Dick Wessel

Dick Wessel

actor, soundtrack

Dick Wessel was born on Apr 20, 1913 in USA. Dick Wessel's big-screen debut came with In Spite of Danger directed by Lambert Hillyer in 1935, strarring Monk Grady (as Richard Wessel). Dick Wessel is known for Pocketful of Miracles directed by Frank Capra, Glenn Ford stars as Dave the Dude and Bette Davis as Apple Annie. The upcoming new movie Dick Wessel plays is The Ugly Dachshund which will be released on Feb 16, 1966.

Rough-and-tumble American actor Dick Wessel had a fierce-looking scowl on a bulldog of a mug. That, coupled with a thick build and imposing stance, earned him appearances in countless Warner Bros. comedies and hard-boiled crime dramas throughout the late 1930s and 1940s. Although he made hundreds of films, he had few chances to show off, appearing uncredited in over half of them and in minor, fleeting roles when he did receive billing. He had roles in such "A" pictures as Les anges aux figures sales (1938), La glorieuse parade (1942) and L'Inconnu du Nord-Express (1951), but his visibility in them was practically nil.Born Richard M. Wessel in Wisconsin in 1913, the husky-framed character began his career on stage before starting in films in the mid-'30s. Getting unbilled extra roles at first, he appeared on both sides of the moral fence over the years, playing as many brutish gangsters, henchmen and convicts as he did rough-hewn cops or streetwise characters (cabbies, mailmen, bartenders, boxers, etc.) The tough-sounding names of his characters, such as "Monk," "Beans," "Moxie" and "Chopper Kane", pretty much said it all. His best showcase--and it should have worked out better for him--was menacing, bald-pated arch-villain Harry "Cueball" Lake in Dick Tracy contre Cueball (1946). Here he was finally given a chance to shine but it did not lead to meatier roles.He became a stock player for Columbia and their assembly-line of short comedy subjects, essaying a slew of burglars, thieves, wrestlers, circus strongmen and lummox husbands for The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde and others. On TV he was a rugged presence on such western series as Gunsmoke (1955), Laramie (1959), Rawhide (1959) and Bonanza (1959). Close to the end of his life and career he had a regular part as a crew member on the adventure series Riverboat (1959) with Darren McGavin. Dick's final role was released posthumously, playing a bit as a frantic garbage man in Quatre bassets pour un danois (1966). He had died a year earlier at his Hollywood home of a heart attack on his 52nd birthday. His wife and a daughter survived him.

  • Birthday

    Apr 20, 1913

  • Place of Birth

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Known For

Pocketful of Miracles
Movie
Pocketful of Miracles

19627.1

Riverboat
TV
Riverboat

19597.5

This Is Alice
TV
This Is Alice

19588.3

No Time for Sergeants
Movie
No Time for Sergeants

19587.5

Rebel Without a Cause
Movie
Rebel Without a Cause

19557.6

Them!
Movie
Them!

19547.2

The Life of Riley
TV
The Life of Riley

19538.0

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Movie
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

19537.1

Strangers on a Train
Movie
Strangers on a Train

19517.9

An American in Paris
Movie
An American in Paris

19517.2

Movies & TV Shows

All
Movies
TV Shows