Barton MacLane
Acting
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.
Media of
Barton MacLane
Photos (21)
Filmography of
Barton MacLane
... 1997
Himself (archive footage)
... 1983
... 1976
Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond
... 1968
Sheriff Grover
... 1968
James Fell
... 1965
Tanner
... 1965
Big Tom Stone
... 1964
Police Commissioner (as Barton Maclane)
... 1961
Carl Avery
... 1960
... 1960
Major Ridgley
... 1958
Simon Crayle
... 1958
Francis J. Brannigan
... 1958
Wilson
... 1957
Lem Gotch
... 1957
Clyde O'Connell
... 1957
Yates
... 1956
Joe Barnum
... 1956
Det. Lt. Dan Coster
... 1956
Karl Shanks
... 1956
Sgt. George Lake
... 1956
Steve Bailey
... 1956
Mosby, Gang Leader
... 1955
Captain Jenkins, Head Guard
... 1955
Jim Mablett
... 1955
Henry 'Tiny' Longtree
... 1955
Chalk Reynolds
... 1955
Sheriff Olson
... 1954
Deacon Bartlett
... 1954
Lee Graham
... 1954
General Arnold
... 1954
Jules Reni
... 1953
Capt. Jack Matthews
... 1953
Captain Scarface
... 1953
Marvin Parker
... 1953
Cal Bruce
... 1953
Sgt. Durkee
... 1952
Marshal Cassidy
... 1952
Capt. Myles Moylan
... 1952
Sgt. Mac McCardle
... 1951
Joad
... 1951
Sheriff Jim Harden
... 1950
Larry Channock
... 1950
Lieutenant John Reece
... 1950
Detective Strecker
... 1949
Rufus J. "Gotch" McCurdy
... 1948
Max Giorgio
... 1948
Capt. Tarnowski
... 1948
Tex Brandow
... 1948
Texas Jack Barton
... 1948
'Banjo' Sweeney
... 1948
Pat McCormick
... 1948
Case Hagin
... 1947
Webb Yancey
... 1947
Paul Weir
... 1947
Nick Taylor
... 1946
Crawford
... 1946
Detective Taggart
... 1946
Capt. Benjamin Black
... 1945
George 'Deacon' Markham
... 1945
Ballister
... 1945
Sheriff Tatum
... 1944
Lt. Barry Lane
... 1944
Red Kelly
... 1944
Sgt. Maguire
... 1944
Inspector Walgreen
... 1944
Carl Hurst
... 1944
Detective Rief
... 1943
John Tate
... 1943
Jim Calvert
... 1943
Archie Dixon
... 1943
John Wallace
... 1943
Leo Bronson
... 1942
Case Ables
... 1942
Marty Callahan
... 1942
Det. Lt. Dundy
... 1941
Pirate Kelly
... 1941
Sam Higgins
... 1941
Smiley Quinn
... 1941
James J. Ryan
... 1941
John Kelly
... 1941
Jack Slade
... 1941
Barney Grogan
... 1941
Jake Kranmer
... 1941
Mark Wildhack
... 1940
Blackie Drew
... 1940
Jim Ramsey
... 1940
Red Manson
... 1939
Steve McBride
... 1939
Phil Daley
... 1939
Ace King
... 1939
Det. Lt. Steve 'Mac' McBride
... 1939
Crowder
... 1939
Himself
... 1939
Detective Steve McBride
... 1938
Captain Cogswell
... 1938
Joaquin Shannon
... 1938
Mickey Bain
... 1938
Gunner Malone
... 1938
Slag Martin
... 1938
Lt. Steve McBride
... 1938
Det. Lt. Steve McBride
... 1937
Jim Turner
... 1937
Al McCoy
... 1937
Jim Barnes
... 1937
Steve McBride
... 1937
Lt. Druggin
... 1937
Andrew Beaupre
... 1937
John Canty
... 1937
Stephen Whitney
... 1937
Himself
... 1937
Bullhead
... 1937
Steve McBride
... 1937
Himself
... 1936
Detective Captain Rourke
... 1936
Cliff Ballenger
... 1936
Al Kruger
... 1936
Casey (Vic's Butler/Trainer)
... 1936
Loder
... 1936
Al Stone
... 1936
Himself (uncredited)
... 1935
Chris Bennett
... 1935
Spikder Burke
... 1935
Clifton Jeffords
... 1935
Red Bastian
... 1935
Bisonette
... 1935
Blackie
... 1935
Sharkey
... 1935
McGee
... 1935
Collins
... 1935
Duke Hutchinson
... 1935
Detective Lucas
... 1935
Charley Benson
... 1934
First Cop
... 1934
Harry the Guide
... 1933
Commissioner McLennan
... 1933
Neil Stanley
... 1933
Mulvey
... 1933
... 1933
Henchman Pruitt
... 1933
Crewman
... 1931
Cafe Customer
... 1931
Detective with Handcuffs
... 1931