Photo of Glenn Strange
Acting

Glenn Strange

Profession
Acting
Born
August 16, 1899 · Weed, New Mexico, USA
Died
September 20, 1973

Biography

At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6' 5") beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. Of Irish and Cherokee Indian descent, he taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country. Gunsmoke Strange first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1960 after James Arness asked him, "When are you going to do a Gunsmoke? I like to work with big guys." During Gunsmoke's sixth season, Strange played a Long Branch customer in "Old Faces" and a cowboy in "Melinda Miles". Strange began playing Sam Noonan during the seventh season and continued in the role for 222 episodes. In 1972 Strange was diagnosed with lung cancer but worked as long as he was able. Five of his episodes were broadcast after his death. His last appearance was on the November 26, 1973, episode "The Hanging of Newly O'Brien". Death On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Singer Eddie Dean, with whom Strange had collaborated on various songs and opening themes for films, sang at Strange's funeral service as a final tribute. Strange is interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. CLR

Known for

Red River poster
Red River
Film · 1948 · ★ 7.3
Marty poster
Marty
Film · 1955 · ★ 7.5
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral poster
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Film · 1957 · ★ 7.0
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein poster
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
Film · 1948 · ★ 7.1
Last Train from Gun Hill poster
Last Train from Gun Hill
Film · 1959 · ★ 7.1
Calamity Jane poster
Calamity Jane
Film · 1953 · ★ 7.0
House of Frankenstein poster
House of Frankenstein
Film · 1944 · ★ 6.1
House of Dracula poster
House of Dracula
Film · 1945 · ★ 5.5
Gunsmoke poster
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955 · ★ 6.7
The Lusty Men poster
The Lusty Men
Film · 1952 · ★ 6.7
The Mummy's Tomb poster
The Mummy's Tomb
Film · 1942 · ★ 5.5
Escape from Fort Bravo poster
Escape from Fort Bravo
Film · 1953 · ★ 6.3

Filmography