Al Haskell

Al Haskell (December 4, 1886 – January 6, 1969) was an American film and television character actor and stunt performer known for his roles in Zorro (1957), Bat Masterson (1959-1960), Death Valley Days (1953-1965), and The Big Valley (1965).

Life and career

Al Haskell was born Albert B. Haskell on December 4, 1886, in Watsonville, California. 

Before entering movies, Haskell was a Country and Western music performer, playing the accordion with the likes of Johnny Luther, Jack Jones, and Chuck Baldra. 

Music gigs were hard to come by during the Great Depression, at which point Haskell tried his hand at acting, debuting with Ben F. Wilson's 1929 sci-fi The Voice from the Sky, starring Hal Taliaferro, Neva Gerber, and Robert Walker. The experience convinced him to pursue a career in acting. In his career spanning three decades, he appeared in more than 200 western films and in various television series of the same genre, mostly in antagonist or secondary roles.

In the following years, he appeared in several westerns, often uncredited, such as Alan James's Breed of the West (1930), D. Ross Lederman's Ridin' for Justice (1932), Lambert Hillyer's White Eagle (1932), Robert J. Horner's The Whirlwind Rider(1934), and S. Roy Luby's Wrangler's Roost (1941).

He also played accordion in the movies whenever the role demanded. In 1934, he joined Ken Maynard, playing his accordion, in Honor of the Range. In 1939, he played for singing cowboy Roy Rogers in Joseph Kane's Frontier Pony Express.

In 1950-1954, Haskell was seen in various characters in nine episodes of Gene Autry's The Gene Autry Show. In 1955-1961, he was seen playing multiple roles in the TV series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, starring Hugh O'Brian. In 1959-1964, he portrayed various characters in ten episodes of David Dortort's NBC Western TV series Bonanza, starring Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Pernell Roberts, and Dan Blocker.

Haskell's last screen credit was in 1965 in an episode of William A. Graham's Western TV show Palms of Glory, after which he retired from show business.

Death

Haskell passed away on January 6, 1969, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 82. He is buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, California.