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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Mort Mills
| name = Mort Mills
| image = Mort Mills in Torn Curtain (1966).jpg
| image = Mort Mills in Treasury Men in Action (Case of the Ready Guns.jpg
| alt = Mort Mills 1966
| alt = Mort Mills 1955
| caption = Mills in ''[[Torn Curtain]]'' (1966)
| caption = Mills in an episode of ''[[Treasury Men in Action]]'' (1955)
| birth_name = Mortimer Morris Kaplan
| birth_name = Mortimer Morris Kaplan
| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1919|01|11}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1919|01|11}}
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| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|1993|06|06|1919|01|11}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|1993|06|06|1919|01|11}}
| death_place =
| death_place =
| other_names = Mort Hall
| other_names =
| occupation = Actor
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1952–1973
| years_active = 1952–1973
| spouse =
| spouse = Mary Loretta Grady <br> ({{abbr|m.|married}} 19??; {{abbr|div.|divorced}} 19??)<br>{{marriage|Betty Dellball Pentland <br>|1956|1992|end=died}}
| children = 3
| children =
| relatives = [[Mary Treen]] (cousin)
| relatives = [[Mary Treen]] (cousin)
}}
}}
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==Biography==
==Biography==
During World War II Mills served in the 3rd Marine Parachute Battalion in the Pacific.<ref>Wheeler, Richard ''A Special Valor: The U.S. Marines and the Pacific War'' Naval Institute Press, 15 Nov 2013</ref>
During World War II Mills served in the 3rd Marine Parachute Battalion in the Pacific.<ref>Wheeler, Richard ''A Special Valor: The U.S. Marines and the Pacific War'' Naval Institute Press, 15 Nov 2013</ref>

[[File:Mort Mills and Paul Newman (Torn Curtain).jpg|thumb|right|Mort Mills and [[Paul Newman]] in ''[[Torn Curtain]]'' (1966)]]


Though Mills did much television work, he also found regular work in motion pictures. He is probably best known as the suspicious highway patrolman who follows Marion Crane ([[Janet Leigh]]) in [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s classic thriller ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]'' (1960). A few years later, he worked again with Hitchcock, playing a spy in East Germany under the cover of being a farmer in Hitchcock's ''[[Torn Curtain]]'' (1966) starring [[Paul Newman]] and [[Julie Andrews]].<ref name="The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock">{{cite book |title=The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock |last=Spoto |first=Donald |year=1999 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0-306-80932-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/darksideofgenius00spot_0/page/577 577] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/darksideofgenius00spot_0/page/577 }}</ref><ref name="Hitchcock's Motifs ">{{cite book |title=Hitchcock's Motifs |last=Walker |first=Michael |year=2006 |publisher=Amsterdam University Press |isbn=978-90-5356-772-2 |page=455 }}</ref> Mills also appeared with [[Charlton Heston]] in [[Orson Welles]]'s suspense classic ''[[Touch of Evil]]'' (1958).<ref name="The Film Noir Encyclopedia">{{cite book |title=The Film Noir Encyclopedia |last1=Silver |first1=Alain |last2=Ward |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Ursini |first3=James |last4=Porfirio|first4=Robert |year=2010 |publisher=Overlook Hardcover |isbn=978-1-59020-144-2 |page=190}}</ref>
Though Mills did much television work, he also found regular work in motion pictures. He is probably best known as the suspicious highway patrolman who follows Marion Crane ([[Janet Leigh]]) in [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s classic thriller ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]'' (1960). A few years later, he worked again with Hitchcock, playing a spy in East Germany under the cover of being a farmer in Hitchcock's ''[[Torn Curtain]]'' (1966) starring [[Paul Newman]] and [[Julie Andrews]].<ref name="The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock">{{cite book |title=The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock |last=Spoto |first=Donald |year=1999 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-0-306-80932-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/darksideofgenius00spot_0/page/577 577] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/darksideofgenius00spot_0/page/577 }}</ref><ref name="Hitchcock's Motifs ">{{cite book |title=Hitchcock's Motifs |last=Walker |first=Michael |year=2006 |publisher=Amsterdam University Press |isbn=978-90-5356-772-2 |page=455 }}</ref> Mills also appeared with [[Charlton Heston]] in [[Orson Welles]]'s suspense classic ''[[Touch of Evil]]'' (1958).<ref name="The Film Noir Encyclopedia">{{cite book |title=The Film Noir Encyclopedia |last1=Silver |first1=Alain |last2=Ward |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Ursini |first3=James |last4=Porfirio|first4=Robert |year=2010 |publisher=Overlook Hardcover |isbn=978-1-59020-144-2 |page=190}}</ref>
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His cousin, [[Mary Treen]], was a film actress.{{Citation needed |date=December 2023}}
His cousin, [[Mary Treen]], was a film actress.{{Citation needed |date=December 2023}}

He died June 6, 1993. It was first reported he had been smoking in bed, and died in the fire. After the autopsy, it was determined he had died of a heart attack, and the fire was subsequent to his death.


==Acting roles==
==Acting roles==
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*''[[The Adventures of Kit Carson]]'' – Badman's Escape" (1953)
*''[[The Adventures of Kit Carson]]'' – Badman's Escape" (1953)
*''[[Hopalong Cassidy]]'' – "Arizona Troubleshooters" (1953) as George Byers
*''[[Hopalong Cassidy]]'' – "Arizona Troubleshooters" (1953) as George Byers
*''[[Rocky Jones, Space Ranger]]'' – Beyond the Curtain of Space'' (1954) as Ophician Soldier
*''[[Rocky Jones, Space Ranger]]'' – "Beyond the Curtain of Space" (1954) as Ophician Soldier
*''Waterfront'' – "Captain for a Day" (1955) as Darby
*''Waterfront'' – "Captain for a Day" (1955) as Darby
*''Crusader'' – "The Farm" (1956) as Heinrich
*''Crusader'' – "The Farm" (1956) as Heinrich
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*''[[Big Town]]'' – "Shield of a Killer" (1955)
*''[[Big Town]]'' – "Shield of a Killer" (1955)
*''[[The Lone Ranger (TV series)|The Lone Ranger]]'' – "Six-Gun Artist" (1955) as Lafe, Second Thug
*''[[The Lone Ranger (TV series)|The Lone Ranger]]'' – "Six-Gun Artist" (1955) as Lafe, Second Thug
*''[[Cavalcade of America]]'' – The Doll Who Found a Mother'' (1956)
*''[[Cavalcade of America]]'' – "The Doll Who Found a Mother" (1956)
*''[[You Are There (series)|You Are There]]'' – Decatur's Raid at Tripoli (February 16, 1804) '' (1956)
*''[[You Are There (series)|You Are There]]'' – "Decatur's Raid at Tripoli (February 16, 1804)" (1956)
*''[[Sheriff of Cochise]]'' – "Fire on Chiricahua Mountains" (1956) as Barlett
*''[[Sheriff of Cochise]]'' – "Fire on Chiricahua Mountains" (1956) as Barlett
*''[[Crossroads (1955 TV series)|Crossroads]]'' – "Boom Town Padre" (1957) as Luke Cassidy
*''[[Crossroads (1955 TV series)|Crossroads]]'' – "Boom Town Padre" (1957) as Luke Cassidy
*''Panic!" – "The Subway" (1957) as Detective
*''Panic!'' – "The Subway" (1957) as Detective
*''[[Casey Jones (TV series)|Casey Jones]]'' – "Night Mail" (1957) as Mike Nelson
*''[[Casey Jones (TV series)|Casey Jones]]'' – "Night Mail" (1957) as Mike Nelson
*''[[Broken Arrow (TV series)|Broken Arrow]]'' – "Black Moment" (1957) as Halley
*''[[Broken Arrow (TV series)|Broken Arrow]]'' – "Black Moment" (1957) as Halley
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*''[[Law of the Plainsman]]'' – "The Gibbet" (1959) as Zeb Derkson
*''[[Law of the Plainsman]]'' – "The Gibbet" (1959) as Zeb Derkson
*''[[The Man from Blackhawk]]'' – "Station Six" (1959)
*''[[The Man from Blackhawk]]'' – "Station Six" (1959)
*''[[Bat Masterson (TV series)|Bat Masterson]] – "Who'll Bury My Violence?" (1959) as Barney Kaster
*''[[Bat Masterson (TV series)|Bat Masterson]]'' – "Who'll Bury My Violence?" (1959) as Barney Kaster
*''[[Wichita Town]] – "Man on the Hill" (1959) as Pete Bennett
*''[[Wichita Town]]'' – "Man on the Hill" (1959) as Pete Bennett
*''[[David Niven|The David Niven Show]]''– Sticks and Stones'' (1959) as Police Lieutenant O'Brien
*''[[David Niven|The David Niven Show]]''– "Sticks and Stones" (1959) as Police Lieutenant O'Brien
*''[[The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor]]'' – ''The Scalpel'' (1960) as Dr. Bruce
*''[[The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor]]'' – "The Scalpel" (1960) as Dr. Bruce
*''[[The Aquanauts (TV series)|The Aquanauts]]'' – Deep Escape'' (1960)
*''[[The Aquanauts (TV series)|The Aquanauts]]'' – "Deep Escape" (1960)
*''[[Dante (TV series)|Dante]] – "Opening Night" (1960) as Lt. Robert Malone
*''[[Dante (TV series)|Dante]]'' – "Opening Night" (1960) as Lt. Robert Malone
*''[[Markham (TV series)|Markham]] – "13 Avenida Muerte" (1960) as Cal
*''[[Markham (TV series)|Markham]]'' – "13 Avenida Muerte" (1960) as Cal
*''[[Tate (TV series)|Tate]]'' – "The Mary Hardin Story" (1960) as Tetlow
*''[[Tate (TV series)|Tate]]'' – "The Mary Hardin Story" (1960) as Tetlow
*''[[The Texan (TV series)|The Texan]]'' – "Thirty Hours to Kill" (1960) as Ben Dawson/Blackie Dawson
*''[[The Texan (TV series)|The Texan]]'' – "Thirty Hours to Kill" (1960) as Ben Dawson/Blackie Dawson
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*''[[The Iron Horse (TV series)|The Iron Horse]]'' – "Explosion at Waycrossing" (1966) as Sheriff Harkness
*''[[The Iron Horse (TV series)|The Iron Horse]]'' – "Explosion at Waycrossing" (1966) as Sheriff Harkness
*''[[The Invaders]]'' – "Condition: Red" (1967) as Mr. Arius
*''[[The Invaders]]'' – "Condition: Red" (1967) as Mr. Arius
*''[[Felony Squad]] – "The Death Bag" (1967) as Louie Antonides
*''[[Felony Squad]]'' – "The Death Bag" (1967) as Louie Antonides
*''Maya'' – "The Legend of Whitney Markham" (1968) as Frank Sanders
*''Maya'' – "The Legend of Whitney Markham" (1968) as Frank Sanders
* ''[[The Outcasts (U.S. TV series)|The Outcasts]]'' – "They Shall Rise Up" (1969) as Tauber
* ''[[The Outcasts (U.S. TV series)|The Outcasts]]'' – "They Shall Rise Up" (1969) as Tauber
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*''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]'' (1960) as Highway Patrol Officer
*''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]'' (1960) as Highway Patrol Officer
*''Twenty Plus Two'' (1961) as Harbin (uncredited)
*''Twenty Plus Two'' (1961) as Harbin (uncredited)
*''Gunfight at Comanche Creek'' (1963) as Ben Bady
*''[[Gunfight at Comanche Creek]]'' (1963) as Ben Bady
*''[[The Quick Gun]]'' (1964) as Cagle
*''[[The Quick Gun]]'' (1964) as Cagle
*''[[Bullet for a Badman]]'' (1964) as Ira Snow
*''[[Bullet for a Badman]]'' (1964) as Ira Snow

Latest revision as of 11:35, 29 December 2024

Mort Mills
Mort Mills 1955
Mills in an episode of Treasury Men in Action (1955)
Born
Mortimer Morris Kaplan

(1919-01-11)January 11, 1919
DiedJune 6, 1993(1993-06-06) (aged 74)
OccupationActor
Years active1952–1973
RelativesMary Treen (cousin)

Mort Mills (born Mortimer Morris Kaplan; January 11, 1919 – June 6, 1993)[citation needed] was an American film and television actor who had roles in over 150 movies and television episodes. He was often the town lawman or the local bad guy in many popular westerns of the 1950s and 1960s.

From 1957–1959 he had a recurring co-starring role as Marshal Frank Tallman in Man Without a Gun. Other recurring roles were as Sergeant Ben Landro in the Perry Mason series and Sheriff Fred Madden in The Big Valley. He portrayed supporting roles in the Alfred Hitchcock films Psycho (1960) and Torn Curtain (1966), and in Orson Welles' Touch of Evil (1958).

Biography

[edit]

During World War II Mills served in the 3rd Marine Parachute Battalion in the Pacific.[1]

Mort Mills and Paul Newman in Torn Curtain (1966)

Though Mills did much television work, he also found regular work in motion pictures. He is probably best known as the suspicious highway patrolman who follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller Psycho (1960). A few years later, he worked again with Hitchcock, playing a spy in East Germany under the cover of being a farmer in Hitchcock's Torn Curtain (1966) starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.[2][3] Mills also appeared with Charlton Heston in Orson Welles's suspense classic Touch of Evil (1958).[4]

In 1955, he appeared as Samuel Mason on ABC's Disneyland miniseries Davy Crockett starring Fess Parker. From 1957–1959, Mills co-starred with Rex Reason in the syndicated western series Man Without a Gun.[5] He portrayed Marshal Frank Tallman. Reason played his friend, Adam MacLean, editor of the Yellowstone Sentinel newspaper. He appeared as villains twice in Maverick, first in 1957 with James Garner as Bret Maverick ("Day of Reckoning") and second in 1961 with Robert Colbert as Bret's brother Brent Maverick ("Benefit of Doubt"). In 1958, he guest starred as a particularly greedy bounty hunter who clashes with Steve McQueen's character Josh Randall in the CBS western series, Wanted: Dead or Alive. In 1961 he appeared as Jack Saunders in the TV western Lawman in the episode titled "Owny O'Reilly." In the 1965 Three Stooges film, The Outlaws Is Coming, Mills played Trigger Mortis.[6]

Mills was a regular as police Lieutenant Bob Malone in Howard Duff's NBC-Four Star Television series, Dante (1960–1961), set at a San Francisco, California, nightclub called "Dante's Inferno". He appeared in eight episodes of Perry Mason, seven of them as Police Sgt. Ben Landro between 1961 and 1965.

His cousin, Mary Treen, was a film actress.[citation needed]

He died June 6, 1993. It was first reported he had been smoking in bed, and died in the fire. After the autopsy, it was determined he had died of a heart attack, and the fire was subsequent to his death.

Acting roles

[edit]

Starring in his own TV series

[edit]

Recurring role in a series

[edit]

Multiple appearances on a television series

[edit]

Single episode television appearances

[edit]

Theatrical films

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Wheeler, Richard A Special Valor: The U.S. Marines and the Pacific War Naval Institute Press, 15 Nov 2013
  2. ^ Spoto, Donald (1999). The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock. Da Capo Press. p. 577. ISBN 978-0-306-80932-3.
  3. ^ Walker, Michael (2006). Hitchcock's Motifs. Amsterdam University Press. p. 455. ISBN 978-90-5356-772-2.
  4. ^ Silver, Alain; Ward, Elizabeth; Ursini, James; Porfirio, Robert (2010). The Film Noir Encyclopedia. Overlook Hardcover. p. 190. ISBN 978-1-59020-144-2.
  5. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present. Ballantine Books. p. 733. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
  6. ^ Cox, Stephen; Terry, Jim (2006). One Fine Stooge: Larry Fine's Frizzy Life In Pictures. Cumberland House Publishing. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-58182-363-9.
[edit]
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