Clem Bevans
Quick Facts
Biography
Clem Bevans (October 16, 1879 – August 11, 1963) was an American character actor best remembered for playing eccentric, grumpy old men.
Bevans was born in Cozzadale, Ohio.
Bevans had a very long career, starting in vaudeville in 1900 in an act with Grace Emmett. He progressed to burlesque, Broadway, and even light opera, before making his film debut at the age of 55 in Way Down East (1935). His portrayal was so good, he became stereotyped and played mostly likable old codgers for the rest of his life. Bevans played the neighbour of Gregory Peck in The Yearling and the gatekeeper in Harvey (1950). However, he did occasionally play against type, for example as a Nazi spy in Alfred Hitchcock'sSaboteur (1942). He also made some television appearances, including the role of murderer Captain Hugo in the 1958 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Demure Defendant" and as Pete in The Twilight Zone episode "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" (1962). He played Captain Cobb in Disney's TV miniseries Davy Crockett.
His first cousin was actress Merie Earle, best known as Maude Gormley on The Waltons.
On August 11, 1963, Bevans died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.
Selected filmography
- Way Down East (1935) – Doc Wiggin
- Two in Revolt (1936) – Mr. Woods (uncredited)
- Rhythm on the Range (1936) – Gila Bend
- The Phantom Rider (1936, Serial) – Mr. Hudson (Ch's 11–13)
- The President's Mystery (1936) – Bus Passenger (uncredited)
- Come and Get It (1936) – Gunnar Gallagher (uncredited)
- Dangerous Number (1937) – Monte Christo (Actor Friend) (uncredited)
- Angel's Holiday (1937) – Sheriff (uncredited)
- Mountain Music (1937) – Medicine Show Spectator (uncredited)
- Riding on Air (1937) – Sheriff
- Marry the Girl (1937) – W.W. McIntosh (uncredited)
- Topper (1937) – Board Member (uncredited)
- The Toast of New York (1937) – Hungry Panhandler (uncredited)
- Big City (1937) – Grandpa Sloane
- Idol of the Crowds (1937) – Andy Moore
- Of Human Hearts (1938) – Elder Massey
- One Wild Night (1938) – Deaf old man (uncredited)
- Young Fugitives (1938) – Benjie Collins
- Mr. Chump (1938) – Pop (uncredited)
- Valley of the Giants (1938) – Clem – Old Man (uncredited)
- Comet Over Broadway (1938) – Benson
- Tom Sawyer, Detective (1938) – Sheriff Slocum
- Stand Up and Fight (1939) – Bum in jail (uncredited)
- King of the Underworld (1939) – Villager #3 (uncredited)
- Ambush (1939) – Pop Stebbins
- They Made Me a Criminal (1939) – Second Fight Ticket Taker (uncredited)
- Idiot's Delight (1939) – Jimmy Barzek (uncredited)
- Yes, My Darling Daughter (1939) – Henry – Baggage Man (uncredited)
- The Oklahoma Kid (1939) – Postman (uncredited)
- Dodge City (1939) – Charley (uncredited)
- Zenobia (1939) – Sheriff
- Outside These Walls (1939) – Smedley (uncredited)
- The Kid from Kokomo (1939) – Man who didn't turn around (uncredited)
- Undercover Doctor (1939) – Sam Whitmore
- Maisie (1939) – Station Agent (uncredited)
- Hell's Kitchen (1939) – Mr. Quill
- The Cowboy Quarterback (1939) – Lem, the Mailman
- Night Work (1939) – Smokestack Smiley
- Thunder Afloat (1939) – 'Cap' Finch
- Main Street Lawyer (1939) – Zeke
- Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) – Ben Mattling
- Young Tom Edison (1940) – Mr. Waddell
- Granny Get Your Gun (1940) – Smokey
- Half a Sinner (1940) – Snuffy
- 20 Mule Team (1940) – Chuckawalla
- The Captain Is a Lady (1940) – Samuel Darby
- Untamed (1940) – 'Smokey' Moseby, the Blind Man
- Gold Rush Maisie (1940) – 'Pop' Graybeard (uncredited)
- Girl from God's Country (1940) – Ben
- Calling All Husbands (1940) – Judge Todd
- Wyoming (1940) – Pa McKinley (uncredited)
- Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (1940) – Driver (uncredited)
- Go West (1940) – Railroad Official (uncredited)
- She Couldn't Say No (1940) – Eli Potter
- Sergeant York (1941) – Zeke
- The Parson of Panamint (1941) – Crabapple Jones
- The Smiling Ghost (1941) – Sexton
- Texas (1941) – Abilene Fight Spectator (uncredited)
- Pacific Blackout (1941) – Midas Plant Night Watchman
- Fly-by-Night (1942) – Train Station Watchman
- Captains of the Clouds (1942) – Sam 'Store-Teeth' Morrison
- Saboteur (1942) – Neilson
- This Gun for Hire (1942) – Scissor Grinder
- Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die (1942) – Tadpole Foster
- Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1942) – Postman
- The Forest Rangers (1942) – Terry McCabe
- Lucky Jordan (1942) – Gas Station Attendant
- Lady Bodyguard (1943) – Elmer Frawley
- Happy Go Lucky (1943) – Mr. Smith
- The Human Comedy (1943) – Henderson
- The Kansan (1943) – Bridge-Tender
- The Woman of the Town (1943) – Buffalo Burns
- Tall in the Saddle (1944) – Card Game Spectator (uncredited)
- Night Club Girl (1945) – Mayor
- Grissly's Millions (1945) – Young Tom
- Captain Eddie (1945) – Jabez
- Wake Up and Dream (1946) – Henry Pecket
- Gallant Bess (1946) – Smitty
- The Yearling (1946) – Pa Forrester
- Yankee Fakir (1947) – Shaggy Hartley posing as Professor Davis
- The Millerson Case (1947) – Sheriff Luke Akers
- Mourning Becomes Electra (1947) – Ira Mackel
- Relentless (1948) – Dad
- Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven (1948) – Capt. Bjorn
- Moonrise (1948) – Jake – Coroner
- Loaded Pistols (1948) – Jim Hedge
- The Paleface (1948) – Hank Billings
- Portrait of Jennie (1948) – Capt. Cobb
- Highway 13 (1948) – Bill 'Pops' Lacy
- Big Jack (1949) – Saltlick Joe
- Streets of Laredo (1949) – Pop Lint
- Rim of the Canyon (1949) – Loco John
- The Gal Who Took the West (1949) – Hawley (as old Timer)
- Deputy Marshal (1949) – Doc Allen Vinson
- Tell It to the Judge (1949) – Alonzo K. Roogle
- Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey (1950) – Mr. Edwards
- Harvey (1950) – Mr. Herman Shimelplatzer
- Silver City Bonanza (1951) – Town Loafer
- Gold Raiders (1951) – Doc Mason
- Man in the Saddle (1951) – Pay Lankershim
- Captive of Billy the Kid (1952) – Skeeter Davis
- Hangman's Knot (1952) – Plunkett, the Station agent
- The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953) – Jim Martin
- The Boy from Oklahoma (1954) – Pop Pruty
- Ten Wanted Men (1955) – Tod Grinnel
- The Kentuckian (1955) – Pilot of the 'River Queen' (uncredited)
- The Twinkle in God's Eye (1955) – Prospector (uncredited)
- Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956) – Captain Cobb (archive footage)
- Girl with an Itch (1958) – Gramps