Glenn Strange
Biography
At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6' 5") beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. Of Irish and Cherokee Indian descent, he taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country. Gunsmoke Strange first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1960 after James Arness asked him, "When are you going to do a Gunsmoke? I like to work with big guys." During Gunsmoke's sixth season, Strange played a Long Branch customer in "Old Faces" and a cowboy in "Melinda Miles". Strange began playing Sam Noonan during the seventh season and continued in the role for 222 episodes. In 1972 Strange was diagnosed with lung cancer but worked as long as he was able. Five of his episodes were broadcast after his death. His last appearance was on the November 26, 1973, episode "The Hanging of Newly O'Brien". Death On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Singer Eddie Dean, with whom Strange had collaborated on various songs and opening themes for films, sang at Strange's funeral service as a final tribute. Strange is interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. CLR
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (34)
I Was a Teenage Movie Maker: Don Glut's Amateur Movies
as Self
2006
The Many Faces of Dracula
as The Monster (archive footage)
2000
Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man'
as Self (archive footage)
1999
Abbott and Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld
as Self (archive footage)
1994
Dracula in the Movies
1992
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
as The Monster (archive footage)
1991
Frankenstein: A Cinematic Scrapbook
as The Monster (archive footage)
1991
The Horror Show
as (archive footage)
1979
Spaceship to the Unknown
as Robot / Ming soldier / Gocko (archive footage) (uncredited)
1966
The Adventures of the Spirit
as Frankenstein Monster
1963
Last Train from Gun Hill
as Gun Hill Bouncer
1959
Alias Jesse James
as James Gang Member
1959
Quantrill's Raiders
as Todd
1958
Gunfire at Indian Gap
as Matt
1957
Last Stagecoach West
as Sheriff
1957
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
as Pierce Henchman in Saloon (uncredited)
1957
The Halliday Brand
as Townsman
1957
The Fastest Gun Alive
as Sheriff in Silver Rapids (uncredited)
1956
Backlash
as Milliken, Stage Driver (uncredited)
1956
The Vanishing American
as Beleanth
1955
The Road to Denver
as Big George
1955
Marty
as Bit Role (uncredited)
1955
Cattle Queen of Montana
as Indian Chief (uncredited)
1954
Escape from Fort Bravo
as Sergeant Compton (uncredited)
1953
Calamity Jane
as Prospector (uncredited)
1953
The Veils of Bagdad
as Mik-Kel
1953
Devil's Canyon
as Marshal (uncredited)
1953
The Great Sioux Uprising
as Stand Watie
1953
Born to the Saddle
as Tom Roper
1953
The Lawless Breed
as Ben Hanley
1952
The Lusty Men
as Rig Ferris - Foreman (uncredited)
1952
Wagons West
as Marshal Jim
1952
The Legend Of The Lone Ranger
as Butch Cavendish
1952
Callaway Went Thataway
as Cowboy Actor on Saloon set (uncredited)
1951
TV Shows (16)
Petticoat Junction
as Hawley
1963
Thriller
as Indian (scenes deleted)
1960
Rawhide
as Bartender
1959
The Rifleman
as Stage Diver
1958
Frontier Doctor
1958
26 Men
1957
Sugarfoot
as Red Wing
1957
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
1955
Gunsmoke
as Sam Noonan
1955
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
1955
Judge Roy Bean
1955
Buffalo Bill Jr.
1955
General Electric Theater
as Red Herring
1953
The Abbott and Costello Show
as Tessie's Steady Boyfriend
1952
Hopalong Cassidy
1952