Jack Carson
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Elmer "Jack" Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born, American film actor, with a film career spanning the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Though he was primarily used in supporting roles for comic relief, his work in films such as Mildred Pierce (1945) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) displayed his mastery of "straight" dramatic actor roles as well. He worked for RKO and MGM (cast opposite Myrna Loy and William Powell in Love Crazy), but most of his memorable work was for Warner Bros. His trademark character was the wisecracking know-it-all, typically and inevitably undone by his own smug cockiness. Carson initially landed bit roles at RKO Radio Pictures in films such as Bringing Up Baby (1938), starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. An early standout role for Carson was as a mock-drunk undercover G-Man opposite Richard Cromwell in Universal Pictures's anti-Nazi action drama entitled Enemy Agent. This led to contract-player status with Warner Brothers shortly thereafter. While there, he was teamed with Dennis Morgan in a number of films, supposedly to compete with Paramount's popular Bing Crosby - Bob Hope Road to … pictures. Most of his work at Warner Brothers was limited to light comedy work with Morgan, and later Doris Day (who in her autobiography would credit Carson as one of her early Hollywood mentors). Critics generally agree that Carson's best work was in Mildred Pierce (1945), where he played the perpetually scheming Wally Fay opposite Joan Crawford in the title role. Also in 1945, he played the role of Harold Pierson, the second husband of Louise Randall, played by Rosalind Russell, in Roughly Speaking. Another role which won accolades for him was as publicist Matt Libby in A Star is Born (1954). One of his last film roles was as the older brother "Gooper" in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). His TV appearances, extending into the early 1960s, included The Martha Raye Show, The Guy Mitchell Show, and The Polly Bergen Show in 1957; Alcoa Theatre and Bonanza (Season 1, Ep.9: "Mr. Henry Comstock") in 1959; Thriller ("The Big Blackout") in 1960; and The Twilight Zone (Season 2, Ep. 14: "The Whole Truth") in 1961. On February 8, 1960, Carson received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television and radio industry. The television star is located at 1560 Vine Street, the radio star is at 6361 Hollywood Boulevard. In 1983, after his death, Jack Carson was inducted into the Wisconsin Performing Artists Hall of Fame along with his film pal, Dennis Morgan, who was also from Wisconsin.
Known for
Credits
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
as Sweeney Farrell (uncredited)
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
as Officer Patrick O'Hara
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
as Gooper
Mildred Pierce (1945)
as Wally Fay
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
as Circus Roustabout (uncredited)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)
as Chuck
Mister Universe (1951)
as Jeff Clayton
A Star Is Born (1954)
as Matt Libby
Vivacious Lady (1938)
as Waiter Captain
Fifth Avenue Girl (1939)
as Minnesota (uncredited)
The Tattered Dress (1957)
as Sheriff Nick Hoak
Bob Hope's World of Comedy (1976)
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
Stage Door (1937)
as Mr. Milbanks
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983)
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Princess O'Rourke (1943)
as Dave Campbell
The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941)
as Allen Brice
Destry Rides Again (1939)
as Jack Tyndall
You Only Live Once (1937)
as Attendant in First Gas Station
Breakdowns of 1942 (1942)
as Self
The Tarnished Angels (1957)
as Jiggs
Romance on the High Seas (1948)
as Peter Virgil
Phffft (1954)
as Charlie Nelson
The Male Animal (1942)
as Joe Ferguson
The Honeymoon's Over (1939)
as Tom Donroy
Hollywood Canteen (1944)
as Self
John Loves Mary (1949)
as Fred Taylor
The Bottom of the Bottle (1956)
as Hal Breckinridge
Gentleman Jim (1942)
as Walter Lawrie
Breakdowns of 1941 (1941)
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Strawberry Blonde (1941)
as Hugo Barnstead
Queen of the Mob (1940)
as Agent Ross Waring
The Bramble Bush (1960)
as Bert Mosley
Go Chase Yourself (1938)
as Warren Miles
She's Got Everything (1937)
as Ransome (uncredited)
I Don't Even Like Apple Pie... (1989)
as Self (Archive Footage)
Roughly Speaking (1945)
as Harold C. Pierson
Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! (1958)
as Captain Hoxie
Ain't Misbehavin' (1955)
as Harold North
Too Many Wives (1937)
as Hodges
Bright Leaf (1950)
as Chris Malley
Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)
as Self
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987)
as Self (archive footage)
Arroyo (1955)
as Lamar Kendall
Carefree (1938)
as Connors
Maid's Night Out (1938)
as Rollercoaster Ride Attendant (uncredited)
The Good Humor Man (1950)
as Biff Jones
Blues in the Night (1941)
as Leo Powell
Larceny, Inc. (1942)
as Jeff Randolph
Sammy, the Way-Out Seal (1962)
as Harold Sylvester
Love Crazy (1941)
as Ward Willoughby
It's a Great Feeling (1949)
as Jack Carson
Stand-In (1937)
as Tom Potts
Magnificent Roughnecks (1956)
as Bix Decker
The Groom Wore Spurs (1951)
as Ben Castle
Make Your Own Bed (1944)
as Jerry Curtis
Having Wonderful Time (1938)
as Emil Beatty
Breakdowns of 1944 (1944)
as Self
Girl in 313 (1940)
as Police Lt. Pat O'Farrell
One More Tomorrow (1946)
as Patrick 'Pat' Regan
City of Chance (1940)
as Narration - Prologue (voice)
This Marriage Business (1938)
as "Candid" Perry
Law of the Underworld (1938)
as Henchman Johnny
The Doughgirls (1944)
as Arthur Halstead
April Showers (1948)
as Joe Tyme
Everybody's Doing It (1938)
as Detective Lieutenant
My Dream Is Yours (1949)
as Doug Blake
The Hard Way (1943)
as Albert Runkel
Two Guys from Milwaukee (1946)
as Buzz Williams
Shine on Harvest Moon (1944)
as The Great Georgetti
Crashing Hollywood (1938)
as Dickson
Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)
as (archive footage)
Alias the Deacon (1940)
as Sullivan
Wings for the Eagle (1942)
as Brad Maple
The Saint in New York (1938)
as Red Jenks
Love and Learn (1947)
as Jingles Collins
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961)
as Timothy W. 'Big Tim' O'Brien
Lucky Partners (1940)
as Frederick Harper
Who Killed Julie Greer? (1961)
as Fairchild
The Shining Future (1944)
as Self
Red Garters (1954)
as Jason Carberry
Next Time I Marry (1938)
as Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Navy Blues (1941)
as 'Buttons' Johnson
Shooting High (1940)
as Gabby Cross
On Again—Off Again (1937)
as Cop
A Star Is Born World Premiere (1954)
as Self - Host
Okay for Sound (1946)
Actor
The Kid From Texas (1939)
as Stanley Brown
The Road to Victory (1944)
as Jack Carson (uncredited)
Night Spot (1938)
as Shallen
Dangerous When Wet (1953)
as Windy Webbe
The Escape (1939)
as Chet Warren
I Take This Woman (1940)
as Joe
Legion of Lost Flyers (1939)
as Larry Barrigan
Love Thy Neighbor (1940)
as Policeman
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off (1938)
as Rochet
Two Guys from Texas (1948)
as Danny Foster
Music for Madame (1937)
as Assistant Director
Parole Fixer (1940)
as George Mattison
Typhoon (1940)
as Mate
Three Men on a Horse (1957)
as Patsy
Always Together (1947)
as Bill (uncredited)
Sandy Gets Her Man (1940)
as Policeman Tom Garrity
Quick Money (1937)
as Coach Woodford
Enemy Agent (1940)
as Ralph
Food and Magic (1943)
Actor
The Time, The Place and The Girl (1946)
as Jeff Howard
Condemned Women (1938)
as Plainclothes Policeman
The Children of Alda Nuova (1962)
as Frankie Fane
High Flyers (1937)
as Dave Hanlon
So You Want to Be in Pictures (1947)
as Man Giving Directions (uncredited)
Harris in the Spring (1937)
as Taxicab Driver
A Rented Riot (1937)
Actor