Paul Hurst

Paul Hurst

Date of Birth:

Oct 14, 1888

Place of Birth:

Traver, California, USA

Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect).

In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide.

Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California  (suicide)

filmography:

Sundown Jim Sundown Jim

1942

Big Jim McLain Big Jim McLain

1952

Kick In Kick In

1931

Goin' Fishin' Goin' Fishin'

1940

Carnival Carnival

1935

This Woman Is Mine This Woman Is Mine

1941

The Old Frontier The Old Frontier

1950

Torrid Zone Torrid Zone

1940

Castle on the Hudson Castle on the Hudson

1940

They Drive by Night They Drive by Night

1940

Panama Flo Panama Flo

1932

The Missourians The Missourians

1950

Under Colorado Skies Under Colorado Skies

1947

Outcasts of the Trail Outcasts of the Trail

1949

Super-Sleuth Super-Sleuth

1937

Heart of Virginia Heart of Virginia

1948

Fifty Roads to Town Fifty Roads to Town

1937

Star Dust Star Dust

1940

Day of Reckoning Day of Reckoning

1933

Saturday's Millions Saturday's Millions

1933

Barbary Coast Gent Barbary Coast Gent

1944

Law of the Golden West Law of the Golden West

1949

The Vanishing Westerner The Vanishing Westerner

1950

The Gay Desperado The Gay Desperado

1936

Yellow Sky Yellow Sky

1948

Wife, Doctor and Nurse Wife, Doctor and Nurse

1937

To Mary - with Love To Mary - with Love

1936

The Parson of Panamint The Parson of Panamint

1941

Son of God’s Country Son of God’s Country

1948

Coney Island Coney Island

1943

You Can't Beat Love You Can't Beat Love

1937

North of Nome North of Nome

1936

Madonna of the Desert Madonna of the Desert

1948

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

1936

South of Rio South of Rio

1949

Dakota Dakota

1945

The Daring Young Man The Daring Young Man

1935

Edison, the Man Edison, the Man

1940

Maker of Men Maker of Men

1931

No Time To Marry No Time To Marry

1938

In Old Sacramento In Old Sacramento

1946

Gun Smugglers Gun Smugglers

1948

California Firebrand California Firebrand

1948

Midnight Manhunt Midnight Manhunt

1945

Queen Christina Queen Christina

1933

This Is My Affair This Is My Affair

1937

Death Valley Death Valley

1946

The Arizona Ranger The Arizona Ranger

1948

Pioneer Marshal Pioneer Marshal

1949

Take the Stand Take the Stand

1934

The Last Express The Last Express

1938

Murder in the Music Hall Murder in the Music Hall

1946

Grand Slam Grand Slam

1933

Stingaree Stingaree

1915

Rimrock Jones Rimrock Jones

1918

The Further Adventures of Stingaree The Further Adventures of Stingaree

1917

The Plot at the Railroad Cut The Plot at the Railroad Cut

1914

The Red Signal The Red Signal

1915

The Chief of Police The Chief of Police

1914

The Quicksands The Quicksands

1914

Hi'ya, Chum Hi'ya, Chum

1943

Toughest Man in Arizona Toughest Man in Arizona

1952

Million Dollar Pursuit Million Dollar Pursuit

1951

Whispering Smith Whispering Smith

1916

Medicine Bend Medicine Bend

1916

Judith of the Cumberlands Judith of the Cumberlands

1916

The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight

1915

The Cave Men's War The Cave Men's War

1913

Who Killed Doc Robbin? Who Killed Doc Robbin?

1948

The Virginian The Virginian

1946

The Vivisectionist The Vivisectionist

1915

The Hunchback of Notre Dame The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1923

Petticoat Politics Petticoat Politics

1941

The Diamond Runners The Diamond Runners

1916

Swellhead Swellhead

1930

That's My Line That's My Line

1931

The Phantom President The Phantom President

1932

A Lass of the Lumberlands A Lass of the Lumberlands

1916

The Girl Detective: The Mystery of the Tea Dansant The Girl Detective: The Mystery of the Tea Dansant

1915

South to Karanga South to Karanga

1940

Blackmailer Blackmailer

1936

Buttons Buttons

1927

The Third Alarm The Third Alarm

1930

The Manager of the B & A The Manager of the B & A

1916

The Ghost That Walks Alone The Ghost That Walks Alone

1944

The Fighting Ranger The Fighting Ranger

1926

The Women in His Life The Women in His Life

1933

The Big Race The Big Race

1934

Outlaw's Paradise Outlaw's Paradise

1927

Pardon My Stripes Pardon My Stripes

1942

Quick Millions Quick Millions

1939

Mississippi Mississippi

1935

Trouble in Morocco Trouble in Morocco

1937

Roaring Road Roaring Road

1926

The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach

1912

The Railroad Raiders The Railroad Raiders

1917

The Hazards of Helen The Hazards of Helen

1917

Steppin' in Society Steppin' in Society

1945

Calm Yourself Calm Yourself

1935

His First Command His First Command

1929

Riffraff Riffraff

1936

The Ballad of Paducah Jail The Ballad of Paducah Jail

1934

Charlie Chan's Courage Charlie Chan's Courage

1934

The Great Mr. Nobody The Great Mr. Nobody

1941

Oh, Yeah! Oh, Yeah!

1929

Ranger of Cherokee Strip Ranger of Cherokee Strip

1949

Borrowed Wives Borrowed Wives

1930

Midnight Alibi Midnight Alibi

1934

I'd Give My Life I'd Give My Life

1936

Second Honeymoon Second Honeymoon

1937

It Could Happen to You It Could Happen to You

1939

Island in the Sky Island in the Sky

1938

Sequoia Sequoia

1935

Night in New Orleans Night in New Orleans

1942

Broadway Serenade Broadway Serenade

1939

Danger – Love at Work Danger – Love at Work

1937

The Cossacks The Cossacks

1928

Sweepstakes Sweepstakes

1931

Bad Lands Bad Lands

1939

Remember? Remember?

1939

The Plainsman and the Lady The Plainsman and the Lady

1946

The Legion of Missing Men The Legion of Missing Men

1937

Wake Up and Live Wake Up and Live

1937

Hot Curves Hot Curves

1930

Tugboat Annie Sails Again Tugboat Annie Sails Again

1940

Calaboose Calaboose

1943

Shadow of Doubt Shadow of Doubt

1935

Secrets of a Nurse Secrets of a Nurse

1938

The Big Show-Off The Big Show-Off

1945

The Sun Shines Bright The Sun Shines Bright

1953

Caught in the Draft Caught in the Draft

1941

Alexander's Ragtime Band Alexander's Ragtime Band

1938

The Westerner The Westerner

1940

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

1938

The Big Stampede The Big Stampede

1932

Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring

1941

Scared Stiff Scared Stiff

1945

The Secret Six The Secret Six

1931

The Ox-Bow Incident The Ox-Bow Incident

1943

Island of Lost Souls Island of Lost Souls

1932

Angel and the Badman Angel and the Badman

1947

Paradise Island Paradise Island

1930

Summer Storm Summer Storm

1944

The Sphinx The Sphinx

1933

December 7th December 7th

1943

In Old Chicago In Old Chicago

1938

The Racketeer The Racketeer

1929

Terror Aboard Terror Aboard

1933

Ali Baba Goes to Town Ali Baba Goes to Town

1937

Bad Company Bad Company

1931

The Thirteenth Guest The Thirteenth Guest

1932

Topper Takes a Trip Topper Takes a Trip

1938

The Gay Deception The Gay Deception

1935

Angel's Holiday Angel's Holiday

1937

Tall, Dark and Handsome Tall, Dark and Handsome

1941

Virginia Virginia

1941

Prison Break Prison Break

1938

Lilac Time Lilac Time

1928

Cafe Society Cafe Society

1939

The Secret Witness The Secret Witness

1931

On Your Toes On Your Toes

1939

Maybe It's Love Maybe It's Love

1935

You Can't Have Everything You Can't Have Everything

1937

A Very Honorable Guy A Very Honorable Guy

1934

The Girl Detective: Old Isaacson's Diamonds The Girl Detective: Old Isaacson's Diamonds

1915

We Who Are About to Die We Who Are About to Die

1937

Blue Streak O'Neil Blue Streak O'Neil

1926

Robin Hood of El Dorado Robin Hood of El Dorado

1936

Tomorrow's Youth Tomorrow's Youth

1934

The Public Defender The Public Defender

1931

San Antone Ambush San Antone Ambush

1949

The Valley of the Giants The Valley of the Giants

1927

Tugboat Annie Tugboat Annie

1933

Among the Missing Among the Missing

1934

Hold 'Em Jail Hold 'Em Jail

1932

Spring Parade Spring Parade

1940

Glove Slingers Glove Slingers

1939

Each Dawn I Die Each Dawn I Die

1939

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence

1939

Dudes Are Pretty People Dudes Are Pretty People

1942

Prince of the Plains Prince of the Plains

1949

Sailor's Holiday Sailor's Holiday

1929

Public Hero Number 1 Public Hero Number 1

1935

State's Attorney State's Attorney

1932

Officer O'Brien Officer O'Brien

1930

Men Are Such Fools Men Are Such Fools

1932

The Single Sin The Single Sin

1931

The Lawless Legion The Lawless Legion

1929

The Runaway Bride The Runaway Bride

1930

My Lucky Star My Lucky Star

1938

Girl Rush Girl Rush

1944

Hold That Co-ed Hold That Co-ed

1938

The Sky's the Limit The Sky's the Limit

1943

Something for the Boys Something for the Boys

1944

The Red Raiders The Red Raiders

1927

Lucky Larkin Lucky Larkin

1930

My Pal, the King My Pal, the King

1932

Tide of Empire Tide of Empire

1929

Josette Josette

1938

Slave Ship Slave Ship

1937

Lightning Bryce Lightning Bryce

1919

Shadow of the Law Shadow of the Law

1930

She's No Lady She's No Lady

1937

Mountain Justice Mountain Justice

1930

The Devil's Saddle The Devil's Saddle

1927

The California Mail The California Mail

1929

The Lady Fights Back The Lady Fights Back

1937

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind

1939

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