Roscoe Karns
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s. Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as Wings and Beggars of Life, his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up Claudette Colbert in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, His Girl Friday.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with Lynne Overman as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime. From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular DuMont Television Network series Rocky King, Inside Detective. His son, character actor Todd Karns, also appeared in that series. From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Admiral Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper in the title role of a United States Navy physician, and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale ...
The Shopworn Angel (1928)
Shortly after the United States enters World War I in 1917, a Broadway actress agrees to let a naive soldier court her in order to impress his friends, but a real romance soon begins. (more)
Shortly after the United States enters World War I in 1917, a Broadway actress agrees to let a naive soldier court her in order to impress his friends, but a real romance soon begins. (more)
Wings in the Dark (1935)
In his dedicated pursuit of technology that will aid pilots to safely "fly blind" during adverse conditions, aerial innovator Ken Gordon is literally blinded in an accident, but this setback doesn't deter him from his goal. (more)
In his dedicated pursuit of technology that will aid pilots to safely "fly blind" during adverse conditions, aerial innovator Ken Gordon is literally blinded in an accident, but this setback doesn't deter him from his goal. (more)
Beau Sabreur (1928)
The film is about a desert-bound member of the French Foreign Legion who exposes a betrayer to the Legion and is then sent on a mission among the Arabs to conclude the signing of a crucial peace treaty. (more)
The film is about a desert-bound member of the French Foreign Legion who exposes a betrayer to the Legion and is then sent on a mission among the Arabs to conclude the signing of a crucial peace treaty. (more)
The Gay Vagabond (1941)
Farce of identical twins and a wife who takes up real estate business. (more)
Farce of identical twins and a wife who takes up real estate business. (more)
A Tragedy at Midnight (1942)
The host of a whodunit radio show finds himself involved in his own mystery when he awakens to find a woman with a knife in her back in his bedroom. (more)
The host of a whodunit radio show finds himself involved in his own mystery when he awakens to find a woman with a knife in her back in his bedroom. (more)
Devil's Cargo
(1948)
John Calvert takes over as the Falcon in this Poverty-Row continuation of the film series. (more)
John Calvert takes over as the Falcon in this Poverty-Row continuation of the film series. (more)
Vigilantes of Boomtown
(1947)
The ranch of Red Ryder (Allan Lane) and his aunt, The Duchess (Martha Wentworth), is being used as the training site for "Gentleman Jim" Corbett (George Turner) for his upcoming fight in Carson City, Nevada for the heavyweight championship against Bob Fitzsimmons ... (more)
The ranch of Red Ryder (Allan Lane) and his aunt, The Duchess (Martha Wentworth), is being used as the training site for "Gentleman Jim" Corbett (George Turner) for his upcoming fight in Carson City, Nevada for the heavyweight championship against Bob Fitzsimmons ... (more)
Come On, Marines! (1934)
"Lucky" Davis, a ladies-man and a devil-may-care U. S. Marine Sergeant, is leading a Marine-squadron on an expedition through a Phillipine jungle where an outlaw bandit is leading a guerilla-war rebellion. Their assignment is to rescue a group of children from an ... (more)
"Lucky" Davis, a ladies-man and a devil-may-care U. S. Marine Sergeant, is leading a Marine-squadron on an expedition through a Phillipine jungle where an outlaw bandit is leading a guerilla-war rebellion. Their assignment is to rescue a group of children from an ... (more)
Shoot the Works (1934)
The story of seedy sideshow barker Nicky, who uses everyone he meets to get ahead. Nicky isn't even above exploiting his singing sweetheart Lily to suit his purposes, but this time it is he who ends up the loser -- at least until he gets wise to himself. (more)
The story of seedy sideshow barker Nicky, who uses everyone he meets to get ahead. Nicky isn't even above exploiting his singing sweetheart Lily to suit his purposes, but this time it is he who ends up the loser -- at least until he gets wise to himself. (more)
Woman Trap (1936)
A gangland murder is the motivating factor of this fast-moving crime drama. George Murphy stars as reporter Kent Shevlin, whose investigation of the murder leads to a tenure as a temporary FBI agent. (more)
A gangland murder is the motivating factor of this fast-moving crime drama. George Murphy stars as reporter Kent Shevlin, whose investigation of the murder leads to a tenure as a temporary FBI agent. (more)
Border Flight (1936)
Frances Farmer's second film is a typical B-programmer from the Paramount lot of 1936--up and coming stars (John Howard, Robert Cummings, Grant Withers, Farmer) in a concerning the Coast Guard and smugglers. The chief points of interest are the truly exceptional ... (more)
Frances Farmer's second film is a typical B-programmer from the Paramount lot of 1936--up and coming stars (John Howard, Robert Cummings, Grant Withers, Farmer) in a concerning the Coast Guard and smugglers. The chief points of interest are the truly exceptional ... (more)
Three Married Men (1936)
Jennie Mullins and her fiancé Peter Cary are happily in love but their families are miserable about their relationship. The Carys and Mullinses have been feuding for years over the apparent failure of the Carys' business which was caused by the now-deceased Mr. ... (more)
Jennie Mullins and her fiancé Peter Cary are happily in love but their families are miserable about their relationship. The Carys and Mullinses have been feuding for years over the apparent failure of the Carys' business which was caused by the now-deceased Mr. ... (more)
Clarence (1937)
The title character is a resourceful young man who knows a whole little about a whole lot of things, and who concentrates by playing his saxophone. Clarence ingratiates himself with the wealthy and eccentric Wheeler family, though daughter Cora can't stand the boy. (more)
The title character is a resourceful young man who knows a whole little about a whole lot of things, and who concentrates by playing his saxophone. Clarence ingratiates himself with the wealthy and eccentric Wheeler family, though daughter Cora can't stand the boy. (more)
Night of Mystery (1937)
One of a series of movies based on the character Philo Vance (more)
One of a series of movies based on the character Philo Vance (more)
Scandal Street (1938)
Joe McKnight temporarily leaves his fiancée, Nora Langdon, for an expedition in a South American jungle. Nora gets a position as librarian in the small town of Midberg, where she boards with the Smith family. Nora is befriended by her next-door neighbor Austin ... (more)
Joe McKnight temporarily leaves his fiancée, Nora Langdon, for an expedition in a South American jungle. Nora gets a position as librarian in the small town of Midberg, where she boards with the Smith family. Nora is befriended by her next-door neighbor Austin ... (more)
Tip-Off Girls (1938)
A federal agent goes after a hijacking ring that uses beautiful women to help it hijack the rigs of unsuspecting truckers. (more)
A federal agent goes after a hijacking ring that uses beautiful women to help it hijack the rigs of unsuspecting truckers. (more)
Two Against the World (1932)
A socialite finds herself involved in a murder trial that is prosecuted by her boyfriend. (more)
A socialite finds herself involved in a murder trial that is prosecuted by her boyfriend. (more)
Everything's on Ice (1939)
Comedy about a little girl who's uncle makes her an ice skating star, only to take all of her money. (more)
Comedy about a little girl who's uncle makes her an ice skating star, only to take all of her money. (more)
The Navy Way
(1944)
The experiences of a disparate group of young men as they make their way through Navy boot camp. (more)
The experiences of a disparate group of young men as they make their way through Navy boot camp. (more)
Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven
(1948)
Eddie Tayloe's grandfather leaves him six thousand dollars and the money belt it came in, freeing Tayloe to leave his dull newspaper job in Texas and move to New York to become a playwright. Along the way, his car breaks down and a girl walking along the highway ... (more)
Eddie Tayloe's grandfather leaves him six thousand dollars and the money belt it came in, freeing Tayloe to leave his dull newspaper job in Texas and move to New York to become a playwright. Along the way, his car breaks down and a girl walking along the highway ... (more)