Ben Alexander

Ben Alexander

Born: May 27, 1911
Died: July 5, 1969
in Goldfield, Nevada, USA
Nicholas Benton "Ben" Alexander III (June 27, 1911 – July 5, 1969) was an American motion picture actor, who started out as a child actor in 1916. He is best remembered for his role as Officer Frank Smith in the Dragnet franchise.

Movies for Ben Alexander...

Los Angeles Plays Itself
Title: Los Angeles Plays Itself
Character: Officer Frank Smith in Dragnet (archive footage)
Released: July 28, 2004
Type: Movie
From its distinctive neighborhoods to its architectural homes, Los Angeles has been the backdrop to countless movies. In this dazzling work, Andersen takes viewers on a whirlwind tour through the metropolis' real and cinematic history, investigating the myriad stories and legends that have come to define it, and meticulously, judiciously revealing the real city that lives beneath.
bee
Title: Judd for the Defense
Released: September 8, 1967
Type: TV
High-priced Houston lawyer Clinton Judd and his assistant Ben Caldwell take difficult cases throughout the U.S.
bee
Title: Felony Squad
Released: September 12, 1966
Type: TV
Twenty-year veteran Detective Sergeant Sam Stone is paired with rookie Briggs in a large Western metropolis.
bee
Title: Batman
Released: January 12, 1966
Type: TV
Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne and his ward Dick Grayson lead a double life: they are actually crime fighting duo Batman and Robin. A secret Batpole in the Wayne mansion leads to the Batcave, where Police Commissioner Gordon often calls with the latest emergency threatening Gotham City. Racing to the scene of the crime in the Batmobile, Batman and Robin must (with the help of their trusty Bat-utility-belt) thwart the efforts of a variety of master criminals, including The Riddler, The Joker, Catwoman, and The Penguin.
bee
Title: About Faces
Released: January 4, 1960
Type: TV
About Faces is an American game show that aired from January 4, 1960 to June 30, 1961 that was created by Ralph Edwards. The host was Ben Alexander and the show's announcer was famed game show host Tom Kennedy.
bee
Man in the Shadow
Title: Man in the Shadow
Character: Ab Begley
Released: December 12, 1957
Type: Movie
In effect, modern cow town Spurline is run by Virgil Renchler, owner of the Golden Empire Ranch. One night, two of Virgil's henchmen go a little too far and beat a "bracero" ranch hand to death. Faced with an obvious cover-up and opposition on every hand, sheriff Ben Sadler is goaded into investigating. His unlikely ally: Renchler's lovely, self-willed and overprotected daughter. Will Ben survive Renchler's wrath?
bee
Title: The Ford Show
Character: Self
Released: October 4, 1956
Type: TV
The Ford Show is an American variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired on NBC on Thursday evenings from October 4, 1956 to June 29, 1961. Beginning in September 1958, the show began to be telecast in color. Ford first gained attention as the host of Hometown Jamboree in Los Angeles. In 1954, he hosted a brief revival of Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge, a quiz show on NBC. His subsequent The Ford Show was frequently among the Top 20 programs.
bee
Dragnet
Title: Dragnet
Character: Officer Frank Smith
Released: September 4, 1954
Type: Movie
Two homicide detectives try to find just the facts behind a mobster's brutal murder.
bee
Title: This Is Your Life
Character: Self
Released: October 1, 1952
Type: TV
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience, including special guest appearances by colleagues, friends and family. Edwards revived the show in 1971-72, while Joseph Campanella hosted a version in 1983. Edwards returned for some specials in the late 1980s, before his death in 2005. The show originated as a radio show on NBC Radio airing from 1948 to 1952.
bee
Title: Dragnet
Character: Frank Smith
Released: December 16, 1951
Type: TV
Follows the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from the police term "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.
bee
Title: The Colgate Comedy Hour
Character: Self
Released: September 10, 1950
Type: TV
The Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show starred many notable comedians and entertainers of the era, including Eddie Cantor, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Fred Allen, Donald O'Connor, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, Ray Bolger, Gordon MacRae, Ben Blue, Robert Paige, Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, Broadway dancer Wayne Lamb and Spike Jones and His City Slickers.
bee
Criminals Within
Title: Criminals Within
Character: Sgt. Paul
Released: June 27, 1941
Type: Movie
A young soldier uncovers a ring of spies when he investigates his brother's mysterious murder.
bee
The Leather Pushers
Title: The Leather Pushers
Character: Dan Brown, Announcer
Released: September 13, 1940
Type: Movie
A shifty boxing promoter places an amateur in fixed fights, then hands his contract over to an suspicious female investigative reporter as a raffle prize. He later regrets his actions, however, when the boxer becomes an honest champion.
bee
American Portrait
Title: American Portrait
Character: David
Released: July 31, 1940
Type: Movie
This movie's preamble explains the importance of salesmanship after the great depression The industrial revolution has created a life of modern convenience for America, and there are more products available than most people can fathom. David, one of the main characters in this drama, is a life insurance salesman. His livelihood and profession rely on people willing to take out new policies. Throughout the beginning of the film, a narrator points out modern inventions like telephones, electric toasters, and other conveniences, and explains the significance of these items.
bee
Buried Alive
Title: Buried Alive
Character: Riley
Released: November 6, 1939
Type: Movie
A prison trustee rescues a despondent executioner from a bar-room brawl, and is blamed for the fight by a tabloid reporter who actually started it, and loses parole, becomes embittered, and gets blamed for murder of guard.
bee
Convict's Code
Title: Convict's Code
Character: Jeff Palmer
Released: January 18, 1939
Type: Movie
On parole after three years in prison, a football player (Robert Kent) encounters the man (Sidney Blackmer) who framed him.
bee
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
Title: Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
Character: Larry Weldon
Released: October 7, 1938
Type: Movie
A wealthy businessman promises to donate a huge endowment to his college alma mater, but there's one condition -- his loser of a son, a student at the school, must become a football hero. Comedy.
bee
The Spy Ring
Title: The Spy Ring
Character: Capt. Don Mayhew
Released: January 8, 1938
Type: Movie
Two American-army officers are working on a new type of machine-gun for anti-aircraft warfare, when one of them is murdered. The other vows to get the spies that are after the invention and avenge his friend's death.
bee
The Life of the Party
Title: The Life of the Party
Character: Orchestra Leader
Released: September 3, 1937
Type: Movie
A singer finds another heir (Gene Raymond) to marry, to avoid the one (Joe Penner) her mother found.
bee
Western Gold
Title: Western Gold
Character: Bart
Released: August 27, 1937
Type: Movie
President Lincoln personally sends Bill Gibson west to see if he can stop the holdups of the needed shipments of gold. There he meets his boyhood friend Foster. When all others refuse to take out the next gold shipment due to the killings, Bill volunteers. Jeannie, afraid for his safety, tells Foster of Bill's secret route not knowing Foster is the leader of the outlaw gang.
bee
The Outer Gate
Title: The Outer Gate
Character: Bob Terry
Released: August 4, 1937
Type: Movie
Bob Terry is in love with Lois Borden the daughter of his employer, John Borden. When some bonds are missing from the office, Bob is accused and because of Borden's strong sense of obligation to his stockholders, Bob is railroaded to prison. A few years later, the real thief is apprehended and Bob is released. He now begins his plan for revenge against Borden with the aid of his prison cell mate Todd and a gangster, John Carmody. Soon, some bonds are missing again and Borden knows Bob is involved but because Bob has suffered at his hands before, Borden assumes the responsibility and is about to be sentenced to prison. Todd is shot while trying to steal the bonds back from Carmody, but gets the bonds back to Bob and, before he dies, begs Bob to return them to the owner.
bee
The Legion of Missing Men
Title: The Legion of Missing Men
Character: Don Carter
Released: July 28, 1937
Type: Movie
Bob Carter, a member of the Foreign Legion, is glad to see his brother, Don, for the first time in ten years but is sorry that Don has joined the Legion. Bob, Don and Bob's buddies, Muggsy and Bilgey, go to a café and there Don falls for Nina, a singer in love with Bob. Bob doesn't know this and thinks she is Garccia's girl, and warns Don to have nothing to do with her. Don disregards the warning and Garcia discovers Nina and Don together and provokes Don into hitting him. Don is arrested and thrown into the company brig. Nina, with the aid of an Arabian sheik, Ul Ahmed, helps Don escape. Bob, Muggsy and Bilgey follow but are captured and taken to Ul Hamid's headquarters. The sheik tortures Don to force Bob to work some captured machine guns for him. Ah Hamid and his tribe attack the fort, but Bob manages to turn the machine guns against his captors, and the fort is saved.
bee
Shall We Dance
Title: Shall We Dance
Character: Evans (uncredited)
Released: May 7, 1937
Type: Movie
Ballet star Petrov arranges to cross the Atlantic aboard the same ship as the dancer and musical star he's fallen for but barely knows. By the time the ocean liner reaches New York, a little white lie has churned through the rumour mill and turned into a hot gossip item—that the two celebrities are secretly married.
bee
Red Lights Ahead
Title: Red Lights Ahead
Character: George Wallace
Released: November 28, 1936
Type: Movie
A family loses its collective head going from rags to riches in this low-budget comedy from also-ran studio Chesterfield. Former slapstick comedian Andy Clyde starred as Grandpa Tom Hopkins who, after selling his junk business, moves in with daughter Molly (Lucille Gleason), her husband Ed (Roger Imhof), and their children Mary (Ann Doran), Edna (Paula Stone), George (Ben Alexander, and Willie (Frank Coghlan Jr.). Ed, who is a member of the town lodge "the Whales," is persuaded by Whitney (Sam Flint) the "Grand Harpoon," to buy $5,000 worth of shares in a promising gold mine, mortgaging the family home to do so. Soon the family is rich and everyone except Molly takes on airs.
bee
The Fire-Trap
Title: The Fire-Trap
Character: Bob Fender
Released: November 26, 1935
Type: Movie
An insurance investigator falls in love with a society girl, unaware that her uncle and his boss are conspiring to commit insurance fraud by overvaluing a decrepit warehouse and its contents and burning the building to the ground.
bee
Annapolis Farewell
Title: Annapolis Farewell
Character: Adams
Released: August 23, 1935
Type: Movie
Commodore Fitzhugh, an old retired naval officer, lives at the Annapolis Naval Academy and, unhappy with the "modern" navy, likes to talk about his days in the "old" navy, especially about his part in the Battle of Manila Bay under Adm. Dewey during the Spanish-American War, when he commanded the USS Congress. That ship, now decommissioned and docked in Annapolis harbor, is--unknown to Fitzhugh--about to be towed out to sea to be used for target practice. When Fitzhugh finds this out, he sets out to either save his beloved vessel or "go down with his ship".
bee
Born to Gamble
Title: Born to Gamble
Character: Paul Mathews
Released: July 9, 1935
Type: Movie
A wealthy man relates how gambling had tragic consequences for his family.
bee
Grand Old Girl
Title: Grand Old Girl
Character: Tom Miller
Released: January 15, 1935
Type: Movie
An elderly schoolteacher is determined to rid her town of the local gambling den.
bee
Flirtation
Title: Flirtation
Character: Dudley
Released: November 9, 1934
Type: Movie
A naive farmer encounters a beautiful burlesque dancer on the streets of New York and agrees to pose as her husband during her mother's visit.
bee
Most Precious Thing in Life
Title: Most Precious Thing in Life
Character: Gideon 'Gubby' Gerhart
Released: June 15, 1934
Type: Movie
An unwed mother watches as her illegitimate son is raised by others. Director Lambert Hillyer's 1934 drama stars Jean Arthur, Richard Cromwell, Donald Cook, Anita Louise, Jane Darwell, Mary Forbes and Ward Bond.
bee
The Life of Vergie Winters
Title: The Life of Vergie Winters
Character: Barry Preston
Released: June 14, 1934
Type: Movie
A small town politician, kept from marrying the love of his life, eventually marries another woman and his career ascends, but he secretly continues the relationship with his true love.
bee
Once to Every Woman
Title: Once to Every Woman
Character: Joe Wilson
Released: March 24, 1934
Type: Movie
An able nurse clashes with a new doctor at her hospital.
bee
Stage Mother
Title: Stage Mother
Character: Francis Nolan
Released: September 29, 1933
Type: Movie
Kitty Lorraine has one purpose in life: turning her daughter Shirley into a star. Kitty controls every aspect of the girl's nascent career -- even blackmailing a stage manager so that Shirley can take a more prestigious gig. But Kitty goes too far when she breaks up her daughter's budding relationship with sweet artist Warren Foster. Heartbroken, Shirley sets off on a series of disastrous but profitable relationships.
bee
This Day and Age
Title: This Day and Age
Character: Morry Dover
Released: August 25, 1933
Type: Movie
A modern-day tale of gangsterism and revenge. After a notorious mobster murders a Jewish tailor and is let off for the crime, a band of outraged high-school students turns into vigilante crusaders hell-bent on punishing the wrongdoers. Memorable pre-Code moment: the students torturing a gangster by dangling him over a pit filled with rats.
bee
Roadhouse Queen
Title: Roadhouse Queen
Character: Junior Knox
Released: June 29, 1933
Type: Movie
Walter Catlett learns his son Ben Alexander has thrown over fiancee Joyce Compton for acrobat Nora Lane. He takes lawyer Arthur Housman to the road house where she is performing to lay down the law.
bee
What Price Innocence?
Title: What Price Innocence?
Character: Tommy Harrow
Released: June 24, 1933
Type: Movie
A young woman has to pay the price for fooling around with men.
bee
The Vanishing Frontier
Title: The Vanishing Frontier
Character: Lucien Winfield
Released: March 13, 1933
Type: Movie
Its 1850 and California is under ruthless military rule. Kirby Tornell's rancho has been taken over by soldiers and when two of Kirby's men are captured, he goes there to free them. He meets the General's daughter there and attracted to her, repeatedly returns to see her. Eventually he is captured and now his men must try and rescue him.
bee
Tom Brown of Culver
Title: Tom Brown of Culver
Character: Cpl. John Clarke
Released: June 30, 1932
Type: Movie
Boy who thought his father a war hero finds he was really a deserter.
bee
The Wet Parade
Title: The Wet Parade
Character: Evelyn's Friend (uncredited)
Released: March 26, 1932
Type: Movie
The evils of alcohol before and during prohibition become evident as we see its effects on the rich Chilcote family and the hard working Tarleton family.
bee
High Pressure
Title: High Pressure
Character: Geoffrey Weston
Released: January 10, 1932
Type: Movie
Gar Evans is a con artist, who pretends to be the owner of a "Golden Gate Artificial Rubber Company", and he is looking for investors. Finding them is relatively easy, but it becomes difficult when those want to see the inventor of the synthetic rubber...
bee
Suicide Fleet
Title: Suicide Fleet
Character: Kid
Released: November 20, 1931
Type: Movie
Three US sailors aboard a decoy ship fight German U-boats in World War I and try to win Sally who works on the Coney Island midway.
bee
Are These Our Children?
Title: Are These Our Children?
Character: Nicholas 'Nick' Crosby
Released: November 13, 1931
Type: Movie
A tale of juvenile delinquency, about a high-school student neglecting his studies, partying hard, falling in with the wrong crowd and finally finding himself on trial for murder committed during a robbery.
bee
It's a Wise Child
Title: It's a Wise Child
Character: Bill Stanton
Released: April 10, 1931
Type: Movie
In this comedy, a conservative family becomes alarmed when they begin believing their daughter is pregnant.
bee
Many a Slip
Title: Many a Slip
Character: Ted Coster
Released: March 2, 1931
Type: Movie
Comedy centering on the question of whether a man's wife is or isn't pregnant.
bee
All Quiet on the Western Front
Title: All Quiet on the Western Front
Character: Franz Kemmerich
Released: April 29, 1930
Type: Movie
When a group of idealistic young men join the German Army during World War, they are assigned to the Western Front, where their patriotism is destroyed by the harsh realities of combat.
bee
The Divine Lady
Title: The Divine Lady
Character: Young lieutenant
Released: December 26, 1928
Type: Movie
Lady Hamilton's love affair with Admiral Horatio Nelson rocks the British Empire.
bee
Two to One
Title: Two to One
Character: George Minafer as a Child
Released: December 31, 1927
Type: Movie
A two-reel version of 1925's Pampered Youth. Included on Criterion's Blu-ray release of Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons.
bee
The Highbinders
Title: The Highbinders
Character: Roy Marshall
Released: March 21, 1926
Type: Movie
The Highbinders
bee
Boy of Mine
Title: Boy of Mine
Character: Bill Latimer
Released: December 30, 1923
Type: Movie
A wealthy banker is a strict disciplinarian with his nine-year-old son Bill. Finally the day comes when neither Bill nor his mother can put up any more with the father's relentlessness and heavy-handed treatment; she leaves and takes Bill with her. The father must decide what's more important--maintaining his iron discipline over his family, or his family itself.
bee
Penrod and Sam
Title: Penrod and Sam
Character: Penrod Schofield
Released: June 18, 1923
Type: Movie
bee
Blue Streak McCoy
Title: Blue Streak McCoy
Character: Job the child
Released: August 23, 1920
Type: Movie
Ranger Job "Blue Streak" McCoy helps a miner and his pretty young daughter who are trying to protect their valuable mine from a gang leader who wants to take it.
bee
The Family Honor
Title: The Family Honor
Character: Little Ben Tucker
Released: March 15, 1920
Type: Movie
Beverly Tucker, the daughter of an impoverished aristocratic Southern family, has scraped together her last pennies to put her brother Dal through college in the hope that he will support the family after graduation. However, Dal harbors no such ambition and instead spends his time gambling and drinking in a saloon owned by the town's mayor, Curran. During a raid led by Curran's crusading son Merle, a detective is killed and Dal is accused of the crime.
bee
The Triflers
Title: The Triflers
Released: January 12, 1920
Type: Movie
Janet Randall, a department store clerk who longs for a fling at high society, ignores the love of the poor but honest Dan Cassidy. When vacation time comes, Janet goes to a fashionable hotel and there meets her idol, society favorite Monte Moreville. Upon requesting the bill at the end of four days, Janet discovers that the tariff is more than she can afford, and Monte comes to her rescue by offering to bail her out. In exchange, Janet must pose as his wife to fend off a woman who is threatening a breach of promise suit.
bee
The White Heather
Title: The White Heather
Character: Donald Cameron
Released: June 29, 1919
Type: Movie
Lord Angus Cameron's marriage to a woman of his titled Scottish class is thwarted by his secret marriage years before to Marion Hume, the housekeeper of the castle. Cameron attempts to repudiate the marriage, the only record of which is a certificate in the sunken wreck of a yacht, The White Heather . Marion goes to court to prove her claim and secure the rights of her son by Cameron, but is defeated. Alec McClintock, who is in love with Marion, and Cameron both want to recover the record, so they don diving suits and descend to the wreck. An underwater struggle ensues and Cameron severs his own air tube and drowns while attempting to cut off his rival's air supply. Alec then recovers the marriage record and wins Marion. —AFI
bee
The Hushed Hour
Title: The Hushed Hour
Character: Gondy
Released: May 18, 1919
Type: Movie
Judge Robert Appleton (Winter Hall) has led an exemplary life. His four children, however, fell short once they grew up and had to fend for themselves. When Appleton dies, his widow (Lydia Knott) explains that his last request was that each child spend one hour of contemplation with his body. The first is the youngest daughter, Daisy (Rosemary Theby), an artist of note who was betrayed and left with a son to raise out of wedlock. Next is Luke (Milton Sills), a wild young man who ran away at 19, and even though he is now married and a father, he still can't quite settle down. The eldest son, Bob (Wilfred Lucas), is next -- he wed a wealthy woman, but the marriage has no love.
bee
Josselyn's Wife
Title: Josselyn's Wife
Character: Tommy Josselyn
Released: May 5, 1919
Type: Movie
Bessie Barriscale and Nigel Barrie play Ellen and Gibbs Josselyn, a young married couple who have spent several years in Europe while Gibbs, an artist, developed his talent. When they return to the States, they stay with Gibbs' father (Tom Guise) and stepmother (Kathleen Kirkham). Gibbs had never cared much for his stepmother, Lillian, but now he warms up to her -- a lot. Lillian is much younger than her husband and begins spending a suspicious amount of time with her stepson.
bee
Little Orphant Annie
Title: Little Orphant Annie
Character: Orphan
Released: December 31, 1918
Type: Movie
Annie, left orphaned after the death of her mother, goes to live in an orphanage where she tells her fellow orphans stories of ghosts and goblins. The matron of the orphanage finds Annie's closest relative, the abusive Uncle Thomp. Her uncle who puts her to hard work doing hard labor on his farm, belittling her all the while. Big Dave, a neighbor and tough cow-poke sees this and comes to her aid. Dave becomes her protector. Eventually Annie goes to live with Squire Goode and his large family. There, she entertains the children of the household with her stories, but sees her abusive aunt and uncle as her chief tormentors. She tells stories of how the goblins will take away the children if they are not good. Each story she tells is illustrated. War breaks out and Dave, who Annie adores, enlists. Uncle Thomp, hearing that Dave has been killed in action, takes pleasure in telling Annie the news. Broken-hearted, Annie falls ill and dies in bed, surrounded by family.
bee
The Heart of Rachael
Title: The Heart of Rachael
Character: Jim
Released: October 4, 1918
Type: Movie
Rachael (Bessie Barriscale) marries Clarence Breckenridge (Hershel Mayall) a widower much older than herself. Although she tries to be a good wife, he ignores her for the bottle. In addition, his daughter, Billy (Ella Hall), who is not much younger than Rachael, is spoiled. When Rachael meets the family doctor, Warren Gregory (Herbert Heyes), they fall in love.
bee
The Lady of the Dugout
Title: The Lady of the Dugout
Character: The Lady's son
Released: September 1, 1918
Type: Movie
Real life outlaw Al Jennings tells a "real" story about how he came to the aid of a woman who was abused by her alcoholic husband.
bee
Hearts of the World
Title: Hearts of the World
Character: The Boy's Littlest Brother
Released: March 11, 1918
Type: Movie
A group of youngsters grow up and love in a peaceful French village. But war intrudes and peace is shattered. The German army invades and occupies village, bringing both destruction and torture. The young people of the village resist, some successfully, others tragically, until French troops retake the town.
bee
A Wife on Trial
Title: A Wife on Trial
Character: Child (uncredited)
Released: July 30, 1917
Type: Movie
Phyllis Narcissa, an underpaid children's librarian, eagerly accepts a dinner invitation from Horace de Guenther, one of her patrons, and happily entertains his invalid wife. Later, Mrs. de Guenther encourages Phyllis to meet with Mrs. Harrington, a dying rich woman whose son Allan, once a vigorous young man, was paralyzed in an auto accident. When Mrs. Harrington proposes to the librarian that she marry and take care of Allan in exchange for his wealth, Phyllis reluctantly consents. While struggling to cheer up the eternally gloomy Allan, Phyllis welcomes the visits of his friend, a doctor who informs her that her husband's paralysis may be psychosomatic.
bee
The Little American
Title: The Little American
Character: Bobby Moore
Released: July 12, 1917
Type: Movie
A young American has her ship torpedoed by a German U-boat but makes it back to her ancestral home in France, where she witnesses German brutality firsthand.