Al Bridge

Biography

Al Bridge was an American character actor, a fixture both in Westerns and in the comedies of Preston Sturges. Although frequently billed as Alan Bridge, he was born Alfred Morton Bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1891 (not as Alford Bridge in 1890, as his tombstone erroneously states). Following service as a corporal in the U.S. Army infantry in the first World War, Bridge joined a theatrical troupe. He dabbled in writing and in 1930 sold a script to a short film, Her Hired Husband (1930). He followed this with a B-Western script, God's Country and the Man (1931), in which he made his film debut as an actor. For the next quarter century, he managed the atypical achievement of maintaining a career in both B-Westerns and in bigger dramatic and comedy features. Ten films for director Preston Sturges represent probably his most familiar contribution to Hollywood history. Bridge also appeared frequently on television until his death in 1957 at 66.

Known For

Bartender (uncredited)

Salty O'Rourke

Wild Bill Hickock

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

The Talk of the Town

Trustee

The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine

Bum (uncredited)

Nobody's Darling

Conductor

The Palm Beach Story

Elmer Hood

The Devil's Henchman

Ballistics Expert (uncredited)

The Bridge of Sighs

Bouncer (uncredited)

Blonde Venus

Policeman in Drina's Apartment (Uncredited)

Dead End

Mr. Hillbeiner

Christmas in July

(uncredited)

Framed

Political Boss

Hail the Conquering Hero

Steve - Rustler

A Man's Land

Squaw O'Hara

The Forty-Niners

Nikkos (as Al Bridges)

The Ridin' Fool

Sheriff (as Al Bridges)

Two Gun Justice

Mr. Johnson

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

Holman (as Alan Bridge)

Western Gold

Turner

Below the Deadline

Jeff Browning

The Stranger from Texas

Kennedy - Trucker in Cafe (uncredited)

Born to Be Wild

Sheriff Mack

The Jade Mask

Captain Allen

Shadows Over Chinatown

The Station Agent

The Hurricane Express

Mr. Turner (uncredited)

Jubilee Trail

Police Inspector Blake

The Falcon's Alibi

Briggs

Springtime in the Rockies

Dr. Hicks

Thunderhead: Son of Flicka

Wyckoff

Squadron of Doom

Reynolds

Fighting With Kit Carson

Soule Gang Engineer (uncredited)

Saratoga Trunk

Toothless Derelict (uncredited)

The Mighty McGurk

Guard (uncredited)

Pardon My Stripes

Mob Leader Outside Governor's Mansion (uncredited)

They Won't Forget

Immigration Inspector (uncredited)

A Night at the Opera

Mr. Burke

Crime School

Judge John C. Garfield (uncredited)

The Murder Man

Sergeant (uncredited)

Rendezvous

Ditch-Digger (uncredited)

Alias Mary Dow

Steele

The Lawless Nineties

Conductor (uncredited)

She Wouldn't Say Yes

Sheriff (uncredited)

In Old Amarillo

Travis

Fast Bullets

Bob Harmon / Jim Breeden

The Kid's Last Ride

Sheriff Matt Farraday

The Cowboy Counsellor

Burl Adams

The Lone Avenger

Homesteader McGraw

Barbed Wire

Ranger Sergeant Parsons

Valley of Wanted Men

Mitchell

The Adventures of Rex and Rinty

Salty Smith

Gallant Defender

Paul Wyckoff

Ace Drummond

Swartzman

Public Enemy's Wife

Matt Kirby

Melody Trail

Dr. Jonas - Veterinarian

Black Gold

Kit

The New Frontier

Slade

Jungle Jim

George Tully

North of Arizona

Sam Bartlett

Alias Mr. Twilight

Prisoner (uncredited)

Sons of Liberty

Townsman (uncredited)

Honor of the Range

Banker (uncredited)

Hell's Outpost

Tupper

Son of the Border

Tenant

Slightly Married

Jail Attendant (uncredited)

The Gay Deception

Detective Magnus (uncredited)

We're Not Married!

Steve Cantrell

The Wyoming Whirlwind

Lariat Smith

Drum Taps

Tom Henderson

Mystery Mountain

Police Captain (uncredited)

Down to Earth

Scar Lewis

Partners of the Plains

Steve Claggett, Henchman

Wild West Days

Rawlings

Rawhide Rangers

Sheriff chasing Loma

Gunsmoke Trail

Detective

They Met in a Taxi

Tom Fallon

The Spirit of the West

Process Server (uncredited)

Woman Chases Man

Mover

The Curtain Falls

White Rose Sailor

The Phantom Creeps

Detective Flynn

Cross My Heart

Sheriff Angel Verner

Transient Lady

Deputy Bill Gaines

A Rider of the Plains

Babson

Trail Dust

Dynamo Room Floor Guard

Buck Rogers

Captain of the Guards

Devil's Island

Hobo

The Man Who Returned to Life

Dandy Morgan

Borderland

Would-Be Settler (uncredited)

The Oklahoma Kid

Fisherman (uncredited)

Thunder Afloat

Senator Dwight (uncredited)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Ship Captain (uncredited)

The Roaring Twenties

Hanover - Walsh's Henchman

Confidential

Sam Porter

Call of the Prairie

Cpl. Dronov

Adventure in Sahara

Judge Kormac

Quick on the Trigger

Sheriff (uncredited)

It's a Wonderful Life

Detective Smiley (uncredited)

Deadline at Dawn

Sheriff

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend

Mr. Cudd (uncredited)

Dick Tracy's Dilemma

Henchman Black

The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

Police Turnkey (uncredited)

Meet the Stewarts

Agent in Phone Booth (uncredited)

T-Men

Ship's Captain

The Green Hornet Strikes Again!

First Steward (uncredited)

The Lady Eve

Motor Cop (uncredited)

The Awful Truth

Jake Ledbetter

Oh! Susanna

Denver Ed

The Cheyenne Kid

Henchman Curley Bates

The Devil Horse

Marine MP Sergeant (uncredited)

Saboteur

Jarvis

Highway Patrol

House Detective

Unfaithfully Yours

Kentuck

Oklahoma Frontier

Boss Whittaker

Romance of the Redwoods

Mr. Matthews

The Lady from Cheyenne

When the Daltons Rode

Palmyra Townsman (uncredited)

Santa Fe Trail

Slave Trader

Dark Command

Barfly Drinking Straight Whiskey (uncredited)

My Little Chickadee

Captain

Winners of the West

Dawson

Dodge City Trail

Kipp Faulkner

Two Gun Law

Slick Larson

The Man from Sundown

Dawson (uncredited)

The Little Foxes

Highway Patrolman (uncredited)

Flowing Gold

New Orleans Sheriff (uncredited)

Jezebel

Sheriff

The Courageous Dr. Christian

Conover

California Passage

Sheriff

Robin Hood Of Texas

Capt. Trowbridge

Tim Tyler's Luck

Poker Player on Train

Diamond Jim

Shooting Gallery Proprietor

Honolulu Lu

Harry Franzmeirer

Messenger of Peace

George Hunter

Sucker Money

Sam Sickle

Utah Wagon Train

Bert Karsin

Blazing Six Shooters

Second Prison Guard (uncredited)

I Married a Witch

Lem Shaver

The Last Musketeer

Mace Arnold

Bad Men of the Hills

The Mister

Sullivan's Travels

Marshal Larsen

Pioneers of the Frontier

Tom Houston

Fighting Bill Fargo

Jamison

Law of the Range

Bob Cameron

The Lone Rider Rides On

Matt Warner

Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground

Sam Slade

Silver River

Plainview Lawman

Badlands of Dakota

Captain of Police

Lady from Louisiana

Man

Wild Bill Hickok Rides

Jim Farley

Silent Valley

Jailer

Idaho

Townsman at Meeting House (uncredited)

Honky Tonk

Secret Emissary #3 (uncredited)

Million Dollar Legs

John Biddle

All That I Have

Mark Sheldon

Colorado Trail

Deputy Bat Lindstrom

Outlaw Rule

Mrs. Walton's Chauffeur (uncredited)

These Three

Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

Crash Donovan

Honest John Richards

Singin' in the Corn

Ship Captain (uncredited)

Road to Utopia

Ulysses Grant Sheldon (uncredited)

Hunt the Man Down

Alden Canfield

The Three Mesquiteers

Hotel Desk Clerk

Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake

Cheap Charlie (uncredited)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Guard (uncredited)

You Only Live Once

Captain Peterson

A Man's World

Official in Passport Office (uncredited)

Marie Antoinette

Worker (uncredited)

In This Our Life

Chief Inspector August Wilmer

Alibi Racket

Lieutenant Colonel (uncredited)

They Were Expendable

Henchman Wooly

South of Santa Fe

Sheriff

Little Miss Roughneck

Livermore

God's Country and the Man

Marshal

Blue Montana Skies

Marshal

Iron Mountain Trail

Montana Slade

When a Man Rides Alone

Florida Club Bartender

The Fabulous Joe

Police Court

Deputy Sheriff Ben (Uncredited)

The Missing Juror

Policeman (uncredited)

The Thirteenth Guest

Sandy Thompson

Galloping Thru

Al

Broadway to Cheyenne

Hack Driver

Black Beauty

Gur Durkin

Fighting Texans

Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)

The Doolins of Oklahoma

Town Marshal (uncredited)

California

Furniture Mover (uncredited)

Lady in a Jam

New York City Policeman (uncredited)

Nora Prentiss

Flop House Manager (uncredited)

The Face Behind the Mask

John Cassidy (uncredited)

Circumstantial Evidence

Tennis Judge (uncredited)

Strangers on a Train

Editor

A Woman of Distinction

Highway Patrolman (uncredited)

Twin Husbands

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

192

Gender

Male

Birthday

1891-02-25

Place of Birth

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Also Known As

Alan Bridge