About

Known credits:
248
Birthday:
1888-10-14
Place of birth:
Traver, California, USA
Website:
N/A

Paul Hurst

Overview

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)

Known for

Acting
1953 The Sun Shines Bright Actor Jimmy Bagby 59
Average
1952 Toughest Man in Arizona Actor N/A
N/A
1952 Big Jim McLain Actor Mr. Lexiter 58
Average
1951 Million Dollar Pursuit Actor Ray Harvey 59
Average
1950 The Missourians Actor John X. Finn 59
Average
1950 The Old Frontier Actor Skipper Horton N/A
N/A
1950 The Vanishing Westerner Actor Waldorf Worthington 58
Average
1949 Pioneer Marshal Actor Huck Homer N/A
N/A
1949 Ranger of Cherokee Strip Actor Sheriff Jug Mason N/A
N/A
1949 San Antone Ambush Actor Happy Daniels 59
Average
1949 South of Rio Actor Andy Weems N/A
N/A
1949 Outcasts of the Trail Actor Doc Meadowlark N/A
N/A
1949 Law of the Golden West Actor Otis Ellis 59
Average
1949 Prince of the Plains Actor Sheriff Hank Hartley N/A
N/A
1948 Gun Smugglers Actor Sergeant Hasty Jones N/A
N/A
1948 Yellow Sky Actor Drunk (uncredited) 60
Fair
1948 Son of God’s Country Actor Eli Walker N/A
N/A
1948 The Arizona Ranger Actor Ben Riddle 59
Average
1948 Heart of Virginia Actor Whit Galtry N/A
N/A
1948 Who Killed Doc Robbin? Actor Jailer 58
Average
1948 California Firebrand Actor Chuck Waggoner 58
Average
1948 Madonna of the Desert Actor Pete Connors 59
Average
1947 Under Colorado Skies Actor Lucky John Hawkins N/A
N/A
1947 Angel and the Badman Actor Frederick Carson 59
Average
1946 The Plainsman and the Lady Actor Al 58
Average
1946 Death Valley Actor Sergeant Dailey 58
Average
1946 In Old Sacramento Actor Stagecoach Driver 59
Average
1946 The Virginian Actor 59
Average
1946 Murder in the Music Hall Actor Hobarth 58
Average
1945 Dakota Actor Captain Spotts 58
Average
1945 Midnight Manhunt Actor Murphy 58
Average
1945 Steppin' in Society Actor Cookie N/A
N/A
1945 Scared Stiff Actor Sheriff 58
Average
1945 The Big Show-Off Actor Herbert Trafagan, aka "The Devil", a wrestler 58
Average
1944 Something for the Boys Actor Defense Plant Foreman (uncredited) 59
Average
1944 Girl Rush Actor Muley 59
Average
1944 Barbary Coast Gent Actor Jake Compton 58
Average
1944 Summer Storm Actor Orloff 58
Average
1944 The Ghost That Walks Alone Actor Sheriff Slim Carson 58
Average
1943 The Sky's the Limit Actor Dock Foreman (uncredited) 59
Average
1943 Coney Island Actor Louie 58
Average
1943 The Ox-Bow Incident Actor Monty Smith 66
Fair
1943 December 7th Actor World War I Ghost Soldier 58
Average
1943 Hi'ya, Chum Actor Archie Billings 59
Average
1943 Calaboose Actor Ed the bartender N/A
N/A
1942 Night in New Orleans Actor Sergeant Casper Riordan 58
Average
1942 Sundown Jim Actor Broderick N/A
N/A
1942 Dudes Are Pretty People Actor Two-Gun N/A
N/A
1942 Pardon My Stripes Actor Feets 59
Average
1941 Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring Actor Page 59
Average
1941 This Woman Is Mine Actor Second Mate Mumford 58
Average
1941 The Parson of Panamint Actor Jake Waldren 58
Average
1941 Caught in the Draft Actor Sgt. Burns 59
Average
1941 The Great Mr. Nobody Actor Michael O'Connor 59
Average
1941 Petticoat Politics Actor Slats O'Dell N/A
N/A
1941 Virginia Actor Thomas N/A
N/A
1941 Tall, Dark and Handsome Actor Biff Sage 59
Average
1940 Tugboat Annie Sails Again Actor Pete 59
Average
1940 Goin' Fishin' Actor 59
Average
1940 Spring Parade Actor Headwaiter 59
Average
1940 The Westerner Actor Chickenfoot 60
Fair
1940 South to Karanga Actor Slats N/A
N/A
1940 They Drive by Night Actor Pete Haig (uncredited) 60
Fair
1940 Torrid Zone Actor Daniels 59
Average
1940 Edison, the Man Actor Sheriff 59
Average
1940 Star Dust Actor Mac, Amalgamated Lab Tech 58
Average
1940 Castle on the Hudson Actor Guard (uncredited) 59
Average
1939 Remember? Actor Policeman 58
Average
1939 Glove Slingers Actor Chuck Brenner N/A
N/A
1939 Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence Actor Empire State Building Guard 59
Average
1939 On Your Toes Actor Variety Club Bartender 58
Average
1939 Bad Lands Actor Curly Tom 58
Average
1939 Quick Millions Actor Sheriff 59
Average
1939 Each Dawn I Die Actor Garsky 59
Average
1939 It Could Happen to You Actor Sandy 58
Average
1939 Broadway Serenade Actor Reynolds, a Drunk 59
Average
1939 Gone with the Wind Actor Yankee Deserter 76
Good
1939 Cafe Society Actor Bartender 59
Average
1938 Topper Takes a Trip Actor Charlie - the Bartender 59
Average
1938 Secrets of a Nurse Actor Arlington Bysshe 'Slice' Cavanaugh 58
Average
1938 The Last Express Actor Asst. Dist. Atty. Springer 58
Average
1938 Hold That Co-ed Actor Slapsy 59
Average
1938 My Lucky Star Actor Louie 58
Average
1938 Prison Break Actor Soapy 58
Average
1938 Josette Actor A. Adolphus Heyman 59
Average
1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band Actor Bill Mulligan 59
Average
1938 In Old Chicago Actor Mitch 59
Average
1938 Island in the Sky Actor Happy 59
Average
1938 Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Actor Florabelle's Father 59
Average
1938 No Time to Marry Actor Sergeant 59
Average
1937 Second Honeymoon Actor Dennis Huggins 59
Average
1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town Actor Captain 59
Average
1937 The Lady Fights Back Actor Maloney 59
Average
1937 Danger – Love at Work Actor NYC policeman 59
Average
1937 Wife, Doctor and Nurse Actor Bill 58
Average
1937 Wake Up and Live Actor McCabe 59
Average
1937 She's No Lady Actor Cop N/A
N/A
1937 You Can't Have Everything Actor Truck Driver (uncredited) 59
Average
1937 The Legion of Missing Men Actor Muggsy 59
Average
1937 Super-Sleuth Actor Motorcycle Cop 58
Average
1937 You Can't Beat Love Actor Foreman Butch Mehaffey 59
Average
1937 Slave Ship Actor Drunk 58
Average
1937 Angel's Holiday Actor Sgt. Murphy 59
Average
1937 Fifty Roads to Town Actor Tom N/A
N/A
1937 This Is My Affair Actor Bowler 59
Average
1937 Trouble in Morocco Actor Tiger Malone 59
Average
1937 We Who Are About to Die Actor Tip Fuller 59
Average
1936 North of Nome Actor Carlson 58
Average
1936 The Gay Desperado Actor American Detective 58
Average
1936 I'd Give My Life Actor "Sport" Conly N/A
N/A
1936 To Mary - with Love Actor Drunk 58
Average
1936 Blackmailer Actor Inspector Killian 58
Average
1936 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Actor 1st Deputy (uncredited) 65
Fair
1936 Robin Hood of El Dorado Actor Wilson 58
Average
1936 Riffraff Actor Belcher 58
Average
1935 The Gay Deception Actor Bell Captain 59
Average
1935 The Daring Young Man Actor Prison Guard N/A
N/A
1935 Calm Yourself Actor Detective Roscoe 58
Average
1935 Public Hero Number 1 Actor Rufe Parker 59
Average
1935 Mississippi Actor Hefty 59
Average
1935 Shadow of Doubt Actor Lt. Sackville 59
Average
1935 Carnival Actor Policeman N/A
N/A
1935 Sequoia Actor Bergman 59
Average
1935 Maybe It's Love Actor Expressman (uncredited) 59
Average
1934 The Ballad of Paducah Jail Actor Escaped Felon N/A
N/A
1934 Tomorrow's Youth Actor Detective N/A
N/A
1934 Among the Missing Actor Capt. W.F. 'Big Bill' Connors 59
Average
1934 Take the Stand Actor Denny O'Brien 58
Average
1934 Midnight Alibi Actor Babe the Butcher 59
Average
1934 Charlie Chan's Courage Actor Undetermined Role 59
Average
1934 A Very Honorable Guy Actor Butler 58
Average
1934 The Big Race Actor Skipper O'Neal N/A
N/A
1933 Queen Christina Actor Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited) 60
Fair
1933 The Women in His Life Actor Paul, Perez's Second Bodyguard 58
Average
1933 Day of Reckoning Actor Harry 58
Average
1933 Saturday's Millions Actor Doc Maloney, Trainer N/A
N/A
1933 Tugboat Annie Actor Sam 59
Average
1933 The Sphinx Actor Detective Terrence Aloysius Hogan 58
Average
1933 Terror Aboard Actor Boatswain 59
Average
1933 Grand Slam Actor Man Who Speaks Final Line of the Film 58
Average
1932 Island of Lost Souls Actor Capt. Donahue 62
Fair
1932 Men Are Such Fools Actor Stiles N/A
N/A
1932 The Big Stampede Actor 'Arizona' Frank Bailey 58
Average
1932 The Phantom President Actor Sailor (uncredited) 58
Average
1932 Hold 'Em Jail Actor Butch 59
Average
1932 The Thirteenth Guest Actor Detective Grump 58
Average
1932 State's Attorney Actor Police Captain Morgan 59
Average
1932 My Pal, the King Actor Red N/A
N/A
1932 Panama Flo Actor Al 59
Average
1931 The Secret Witness Actor Officer Brannigan 58
Average
1931 Bad Company Actor Paul Hurst 58
Average
1931 Maker of Men Actor Gabby N/A
N/A
1931 The Public Defender Actor Doc 59
Average
1931 That's My Line Actor Mexican Bandit N/A
N/A
1931 Sweepstakes Actor Bartender 58
Average
1931 Kick In Actor Detective Whip Fogarty 59
Average
1931 The Secret Six Actor Nick Mizoski - the Gouger 59
Average
1931 The Single Sin Actor Slug N/A
N/A
1930 The Third Alarm Actor 'Beauty' Johnson N/A
N/A
1930 Borrowed Wives Actor Bull Morgan 58
Average
1930 Paradise Island Actor Beauty 59
Average
1930 Hot Curves Actor 'Slug', Baseball Player 59
Average
1930 Shadow of the Law Actor Pete Shore 59
Average
1930 Mountain Justice Actor Lem Harland 59
Average
1930 The Runaway Bride Actor Sergeant Daly 58
Average
1930 Swellhead Actor Mugsy N/A
N/A
1930 Officer O'Brien Actor Captain Antrim 59
Average
1930 Lucky Larkin Actor Pete Brierson N/A
N/A
1929 His First Command Actor Sgt. Westbrook 59
Average
1929 The Racketeer Actor Mehaffy - Policeman 58
Average
1929 Oh, Yeah! Actor Railroad-Yard Superintendent 59
Average
1929 Sailor's Holiday Actor Jimmylegs 58
Average
1929 The California Mail Actor Rowdy Ryan N/A
N/A
1929 Tide of Empire Actor Poppy 59
Average
1929 The Lawless Legion Actor Ramirez N/A
N/A
1928 Lilac Time Actor (uncredited) 59
Average
1928 The Cossacks Actor Sitchi 59
Average
1927 Buttons Actor Slugger McGlue 58
Average
1927 The Valley of the Giants Actor Randeau N/A
N/A
1927 The Red Raiders Actor Sergeant Murphy 59
Average
1927 The Devil's Saddle Actor 'Swig' Moran N/A
N/A
1927 Outlaw's Paradise Actor McDonald N/A
N/A
1926 Blue Streak O'Neil Actor N/A
N/A
1926 The Fighting Ranger Actor N/A
N/A
1926 Roaring Road Actor Checking Board Tabulator (uncredited) N/A
N/A
1923 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Actor Emeralda's Torturer (uncredited) 60
Fair
1919 Lightning Bryce Actor Powder Solvang N/A
N/A
1918 Smashing Through Actor Stevens N/A
N/A
1918 Rimrock Jones Actor Ike Bray N/A
N/A
1917 The Further Adventures of Stingaree Actor Howie N/A
N/A
1917 The Railroad Raiders Actor Steve Arnold (as Paul C. Hurst) N/A
N/A
1917 The Hazards of Helen Actor Benton - a Foreman N/A
N/A
1916 The Manager of the B & A Actor Roger Oakley (as Paul C. Hurst) N/A
N/A
1916 The Diamond Runners Actor Paul - the Brains of the I.D.B. N/A
N/A
1916 Judith of the Cumberlands Actor Blatchley Turrentine N/A
N/A
1916 Medicine Bend Actor Murray Sinclair N/A
N/A
1916 Whispering Smith Actor Murray Sinclair N/A
N/A
1916 A Lass of the Lumberlands Actor N/A
N/A
1915 Stingaree Actor Howie - Stingaree's Partner N/A
N/A
1915 The Vivisectionist Actor Bart - Jardine's Servant N/A
N/A
1915 The Girl Detective: Old Isaacson's Diamonds Actor Snake Henely 59
Average
1915 The Red Signal Actor Chief Dispatcher N/A
N/A
1915 The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight Actor A Trainman 58
Average
1915 The Girl Detective: The Mystery of the Tea Dansant Actor (Episode #1, 2, etc.) 58
Average
1914 The Plot at the Railroad Cut Actor Benton, the Foreman N/A
N/A
1914 The Chief of Police Actor Daniels N/A
N/A
1914 The Quicksands Actor Captain Lanning - Osborn's Rival N/A
N/A
1913 The Cave Men's War Actor Red Axe N/A
N/A
1912 The Driver Of The Deadwood Coach Actor Bad Bill - a Desperado N/A
N/A

Directing
1927 Outlaw's Paradise Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 Blue Streak O'Neil Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 The Fighting Ranger Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 The Midnight Message Directing Director 59
Average
1926 Roaring Road Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 The Law of the Snow Country Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 Haunted Range Directing Director N/A
N/A
1925 The Demon Rider Directing Director N/A
N/A
1925 The Fighting Cub Directing Director N/A
N/A
1925 The Were-Tiger Directing Director N/A
N/A
1925 A Western Engagement Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 Branded a Bandit Directing Director 59
Average
1924 The Passing of Wolf MacLean Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 Battling Bunyan Directing Director N/A
N/A
1923 Golden Silence Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 South of Northern Lights Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 Table Top Ranch Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 The Heart of a Texan Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 Rangeland Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 King Fisher's Roost Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 Shadows of the West Directing Director N/A
N/A
1919 Lightning Bryce Directing Director N/A
N/A
1919 The Tiger's Trail Directing Director N/A
N/A
1918 Play Straight or Fight Directing Director N/A
N/A
1918 The Woman in the Web Directing Director N/A
N/A
1917 The Further Adventures of Stingaree Directing Director N/A
N/A
1917 The Railroad Raiders Directing Director N/A
N/A
1916 A Lass of the Lumberlands Directing Director N/A
N/A
1915 The Red Signal Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1924 Branded a Bandit Writing Story 59
Average
1924 Branded a Bandit Writing Scenario Writer 59
Average
1922 Table Top Ranch Writing Scenario Writer N/A
N/A
1922 Table Top Ranch Writing Story N/A
N/A
1922 The Heart of a Texan Writing Scenario Writer N/A
N/A
1922 Rangeland Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1921 King Fisher's Roost Writing Scenario Writer N/A
N/A
1921 King Fisher's Roost Writing Story N/A
N/A
1917 The Railroad Raiders Writing Writer N/A
N/A

Production
1915 The Hazards of Helen: Episode13, The Escape on the Fast Freight Production Producer 58
Average