Paul Birch (actor)

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Paul Birch (born January 13, 1912 in Atmore , Alabama as Paul Lowery Smith ; † May 24, 1969 in St. George’s , Grenada ) was an American actor .

life and career

After studying at Auburn University , Paul Birch became a stage actor and was a member of the Pasadena Playhouse for many years . On Broadway in the mid-1950s, he starred in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial , an adaptation of Herman Wouk's bestseller The Caine Was Her Fate .

Paul Birch appeared in Hollywood films as early as the mid-1940s, but it took another ten years before he moved from statistic-like appearances to more rewarding supporting roles. He had a small, uncredited appearance in the classic film ... because you don't know what you do as a police officer. However, his roles in westerns and science fiction films made him better known , the latter often being directed or produced by Roger Corman . In Corman's cheaply produced envoy of horror , for example, in 1957 he was allowed to play one of his few leading roles as a melancholy extraterrestrial. During the shoot, however, there was a fight with Corman, so that there were no further collaborations later. In westerns, he played mostly authority characters such as judges ( two rode together ), sheriffs ( the first bullet hits ) and mayors ( the man who shot Liberty Valance ).

On television, the brawny, dark-haired Birch starred in the 1950s in the series The Court of Last Resort (in which he played the writer Erle Stanley Gardner ) and Cannonball (in which he and William Campbell played truck drivers) , but both series ran for no more than a year. Between 1963 and 1965 he had a recurring supporting role as Captain Carpenter, the supervisor of Lieutenant Gerard played by Barry Morse in the successful series Auf der Flucht . In addition, Birch made guest appearances in episodes of series classics such as Bonanza , Smoking Colts , Perry Mason , My Three Sons and Maverick . He played several times for television series the opposing Civil War generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee , to whom he had a certain similarity.

Paul Birch died of cancer in Grenada in May 1969 at the age of 57. He was married twice and had four children, and his grandson Ned Luke is also an actor.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 31 Dec 1969, Page 61 - Independent Star-News at Newspapers.com. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .
  2. ^ Paul Birch - Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .
  3. ^ Paul Birch | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos. Retrieved July 28, 2019 (American English).
  4. ↑ Paul Birch. Retrieved July 28, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Birch, Paul
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Smith, Paul Lowery (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH January 13, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Atmore , Alabama
DATE OF DEATH May 24, 1969
Place of death St. George’s , Grenada