Jack Carson
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Elmer "Jack" Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born, American film actor, with a film career spanning the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Though he was primarily used in supporting roles for comic relief, his work in films such as Mildred Pierce (1945) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) displayed his mastery of "straight" dramatic actor roles as well. He worked for RKO and MGM (cast opposite Myrna Loy and William Powell in Love Crazy), but most of his memorable work was for Warner Bros. His trademark character was the wisecracking know-it-all, typically and inevitably undone by his own smug cockiness. Carson initially landed bit roles at RKO Radio Pictures in films such as Bringing Up Baby (1938), starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. An early standout role for Carson was as a mock-drunk undercover G-Man opposite Richard Cromwell in Universal Pictures's anti-Nazi action drama entitled Enemy Agent. This led to contract-player status with Warner Brothers shortly thereafter. While there, he was teamed with Dennis Morgan in a number of films, supposedly to compete with Paramount's popular Bing Crosby - Bob Hope Road to … pictures. Most of his work at Warner Brothers was limited to light comedy work with Morgan, and later Doris Day (who in her autobiography would credit Carson as one of her early Hollywood mentors). Critics generally agree that Carson's best work was in Mildred Pierce (1945), where he played the perpetually scheming Wally Fay opposite Joan Crawford in the title role. Also in 1945, he played the role of Harold Pierson, the second husband of Louise Randall, played by Rosalind Russell, in Roughly Speaking. Another role which won accolades for him was as publicist Matt Libby in A Star is Born (1954). One of his last film roles was as the older brother "Gooper" in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). His TV appearances, extending into the early 1960s, included The Martha Raye Show, The Guy Mitchell Show, and The Polly Bergen Show in 1957; Alcoa Theatre and Bonanza (Season 1, Ep.9: "Mr. Henry Comstock") in 1959; Thriller ("The Big Blackout") in 1960; and The Twilight Zone (Season 2, Ep. 14: "The Whole Truth") in 1961. On February 8, 1960, Carson received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television and radio industry. The television star is located at 1560 Vine Street, the radio star is at 6361 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1983, after his death, Jack Carson was inducted into the Wisconsin Performing Artists Hall of Fame along with his film pal, Dennis Morgan, who was also from Wisconsin.
Known For
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
What's My Line?
1950
Bonanza
1959
Climax!
1954
Climax!
1954
Studio One
1948
The Twilight Zone
1959
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
The Steve Allen Show
1956
The Ford Television Theatre
1952
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956
Filmography
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self · 1961
What's My Line?
as Self · 1950
Bonanza
as Henry T.P. Comstock · 1959
Climax!
as Art Shaddick · 1954
Climax!
as Eugene Skinner · 1954
Studio One
as Harry Breen · 1948
The Twilight Zone
as Harvey Hunnicut · 1959
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Sundown Smith · 1956
The Colgate Comedy Hour
as Self - Host · 1950
The Steve Allen Show
as Self · 1956
The Ford Television Theatre
as Dan Doyle · 1952
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
as Self · 1956
Thriller
as Burt Lewis · 1960
This Is Your Life
as Self · 1952
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
as Frankie Fane · 1955
Lux Video Theatre
as Garrison · 1950
Lux Video Theatre
as John Mulligan · 1950
Your Show of Shows
· 1950
The Bob Cummings Show
as Jack Carson · 1955
The George Gobel Show
as Self · 1954
Screen Director's Playhouse
as Lamar Kendall · 1955
Alcoa Theatre
as Bert Kennedy · 1957
Alcoa Theatre
as Augie Adams · 1957
Alcoa Theatre
· 1957
Startime
as Albert Maddon · 1959
The Wonderful World of Disney
as Harold Sylvester · 1954
Bus Stop
· 1961
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
as Gooper Pollitt · 1958
Bringing Up Baby
as Circus Roustabout (uncredited) · 1938
Arsenic and Old Lace
as Officer Patrick O'Hara · 1944
A Star Is Born
as Matt Libby · 1954
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
as Sweeney Farrell (uncredited) · 1939
Mildred Pierce
as Wally Fay · 1945
General Electric Theater
as Joe Bushwick · 1953
General Electric Theater
· 1953
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Danny Scott · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Harry Mauldron · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Sid Devlin · 1951
You Only Live Once
as Attendant in First Gas Station · 1937
Stage Door
as Mr. Milbanks · 1937
Destry Rides Again
as Jack Tyndall · 1939
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
as Chuck · 1941
Vivacious Lady
as Waiter Captain · 1938
The Tarnished Angels
as Jiggs · 1957
Navy Blues
as 'Buttons' Johnson · 1941
Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!
as Captain Hoxie · 1958
The Polly Bergen Show
as Self · 1957
Romance on the High Seas
as Peter Virgil · 1948
Gentleman Jim
as Walter Lawrie · 1942
Love Crazy
as Ward Willoughby · 1941
Bright Leaf
as Chris Malley · 1950
It's a Great Feeling
as Jack Carson · 1949
Sammy, the Way-Out Seal
as Harold Sylvester · 1962
Breakdowns of 1942
as Self · 1942
The Bride Came C.O.D.
as Allen Brice · 1941
Dangerous When Wet
as Windy Webbe · 1953
Mister Universe
as Jeff Clayton · 1951
The Tattered Dress
as Sheriff Nick Hoak · 1957
Thank Your Lucky Stars
as Self · 1943
The Saint in New York
as Red Jenks · 1938
The Bottom of the Bottle
as Hal Breckinridge · 1956
My Dream Is Yours
as Doug Blake · 1949
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1983
Fifth Avenue Girl
as Minnesota (uncredited) · 1939
Hollywood Canteen
as Self · 1944
I Take This Woman
as Joe · 1940
Two Guys from Texas
as Danny Foster · 1948
The Kid From Texas
as Stanley Brown · 1939
The Strawberry Blonde
as Hugo Barnstead · 1941
Phffft
as Charlie Nelson · 1954
She's Got Everything
as Ransome (uncredited) · 1937
The Good Humor Man
as Biff Jones · 1950
Two Guys from Milwaukee
as Buzz Williams · 1946
Law of the Underworld
as Henchman Johnny · 1938
Carefree
as Connors · 1938
Breakdowns of 1944
as Self · 1944
Queen of the Mob
as Agent Ross Waring · 1940
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
as Self (archive footage) · 1987
The Hard Way
as Albert Runkel · 1943
Blues in the Night
as Leo Powell · 1941
Maid's Night Out
as Rollercoaster Ride Attendant (uncredited) · 1938
Next Time I Marry
as Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited) · 1938
The Male Animal
as Joe Ferguson · 1942
The Doughgirls
as Arthur Halstead · 1944
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage) · 1984
Everybody's Doing It
as Detective Lieutenant · 1938
Shine on Harvest Moon
as The Great Georgetti · 1944
The Honeymoon's Over
as Tom Donroy · 1939
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
as Timothy W. 'Big Tim' O'Brien · 1961
The Bramble Bush
as Bert Mosley · 1960
Make Your Own Bed
as Jerry Curtis · 1944
Breakdowns of 1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 1941
A Star Is Born World Premiere
as Self - Host · 1954
The Road to Victory
as Jack Carson (uncredited) · 1944
Wings for the Eagle
as Brad Maple · 1942
Legion of Lost Flyers
as Larry Barrigan · 1939
So You Want to Be in Pictures
as Man Giving Directions (uncredited) · 1947
Larceny, Inc.
as Jeff Randolph · 1942
On Again—Off Again
as Cop · 1937
Too Many Wives
as Hodges · 1937
The Groom Wore Spurs
as Ben Castle · 1951
The Children of Alda Nuova
as Frankie Fane · 1962
Who Killed Julie Greer?
as Fairchild · 1961
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
as Rochet · 1938
Four Star Revue
as Host · 1950
Princess O'Rourke
as Dave Campbell · 1943
Sandy Gets Her Man
as Policeman Tom Garrity · 1940
Having Wonderful Time
as Emil Beatty · 1938
Music for Madame
as Assistant Director · 1937
I Don't Even Like Apple Pie...
as Self (archive footage) · 1989
Lucky Partners
as Frederick Harper · 1940
Go Chase Yourself
as Warren Miles · 1938
Condemned Women
as Plainclothes Policeman · 1938
The Time, The Place and The Girl
as Jeff Howard · 1946
Three Men on a Horse
as Patsy · 1957
The Shining Future
as Self · 1944
John Loves Mary
as Fred Taylor · 1949
Night Spot
as Shallen · 1938
This Marriage Business
as "Candid" Perry · 1938
One More Tomorrow
as Patrick 'Pat' Regan · 1946
Red Garters
as Jason Carberry · 1954
Roughly Speaking
as Harold C. Pierson · 1945
Harris in the Spring
as Taxicab Driver · 1937
Ain't Misbehavin'
as Harold North · 1955
City of Chance
as Narration - Prologue (voice) · 1940
Love and Learn
as Jingles Collins · 1947
Magnificent Roughnecks
as Bix Decker · 1956
Girl in 313
as Police Lt. Pat O'Farrell · 1940
Parole Fixer
as George Mattison · 1940
Stand-In
as Tom Potts · 1937
Quick Money
as Coach Woodford · 1937
The Escape
as Chet Warren · 1939
Arroyo
as Lamar Kendall · 1955
Alias the Deacon
as Sullivan · 1940
Shooting High
as Gabby Cross · 1940
Okay for Sound
· 1946
Love Thy Neighbor
as Policeman · 1940
Always Together
as Bill (uncredited) · 1947
April Showers
as Joe Tyme · 1948
Enemy Agent
as Ralph · 1940
High Flyers
as Dave Hanlon · 1937
Typhoon
as Mate · 1940
Crashing Hollywood
as Dickson · 1938
Food and Magic
· 1943
A Rented Riot
· 1937