Ralph Clanton

Ralph Clanton

Born: September 11, 1914
Died: December 29, 2002
​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  

Ralph Clanton (September 11, 1914 - December 29, 2002) was an American character actor. Although his name is not familiar to audiences, he did play a significant supporting role in a classic film which is revived regularly. His most often seen performance is as the Comte De Guiche in the 1950 film Cyrano de Bergerac, the first sound version in English of Edmond Rostand's classic play, and the film for which José Ferrer won his only Academy Award for Best Actor. Besides Ferrer as Cyrano, Clanton was the only holdover from the cast of the 1946 Broadway revival of the play, and would play the role of De Guiche opposite him once more, in a New York City Center production in 1953.

In addition to playing De Guiche in "Cyrano", Clanton was featured in seven different episodes of Alfred Hitchcock's television show, as well as making several appearances on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. In 1976, he played the role of George Washington in a PBS television production of Sidney Kingsley's The Patriots, a drama that had itself been produced on the Hallmark Hall of Fame in 1963, but without Clanton. He also played the role of Jasper Delaney on the TV soap operas, Another World and its spinoff, Somerset.

He played the role of Mr. Ingram in the sci-fi thriller The 27th Day.

He played guest star roles on numerous television series, including Perry Mason, in addition to appearing on Broadway in the role of Claude Nau in Robert Bolt's Vivat! Vivat Regina!, as well as in several Shakespeare productions. One of his last roles was a bit part in the hit Dan Aykroyd - Eddie Murphy film Trading Places, in 1983.

In a playbill for the 1946 revival of Cyrano de Bergerac he is listed as a direct descendant of members of the infamous Clanton gang, which took part in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Description above from the Wikipedia article Ralph Clanton,  licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies for Ralph Clanton...

Trading Places
Title: Trading Places
Character: Official #1
Released: June 7, 1983
Type: Movie
A snobbish investor and a wily street con-artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
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The Shady Hill Kidnapping
Title: The Shady Hill Kidnapping
Character: Harper
Released: January 12, 1982
Type: Movie
John Cheever's wry comedy of errors comes to the screen in this filmed presentation from the Broadway Theatre Archive. An upper-middle-class suburb is turned upside-down by the apparent kidnapping of Toby Wooster (Garrett Hanf). Unaware that the whole thing is a setup, the town swings into action to raise funds to meet the kidnappers' ransom demands. George Grizzard, Polly Holliday, Katharine Balfour and Celeste Holm star.
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The Patriots
Title: The Patriots
Character: George Washington
Released: May 26, 1976
Type: Movie
This absorbing 1976 production of dramatist Sidney Kingsley's historical play centers on the formative days of the United States and the disputes between founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Although the two men greatly respect each other, the deep-seated clash in their ideologies engenders conflict just as the fledgling country is beginning to take root.
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Death Be Not Proud
Title: Death Be Not Proud
Character: Frank Boyden
Released: February 4, 1975
Type: Movie
Based on the book by famed author John Gunther about the life and early death of his teenage son Johnny, who died from a brain tumor.
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They Might Be Giants
Title: They Might Be Giants
Character: Supermarket Manager
Released: June 9, 1971
Type: Movie
After the death of his wife, wealthy retiree Justin Playfair creates a fantasy world for himself in which he is the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, even dressing like the character. Out of concern for Justin's money more than his health, his brother Blevins puts him under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Mildred Watson. As Dr. Watson grows fond of Justin, she begins to play along with his theories, eventually becoming an assistant in his investigations.
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Title: Great Performances
Character: George Washington
Released: January 28, 1971
Type: TV
The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.
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Panic in Year Zero!
Title: Panic in Year Zero!
Character: Radio Announcer (voice / uncredited)
Released: July 5, 1962
Type: Movie
While on a fishing trip, Harry Baldwin and his family hear an explosion and realize that Los Angeles has been leveled by a nuclear attack. Looters and killers are everywhere. Escaping to the hills with his family, he sets about the business of surviving in a world where, he knows, the old ideals of humanity will be the first casualties.
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The Absent-Minded Professor
Title: The Absent-Minded Professor
Character: O.J. Turnball (uncredited)
Released: March 16, 1961
Type: Movie
Bumbling professor Ned Brainard accidentally invents flying rubber, or "Flubber", an incredible material that gains energy every time it strikes a hard surface. It allows for the invention of shoes that can allow jumps of amazing heights and enables a modified Model-T to fly. Unfortunately, no one is interested in the material except for Alonzo Hawk, a corrupt businessman who wants to steal the material for himself.
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Zorro, the Avenger
Title: Zorro, the Avenger
Character: Senor George Brighton
Released: September 10, 1959
Type: Movie
Masked crusader Zorro and his father, Don Alejandro, face off against mysterious despot The Eagle in a fight for control of old Spanish California.
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Title: Behind Closed Doors
Character: Ed Bailey
Released: October 2, 1958
Type: TV
Behind Closed Doors is an American drama series set during the Cold War hosted by and occasionally starring Bruce Gordon in the role of Commander Matson. The series, which aired on NBC from October 2, 1958, to April 9, 1959, focuses, among other themes, on how the former Soviet Union stole American missile secrets and proposes steps to prevent further espionage. Behind Closed Doors is based on the files and experiences of Rear Admiral Ellis M. Zacharias, who offers comments at the end of each segment. Behind Closed Doors, a Screen Gems production, replaced Jackie Cooper's sitcom The People's Choice, followed the NBC quiz show, Twenty-One, and preceded the The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. Its competition was The Pat Boone Chevy Show on ABC and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater western anthology series on CBS.
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Undersea Girl
Title: Undersea Girl
Character: Sam Marvin
Released: October 12, 1957
Type: Movie
A woman reporter, a navy investigator, and a heavyset police detective come across a gang which scuttled a ship in order to loot her later, underwater, for a Navy money consignment.
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Title: Perry Mason
Character: Mervyn Aldritch
Released: September 21, 1957
Type: TV
The cases of master criminal defense attorney Perry Mason and his staff who handled the most difficult of cases in the aid of the innocent.
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No Time to Be Young
Title: No Time to Be Young
Character: Mr. Parner
Released: August 1, 1957
Type: Movie
A melodrama about young adults growing up and facing the pressures of life.
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Johnny Tremain
Title: Johnny Tremain
Character: General Gage
Released: June 19, 1957
Type: Movie
When an injury bars him from pursuing his trade, Revolutionary War-era silversmith's apprentice Johnny Tremain finds a new life in the ranks of the Sons of Liberty army, taking part in the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere's legendary ride.
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Pharaoh's Curse
Title: Pharaoh's Curse
Character: Col. Cross
Released: February 1, 1957
Type: Movie
Archaeologists in Egypt find one of their crew has been turned into a blood sucking mummy after they have unleashed a three thousand year curse.
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The 27th Day
Title: The 27th Day
Character: Mr Ingram
Released: January 7, 1957
Type: Movie
Five individuals from five nations, including the USA, USSR, and China, suddenly find themselves on an alien saucer, where an alien gives each a container holding three capsules. The alien explains that no power on earth can open a given container except a mental command from the person to whom it is given, then anyone may take a capsule and, by speaking a latitude and longitude at it, cause instant death to all within a given radius: thus each of the five has been provided with the power of life and death. Then, they are given 27 days to decide whether to use the capsules, and returned to the places from which each one came...
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Hot Cars
Title: Hot Cars
Character: Arthur Markel
Released: November 2, 1956
Type: Movie
Story of a salesman lured into the "hot car" racket.
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The Vagabond King
Title: The Vagabond King
Character: Duke of Anjou
Released: August 28, 1956
Type: Movie
Louis XI of France drafts Paris's popular "king" of criminals as Provost Marshal in his fight against usurper Charles of Burgundy and the traitorous nobles who rally around him.
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Title: Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character: Perry Harrison
Released: October 2, 1955
Type: TV
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
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Title: Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character: Randolph Burnside
Released: October 2, 1955
Type: TV
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
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Title: Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character: Sir Stephen Hurstwood
Released: October 2, 1955
Type: TV
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
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Title: Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character: Ship's Purser
Released: October 2, 1955
Type: TV
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
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Title: Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Character: Mr. Saunders
Released: October 2, 1955
Type: TV
A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.
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Out of This World
Title: Out of This World
Character: Red
Released: January 1, 1954
Type: Movie
An angel and a devil try to persuade a borderline wholesale bakery salesman to their side.
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San Antone
Title: San Antone
Character: Narrator (voice)
Released: February 15, 1953
Type: Movie
After the Civil War, a cowboy who's a former Union soldier leads a cattle drive into Mexico now occupied by the French...
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Cyrano de Bergerac
Title: Cyrano de Bergerac
Character: Antoine Comte de Guiche
Released: November 16, 1950
Type: Movie
France, 1640. Cyrano, the charismatic swordsman-poet with the absurd nose, hopelessly loves the beauteous Roxane; she, in turn, confesses to Cyrano her love for the handsome but tongue-tied Christian. The chivalrous Cyrano sets up with Christian an innocent deception, with tragic results.
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They Were Not Divided
Title: They Were Not Divided
Character: David
Released: April 24, 1950
Type: Movie
The film begins in a WW II training depot of a British Guards armoured regiment where recruits from many walks of life learn to survive the strict discipline and training together before going into battle in tanks. There is a cameo appearance by the real Sgt. Major Brittain who was famous in the British guards regiments.
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Canadian Pacific
Title: Canadian Pacific
Character: Opening Narrator (voice)
Released: May 19, 1949
Type: Movie
A surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railroad must fight fur trappers who oppose the building of the railroad by stirring up Indian rebellion.