Paul Hurst (actor)

Paul Causey Hurst
Who's Who in the Film World, 1914
Born(1888-10-15)October 15, 1888
Traver, California, U.S.
DiedFebruary 27, 1953(1953-02-27) (aged 64)
Occupation(s)Actor, film director
Years active1912–1953
Spouse(s)Hedda Nova
(m. 1919; ? 19??)

Paul Causey Hurst[citation needed] (October 15, 1888 – February 27, 1953) was an American actor and film director.

Career

Hurst in The Sphinx (1933)

Hurst was born in Traver, California,[1] of one quarter Cherokee and one quarter Seneca descent.[2] In 1933 he performed in "Eve the Fifth" at the Beverly Hills Little Theatre for Professionals.[3]

Hurst is best remembered for two roles: as the Yankee deserter who trespasses at Tara and is shot by Scarlett in Gone with the Wind (1939);[4] and his characterization of the drunken and sadistic vigilante Smith in The Ox Bow Incident (1943).

Lobby card for Take the Stand (1934),
L-R: Russell Hopton, Thelma Todd, unknown player, and Paul Hurst

However, he was most proud of his role[citation needed] as a crotchety, old rancher who refuses water to a Quaker family in the movie Angel and the Badman, until John Wayne's character convinces him to share the water. It was after this latter role that Republic Pictures signed him as the comic sidekick in Monte Hale's Western series. His last film was John Ford's The Sun Shines Bright.

Personal life and death

Hurst was married to actress Hedda Nova.[1] He committed suicide on February 27, 1953.[1]

Filmography

As actor

As director

References

  1. ^ a b c Katchmer, George A. (2015). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-4766-0905-8. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Paul Hurst signs Tiffany contract". The Los Angeles Times. July 19, 1930. p. 18. Retrieved May 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Bevhills' Next". Variety. December 5, 1933. p. 52. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  4. ^ Publishing, Taylor Trade (2014). Fan's Guide to Gone With The Wind eBook Bundle: Collected Biographies of Margaret Mitchell, Vivien Leigh, and Gone With the Wind Trivia. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-4930-1701-0. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  • Rothel, David. 1984. Those Great Cowboy Sidekicks. Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, New Jersey. ISBN 0-8108-1707-1
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul Hurst (actor).