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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
December 25, 1902
Died
January 1, 1969
Place of Birth
Columbia, South Carolina, USA
Also Known As
- Ernest Barton MacLane
- Barton Mac Lane
- Barton Maclane
- Barton McLane
- Бартон Маклейн
Barton MacLane
0.6 Popularity
Biography
Barton MacLane graduated from Wesleyan University, where he displayed a notable aptitude for sports, in particular football and basketball. Not surprisingly, his physical prowess led to an early role in The Quarterback (1926) with Richard Dix. MacLane once commented that, as an actor, he needed to have the physical strength to tear the bad guys "from limb to limb", if necessary. Ironically, it was usually Barton himself who was destined to be at the end of a hiding (when not getting shot, instead), typically as snarling henchmen, outlaws and other assorted dubious or abrasive types throughout most of his 40-year acting career. In fact, Barton became so typecast that his name was for a time used proverbially, to generally describe a shouting, hard-nosed ruffian. After training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, MacLane joined a stock company in Brooklyn. In 1927 he had his first part on Broadway, a brief moment as an assistant district attorney, in the melodrama "The Trial of Mary Dugan". He then played a small featured role as a police officer in "Subway Express" (1929-30), a drama enacted in the interior of a subway car. In mid-1932 MacLane tried his hand at writing his own starring vehicle for the stage, entitled "Rendezvous". While the play closed after just 21 performances, it led to a contract with Warner Brothers. Barton had already appeared in bit roles for Paramount at their Astoria Studios, including The Marx Brothers' debut film The Cocoanuts (1929). He portrayed mobster Brad Collins in 'G' Men (1935) (with James Cagney), which set the tone for most of his future assignments. Brawny, with squinty eyes and a rasping voice, MacLane was the ideal surly tough guy, particularly suitable for westerns and the type of films noir Warner Brothers excelled at. He was often cast as cops, be they bent or honest. Some of his most representative performances include gangster Al Kruger in Bullets or Ballots (1936), which won him some of the best critical notices of his career; outlaw Jack Slade in Western Union (1941); crooked construction boss Pat McCormick, who gets beaten up by Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt over past-due wages in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948); hard-nosed cops Detective Dundy in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Lt. Reece in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). MacLane, on loan to Universal, also had a starring role in Prison Break (1938) as an innocent tuna fisherman who is framed for murder. He was prominent as a tough but sympathetic cop, foil to sleuthing girl reporter Glenda Farrell in the "Torchy Blaine" series of the mid- to late 1930s. In the 1960s Barton began to cultivate a good-guy image as Marshal Frank Caine in the NBC western series Outlaws (1960) as well as showing up in a small recurring role as Air Force Gen. Martin Peterson in I Dream of Jeannie (1965). Barton was married to the actress Charlotte Wynters, who appeared with him in six of his films. When not on the set, the couple spent time on their 2000-acre cattle ranch in Madera County, California. For his work in television, Barton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Known For
0.0
Self (archive footage)
Bogart: The Untold Story
1997
6.5
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
7.0
Self (archive footage)
It's Showtime
1976
5.4
Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond
Buckskin
1968
3.6
Sheriff Grover
Arizona Bushwhackers
1968
6.5
Hondo
1967
6.5
The Monkees
1966
7.8
General Peterson
I Dream of Jeannie
1965
6.5
James Fell
Town Tamer
1965
5.5
Tanner
The Rounders
1965
Credits
Bogart: The Untold Story
as Self (archive footage)
1997
0.0
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
6.5
It's Showtime
as Self (archive footage)
1976
7.0
Buckskin
as Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond
1968
5.4
Arizona Bushwhackers
as Sheriff Grover
1968
3.6
Hondo
1967
6.5
The Monkees
1966
6.5
I Dream of Jeannie
as General Peterson
1965
7.8
Town Tamer
as James Fell
1965
6.5
The Rounders
as Tanner
1965
5.5
The Munsters
1964
7.9
Law of the Lawless
as Big Tom Stone
1964
6.1
Pocketful of Miracles
as Police Commissioner
1961
7.3
Outlaws
as Marshal Frank Caine
1960
6.2
Noose for a Gunman
as Carl Avery
1960
5.3
Gunfighters of Abilene
as Seth
1960
5.0
Tightrope
1959
5.5
Black Saddle
as General Fowler
1959
6.0
The Geisha Boy
as Major Ridgley
1958
6.2
Frontier Gun
as Simon Crayle
1958
6.0
77 Sunset Strip
1958
6.7
Girl on the Run
as Francis J. Brannigan
1958
0.0
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
5.8
Girl in the Woods
as Big Jim
1958
0.0
Perry Mason
as Senator Harriman Baylor
1957
7.7
Perry Mason
as Sheriff Eugene Norris
1957
7.7
Perry Mason
as Harold Minter
1957
7.7
Perry Mason
as Archer Osmond
1957
7.7
Naked In The Sun
as Wilson
1957
6.7
Sierra Stranger
as Lem Gotch
1957
4.5
Hell's Crossroads
as Clyde O'Connell
1957
5.4
Three Violent People
as Yates
1956
5.9
Naked Gun
as Joe Barnum
1956
6.1
The Man Is Armed
as Det. Lt. Dan Coster
1956
4.8
Wire Service
as Gen. Bailey
1956
0.0
Wetbacks
as Karl Shanks
1956
5.4
Telephone Time
1956
6.3
Backlash
as Sergeant George Lake
1956
6.5
Jaguar
as Steve Bailey
1956
7.0
Last of the Desperados
as Mosby, Gang Leader
1955
6.0
Cheyenne
1955
6.0
Jail Busters
as Captain Jenkins
1955
6.0
Gunsmoke
as Herkimer Crawford
1955
6.6
Gunsmoke
as Willard Kerner
1955
6.6
Foxfire
as Jim Mablett
1955
6.0
The Silver Star
as Henry 'Tiny' Longtree
1955
5.0
Treasure of Ruby Hills
as Chalk Reynolds
1955
4.0
Hell's Outpost
as Sheriff Olson
1954
5.0
The Wonderful World of Disney
as Rawls Kettrick
1954
7.8
Studio 57
1954
0.0
🎬
The Whistler
1954
0.0
Jubilee Trail
as Deacon Bartlett
1954
4.8
Rails Into Laramie
as Lee Graham
1954
6.3
The Glenn Miller Story
as General Arnold
1954
6.9
Jack Slade
as Jules Reni
1953
6.4
Sea of Lost Ships
as Capt. Jack Matthews
1953
0.0
Captain Scarface
as Captain Scarface
1953
4.3
Cow Country
as Marvin Parker
1953
3.9
Kansas Pacific
as Cal Bruce
1953
4.8
Thunderbirds
as Sgt. Durkee
1952
5.7
🎬
Four Star Playhouse
as Milo
1952
6.7
🎬
Four Star Playhouse
as Capt. Webber
1952
6.7
The Half-Breed
as Marshal Cassidy
1952
5.0
Bugles in the Afternoon
as Capt. Myles Moylan
1952
5.2
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Chief Brooks
1951
7.2
Drums in the Deep South
as Sgt. Mac McCardle
1951
5.0
Best of the Badmen
as Joad
1951
6.5
The Bandit Queen
as Sheriff Jim Harden
1950
4.0
Let's Dance
as Larry Channock
1950
5.6
🎬
Lux Video Theatre
as Steve
1950
6.3
🎬
Lux Video Theatre
as Marvin Platt
1950
6.3
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
as Lieutenant John Reece
1950
6.8
Red Light
as Detective Strecker
1949
5.8
The Walls of Jericho
as Rufus J. "Gotch" McCurdy
1948
4.9
Angel in Exile
as Max Giorgio
1948
5.2
Unknown Island
as Capt. Tarnowski
1948
5.0
Relentless
as Tex Brandow
1948
6.2
The Dude Goes West
as Texas Jack Barton
1948
5.2
Silver River
as 'Banjo' Sweeney
1948
5.9
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
as Pat McCormick
1948
8.0
Jungle Flight
as Case Hagin
1947
5.7
Cheyenne
as Webb Yancey
1947
6.8
Tarzan and the Huntress
as Paul Weir
1947
5.7
San Quentin
as Nick Taylor
1946
6.3
Santa Fe Uprising
as Crawford
1946
0.0
Mysterious Intruder
as Detective Taggart
1946
5.9
The Spanish Main
as Capt. Benjamin Black
1945
6.3
Scared Stiff
as George 'Deacon' Markham
1945
4.0
Tarzan and the Amazons
as Ballister
1945
6.3
Gentle Annie
as Sheriff Tatum
1944
5.2
Cry of the Werewolf
as Lt. Barry Lane
1944
4.6
Secret Command
as Red Kelly
1944
6.8
Marine Raiders
as Sgt. Maguire
1944
6.8
The Mummy's Ghost
as Inspector Walgreen
1944
5.6
Nabonga
as Carl Hurst
1944
4.3
The Crime Doctor’s Strangest Case
as Detective Rief
1943
4.8
The Underdog
as John Tate
1943
0.0
Song of Texas
as Jim Calvert
1943
5.0
Bombardier
as Archie Dixon
1943
5.6
Man of Courage
as John Wallace
1943
4.8
Highways by Night
as Leo Bronson
1942
6.0
The Big Street
as Case Ables
1942
5.6
All Through the Night
as Marty Callahan
1942
6.8
The Maltese Falcon
as Lt. of Detectives Dundy
1941
7.7
Wild Geese Calling
as Pirate Kelly
1941
5.8
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
as Sam Higgins
1941
6.5
Manpower
as Smiley Quinn
1941
6.7
Hit the Road
as James J. Ryan
1941
0.0
Barnacle Bill
as John Kelly
1941
7.7
Western Union
as Jack Slade
1941
6.0
Come Live with Me
as Barney Grogan
1941
6.8
High Sierra
as Jake Kranmer
1941
7.0
Melody Ranch
as Mark Wildhack
1940
5.8
The Secret Seven
as Sam O'Donnell
1940
0.0
Men Without Souls
as Blackie Drew
1940
6.0
Gangs of Chicago
as Jim Ramsey
1940
5.3
Breakdowns of 1939
as Self
1939
7.0
Mutiny in the Big House
as Red Manson
1939
4.4
Torchy Runs for Mayor
as Steve McBride
1939
5.7
Big Town Czar
as Phil Daley
1939
0.0
🎬
I Was a Convict
as Ace King
1939
5.0
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
as Det. Lt. Steve 'Mac' McBride
1939
6.0
Stand Up and Fight
as Crowder
1939
5.8
Torchy Gets Her Man
as Detective Steve McBride
1938
5.6
The Storm
as Captain Cogswell
1938
0.0
Prison Break
as Joaquin Shannon
1938
5.6
You and Me
as Mickey
1938
6.5
The Kid Comes Back
as Gunner Malone
1938
5.3
Gold Is Where You Find It
as Slag Martin
1938
6.9
Blondes at Work
as Lt. Steve McBride
1938
6.1
Breakdowns of 1937
as Self
1937
6.0
The Adventurous Blonde
as Det. Lt. Steve McBride
1937
5.0
Wine, Women and Horses
as Jim Turner
1937
4.3
Ever Since Eve
as Al McCoy
1937
5.5
Born Reckless
as Jim Barnes
1937
5.1
Fly Away Baby
as Steve McBride
1937
6.2
San Quentin
as Lt. Druggin
1937
6.5
Draegerman Courage
as Andrew Beaupre
1937
6.5
The Prince and the Pauper
as John Canty
1937
6.8
You Only Live Once
as Stephen Whitney
1937
7.1
God's Country and the Woman
as Bullhead
1937
4.2
Smart Blonde
as Steve McBride
1937
6.1
Breakdowns of 1936
as Self
1936
0.0
Jailbreak
as Detective Captain Rourke
1936
6.4
Bengal Tiger
as Cliff Ballenger
1936
4.2
Bullets or Ballots
as Al Kruger
1936
6.6
Times Square Playboy
as Casey (Vic's Butler/Trainer)
1936
4.4
The Walking Dead
as Loder
1936
6.3
Ceiling Zero
as Al Stone
1936
5.8
A Dream Comes True
as Himself (uncredited)
1935
5.5
Man of Iron
as Chris Bennett
1935
6.0
Frisco Kid
as Spider Burke
1935
6.8
I Found Stella Parish
as Clifton Jeffords
1935
7.0
Dr. Socrates
as Red Bastian
1935
6.4
The Case of the Lucky Legs
as Bisonette
1935
5.6
Page Miss Glory
as Blackie
1935
6.3
Stranded
as Sharkey
1935
5.8
Black Fury
as McGee
1935
6.3
'G' Men
as Collins
1935
6.6
Go Into Your Dance
as Duke Hutchinson
1935
6.8
The Case of the Curious Bride
as Detective Lucas
1935
6.0
The Last Round-up
as Charley Benson
1934
0.0
All of Me
as First Cop (uncredited)
1934
6.0
Lone Cowboy
as Policeman Baxter
1933
2.7
Big Executive
as Harry the Guide
1933
0.0
Tillie and Gus
as Commissioner McLennan
1933
7.6
To the Last Man
as Neil Stanley
1933
5.7
Man of the Forest
as Mulvey
1933
5.5
Let's Dance
1933
7.0
Buffalo Stampede
as Henchman Pruitt
1933
3.3
🎬
The Acid Test
1932
0.0
🎬
Naughty-Cal
as Sailor
1932
0.0
His Woman
as Crewman
1931
3.2
The Gigolo Racket
as Cafe Customer
1931
0.0
Crimes Square
as Detective with Handcuffs
1931
0.0
🎬
Politics
1930
0.0
The Cocoanuts
as Bather
1929
6.5
The Quarterback
as Football Player (uncredited)
1926
6.0