Clem Bevans
Clem Guy Bevans (October 16, 1879 – August 11, 1963) was an American character actor best remembered for playing eccentric, grumpy old men.
Also recorded as Clem Guy Bevans
Clem Bevans

film screenshot (Harry Sherman Productions) · Public domain
- Name
- Clem Bevans
- Birth Name
- Clem Guy Bevans
- Born
- 16 October 1879
- Birthplace
- Cozzadale, Ohio, U.S.
- Died
- 11 August 1963
- Place of death
- Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Spouse
- Edith May Sketchley (m. married 1905; div. divorced 19??)
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Clem Guy Bevans (October 16, 1879 – August 11, 1963) was an American character actor best remembered for playing eccentric, grumpy old men.
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
wikidata · Q2978795 · wikipedia · Clem Bevans
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Clem Bevans • Birth Name — Clem Guy Bevans • Born — 16 October 1879 • Birthplace — Cozzadale, Ohio, U.S. • Died — 11 August 1963 • Place of death — Woodland Hills, California, U.S. • Resting Place — Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, North Hollywood • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1900–1962 • Spouse — Edith May Sketchley (m. married 1905; div. divorced 19??) • Children — 4
Early life
Early life
Bevans was born in Cozzadale, Ohio.
Career
Career
Bevans's career began in vaudeville in 1900 in an act with Grace Emmett. He went on to perform in stock theater and light opera, eventually achieving stardom after 45 years, at age 67. Watching David Warfield "turn comedy to pathos by creating the character of a sad old man" in 1901 prompted Bevans to portray old men. He spent time in country stores in New England observing voices and gestures of old men before he began portraying old characters on stage. Bevans's film debut came in Way Down East (1935). His portrayal was so good, he became stereotyped and played mostly likable old codgers for the rest of his life. He was a contract player for 20th Century Fox for a number of years. Bevans played the neighbor of Gregory Peck's character in The Yearling and the gatekeeper in Harvey (1950). However, he did occasionally play against type, for example as a Nazi spy in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942). Bevans made his first television appearance in the half-hour Christmas program, The Guiding Star, in 1946. His other work on TV included portraying Captain Hugo in the 1958 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Demure Defendant" and Pete in The Twilight Zone episode "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" (1962). He played Captain Cobb in Disney's TV miniseries Davy Crockett. He was the last surviving charter member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Personal life and death
Personal life and death
Bevans and his wife had two adopted daughters. On August 11, 1963, he died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, aged 83. His remains are interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Director — Notes • 1935 — Way Down East — Doc Wiggin — Henry King • 1936 — Two in Revolt — Mr. Woods — Glenn Tryon — Uncredited • 1936 — Rhythm on the Range — Gila Bend — Norman Taurog • 1936 — The Phantom Rider — Mr. Hudson — Ray Taylor — Serial chapters 11–13 • 1936 — The President's Mystery — Bus Passenger — Phil Rosen — Uncredited • 1936 — Come and Get It — Gunnar Gallagher — William Wyler — Uncredited • 1937 — Dangerous Number — Monte Christo (Actor Friend) — Richard Thorpe — Uncredited • 1937 — Angel's Holiday — Sheriff — James Tinling — Uncredited • 1937 — Mountain Music — Medicine Show Spectator — Robert Florey — Uncredited • 1937 — Riding on Air — Sheriff — Edward Sedgwick • 1937 — Marry the Girl — W.W. McIntosh — William C. McGann — Uncredited • 1937 — Topper — Board Member — Norman Z. McLeod — Uncredited • 1937 — The Toast of New York — Hungry Panhandler — Rowland V. Lee — uncredited • 1937 — Big City — Grandpa Sloane — Frank Borzage • 1937 — Idol of the Crowds — Andy Moore — Arthur Lubin • 1938 — Of Human Hearts — Elder Massey — Clarence Brown • 1938 — One Wild Night — Deaf old man — Eugene Forde — Uncredited • 1938 — Young Fugitives — Benjie Collins — John Rawlins • 1938 — Mr. Chump — Pop — William Clemens — uncredited • 1938 — Valley of the Giants — Clem – Old Man — William Keighley — Uncredited • 1938 — Comet Over Broadway — Benson — John Farrow (uncredited) • 1938 — Tom Sawyer, Detective — Sheriff Slocum — Louis King • 1939 — Stand Up and Fight — Bum in jail — W.S. Van Dyke — Uncredited • 1939 — King of the Underworld — Villager #3 — Lewis Seiler — Uncredited • 1939 — Ambush — Pop Stebbins — Kurt Neumann • 1939 — They Made Me a Criminal — Second Fight Ticket Taker — Busby Berkeley — Uncredited • 1939 — Idiot's Delight — Jimmy Barzek — Clarence Brown — Uncredited • 1939 — Yes, My Darling Daughter — Henry – Baggage Man — William Keighley — Uncredited • 1939 — The Oklahoma Kid — Postman — Lloyd Bacon — Uncredited • 1939 — Dodge City — Charley — Michael Curtiz — Uncredited • 1939 — Zenobia — Sheriff — Gordon Douglas • 1939 — Outside These Walls — Smedley — Ray McCarey — Uncredited • 1939 — The Kid from Kokomo — Man who didn't turn around — Lewis Seiler — Uncredited • 1939 — Undercover Doctor — Sam Whitmore — Louis King • 1939 — Maisie — Station Agent — Edwin L. Marin — Uncredited • 1939 — Hell's Kitchen — Mr. Quill — E. A. Dupont • 1939 — The Cowboy Quarterback — Lem, the Mailman — Noel M. Smith • 1939 — Night Work — Smokestack Smiley — George Archainbaud • 1939 — Thunder Afloat — 'Cap' Finch — George B. Seitz • 1939 — Main Street Lawyer — Zeke — Dudley Murphy • 1940 — Abe Lincoln in Illinois — Ben Mattling — John Cromwell • 1940 — Young Tom Edison — Mr. Waddell — Norman Taurog • 1940 — Granny Get Your Gun — Smokey — George Amy • 1940 — Half a Sinner — Snuffy — Al Christie • 1940 — 20 Mule Team — Chuckawalla — Richard Thorpe • 1940 — The Captain Is a Lady — Samuel Darby — Robert B. Sinclair • 1940 — Untamed — 'Smokey' Moseby, the Blind Man — George Archainbaud • 1940 — Gold Rush Maisie — 'Pop' Graybeard — Norman Taurog — Uncredited • 1940 — Girl from God's Country — Ben — Sidney Salkow • 1940 — Calling All Husbands — Judge Todd — Noel M. Smith • 1940 — Wyoming — Pa McKinley — Richard Thorpe — Uncredited • 1940 — Who Killed Aunt Maggie? — Driver — Arthur Lubin — Uncredited • 1940 — Go West — Railroad Official — Edward Buzzell — Uncredited • 1940 — She Couldn't Say No — Eli Potter — William Clemens • 1941 — Sergeant York — Zeke — Howard Hawks • 1941 — The Parson of Panamint — Crabapple Jones — William C. McGann • 1941 — The Smiling Ghost — Sexton — Lewis Seiler • 1941 — Texas — Abilene Fight Spectator — George Marshall — Uncredited • 1941 — Pacific Blackout — Midas Plant Night Watchman — Ralph Murphy • 1942 — Fly-by-Night — Train Station Watchman — Robert Siodmak • 1942 — Captains of the Clouds — Sam 'Store-Teeth' Morrison — Michael Curtiz • 1942 — Saboteur — Neilson — Alfred Hitchcock • 1942 — This Gun for Hire — Scissor Grinder — Frank Tuttle • 1942 — Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die — Tadpole Foster — William C. McGann • 1942 — Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch — Postman — Ralph Murphy • 1942 — The Forest Rangers — Terry McCabe — George Marshall • 1942 — Lucky Jordan — Gas Station Attendant — Frank Tuttle • 1943 — Lady Bodyguard — Elmer Frawley — William Clemens • 1943 — Happy Go Lucky — Mr. Smith — Curtis Bernhardt • 1943 — The Human Comedy — Henderson — Clarence Brown • 1943 — The Kansan — Bridge-Tender — George Archainbaud • 1943 — The Woman of the Town — Buffalo Burns — George Archainbaud • 1944 — Tall in the Saddle — Card Game Spectator — Edwin L. Marin — Uncredited • 1945 — Night Club Girl — Mayor — Edward F. Cline • 1945 — Grissly's Millions — Young Tom — John English • 1945 — Captain Eddie — Jabez — Lloyd Bacon • 1946 — Wake Up and Dream — Henry Pecket — Lloyd Bacon • 1946 — Gallant Bess — Smitty — Andrew Marton • 1946 — The Yearling — Pa Forrester — Clarence Brown • 1947 — Yankee Fakir — Professor Davis — W. Lee Wilder • 1947 — The Millerson Case — Sheriff Luke Akers — George Archainbaud • 1947 — Mourning Becomes Electra — Ira Mackel — Dudley Nichols • 1948 — Relentless — Dad — George Sherman • 1948 — Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven — Capt. Bjorn — William Castle • 1948 — Moonrise — Jake – Coroner — Frank Borzage • 1948 — Loaded Pistols — Jim Hedge — John English • 1948 — The Paleface — Hank Billings — Norman Z. McLeod • 1948 — Portrait of Jennie — Capt. Cobb — William Dieterle • 1948 — Highway 13 — Bill 'Pops' Lacy — William Berke • 1949 — Big Jack — Saltlick Joe — Richard Thorpe • 1949 — Streets of Laredo — Pop Lint — Leslie Fenton • 1949 — Rim of the Canyon — Loco John — John English • 1949 — The Gal Who Took the West — Hawley (as old Timer) — Frederick de Cordova • 1949 — Deputy Marshal — Doc Allen Vinson — William Berke • 1949 — Tell It to the Judge — Alonzo K. Roogle — Norman Foster • 1950 — Hurricane At Pilgrim Hill — Sam Smedley — Richard L. Bare • 1950 — Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey — Mr. Edwards — Jean Yarbrough • 1950 — Harvey — Mr. Herman Shimelplatzer — Henry Koster • 1951 — Silver City Bonanza — Town Loafer — George Blair • 1951 — Gold Raiders — Doc Mason — Edward Bernds • 1951 — Man in the Saddle — Pay Lankershim — Andre de Toth • 1952 — Captive of Billy the Kid — Skeeter Davis — Fred C. Brannon • 1952 — Hangman's Knot — Plunkett, the Station agent — Roy Huggins • 1953 — The Stranger Wore a Gun — Jim Martin — Andre de Toth • 1954 — The Boy from Oklahoma — Pop Pruty — Michael Curtiz • 1955 — Ten Wanted Men — Tod Grinnel — Bruce Humberstone • 1955 — The Kentuckian — Pilot of the 'River Queen' — Burt Lancaster — Uncredited • 1955 — The Twinkle in God's Eye — Prospector — George Blair — Uncredited • 1956 — Davy Crockett and the River Pirates — Captain Cobb — Norman Foster — (archive footage) • 1957 — The Restless Gun — Clay Davis — Justus Addiss — Episode "The Gold Buckle" • 1958 — Gunsmoke — Fly — Seymour Berns — Episode "Overland Express" • 1958 — Girl with an Itch — Gramps — Ronald V. Ashcroft
Identity
Identity
Clem Bevans is recorded with the occupation stage actor. Recorded as a citizen of United States. Established in Library of Congress under n86075592.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1879
Clem Bevans was born on 16 October 1879.
1963
Clem Bevans died at Woodland Hills.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Cozaddale.
Birth place
Woodland Hills.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Clem Bevans”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
institutional register
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2978795: Clem Bevans
General reference · Wikimedia Foundation
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
Wikidata, structured authority record Q2978795: Clem BevansWikimedia Foundation
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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