  • The Killing(1956)

    as Mike O'Reilly

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Kettles in the Ozarks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Bancroft Baines

  • The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 164 episodes · Actor

  • Johnny Dark(1954)

    as Carl Svenson

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Riding Shotgun(1954)

    as Tom Biggert

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Taza, Son of Cochise(1954)

    as Sgt. Hamma

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • It Came from Outer Space(1953)

    as Frank Daylon

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Abbott and Costello Show(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Chopper

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Mr. Walkie Talkie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Sgt. Ames

  • Deadline - U.S.A.(1952)

    as Whitey Franks (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Red Skies of Montana(1952)

    as R. A. 'Pop' Miller

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Indian Uprising (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Sgt. Maj. Phineas T. Keogh

  • As You Were (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Sgt. Ames

  • Comin' Round the Mountain(1951)

    as Kalem McCoy

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Racket Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Pride of Maryland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Knuckles

  • The Flying Missile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Fuss Payne

  • Curtain Call at Cactus Creek(1950)

    as Jake

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Operation Haylift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Producer · Writer · as George Swallow

  • Blondie's Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Sergeant Gateson

  • The Traveling Saleswoman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Cactus Jack

  • And Baby Makes Three (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Police officer

  • Deputy Marshal(1949)

    as Eli Cressett

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Kazan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Sandz Jepson

  • Stagecoach Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Thatcher

  • The Lucky Stiff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Tony

  • The Gay Amigo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Sergeant McNulty

  • Tucson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Tod Bryant

  • The Untamed Breed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Hoy Keegan

  • Ford Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fighting Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Police Sergeant Scudder

  • Coroner Creek (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Frank Yordy

  • Fighting Father Dunne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Steve Davis

  • Here Comes Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Officer Ames

  • Half Past Midnight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Det. Lt. Joe Nash

  • If You Knew Susie(1948)

    as Zero Zantini

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • A Double Life(1947)

    as Pete Bonner

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Big Town After Dark(1947)

    as Monk

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Roses Are Red (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Police Lt. Rocky Wall

  • Christmas Eve(1947)

    as Private Detective

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • G.I. War Brides(1946)

    as Sgt. Frank Moraski

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Inside Job (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Police Capt. Thomas

  • The Runaround (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Hutchins

  • Joe Palooka, Champ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Lefty

  • Gilda(1946)

    as Casey

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Deadline at Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Babe Dooley

  • The Naughty Nineties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Bailey

  • Brewster's Millions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Hacky Smith

  • High Powered(1945)

    as Spike Kenny

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Singing Sheriff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Squint

  • Raiders of Ghost City(1944)

    as Idaho Jones

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • South of Dixie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Ernest Hatcher

  • Hey, Rookie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Sergeant

  • Moon Over Las Vegas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Joe

  • Tarzan's Desert Mystery(1943)

    as Karl Straeder

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Sleepy Lagoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Lumpy

  • Tornado(1943)

    as Charlie Muscles

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Let's Face It(1943)

    as Sgt. Wiggins

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Yanks Ahoy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Sgt. Ames

  • Alaska Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Roughhouse

  • Hit the Ice(1943)

    as Buster

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Cowboy in Manhattan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Louie

  • Prairie Chickens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Albertson

  • Buckskin Frontier(1943)

    as Brannigan

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Taxi, Mister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Eddie Corbett

  • The Outlaw(1943)

    as Charley Woodruff

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The McGuerins from Brooklyn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Eddie Corbett

  • Fall In (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Sgt. Ames

  • Wrecking Crew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Fred Bunce

  • A Letter From Bataan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Roy - John's Brother-in-Law

  • About Face (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Sgt. William Ames

  • Sundown Jim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Ben Moffitt

  • Brooklyn Orchid(1942)

    as Eddie Corbett

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Hay Foot(1942)

    as Sergeant Ames

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • You're in the Army Now(1941)

    as Sergeant Madden

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • They Died with Their Boots On(1941)

    as Sgt. Doolittle

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Swamp Water(1941)

    as Hardy Ragan

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Down Mexico Way(1941)

    as Allen

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Sergeant York(1941)

    as Sergeant Early

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Last of the Duanes(1941)

    as Bull Lossomer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Belle Starr(1941)

    as John Cole

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Tanks a Million(1941)

    as Sgt. William Ames

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Down in San Diego (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Dutch

  • The Lady from Cheyenne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Sheriff 'Noisy' Burkett, Henchman

  • Santa Fe Trail(1940)

    as Kitzmiller

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Border Legion(1940)

    as Jim Gulden

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • The Long Voyage Home(1940)

    as Davis

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Melody Ranch(1940)

    as Jasper Wildhack

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Wildcat Bus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Burke

  • Lucky Cisco Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Bill Stevens

  • Dark Command(1940)

    as Bushropp

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • King of the Lumberjacks(1940)

    as Jigger

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Grapes of Wrath(1940)

    as Bookkeeper

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Women Without Names (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Principal Keeper Grimley

  • The House Across the Bay(1940)

    as Charlie

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Honeymoon Deferred (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Detective James

  • The Man from Montreal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Biff Anders (as Joseph Sawyer)

  • The Roaring Twenties(1939)

    as The Sergeant

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Sabotage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Gardner

  • I Stole a Million(1939)

    as Billings

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Frontier Marshal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Curley Bill

  • Inside Information (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Detective Grazzi

  • Confessions of a Nazi Spy(1939)

    as Werner Renz

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Union Pacific(1939)

    as Shamus (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Lady and the Mob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Blinky Mack

  • You Can't Get Away with Murder(1939)

    as Red

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Gambling Ship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Tony Garzoni

  • Heart of the North(1938)

    as Red Crocker

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Always in Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Buster Mussendorfer

  • The Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Kelly

  • Passport Husband(1938)

    as Duke Selton

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Stolen Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Bako

  • Tarzan's Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Olaf Punch

  • Behind the Criminal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Red Manders

  • The Lady Fights Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Swede Jannsen

  • Reported Missing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as 'Brad' Martin

  • A Dangerous Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dutch

  • Midnight Madonna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Wolfe

  • Slim(1937)

    as Windy Wilcox

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • San Quentin(1937)

    as 'Sailor Boy' Hansen

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • They Gave Him a Gun(1937)

    as Doyle - Gangster (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Motor Madness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Steve Dolan

  • Navy Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Chips

  • Black Legion(1937)

    as Cliff Summers

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Great Guy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Joe Burton

  • Rose Bowl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Announcer

  • The Accusing Finger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Father Regan, chaplain

  • Two in a Crowd(1936)

    as Bonelli's Henchman

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Murder with Pictures(1936)

    as Inspector Tom Bacon

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Crash Donovan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Henchman (uncredited)

  • A Son Comes Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as First Truck Driver

  • High Tension (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Terry Madden

  • And Sudden Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Police Sgt. Sanborn

  • Special Investigator (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Jim Plummer

  • Big Brown Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Jack Sully

  • Pride of the Marines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Tennessee

  • The Country Doctor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Joe, the Logger Lifting Log (uncredited)

  • The Walking Dead(1936)

    as 'Trigger' Smith

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Leathernecks Have Landed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Sgt. Regan

  • The Petrified Forest(1936)

    as Jackie

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Freshman Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Coach Kendall

  • Man of Iron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Crawford

  • Frisco Kid(1935)

    as Slugs Crippen (as Joseph Sawyer)

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • I Found Stella Parish (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Chuck (as Joseph Sawyer)

  • Moonlight on the Prairie(1935)

    as Luke Thomas

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Special Agent(1935)

    as Rich - Chief Henchman

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Little Big Shot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Doré's Henchman

  • Broadway Gondolier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as 'Red'

  • The Arizonian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Henchman Keeler

  • The Informer(1935)

    as Bartly Mulholland

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Car 99 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Whitey, burly henchman

  • The Whole Town's Talking(1935)

    as Mannion's Thug (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Sequoia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Forest Ranger (uncredited)

  • The Band Plays On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Mr. Thomas

  • The Westerner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Bob Lockhart

  • College Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Spud Miller

  • The Prescott Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Marshal Willoughby

  • Gridiron Flash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Coach Eversmith

  • The Case of the Howling Dog(1934)

    as Carl Trask (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Death on the Diamond(1934)

    as "Dunc" Spencer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Notorious Sophie Lang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Building Guard (uncredited)

  • Sing and Like It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Gunner - Hood

  • Looking for Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Max Stanley

  • Jimmy the Gent(1934)

    as Mike (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Son of a Sailor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Slug

  • Eskimo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Sergeant Hunt (uncredited)

  • College Coach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Holcomb

  • Ace of Aces(1933)

    as Captain Daly

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Saturday's Millions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Coach

  • Golden Harvest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Farmhand (uncredited)

  • Three Cornered Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Head Lifeguard (uncredited)

  • The Stranger's Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Thresher

  • College Humor(1933)

    as Tex Roust (as Joseph Sauers)

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Hold Your Man(1933)

    as Policeman at Reformatory (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Olsen’s Big Moment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Dapper' Danny Reynolds

  • Huddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Slater

  • Arsène Lupin(1932)

    as Leroux (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Maker of Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Bennett the Monroe Coach (uncredited)

  • The Public Enemy(1931)

    as Pool Player (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Campus Sweethearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Actor

Career shape

Biggest box office

Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1993)

$253K worldwide

Highest rated

The Killing (1956)

Midcredits 97th

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 37 roles
31364146

Counts over their MovieCove titles; a title counts in every role they held on it. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.