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John Dierkes

December 15, 2023

John Dierkes (February 10, 1905 – January 8, 1975) was an American actor who appeared in a number of classic Hollywood films. Before becoming an actor, he had been an economist.[1]

John Dierkes
Dierkes in The Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957)
Born(1905-02-10)February 10, 1905
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJanuary 8, 1975(1975-01-08) (aged 69)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
EducationBrown University
OccupationActor
Years active1948–1973
SpouseCynthia Dierkes
Children4

Life and career edit

Dierkes was born on February 10, 1905, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Brown University and subsequently went to work as an economist for the United States Department of State. In 1941 he joined the Red Cross and served in Britain during World War II. There he met director John Huston who recommended that he try Hollywood after the war. Instead, Dierkes went to work for the U.S. Treasury Department which coincidentally sent him to Hollywood to function as technical advisor for the film To the Ends of the Earth (1948) and Orson Welles cast him as Ross in his version of Macbeth in the same year. Welles used Dierkes again in his Touch of Evil (1958). He married Cynthia Dierkes and they had two daughters and two sons.

Because of his appearance and very tall frame (6 ft 6 in), Dierkes enjoyed a long career as a character actor, often portraying either villains or soldiers. One noteworthy performance cast Dierkes as the compassionate and caring scientist Dr. Chapman in the 1951 film The Thing from Another World which remains a mainstay science fiction classic of the 1950s. His performance provided sanity and calm amid the tension and chills of the action thriller. Although playing against type, his low tone and measured monotone dialogue was a good counter to the rapid and chaotic overlapping dialogue throughout the movie, giving brief pauses between each actor's lines as the tension in each scene increased. In 1951 he played a soldier next to Audie Murphy in the classic film, Red Badge of Courage. In the 1953 film Shane, Dierkes portrays the callous Morgan Ryker with great effect, director George Stevens making good use of Dierkes' craggy features. Alongside his 'brother' Rufus (Emile Meyer) and Jack Wilson (Jack Palance) he completes a trio of villains who are dispatched by the title character, Shane, in the final bar room shootout. One of his more memorable scenes is in the 1960 film, The Alamo. Dierkes portrays a Tennessean named Jocko, who is torn between leaving before the attack to care for his blind wife, or staying to support the Texans' cause. Understanding that if Jocko stays to fight she will likely be widowed, Jocko's wife coaxes him to stay and defend the fort, despite her disability.

His other film credits included The Naked Jungle (1954), The Raid (1954), Jubal (1956), The Daughter of Dr. Jekyll (1957), Blood Arrow (1958), The Left Handed Gun (1958), The Buccaneer (1958), The Hanging Tree (1959), The Oregon Trail (1959), One-Eyed Jacks (1961), The Premature Burial (1962), X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes (1963), The Haunted Palace (1963), The Omega Man (1971) and Rage (1972).

He appeared on the television screen on Gunsmoke, as "Mr. Rydell" in the 1956 episode "The Roundup" (S2E4) and as "Ace" in the 1957 episode "Gone Straight" (S2E20) and as "Indian" in the 1971 episode "My Brother's Keeper" (S17E10).

Dierkes died on January 8, 1975, from emphysema in Los Angeles, California. According to Find a Grave, Dierkes' remains were cremated, and his ashes scattered.

Partial filmography edit

References edit

  1. ^ "LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies (Library of Congress)". id.loc.gov. The Library of Congress. Retrieved November 14, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Dierkes.
  • John Dierkes at IMDb

December 15, 2023
john, dierkes, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, december, 20. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources John Dierkes news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message John Dierkes February 10 1905 January 8 1975 was an American actor who appeared in a number of classic Hollywood films Before becoming an actor he had been an economist 1 John DierkesDierkes in The Daughter of Dr Jekyll 1957 Born 1905 02 10 February 10 1905Cincinnati Ohio U S DiedJanuary 8 1975 1975 01 08 aged 69 Los Angeles California U S EducationBrown UniversityOccupationActorYears active1948 1973SpouseCynthia DierkesChildren4 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Partial filmography 3 References 4 External linksLife and career editDierkes was born on February 10 1905 in Cincinnati Ohio He attended Brown University and subsequently went to work as an economist for the United States Department of State In 1941 he joined the Red Cross and served in Britain during World War II There he met director John Huston who recommended that he try Hollywood after the war Instead Dierkes went to work for the U S Treasury Department which coincidentally sent him to Hollywood to function as technical advisor for the film To the Ends of the Earth 1948 and Orson Welles cast him as Ross in his version of Macbeth in the same year Welles used Dierkes again in his Touch of Evil 1958 He married Cynthia Dierkes and they had two daughters and two sons Because of his appearance and very tall frame 6 ft 6 in Dierkes enjoyed a long career as a character actor often portraying either villains or soldiers One noteworthy performance cast Dierkes as the compassionate and caring scientist Dr Chapman in the 1951 film The Thing from Another World which remains a mainstay science fiction classic of the 1950s His performance provided sanity and calm amid the tension and chills of the action thriller Although playing against type his low tone and measured monotone dialogue was a good counter to the rapid and chaotic overlapping dialogue throughout the movie giving brief pauses between each actor s lines as the tension in each scene increased In 1951 he played a soldier next to Audie Murphy in the classic film Red Badge of Courage In the 1953 film Shane Dierkes portrays the callous Morgan Ryker with great effect director George Stevens making good use of Dierkes craggy features Alongside his brother Rufus Emile Meyer and Jack Wilson Jack Palance he completes a trio of villains who are dispatched by the title character Shane in the final bar room shootout One of his more memorable scenes is in the 1960 film The Alamo Dierkes portrays a Tennessean named Jocko who is torn between leaving before the attack to care for his blind wife or staying to support the Texans cause Understanding that if Jocko stays to fight she will likely be widowed Jocko s wife coaxes him to stay and defend the fort despite her disability His other film credits included The Naked Jungle 1954 The Raid 1954 Jubal 1956 The Daughter of Dr Jekyll 1957 Blood Arrow 1958 The Left Handed Gun 1958 The Buccaneer 1958 The Hanging Tree 1959 The Oregon Trail 1959 One Eyed Jacks 1961 The Premature Burial 1962 X The Man with the X ray Eyes 1963 The Haunted Palace 1963 The Omega Man 1971 and Rage 1972 He appeared on the television screen on Gunsmoke as Mr Rydell in the 1956 episode The Roundup S2E4 and as Ace in the 1957 episode Gone Straight S2E20 and as Indian in the 1971 episode My Brother s Keeper S17E10 Dierkes died on January 8 1975 from emphysema in Los Angeles California According to Find a Grave Dierkes remains were cremated and his ashes scattered Partial filmography editMacbeth 1948 Ross Three Husbands 1950 Night Court Judge uncredited The Thing from Another World 1951 Dr Chapman uncredited The Red Badge of Courage 1951 Jim Conklin the Tall Soldier Silver City 1951 Arnie The Sellout 1952 Big Jake uncredited Les Miserables 1952 Bosun uncredited Plymouth Adventure 1952 Greene uncredited A Perilous Journey 1953 First Mate Shane 1953 Morgan Ryker The Vanquished 1953 General Morris Abbott and Costello Meet Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 1953 Batley The Moonlighter 1953 Sheriff Daws Gun Fury 1953 Sheepherder uncredited The Naked Jungle 1954 Gruber Prince Valiant 1954 Sir Tristram uncredited The Desperado 1954 Police Sergeant Silver Lode 1954 Blacksmith uncredited The Raid 1954 Cpl Fred Deane Passion 1954 Escobar uncredited Hell s Outpost 1954 Swede the Cook uncredited Timberjack 1955 Sheriff uncredited The Road to Denver 1955 Sheriff Dedrick uncredited Not as a Stranger 1955 Bursar Betrayed Women 1955 Cletus Ballard The Vanishing American 1955 Freil Jubal 1956 Carson Horgan Rider The Fastest Gun Alive 1956 Walter Hutchins uncredited Friendly Persuasion 1956 Farmer uncredited The Halliday Brand 1957 Reverend Duel at Apache Wells 1957 Bill Sowers The Guns of Fort Petticoat 1957 Texas Storekeeper uncredited The Buckskin Lady 1957 Swanson The Daughter of Dr Jekyll 1957 Jacob Valerie 1957 Bartender uncredited Death in Small Doses 1957 Shug Grandon uncredited The Rawhide Trail 1958 Hangman Touch of Evil 1958 Policeman uncredited Blood Arrow 1958 Ez The Left Handed Gun 1958 McSween The Buccaneer 1958 Deacon The Hanging Tree 1959 Society Red The Oregon Trail 1959 Gabe Hastings The Alamo 1960 Jocko Robertson One Eyed Jacks 1961 Chet The Comancheros 1961 Ranger Bill Larsen uncredited The Premature Burial 1962 Sweeney Convicts 4 1962 Cell Block Guard uncredited X The Man with the X ray Eyes 1963 Preacher uncredited The Haunted Palace 1963 Benjamin West Jacob West Johnny Cool 1963 Cripple The Cardinal 1963 Redneck uncredited The Omega Man 1971 Family Member 2 Buck and the Preacher 1972 Townsman in Opening Credits uncredited Rage 1972 Bill Parker Oklahoma Crude 1973 FarmerReferences edit LC Linked Data Service Authorities and Vocabularies Library of Congress id loc gov The Library of Congress Retrieved November 14 2018 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint others link External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Dierkes John Dierkes at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Dierkes amp oldid 1157019116, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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