Dennis Moore (actor)

Dennis Moore
Moore in The Dawn Rider (1935)
Born
Dennis Meadows

(1908-01-26)January 26, 1908
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
DiedMarch 1, 1964(1964-03-01) (aged 56)
San Bernardino, California, U.S.
Other namesDenny Meadows
OccupationActor
Years active1932-1961
SpouseMarilyn Mason (1947-1964) (his death) (1 child)[1]

Dennis Moore (born Dennis Meadows; January 26, 1908 – March 1, 1964) was an American actor who specialized in Western films and film serials.

Early years

Moore was born Dennis Meadows in Fort Worth, Texas, and attended schools in El Paso. He was active in aviation and had a pilot's license. Before going into films, he worked in stock theater.[2]

A plane crash nearly ended his life. After more than a year spent in a hospital and two additional years of recovery, he could not pass the physical examination for a pilot's license, so he chose to change from aviation to acting.[3]

Career

Moore began appearing in short subjects and low-budget feature films in the 1930s under the name Denny Meadows[2] and enjoyed greater recognition and employment after he changed his professional name to Dennis Moore.

His dark looks and solemn demeanor kept him working steadily as an all-purpose utility player, in both heroic and villainous roles. Moore became a familiar face in Westerns, but never became a major star. In 1942, he co-starred for six films in PRC's Lone Rider series, beginning with The Lone Rider and the Bandit and ending with Overland Stagecoach.[4]

He also appeared on television in the syndicated The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones, in the 1955 CBS series Brave Eagle with Keith Larsen, and in the 1956 episode "Panhandle" of the CBS series Tales of the Texas Rangers, with Willard Parker and Harry Lauter.

He was cast as Mr. Finley in "The Gold Watch" and as Jeb in "A Permanent Juliet" on the NBC Western series Buckskin, starring Tom Nolan, Sally Brophy, and Mike Road. He was cast as Walker in the 1958 episode "Three Wanted Men" of the syndicated Western series Frontier Doctor, starring Rex Allen. At this time, he also made multiple appearances on Richard Carlson's syndicated Western series Mackenzie's Raiders.

He also guest-starred on the syndicated adventure series Rescue 8, starring Jim Davis and Lang Jeffries, the crime drama U.S. Marshal, starring John Bromfield, and the NBC Western Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin.

Moore played leads or second leads in serials, and holds the distinction of having appeared in the last serials produced by Universal Pictures in 1946 and Columbia Pictures in 1956.[citation needed]

Later years

Moore moved with his family from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake, operating a gift shop there.[2]

Death

On March 1, 1964, Moore died of rheumatic heart disease[2] in San Bernardino, California.

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ "Dennis Moore".
  2. ^ a b c d Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. p. 211. ISBN 9781476627199. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  3. ^ Feramisco, Thomas M. (2015). The Mummy Unwrapped: Scenes Left on Universal's Cutting Room Floor. McFarland. pp. 145–146. ISBN 978-1-4766-0792-4. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  4. ^ Anderson, Chuck. "PRC's Lone Rider Series". The Old Corral. Retrieved 19 January 2020.