JW
James Westerfield
Actor
Born March 22, 1913Died September 20, 1971 (58 years)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James A. Westerfield (22 March 1913 – 20 September 1971) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, to candy-maker Brasher Omier Westerfield and his wife Dora Elizabeth Bailey, he was raised in Detroit, Michigan. (A news story in the June 12, 1949, issue of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle calls the information in the preceding sentence into question. It describes Westerfield as "the son of a famous producer-director" and says that he was "a youngster in Denver, Col.")
He became interested in theatre as a young man and in the 1930s joined Gilmor Brown's famed Pasadena Community Playhouse, appearing in dozens of plays. He played in numerous films following his debut in 1940, then went to New York City and appeared on Broadway, winning two New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for his supporting roles in The Madwoman of Chaillot and Detective Story. He then returned to Hollywood and made more than 40 more films. Westerfield maintained an interest in the theatre. He directed more than 50 musicals in a summer-musical tent he owned in Danbury, Connecticut, and was the original stage director and producer for the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. He directed three seasons of "Theatre Under the Stars" in Vancouver, British Columbia, and appeared in musical roles with the Detroit Civic Light Opera, the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, and the San Francisco Civic Light Opera.
On film, Westerfield had roles in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), On The Waterfront (1954), Lucy Gallant (1955), the 1957 Budd Boetticher-directed Western Decision at Sundown starring Randolph Scott, Cowboy (1958), a repeating role in The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and its sequel Son of Flubber (1963), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Man's Favorite Sport (1964), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Hang 'Em High (1968) and True Grit (1969).
Westerfield had many roles on television, including seven episodes as John Murrel from 1963 to 1964 on ABC's The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, starring child actor Kurt Russell in the title role. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Sheriff Bert Elmore in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner." He also appeared in an episode of The Lone Ranger in 1954 entitled "Texas Draw."
Westerfield's other appearances were on such series as The Rifleman, The Californians, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, The Alaskans, The Rebel, Straightaway, Going My Way, The Asphalt Jungle, Hazel, The Andy Griffith Show, Daniel Boone, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Gunsmoke. He played the circus leader, Dr. Marvello, in an episode of Lost in Space "Space Circus" (1966).
Westerfield as a young man was a roommate of fellow Pasadena Playhouse actor George Reeves. The two remained close friends until Reeves's death in 1959.
Westerfield was married to Alice G. Fay (an actress under the name Fay Tracey), who, along with his mother, survived him. Westerfield died from a heart attack in Woodlands Hills, California, at the age of fifty-eight.
James A. Westerfield (22 March 1913 – 20 September 1971) was an American actor of stage, film, and television.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, to candy-maker Brasher Omier Westerfield and his wife Dora Elizabeth Bailey, he was raised in Detroit, Michigan. (A news story in the June 12, 1949, issue of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle calls the information in the preceding sentence into question. It describes Westerfield as "the son of a famous producer-director" and says that he was "a youngster in Denver, Col.")
He became interested in theatre as a young man and in the 1930s joined Gilmor Brown's famed Pasadena Community Playhouse, appearing in dozens of plays. He played in numerous films following his debut in 1940, then went to New York City and appeared on Broadway, winning two New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for his supporting roles in The Madwoman of Chaillot and Detective Story. He then returned to Hollywood and made more than 40 more films. Westerfield maintained an interest in the theatre. He directed more than 50 musicals in a summer-musical tent he owned in Danbury, Connecticut, and was the original stage director and producer for the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. He directed three seasons of "Theatre Under the Stars" in Vancouver, British Columbia, and appeared in musical roles with the Detroit Civic Light Opera, the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, and the San Francisco Civic Light Opera.
On film, Westerfield had roles in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), On The Waterfront (1954), Lucy Gallant (1955), the 1957 Budd Boetticher-directed Western Decision at Sundown starring Randolph Scott, Cowboy (1958), a repeating role in The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and its sequel Son of Flubber (1963), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Man's Favorite Sport (1964), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Hang 'Em High (1968) and True Grit (1969).
Westerfield had many roles on television, including seven episodes as John Murrel from 1963 to 1964 on ABC's The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, starring child actor Kurt Russell in the title role. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Sheriff Bert Elmore in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner." He also appeared in an episode of The Lone Ranger in 1954 entitled "Texas Draw."
Westerfield's other appearances were on such series as The Rifleman, The Californians, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, The Alaskans, The Rebel, Straightaway, Going My Way, The Asphalt Jungle, Hazel, The Andy Griffith Show, Daniel Boone, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Gunsmoke. He played the circus leader, Dr. Marvello, in an episode of Lost in Space "Space Circus" (1966).
Westerfield as a young man was a roommate of fellow Pasadena Playhouse actor George Reeves. The two remained close friends until Reeves's death in 1959.
Westerfield was married to Alice G. Fay (an actress under the name Fay Tracey), who, along with his mother, survived him. Westerfield died from a heart attack in Woodlands Hills, California, at the age of fifty-eight.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Filmography
| 2020 | Cane Fire · as Harvey Mathews In Jungle Heat |
| 1971 | |
| 1969 | The Bill Cosby Show (TV Series) · as Old Man |
| 1969 | The Love God? · as Rev. Wilkerson |
| 1969 | True Grit · as Judge Parker |
| 1969 | Smith! · as Sheriff |
| 1968 | Now You See It, Now You Don't · as Capt. Boyle |
| 1968 | The Outcasts (TV Series) |
| 1968 | Mayberry R.F.D. (TV Series) · as Sheriff Matson |
| 1968 | Blue · as Abe Parker |
| 1968 | Hang 'Em High · as Prisoner |
| 1968 | A Man Called Gannon · as Amos |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Judd for the Defense (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round · as Jack Balter |
| 1966 | The Iron Horse (TV Series) · as Nehemiah Mather |
| 1966 | The Time Tunnel (TV Series) · as Sheriff |
| 1966 | Scalplock · as Nehemiah |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West (TV Series) · as Mcavity |
| 1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Jeb Lassiter |
| 1965 | Green Acres (TV Series) |
| 1965 | Lost in Space (TV Series) · as Dr. Marvello |
| 1965 | That Funny Feeling · as Officer Brokaw |
| 1965 | The Sons of Katie Elder · as Mr. Vennar |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage (TV Series) · as Sen. Samuel Pomeroy |
| 1964 | Daniel Boone (TV Series) · as Hand |
| 1964 | Bewitched (TV Series) |
| 1964 | Bikini Beach · as Cop #2 |
| 1964 | Man's Favorite Sport? · as Policeman |
| 1963 | The Great Adventure (TV Series) · as Attorney Thomas Green |
| 1963 | The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV Series) · as John Murrel |
| 1962 | Son of Flubber · as Officer Hanson |
| 1962 | Going My Way (TV Series) |
| 1962 | The Lucy Show (TV Series) · as Weitzman |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbillies (TV Series) |
| 1962 | The Wide Country (TV Series) · as Sheriff Barney Morse |
| 1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Gus Potter |
| 1962 | Birdman of Alcatraz · as Jess Younger |
| 1962 | The Dakotas (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Hazel (TV Series) · as J. B. Turner |
| 1961 | Homicidal · as Alfred S. Adrims |
| 1961 | The Asphalt Jungle (TV Series) |
| 1961 | The Absent Minded Professor · as Officer Hanson |
| 1960 | The Plunderers · as Mike Baron |
| 1960 | Harrigan and Son (TV Series) · as Lt. Kearney |
| 1960 | The Law and Mr. Jones (TV Series) · as Lieutenant Morgan |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) · as Uncle Ollie |
| 1960 | Insight (TV Series) · as Walter |
| 1960 | My Three Sons (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Thriller (TV Series) · as Al Matthews |
| 1960 | The Tall Man (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Wild River · as Cal Garth |
| 1959 | The Alaskans (TV Series) |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | Hotel de Paree (TV Series) · as Gurney Mills |
| 1959 | The Twilight Zone (TV Series) · as Anthony O'toole |
| 1959 | Johnny Ringo (TV Series) · as Aben Burke |
| 1959 | Law of the Plainsman (TV Series) · as Joshua Jones |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) · as Carl Vail |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | The Deputy (TV Series) · as Chesley Vantage |
| 1959 | Tightrope (TV Series) |
| 1959 | The Hangman · as Herb Loftus |
| 1959 | The Gunfight at Dodge City · as Reverend Howard |
| 1959 | The Scarface Mob · as Ed Marriatt |
| 1959 | The Shaggy Dog · as Officer Hanson |
| 1959 | The Untouchables (TV Series) · as Ed Marriatt |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Matt Lucas |
| 1958 | Pursuit (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1958 | Man with a Camera (TV Series) · as Bert |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) · as Shapley Howell |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Lawman (TV Series) · as Zacharia Herod |
| 1958 | The Rough Riders (TV Series) · as Judge Tolt |
| 1958 | The Rifleman (TV Series) |
| 1958 | The Texan (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV Series) · as Dr. Langland |
| 1958 | The Proud Rebel · as Birm Bates |
| 1958 | Cowboy · as Mike Adams |
| 1958 | Shirley Temple's Storybook (TV Series) · as Long John Silver |
| 1958 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1958) (TV Series) · as Bill 'murph' Murphy |
| 1957 | Decision at Sundown · as Otis, The Bartender |
| 1957 | Tombstone Territory (TV Series) · as Big Jim Gerson |
| 1957 | Trackdown (TV Series) |
| 1957 | The Californians (TV Series) · as Buck Carteret |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Roger Quigley |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Joe Mcsorley |
| 1957 | Jungle Heat · as Harvey Mathews |
| 1957 | Meet McGraw (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) · as Henry Brock |
| 1956 | Richard Diamond, Private Detective (TV Series) · as Mcallister |
| 1956 | Three Brave Men · as Chief O'reilly |
| 1956 | Zane Grey Theater (TV Series) · as Bert Farrow |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Frank Piggin |
| 1956 | The Adventures of Jim Bowie (TV Series) |
| 1956 | |
| 1956 | Telephone Time (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1956 | State Trooper (TV Series) |
| 1955 | The Cobweb · as James Petlee |
| 1955 | Man with the Gun · as Mr. Zender |
| 1955 | Matinee Theater (TV Series) · as Justice Haggler |
| 1955 | Lucy Gallant · as Harry Wilson |
| 1955 | Crossroads (1955) (TV Series) · as Bart Tanner |
| 1955 | The 20th Century-Fox Hour (TV Series) |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as Commissioner Cummings |
| 1955 | Frontier (TV Series) · as Payson |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Harry Duggan |
| 1955 | The Jane Wyman Show (TV Series) · as Sheriff Edgar Tulford |
| 1955 | The Scarlet Coat · as Col. Jameson |
| 1955 | Cell 2455, Death Row · as Red |
| 1955 | The Violent Men · as Sheriff Magruder |
| 1955 | Science Fiction Theatre (TV Series) · as Dr. Charles Conselman |
| 1955 | Chief Crazy Horse · as Caleb Mantz |
| 1954 | Three Hours to Kill · as Sam Minor |
| 1954 | Disneyland (TV Series) · as Sheriff Berry |
| 1954 | Climax! (TV Series) · as Dr. Smith |
| 1954 | The Human Jungle · as Marty Harrison |
| 1954 | Lassie (TV Series) |
| 1954 | On the Waterfront · as Big Mac |
| 1954 | The Inner Sanctum (TV Series) |
| 1953 | The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) · as Sam Moreno |
| 1953 | Topper (TV Series) · as Julius Griswold |
| 1953 | You Are There (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Bartender |
| 1952 | Omnibus (TV Series) · as (segment "the Bad Men") |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Spellman |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | The Whistle at Eaton Falls · as Joe London |
| 1950 | Ashley Banjo’s Big Town Dance (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1950 | Danger (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1950 | The Web (1950) (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1950 | Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town · as Harvey (zoo Attendant) (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Side Street · as Charlie (policeman) |
| 1949 | The Lone Ranger (TV Series) · as Crane Dillon |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Captain James Reagan |
| 1948 | The Philco Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as H.t. Carmichael |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Mac |
| 1946 | Undercurrent · as Henry Gilson |
| 1946 | |
| 1946 | O.S.S. · as Det. Roberts |
| 1944 | Since You Went Away · as Convalescent On Rehab Steps |
| 1943 | Around the World · as Bashful Marine |
| 1942 | The Pride of the Yankees · as Spectator (uncredited) |
| 1942 | The Spirit of Stanford · as Student |
| 1942 | The Magnificent Ambersons · as Policeman At Accident (uncredited) |
| 1942 | The Bashful Bachelor · as Carnival Pitchman |
| 1941 | Highway West · as Swede, Trucker At Cafe |
| 1940 | The Howards of Virginia · as Backwoodsman |