Berton Churchill

• Name — Berton Churchill • Born — 9 December 1876 • Birthplace — Toronto, Ontario, Canada • Died — 10 October 1940 • Place of death — New York City, U.S. • Resting Place — Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1919–1940 • Children — 1

Churchill was born in Toronto, Ontario. After his family moved to New York City, he graduated from high school there, studied law at night, and was a weekly participant in the William J. Florence Dramatic Society in Jersey City. As a young man interested in the theater, he appeared in stock companies as early as 1903 and worked as a newspaper pressman, eventually becoming a foreman and leader of his union. Progressing in his acting, he began performing with the Berkely Lyceum.

Churchill acted for two years with a traveling repertory company, developing skills that eventually took him to Broadway. The death of his father caused him to return home to work as a press foreman. Eventually he returned to acting in small parts. His career received a boost when E. F. Albee saw him perform in Boston. Albee added him to his summer stock company at Pawtucket, where Churchill continued to perform almost every summer for at least two decades. His first performance on Broadway was in The Barber of New Orleans (1909), and his last was in Five Star Final (1930). He was one of the earliest members of Actors Equity and sat on the union's Council. In 1919, he was in charge of the New York headquarters during the Equity strike. Around 1929, Churchill began to perform in motion pictures. Following the use of sound in film, he moved to Hollywood, California. There, he landed numerous supporting roles, usually as the stern or pompous character with such roles as a banker, a state governor, or a land baron. He was much in demand, "establishing what was believed to be a record by appearing in 34 in 1932 alone." In more than 125 films, Churchill worked for some of the great directors such as Otto Preminger, John Ford, and Frank Capra. As well, he performed with many of the most famous stars of the day, such as Bette Davis (The Cabin in the Cotton), Jeanette MacDonald, Tyrone Power, Edward G. Robinson, and Will Rogers. Churchill is perhaps best known for his role as Gatewood, the absconding banker in John Ford's highly acclaimed 1939 film Stagecoach, starring John Wayne. In 1925, Churchill helped found the Masquers club that led to him and five other actors creating the Screen Actors Guild in 1933.

Churchill died in Medical Arts Center Hospital in New York City, of uremic poisoning. His body was returned to the west coast to be interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1919 — The Road Called Straight — Robert Swiftmore • 1923 — Six Cylinder Love — George Stapleton • 1924 — Tongues of Flame — Boland • 1929 — Nothing But the Truth — E.M. Burke • 1931 — Tarnished Lady — Stock Speculator — Uncredited • Secrets of a Secretary — Mr. Merritt • My Sin — Mr. Osgood — Uncredited • Husband's Holiday — Gerald Burgess • Air Eagles — Windy J. Bailey • 1932 — This Reckless Age — Banker • Taxi! — Judge West — Uncredited • Impatient Maiden • Cheaters at Play • A Fool's Advice — Mayor Martin Sloan • The Wet Parade — Roger's Uncle Dick — Uncredited • Scandal for Sale — Bunnyweather • It's Tough to Be Famous — Admiral Blaine — Uncredited • The Mouthpiece — Judge, Rocco Trial • Two Seconds — The Warden • The Rich Are Always with Us — Judge Bradshaw • Forgotten Commandments — Scene Deleted • The Dark Horse — William A. Underwood • Week Ends Only — A.S. Carr • Fast Companions — Committee Chairman • The Washington Masquerade — Sen. Bitler • American Madness — O'Brien — Uncredited • Okay, America! — Jacob Baron • The Crooked Circle — Col. Walters • The Cabin in the Cotton — Lane Norwood • The Big Stampede — Gov. Wallace • False Faces — Dr. John B. Parker • Washington Merry-Go-Round — Speaker • I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang — The Judge • Afraid to Talk — Mayor William 'Billy' Manning • If I Had a Million — Warden — Uncredited • Madame Butterfly — American Consul • Frisco Jenny — Judge Thomas B. Reynolds — Uncredited • 1933 — Laughter in Hell — Mike Slaney • The Mysterious Rider — Mark King • Employees' Entrance — Mr. Bradford — Uncredited • Hard to Handle — Col. H.D.X. Wells • From Hell to Heaven — Toledo Jones • Private Jones — Roger Winthrop • The Little Giant — Donald Hadley Cass • So This Is Africa — Movie Producer • Elmer, the Great — Colonel Moffitt • Heroes for Sale — Mr. Winston • I Love That Man — Mordant • Her First Mate — Davis • The Big Brain — Col. Higginbotham • The Avenger — Forster • Doctor Bull — Herbert Banning • Golden Harvest — Eben Martin • Ladies Must Love — Gaskins • Only Yesterday — Goodheart — Uncredited • College Coach — Otis • Master of Men — Mr. Walling • 1934 — Frontier Marshal — Ben 'Hiram' Melton • Hi, Nellie! — Graham • Men in White — John Hudson — Uncredited • Let's Be Ritzy — R.M. Pembrook • Strictly Dynamite — Mr. Rivers • Half a Sinner — Deacon Caswell • Murder in the Private Car — Luke Carson • Bachelor Bait — 'Big' Barney Nolan • Friends of Mr. Sweeney — Franklyn P. Brumbaugh • Dames — Harold Ellsworthy Todd • Take the Stand — Mr. Jerome Burbank • Judge Priest — Senator Horace Maydew • Redhead — Mr. Brown • Kid Millions — Col. Harrison Larrabee • Menace — Norman Bellamy • Babbitt — Judge Virgil 'Verge' Thompson • Sing Sing Nights — Governor Duane • Bachelor of Arts — Alexander Hamilton Sr. • Life Is Worth Living • 1935 — Helldorado — 'Clarion' Editor • The County Chairman — Elias Rigby • A Night at the Ritz — Stephen Vincent • Vagabond Lady — R.D. Spear • $10 Raise — Mr. Bates • Dizzy Dames — Dad Hackett • Page Miss Glory — Mr. Yates • Steamboat Round the Bend — New Moses • I Live for Love — Fabian • The Spanish Cape Mystery — Judge Macklin • The Rainmakers — Simon Parker • Coronado — Walter Marvin • 1936 — Black Gold — J.C. Anderson • You May Be Next — J.J. Held • The Dark Hour — Paul Bernard • Colleen — Logan • Three of a Kind — 'Con' Cornelius • Parole! — Rex Gavin • Bunker Bean — Professor Ed Balthazer • Dimples — Col. Loring • Under Your Spell — Judge • 1937 — Racing Lady • Parnell — The O'Gorman Mahon • Sing and Be Happy — John Mason • You Can't Beat Love — Police Chief Brennan • The Singing Marine — J. Montgomery Madison • Public Wedding — H. Theodore Lane • Wild and Woolly — Edward Ralston • Quick Money — Bluford H. Smythe • 1938 — In Old Chicago — Senator Colby • He Couldn't Say No — Senator Mabby • Wide Open Faces — L.D. Crawford • Four Men and a Prayer — Mr. Martin Cherrington • Kentucky Moonshine — J.B. • Ladies in Distress — Fred Morgan • Danger on the Air — Caesar Kluck • Down in 'Arkansaw — Judge • The Cowboy and the Lady — Henderson • Sweethearts — Sheridan • 1939 — Stagecoach — Ellsworth Henry Gatewood • So This Is London — Hiram Draper • Daughters Courageous — Judge Henry Hornsby • Should Husbands Work? — Barnes • The Angels Wash Their Faces — Mayor Dooley • Hero for a Day — E.A. Dow • On Your Toes — Donald Henderson • 1940 — Brother Rat and a Baby — Mr. Norman • 20 Mule Team — 'Jackass' Brown • Saturday's Children — Mr. Norman • Turnabout — Julian Marlowe • The Way of All Flesh — Reginald L. Morten • Cross-Country Romance — Col. Conway • Public Deb No. 1 — Magistrate • I'm Nobody's Sweetheart Now — Senator Henry Lowell • Illustration — Berton Churchill in Vagabond Lady (1935)