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Glenn Strange

Acting

Glenn Strange

Aug 16, 1899 – Sep 20, 1973217 titles 198 movies · 19 TV
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IMDb

Biography

At various times in his life a rancher, deputy sheriff and rodeo performer, this huge, towering (6' 5") beast of a man was born George Glenn Strange in Weed, New Mexico, on August 16, 1899, but grew up a real-life cowboy in Cross Cut, Texas. Of Irish and Cherokee Indian descent, he taught himself (by ear) the fiddle and guitar at a young age and started performing at local functions as a teen. In the late 1920s, Glenn and his cousin, Taylor McPeters, better known later as the western character actor Cactus Mack, joined a radio singing group known as the "Arizona Wranglers" that toured throughout the country. Gunsmoke Strange first appeared on Gunsmoke in 1960 after James Arness asked him, "When are you going to do a Gunsmoke? I like to work with big guys." During Gunsmoke's sixth season, Strange played a Long Branch customer in "Old Faces" and a cowboy in "Melinda Miles". Strange began playing Sam Noonan during the seventh season and continued in the role for 222 episodes. In 1972 Strange was diagnosed with lung cancer but worked as long as he was able. Five of his episodes were broadcast after his death. His last appearance was on the November 26, 1973, episode "The Hanging of Newly O'Brien". Death On September 20, 1973, at age 74, Strange died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California. Singer Eddie Dean, with whom Strange had collaborated on various songs and opening themes for films, sang at Strange's funeral service as a final tribute. Strange is interred at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery. CLR

Also known as

George Glenn Strange · Glen 'Peewee' Strange · Glen Strange · Peewee Strange

Born

Aug 16, 1899 – Sep 20, 1973

Weed, New Mexico, USA

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Photos

Profile images from TMDB · click to enlarge

3 images

Roles across career

Titles counted once; a person can act and direct on the same film (roles merged).

217

Acting credits

0

Directing

0

Writing

1

Other crew

Most critically rated

Highest TMDB score (min 100 votes)

Most commercially successful

Highest TMDB vote count (attention / reach proxy; not box office)

Career timeline

By release / first air year · movie & TV merged

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1931 3 title(s)

1932 2 title(s)

1933 1 title(s)

1934 2 title(s)

1935 7 title(s)

1936 8 title(s)

1937 7 title(s)

1938 18 title(s)

1939 16 title(s)

1940 15 title(s)

1941 15 title(s)

1942 19 title(s)

1943 17 title(s)

1944 12 title(s)

1945 4 title(s)

1946 1 title(s)

1947 4 title(s)

1948 5 title(s)

1949 4 title(s)

1950 2 title(s)

1951 6 title(s)

1952 6 title(s)

1953 7 title(s)

1954 1 title(s)

1955 8 title(s)

1956 3 title(s)

1957 6 title(s)

1958 3 title(s)

1959 3 title(s)

1960 1 title(s)

1963 2 title(s)

1966 1 title(s)

1979 1 title(s)

1991 2 title(s)

1992 1 title(s)

1994 1 title(s)

1999 1 title(s)

2000 1 title(s)

2006 1 title(s)