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Harry Shannon

Harry Shannon

Actor · Died July 27, 1964, aged 74 · Saginaw, Michigan, USA

Born and raised on a farm in Michigan in 1890, Irish-American character actor Harry Shannon had the credentials for becoming a staple player in westerns. He started off his career traveling around with repertory and stock companies and developed his musical abilities in tent shows, burlesque houses and such tuneful Broadway shows as "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Hold Everything" (1928), "Simple Simon" (1931), and "Pardon My English" (1933). A company member of Joseph Schildkraut's Hollywood Theater Guild, Shannon broke into films at the advent of sound and started things off in comedy film shorts opposite such celebrated players as Bert Lahr, Shemp Howard, and Leon Errol. In the 1940s Shannon established himself in feature-length movies and although he remained a minor, second-string player, he proved himself a durable presence in westerns usually remaining on the good side of the law as sheriffs and bucolic dads. In lighthearted entertainment he could be found as a friendly Irish cop or bartender. He made a slight but memorable impression as Kane's alcoholic father in the classic Citizen Kane (1941), while his last role would be as the grandfather in the musical Gypsy (1962). In between were small parts in such notable films as The Fighting Sullivans (1944), The Jolson Story (1946), High Noon (1952), Touch of Evil (1958), and The Buccaneer (1958). 1950s TV westerns such as Cheyenne (1955), Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), and Gunsmoke (1955) made consistent use of his rustic demeanor. Shannon died in 1964 at age 74.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 12, 1890
Died
July 27, 1964 (aged 74)
From
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
70 on MovieCove · 149 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 31% in 30 days

What are Harry Shannon's films like?

Across their 37 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 37 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 10 · Dark 10

Grounded 15 · Stylized 20 · Heightened 2

Gentle 11 · Charged 16 · Intense 10

Steady 18 · Shifting 18 · Whiplash 1

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 5

Slow burn 12 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 5

Casual 23 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 2

A split, not a type: Easy watch 15 · Affecting 13 · Heavy 9

Resolved 31 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 4 of 9 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian
4 of 9
Mentor
2 of 9
Shadow
2 of 9
Ally
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Warm
12
Melancholic
16
Joyful
8
Dread
6
Other
34

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy22
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic4

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 Harry Shannon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 27 of their 70 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (19).

Subscription and free streaming for Harry Shannon'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

149 credits, 70 with a MovieCove page.

  • The World of Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Pop Middleton (archive footage)

  • The Dakotas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Gypsy(1962)

    as Grandpa

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Uncle Josh

  • Summer and Smoke(1961)

    as Dr. Burke (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Wild in the Country(1961)

    as Sam Tyler (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Yellowstone Kelly(1959)

    as Captain of the Far West (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • The Untouchables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Shaw

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

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Claggert · as Jeffries · as Kilo · as Sheriff Blanton

  • The Buccaneer(1958)

    as Tom Carruthers - Captain of the Corinthian

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Bat Masterson(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Jobe Crail

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows
  • The Texan(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Jayson Howell

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
  • Man or Gun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Justin Corley

  • Touch of Evil(1958)

    as Chief Gould

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • 26 Men(1957)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows
  • The Real McCoys(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
  • The Thin Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

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

    Show 1 episode · as Henry Shipman

  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jesse

  • The Lonely Man(1957)

    as Dr. Fisher

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Hell's Crossroads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Clay Ford

  • Duel at Apache Wells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Wayne Shattuck

  • The Peacemaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Drunken Cowpuncher

  • Wire Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Harris Ellerby

  • Written on the Wind(1956)

    as Hoak Wayne

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
  • State Trooper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Come Next Spring(1956)

    as Mr. Totter

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • At Gunpoint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Marshal Pete MacKay

  • Crossroads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Detective Sergeant Dave Washburn

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Harner

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • The Marauders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as John Rutherford

  • The Tall Men(1955)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • Cheyenne(1955)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • Navy Log (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Bowers

  • The Violent Men(1955)

    as Purdue

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • The Millionaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge William Jennings Westholme

  • Lassie(1954)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
  • Executive Suite(1954)

    as Ed Benedeck

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • Witness to Murder(1954)

    as Captain Donnelly

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • Rails Into Laramie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Judge Pierce

  • Phantom Stallion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Michael Reilly

  • Jack Slade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Tom Carter

  • The Man Behind the Badge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Loretta Young Show(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Tom

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • Roar of the Crowd (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Sam 'Pop' Tracy

  • Cry of the Hunted(1953)

    as Sheriff Brown

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Kansas Pacific(1953)

    as Smokestack the Train Engineer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • The Ford Television Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Judge Varney

  • Cavalcade of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Samuel Morse

  • Lure of the Wilderness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Pat McGowan

  • Flesh and Fury(1952)

    as Mike Callan

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • High Noon(1952)

    as Cooper

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Big Jim Heywood

  • The Scarf(1951)

    as Asylum Warden Anderson

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
  • The Lemon Drop Kid(1951)

    as John (Policeman)

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Blue Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Mr. Buchanan

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

    as Walter Shannon

  • Al Jennings of Oklahoma(1951)

    as Fred Salter

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • Hunt the Man Down(1950)

    as Wallace Bennett

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
  • The Flying Missile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Vice Admiral Williams

  • The Sound of Fury(1950)

    as Mr. Yaeger

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
  • Where Danger Lives(1950)

    as Dr. Maynard

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
  • The Killer That Stalked New York(1950)

    as Police Officer Houlihan

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films
  • The Underworld Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as George Parker

  • Three Little Words(1950)

    as Clanahan

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • The Gunfighter(1950)

    as Chuck (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
  • Cow Town(1950)

    as Sandy Reeves

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Singing Guns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Judge Waller

  • Tarnished (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Kelsey Bunker

  • Mary Ryan, Detective(1949)

    as Sawyer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
  • Mr. Soft Touch(1949)

    as Police Sergeant Garrett

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • Tulsa(1949)

    as Nelse Lansing

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • Champion(1949)

    as Lew

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • Rustlers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Sheriff Harmon

  • Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • Big Town Scandal(1948)

    as Police Captain Henry (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
  • Fighting Father Dunne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Thomas Lee

  • Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
  • My Girl Tisa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Actor

  • The Lady from Shanghai(1947)

    as Cab Driver

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • Dangerous Years(1947)

    as Judge Raymond

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • The Invisible Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Det. Capt. R.W. Davis

  • Exposed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Severance

  • Time Out of Mind(1947)

    as Capt. Rogers

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • The Farmer's Daughter(1947)

    as Mr. Holstrom

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Nora Prentiss(1947)

    as Police Lieutenant

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • The Devil Thumbs a Ride(1947)

    as Detective Owens, San Diego Police

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • The Red House(1947)

    as Dr. Jonathan Byrne

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
  • San Quentin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Warden Kelly

  • Crack-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Cop (Uncredited)

  • The Last Crooked Mile(1946)

    as Police Lieutenant Blake

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Canyon Passage(1946)

    as Henry McLane (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • Night Editor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Capt. Lawrence

  • I Ring Doorbells (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Shannon

  • Pride of the Marines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Uncle Ralph

  • Captain Eddie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Simmons

  • Crime, Inc. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Police Commissioner Collins

  • Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • The Mummy's Ghost(1944)

    as Sheriff Elwood

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • The Yellow Rose of Texas(1944)

    as Sam Weston

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • True to Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Mr. Mason

  • In Old Oklahoma(1943)

    as Charlie Witherspoon

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • Headin' for God's Country (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Albert Ness

  • Someone to Remember (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Tom Gibbons

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

    as John 'Pop' Ormsby

  • Song of Texas(1943)

    as Sam Bennett

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
  • Idaho(1943)

    as Judge John Grey

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • The Powers Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Mr. Hendricks

  • Once Upon a Honeymoon(1942)

    as Ed Cumberland

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Mr. Tim Wiggs

  • The Big Street(1942)

    as Florida Doctor (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • In Old California(1942)

    as Mr. Carlin

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • The Falcon Takes Over(1942)

    as Detective Grimes (Uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • The Mad Martindales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Policeman

  • This Gun for Hire(1942)

    as Steve Finnerty

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Pinky Dolan

  • The Lady Is Willing(1942)

    as Barnes

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • Hold Back the Dawn(1941)

    as American Immigration Official (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • Citizen Kane(1941)

    as Jim Kane

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • The Saint In Palm Springs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Chief R.L. Graves

  • Tugboat Annie Sails Again (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Capt. Mahoney

  • Too Many Girls(1940)

    as Mr. Casey

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • One Crowded Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as McDermott

  • The Girl from Avenue A (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Timson

  • Sailor's Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Father McGann

  • Gambling on the High Seas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Ed, Chief of Police

  • Tear Gas Squad(1940)

    as Lieutenant Sullivan

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
  • Young Tom Edison(1940)

    as Army Captain Brackett

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • Parole Fixer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Randall

  • City of Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Passline

  • The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Father

  • Alibi Mark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Railroad Detective

  • Shake, Mr. Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Macbeth

  • A Peach of a Pair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Actor

  • Smoked Hams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as The Landlord

  • No More West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Bank Robber

  • Take a Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Bartender

  • Close Relations (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Harry Wart

  • 20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Actor

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

    as Grogan

  • The Campus Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Police Sergeant

  • Heads Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Capt. Denny

  • Faint Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Dynamite Dan

  • Sympathy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Larry

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 149 titles from 1929 to 1984.

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting149 of 149: 149 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1920s2 · acting1930s12 · acting1940s61 · acting1950s67 · acting1960s6 · acting1980s1 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 30 roles
41465156

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. 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.

How do Harry Shannon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 62; across their 37 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 57th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Reach · how many have seen their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Midcredits score across 70 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up22
  • 50th to 74th29
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th3

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 36 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Harry Shannon work with?

People who share at least 2 of Harry Shannon's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joseph Kane shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles