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Ray Teal (1902-1976)
Ray Teal

Carmen, May 24, l958 Written by John Meston, Directed by Ted Post, Guest Cast: Ruta Lee, Robert Patten, Tommy Farrell, Ray Teal, Alan Gifford

He was the quintessential western sheriff, kindly, loyal and sometimes corrupt. No other actor personified a sheriff as Mr. Teal. He was tall, burly and rugged-looking with a weathered face, trim mustache, thinning brown hair and a commanding, but mellow voice. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on January 12, 1902. He worked his way through college playing the saxophone in bands. He attended the University of Texas and the University of California in the 1920s. Soon he had formed his own small band and was its conductor through 1936. He appeared in bit parts in "Sweetheart of the Navy" and "Zorro Rides Again" in 1937. He made his film acting debut in "Western Jamboree" (1938) as McCall. Although he epitomized the role of Sheriff, he was versatile enough to try various other more contemporary roles. His other films included: "Prairie Schooners" (1940) as Wolf Tanner; "Kitty Foyle" (1940) uncredited as Clarinet Player; "The Green Hornet Strikes Again" (1940) a serial, as Chief Watchman at Steel Mill; "The Adventures of Red Ryder" (1940) a serial, as Shark; "Northwest Passage" (1940) with Spencer Tracy, as Bradley McNeil; "Strange Cargo" (1940) as Guard; "Cherokee Strip" (1940) as Smokey Morrell; "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941) uncredited, as Barfly; "Captain Midnight" (1942) as Borgman; "Apache Trail" (1942) as Ed Cotton; "Calling Dr. Gillespie" (1942) as Policeman; "The North Star" (1943) as German Motorcycle Officer; "None Shall Escape" (1944) as Oremski; "Once Upon a Time" (1944) uncredited, as Shipyard Worker; "Strange Voyage" (1945) as Capt. Andrews; "Back to Bataan" (1945) uncredited, as Lt. Col. Roberts; "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest" (1946) as Little John; the film classic "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) as Mr. Mollett, one of his best roles; "The Long Night" (1947) as Hudson; "Dead Reckoning" (1947) with Humphrey Bogart, uncredited, as Motorcycle Cop; "Ramrod" (1947) as Ed Burma; "Daredevils of the Clouds" (1948) as Mitchell; "Joan of Arc" (1948) with Ingrid Bergman, as Bertrand de Poulengy; "It Happens Every Spring" (1949) as Mac the Cop; "Streets of Laredo" (1949) as Cantrel; "Winchester '73" (1950) as Marshal Noonan; "The Kid from Texas" (1950) as Sheriff Rand; "Davy Crockett, Indian Scout" (1950) as Capt. McHale; "Our Very Own" (1950) as Mr. Lynch; "Along the Great Divide" (1951) as Deputy Lou Gray; "Fort Worth" (1951) as Gabe Clevenger; "Big Carnival" (1951) as Sheriff; "Lorna Doone" (1951) as Farmer Ridd; "Distant Drums" (1951) as Pvt. Mohair; "Cattle Town" (1952) as Judd Hastings; "Jumping Jacks" (1952) with Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, as Gen. Timmons; "Montana Belle" (1952) as Emmett Dalton; "The Wild One" (1954) with Marlon Brando, as Frank Bleeker; "Run for Cover" (1955) as Sheriff; "The Desperate Hours" (1955) as Lt. Fredericks; "The Oklahoman" (1957) as Jason; "Band of Angels" (1957) as Mr. Calloway; "The Guns of Fort Petticoat" (1957) as Salt Pork; "Home from the Hill" (1960) as Dr. Reuben Carson; "One-Eyed Jacks" (1961) as Bartender; "Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) as Judge Curtiss Ives, in a very good performance; "Taggart" (1965) as Ralph Taggart; "Chisum" (1970) with John Wayne, as Justice Wilson and "Run for the Roses" (1975) his last film role. On TV he was a regular on "Bonanza" (1961-71) as Sheriff Roy Coffee, his personal favorite role. He also appeared in TV movies including: "The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca" (1958) and "Gallagher Goes West" (1966). He guest starred on many TV series including: "The Lone Ranger"; "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"; "Cheyenne"; "Broken Arrow"; "Maverick"; "Gunsmoke"; "Wanted: Dead or Alive"; "Bronco"; "Laramie"; "The Rifleman"; "Wagon Train"; "Bat Masterson"; "Rawhide"; "Twilight Zone"; "The Fugitive"; "Perry Mason"; "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Green Acres." He died of natural causes on April 2, 1976 in Santa Monica, California at age 74.

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