{{Short description|American actor (1891–1970)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Roscoe Karns | image = Roscoe Karns by Jack Freulich.jpg | caption = Karns (1932) | birth_date = {{birth date|1891|9|7}} | birth_place = [[San Bernardino, California]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1970|2|6|1891|9|7}} | death_place = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S. | years_active = 1915–1964 | spouse = {{marriage|Mary M. Fraso|1920|1970}} | children = 2; including [[Todd Karns|Roscoe Todd]] | occupation = Actor }} '''Roscoe Karns''' (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was an American actor who appeared in nearly 150 films between 1915 and 1964. He specialized in cynical, wise-cracking (and often tipsy) characters, and his rapid-fire delivery enlivened many comedies and crime thrillers in the 1930s and 1940s.
==Acting career== Karns began acting with a San Diego stock company when he was still in high school. "I’ve never earned a dime outside of show business. I can't even claim having a newspaper route as a kid," he declared.<ref name="Actor">{{cite magazine| title=The Actor Hollywood Forgot: Roscoe Karns Has Outlasted All Other TV Detectives| url=https://archive.org/details/tvguide-chicago-1953-07-31/page/n67/mode/2up| magazine=[[TV Guide]]| date=July 31, 1953| pages=20-22| access-date=August 10, 2025}}</ref> [[File:Roscoe Karns-Mary Treen in The Navy Way.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Karns and [[Mary Treen]] in ''[[The Navy Way]]'' (1944)]] Though he appeared in numerous silent films, such as ''[[Wings (1927 film)|Wings]]'' and ''[[Beggars of Life]]'', his career didn't really take off until sound arrived. Arguably his best-known film role was the annoying bus passenger Oscar Shapeley, who tries to pick up [[Claudette Colbert]] in the [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-winning comedy ''[[It Happened One Night]]'', (1934)<ref name="Roscoe">{{cite news| title=Roscoe Karns, Actor, Dies at 77; TV Navy Doctor in ‘Hennesey’| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/02/08/archives/roscoe-karns-actor-dies-at-77-tv-navy-doctor-in-hennesey-comedian.html?searchResultPosition=1| agency=[[Associated Press]]| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=February 8, 1970| page=8| url-access=subscription}}</ref> quickly followed by one of his best performances as the boozy press agent Owen O'Malley in [[Howard Hawks]]' ''[[Twentieth Century (film)|Twentieth Century]]''. (Six years later, he co-starred as one of the reporters in another Hawks classic, ''[[His Girl Friday]]''.) In 1937, Paramount teamed him with [[Lynne Overman]] as a pair of laconic private eyes in two B comedy-mysteries, ''[[Murder Goes to College]]'' and ''[[Partners in Crime (1937 film)|Partners in Crime]]''.
By the late 1940s Karns was finding it difficult to obtain movie roles, and was considering retiring, but he contacted a friend who worked for the [[DuMont Television Network]], and he was asked to consider coming to New York City to act on television.<ref name="Actor" /> From 1950 to 1954, Karns played the title role in the popular [[DuMont Television Network]] series ''[[Rocky King, Inside Detective]]''. His son, character actor [[Todd Karns]], also appeared in that series.<ref>{{cite book| first1=Tim| last1=Brooks| first2=Earle| last2=Marsh| title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 – Present| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Complete+Directory+to+Prime+Time+Network+and+Cable+TV+Shows+1946+%E2%80%93+Present&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiIttGMv4GPAxVptokEHTFaJHgQ6AF6BAgNEAM#v=onepage&q=%22todd%20karns%22&f=false| page=1167| publisher=Ballantine Books| edition=ninth| date=June 24, 2009| isbn=978-0-3074-8320-1}}</ref>
From 1959 to 1962, Karns was cast as Captain (then Admiral) Walter Shafer in seventy-three of the ninety-five episodes of the [[CBS]] military sitcom/drama series, ''[[Hennesey]]'', starring [[Jackie Cooper]] in the title role of a [[United States Navy]] physician, and [[Abby Dalton]] as nurse Martha Hale.{{sfn|Brooks|Marsh|2009|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Complete+Directory+to+Prime+Time+Network+and+Cable+TV+Shows+1946+%E2%80%93+Present&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiIttGMv4GPAxVptokEHTFaJHgQ6AF6BAgNEAM#v=onepage&q=%22roscoe%20karns%22&f=false 602]}}
His final film was another Hawks comedy, ''[[Man's Favorite Sport?]]'', in 1964.
==Personal life==
Roscoe Karns was born September 7, 1891, in San Bernardino, California.<ref name="Roscoe"/><ref>{{cite web |date=2022-09-07 |title=10 Things You Should Know About Roscoe Karns |website=Cladrite Radio |url=https://cladriteradio.com/10-things-you-should-know-about-roscoe-karns/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-03-24 |language=en}}</ref> He married Mary M. Frasco in 1920, and was the father of two children – Mary Karns Hart, and Roscoe [[Todd Karns]], Jr. He was admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital, in Los Angeles, on December 18, 1969<ref>{{cite news| title=Veteran Actor Roscoe Karns Dies At 76| url= https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee-actor-roscoe-karns-di/178626936/| newspaper=[[The Sacramento Bee]]| agency=[[United Press International]]| date=February 8, 1970| page=6| access-date=August 10, 2025}}</ref> and died at the hospital on February 6, 1970.<ref name="Roscoe" />
==Filmography== {{Div col|colwidth=25em}} * ''Mr. Carlson of Arizona'' (1915, Short) * ''From Champion to Tramp'' (1915, Short) – The Girl's Father * ''A Western Governor's Humanity'' (1915, Short) * ''Beans for Two'' (1918, Short) – Jimmy's Friend * ''Know Thy Wife'' (1918, Short) – Steve – Bob's Chum * ''Brides for Two'' (1919, short) * ''Sally's Blighted Career'' (1919, Short) * ''Oh, Susie, Be Careful'' (1919, Short) * ''[[Poor Relations]]'' (1919) – Henry * ''[[The Family Honor]]'' (1920) – Dal Tucker * ''[[Life of the Party (1920 film)|Life of the Party]]'' (1920) – Sam Perkins * ''The Man Tamer'' (1921) – Bradley P. Caldwell Jr * ''Too Much Married'' (1921) – Bob Holiday * ''[[Her Own Money]]'' (1922) – Jerry Woodward * ''[[The Trouper]]'' (1922) – Neal Selden * ''[[Afraid to Fight]]'' (1922) – Bertie * ''[[Conquering the Woman]]'' (1922) – Shorty Thompson * ''[[Other Men's Daughters (1923 film)|Other Men's Daughters]]'' (1923) – Hubert * ''Down to the Ship to See'' (1923, Short) – Jack * ''[[The Ten Commandments (1923 film)|The Ten Commandments]]'' (1923) – The Boy in the Rain (uncredited) * ''Bluff'' (1924) – Jack Hallowell * ''[[The Midnight Express (film)|The Midnight Express]]'' (1924) – Switch Hogan * ''[[The Foolish Virgin]]'' (1924) – Chuck Brady * ''[[The Overland Limited (1925 film)|The Overland Limited]]'' (1925) – Patrick Henry Madden * ''[[Dollar Down]]'' (1925) – Gene Meadows * ''[[You'd Be Surprised (film)|You'd Be Surprised]]'' (1926) – Party Guest (uncredited) * ''[[Ritzy]]'' (1927) – Smith's Valet * ''[[Wings (1927 film)|Wings]]'' (1927) – Lieutenant Cameron * ''[[Ten Modern Commandments]]'' (1927) – Benny Burnaway * ''[[The Jazz Singer]]'' (1927) – Agent (uncredited) * ''[[Beau Sabreur]]'' (1928) – Buddy * ''[[The Trail of '98]]'' (1928) – Man on Ship (uncredited) * ''[[Something Always Happens (1928 film)|Something Always Happens]]'' (1928) – George * ''[[The Desert Bride (1928 film)|The Desert Bride]]'' (1928) – Pvt. Terry * ''[[The Vanishing Pioneer]]'' (1928) – Ray Hearn * ''[[Warming Up (1928 film)|Warming Up]]'' (1928) – Hippo * ''[[Jazz Mad]]'' (1928) – Sol Levy * ''[[Win That Girl]]'' (1928) – Johnny Norton II * ''[[Beggars of Life]]'' (1928) – Lame Hoppy * ''[[Moran of the Marines]]'' (1928) – Swatty * ''[[Object: Alimony]]'' (1928) – Al Bryant * ''[[The Shopworn Angel (1928 film)|The Shopworn Angel]]'' (1928) – Dance Director * ''[[The Flying Fleet]]'' (1929) – Shipwrecked Radio Operator (uncredited) * ''Copy'' (1929 short) – City Editor John Mack * ''[[This Thing Called Love (1929 film)|This Thing Called Love]]'' (1929) – Harry Bertrand * ''[[New York Nights (film)|New York Nights]]'' (1929) – Johnny Dolan * ''[[Troopers Three]]'' (1930) – Bugs * ''[[Safety in Numbers (1930 film)|Safety in Numbers]]'' (1930) – Bertram Shapiro * ''[[The Little Accident]]'' (1930) – Gilbert * ''[[Man Trouble (1930 film)|Man Trouble]]'' (1930) – Scott * ''[[The Costello Case]]'' (1930) – Blair * ''[[The Gorilla (1930 film)|The Gorilla]]'' (1930) – Simmons * ''[[Dirigible (film)|Dirigible]]'' (1931) – Sock McGuire * ''[[Many a Slip (film)|Many a Slip]]'' (1931) – Stan Price * ''[[Laughing Sinners]]'' (1931) – Fred Geer * ''[[Pleasure (1931 film)|Pleasure]]'' (1931) – Arnie * ''[[Left Over Ladies]]'' (1931) – 'Scoop' * ''[[Ladies of the Big House]]'' (1931) – Frank – Twenty Questions player (uncredited) * ''[[High Pressure (film)|High Pressure]]'' (1932) – Telephone salesman (uncredited) * ''[[Stowaway (1932 film)|Stowaway]]'' (1932) – Insp. Redding * ''[[Play Girl (1932 film)|Play Girl]]'' (1932) – Gambler (uncredited) * ''[[The Roadhouse Murder]]'' (1932) – Jeff Dale * ''[[Week-End Marriage]]'' (1932) – Jim Davis * ''[[Two Against the World (1932 film)|Two Against the World]]'' (1932) – Segall, reporter * ''[[The Crooked Circle (1932 film)|The Crooked Circle]]'' (1932) – Harry Carter * ''[[One Way Passage]]'' (1932) – S.S.Maloa Bartender (uncredited) * ''[[Night After Night (film)|Night After Night]]'' (1932) – Leo * ''[[They Call It Sin]]'' (1932) – Brandt – Rehearsal Director (uncredited) * ''[[If I Had a Million]]'' (1932) – Private O'Brien * ''[[Under-Cover Man]]'' (1932) – Dannie * ''[[Lawyer Man]]'' (1932) – Merritt – Reporter (uncredited) * ''[[Grand Slam (1933 film)|Grand Slam]]'' (1933) – Contest Radio Announcer * ''[[Today We Live]]'' (1933) – McGinnis * ''[[A Lady's Profession]]'' (1933) – Tony * ''[[Gambling Ship (1933 film)|Gambling Ship]]'' (1933) – Blooey * ''[[One Sunday Afternoon (1933 film)|One Sunday Afternoon]]'' (1933) – Snappy Downer * ''[[The Women in His Life]]'' (1933) – Lester * ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1933 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (1933) – Tweedledee * ''[[Search for Beauty]]'' (1934) – Newspaper Reporter (scenes deleted) * ''[[It Happened One Night]]'' (1934) – Oscar Shapeley * ''[[Come On Marines!]]'' (1934) – Spud McGurke * ''[[Twentieth Century (film)|Twentieth Century]]'' (1934) – O'Malley * ''[[Shoot the Works (film)|Shoot the Works]]'' (1934) – Sailor Burke * ''[[Elmer and Elsie]]'' (1934) – Rocky Cott * ''[[I Sell Anything]]'' (1934) – Monk * ''[[Wings in the Dark]]'' (1935) – Nick Williams * ''[[Red Hot Tires (1935 film)|Red Hot Tires]]'' (1935) – Bud Keene * ''[[Four Hours to Kill!]]'' (1935) – Johnson * ''[[Alibi Ike]]'' (1935) – Carey * ''[[Front Page Woman]]'' (1935) – Toots O'Grady * ''[[Two-Fisted]]'' (1935) – Chick Moran * ''[[Woman Trap (1936 film)|Woman Trap]]'' (1936) – Mopsy * ''[[Border Flight]]'' (1936) – Calico Smith * ''[[Three Cheers for Love]]'' (1936) – Doc "Short Circuit" Wilson * ''[[Three Married Men]]'' (1936) – Peter Cary * ''[[Cain and Mabel]]'' (1936) – Reilly * ''[[Clarence (1937 film)|Clarence]]'' (1937) – Clarence Smith * ''[[Murder Goes to College]]'' (1937) – Sim Perkins * ''[[Night of Mystery (1937 film)|Night of Mystery]]'' (1937) – Sgt. Heath * ''[[On Such a Night (1937 film)|On Such a Night]]'' (1937) – Joe Flynn * ''[[Partners in Crime (1937 film)|Partners in Crime]]'' (1937) – Sim Perkins * ''[[Scandal Street (1938 film)|Scandal Street]]'' (1938) – Austin Brown * ''[[Dangerous to Know]]'' (1938) – Duncan * ''[[Tip-Off Girls]]'' (1938) – Tom Benson aka Tommy Logan * ''[[You and Me (1938 film)|You and Me]]'' (1938) – Cuffy * ''[[Thanks for the Memory (film)|Thanks for the Memory]]'' (1938) – George Kent * ''[[King of Chinatown]]'' (1939) – 'Rip' Harrigan * ''[[Dancing Co-Ed]]'' (1939) – Joe Drews * ''[[Everything's on Ice]]'' (1939) – Felix Miller * ''[[That's Right—You're Wrong]]'' (1939) – Mal Stamp * ''[[His Girl Friday]]'' (1940) – Reporter McCue * ''[[Double Alibi (1940 film)|Double Alibi]]'' (1940) – Jeremiah Jenkins * ''[[Saturday's Children (1940 film)|Saturday's Children]]'' (1940) – Willie Sands * ''[[They Drive by Night]]'' (1940) – "Irish" McGurn * ''[[Ladies Must Live (1940 film)|Ladies Must Live]]'' (1940) – Pete H. 'Pighead' Larrabee * ''[[Meet the Missus (1940 film)|Meet the Missus]]'' (1940) – Joe Higgins * ''[[Petticoat Politics]]'' (1941) – Joe Higgins * ''[[Footsteps in the Dark (film)|Footsteps in the Dark]]'' (1941) – Monahan * ''Black Eyes and Blues'' (1941 short) – Alfred Harmon * ''[[The Gay Vagabond]]'' (1941) – Arthur Dixon, Jerry Dixon * ''Half Shot at Sunrise'' (1941, Short) – Henry Warren * ''[[Road to Happiness]]'' (1942) – Charley Grady * ''[[A Tragedy at Midnight]]'' (1942) – Det. Lt. Cassidy * ''[[Woman of the Year|Woman Of The Year]]'' (1942) – Phil Whittaker * ''[[Yokel Boy]]'' (1942) – Al Devers * ''[[You Can't Escape Forever]]'' (1942) – 'Mac' McTurk * ''My Son, the Hero'' (1943) – Big-Time Morgan * ''[[Stage Door Canteen (film)|Stage Door Canteen]]'' (1943) – Himself * ''[[Riding High (1943 film)|Riding High]]'' (1943) – Shorty (uncredited) * ''[[His Butler's Sister]]'' (1943) – Fields * ''[[Old Acquaintance]]'' (1943) – Charlie Archer * ''[[The Navy Way]]'' (1944) – Frankie Gimble * ''[[Hi, Good Lookin'!]]'' (1944) – Archie * ''[[Minstrel Man (1944 film)|Minstrel Man]]'' (1944) – Roscoe * ''[[One Way to Love]]'' (1946) – Hobie Simmons * ''[[I Ring Doorbells]]'' (1946) – Stubby * ''[[Avalanche (1946 film)|Avalanche]]'' (1946) – Red Kelly * ''[[Down Missouri Way]]'' (1946) – Press Agent * ''[[Vigilantes of Boomtown]]'' (1947) – Billy Delaney * ''[[That's My Man]]'' (1947) – Toby Gleeton * ''[[The Inside Story (film)|The Inside Story]]'' (1948) – Eustace Peabody * ''[[Devil's Cargo]]'' (1948) – Lt. Hardy * ''[[Speed to Spare (1948 film)|Speed to Spare]]'' (1948) – Kangaroo * ''[[Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven]]'' (1948) – Carmody * ''[[Onionhead]]'' (1958) – 'Windy' Woods * ''[[Man's Favorite Sport?]]'' (1964) – Major Phipps
{{div col end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Roscoe Karns}} *{{Internet Archive author |sname=Roscoe Karns |sopt=t}} *{{IMDb name|id=0439850|name=Roscoe Karns}} *{{IBDB name}} *{{Find a Grave|7923}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Karns, Roscoe}} [[Category:1891 births]] [[Category:1970 deaths]] [[Category:Male actors from San Bernardino, California]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male silent film actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]] [[Category:Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery]]