Paul Hurst

Paul Hurst Movies and TV Shows

Paul Hurst (October 15, 1888 - February 27, 1953) was an American character actor of prodigious output who also directed and wrote silent films. Much of his early work was in low budget western films. A native of central California, Hurst had a first-hand knowledge of Western lore, growing up surrounded by the multi-million acre Lux & Miller ranches which ran cattle throughout the state. Visiting San Francisco as a young man, Hurst became involved in amateur theatricals and thereafter traveled to Los Angeles to join in the emerging film industry there. He began appearing in films as early as 1912, most of them Westerns. By 1916, he was directing them as well (some sources report that he served in the First World War as a member of the French Foreign Legion, but the dates of his film projects make this story highly suspect). In the early 1920s, Hurst wrote several scenarios for films he directed and appeared in. He proved adept at working as a director for some of the cheapest producers along Gower Gulch, where movies were normally shot on location in a week or less and where stunt men were often the highest paid folks on the set. Within a few years, he focused all of his energies into acting, notably becoming one of the few successes to emerge from Hollywood's Poverty Row. Hurst quickly became one of the more prolific and familiar characters in American movies. With his blocky build and squinty demeanor, and with a raspy voice that enhanced his memorability once sound pictures came in, Hurst played villains and cops and comedy sidekicks in more than 250 films. His most famous role was that of the deserter shot dead on the stairway of Tara by Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (1939). Hurst was the sidekick to Monte Hale in a number of B-Westerns. Former Gower Gulch veteran John Wayne hired Hurst for Big Jim McLain (1952) knowing that Hurst was ill with terminal cancer. In 1953, at the age of 64, due to his health problems, Paul Hurst committed suicide. Date of Death: 27 February 1953, Hollywood, California  (suicide)

Personal info

  • Gender: Male
  • Date of birth: 10/15/1888 (135 years old)
  • Place of birth: Traver, California, USA
Year
Genre
IMDB
TMDB
Available on the following streaming services in the United States
Yellow Sky
IMDB 7.4
TMDB 69%
role:
Drunk (uncredited)
Not available
1948

Crime

Western

7.4
69%
Not available
Angel and the Badman
IMDB 6.8
TMDB 65%
role:
Frederick Carson
1947

Romance

Western

6.8
65%
The Ox-Bow Incident
IMDB 8.0
TMDB 78%
role:
Monty Smith
1943

Western

8.0
78%
The Westerner
IMDB 7.3
TMDB 70%
role:
Chickenfoot
1940

Action

Romance

Western

7.3
70%
They Drive by Night
IMDB 7.2
TMDB 70%
role:
Pete Haig (uncredited)
1940

Crime

Drama

Thriller

7.2
70%
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Gone with the Wind
IMDB 8.2
TMDB 80%
role:
Yankee Deserter
1939

Drama

Romance

War & Politics

8.2
80%
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
IMDB 7.8
TMDB 75%
role:
1st Deputy (uncredited)
1936

Comedy

Drama

Romance

7.8
75%
Queen Christina
IMDB 7.5
TMDB 71%
role:
Swedish Soldier Betting on 6 (uncredited)
1933

Drama

History

Romance

7.5
71%
Island of Lost Souls
IMDB 7.4
TMDB 71%
role:
Capt. Donahue
Not available
1932

Adventure

Horror

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

7.4
71%
Not available

FAQs

Some movies or TV shows available in the United States starring or involving Paul Hurst are, for example, Angel and the Badman, The Ox-Bow Incident and The Westerner.
The streaming services with the largest selection are Prime Video, Amazon and iTunes.
The best Anystream ratings are Gone with the Wind (8.1), The Ox-Bow Incident (7.9) and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (7.7).
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