Barton MacLane

Barton MacLane (December 25, 1902 – January 1, 1969) was an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. He appeared in many classic films from the 1930s through the 1960s, including his role as General Martin Peterson on the 1960s NBC television comedy series I Dream of Jeannie, with Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman.

Early life Barton MacLane was born in Columbia, South Carolina, on Christmas Day, 1902. He attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he excelled at American football. His first movie role, in The Quarterback (1926), was a result of his athletic ability. He then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Career He made his Broadway debut in 1927, playing the assistant district attorney in Bayard Veiller's The Trial of Mary Dugan. He then performed in the 1928 Broadway production of Gods of the Lightning and was part of the original cast of Subway Express as Officer Mulvaney in 1929. He appeared in the Marx Brothers' 1929 film debut The Cocoanuts. MacLane made his first credited film appearance in the 1931 romantic drama His Woman. The following year, he wrote the play Rendezvous, which he sold to Arthur Hopkins. The play was performed on Broadway, with MacLane in a featured role.

Film work: 1930s–1950s

The success of Rendezvous landed MacLane a contract with Warner Bros. and brought him to the attention of several renowned film directors, including Fritz Lang, Michael Curtiz, and William Keighley. As a result, throughout the remainder of the 1930s, MacLane was highly active in film, with major supporting roles in such productions as The Case of the Curious Bride, G Men, The Prince and the Pauper, and Lang's You Only Live Once and You and Me. He also played the role of detective Steve McBride, opposite Glenda Farrell in seven of the nine films featuring the fictional newspaper reporter Torchy Blane.

During the 1930s and 1940s, MacLane worked alongside Humphrey Bogart in several films. He played Lieutenant Dundy, who interacted with Bogart's Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon, writer/director John Huston's acclaimed film noir based upon Dashiell Hammett's novel. MacLane again collaborated with both Bogart and Huston on the Academy Award-winning 1948 adventure film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

MacLane's many other film credits during the 1940s include The Big Street, Victor Fleming's Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Fritz Lang's Western Union, Reginald LeBorg's The Mummy's Ghost, and Frank Borzage's The Spanish Main. He also played villains in two Tarzan films starring Johnny Weissmuller – Tarzan and the Amazons and Tarzan and the Huntress. Some of MacLane's films during the 1950s include Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, The Glenn Miller Story, and Three Violent People. In 1955 MacLane appeared as Jim Mablett in the movie Foxfire co-starring Jane Russell.

Television and final films In the 1950s, MacLane began to appear regularly on television. Between 1953 and 1967, he guest starred on such programs as Conflict, Lux Video Theatre, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Laramie, The Monkees, and Gunsmoke. In 1958 he played Sen. Harriman Baylor in the Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll". In 1960 he played Eugene Norris, Perry's friend and small-town sheriff, in "The Case of the Violent Village". In 1964 he played Archer Osmond in "The Case of the Ruinous Road".

During the 1960–1961 television season, MacLane was a series regular on twenty-seven episodes of NBC's western, Outlaws, in which he played Marshal Frank Caine. His last feature film was Buckskin (1968).

In 1965, MacLane, who had played real-life Air Force General "Hap" Arnold in The Glenn Miller Story, was cast in the recurring role of fictional Air Force General Martin Peterson on I Dream of Jeannie. He appeared in 35 episodes of the TV series between 1965 and 1969. Three of MacLane's episodes were aired after his death in January 1969. His character was replaced on later episodes of the series by General Winfield Schaeffer, portrayed by Vinton Hayworth, until Hayworth's death in 1970. Hayworth also died before all episodes featuring his character were broadcast.

Personal life MacLane played several musical instruments, including the violin, piano, and guitar. In 1939, MacLane married actress Charlotte Wynters. From the 1940s until his death, he maintained a cattle ranch in eastern Madera County, California, where he made his home when he was not acting. He adopted a daughter. He had been admitted two weeks prior to his death.

Recognition For his contribution to the television industry, MacLane has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6719 Hollywood Boulevard.

Selected filmography

The Quarterback (1926) as Football Player (uncredited) The Cocoanuts (1929) as Bather or Muscle Man at Beach (uncredited) His Woman (1931) as Crewman (uncredited) State's Attorney (1932) as Court Reporter (uncredited) The Thundering Herd (1933) as Pruitt Man of the Forest (1933) as Henchman Mulvey To the Last Man (1933) as Neil Stanley Tillie and Gus (1933) as Commissioner McLennan Big Executive (1933) as Harry the Guide Lone Cowboy (1933) as Policeman Baxter Hell and High Water (1933) as Dance Hall Manager All of Me (1934) as First Cop (uncredited) The Last Round-Up (1934) as Charley Benson Black Fury (1935) as McGee The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) as Detective Lucas G Men (1935) as Collins Go Into Your Dance (1935) as Duke Hutchinson Stranded (1935) as Sharkey Page Miss Glory (1935) as Blackie The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935) as Police Chief Bisonette Dr. Socrates (1935) as Red Bastian I Found Stella Parish (1935) as Clifton Jeffords Frisco Kid (1935) as Spider Burke Man of Iron (1935) as Chris Bennett Ceiling Zero (1936) as Al Stone The Walking Dead (1936) as Loder Times Square Playboy (1936) as Casey, Vic's Butler / Trainer Bullets or Ballots (1936) as Al Kruger Bengal Tiger (1936) as Cliff Ballenger Jailbreak (1936) as Detective Captain Rourke Smart Blonde (1937) as Steve McBride God's Country and the Woman (1937) as Bullhead You Only Live Once (1937) as Stephen Whitney The Prince and the Pauper (1937) as John Canty Draegerman Courage (1937) as Andrew Beaupre San Quentin (1937) as Lt. Druggin Fly-Away Baby (1937) as Steve McBride Ever Since Eve (1937) as Al McCoy Born Reckless (1937) as Jim Barnes Wine, Women and Horses (1937) as Jim Turner The Adventurous Blonde (1937) as Steve MacBride Blondes at Work (1938) as Lieutenant Steve McBride The Kid Comes Back (1938) as 'Gunner' Malone Gold Is Where You Find It (1938) as Slag Martin You and Me (1938) as Mickey Bain Prison Break (1938) as Joaquin Shannon The Storm (1938) as Capt. Cogswell Torchy Gets Her Man (1938) as Steve McBride Stand Up and Fight (1939) as Crowder Torchy Blane in Chinatown (1939) as Police Lieutenant Steve McBride I Was a Convict (1939) as Ace King Big Town Czar (1939) as Phil Daley Torchy Runs for Mayor (1939) as Steve McBride Mutiny in the Big House (1939) as Red Manson Gangs of Chicago (1940) as Jim Ramsey Men Without Souls (1940) as Blackie Drew The Secret Seven (1940) as Sam O'Donnell Melody Ranch (1940) as Mark Wildhack High Sierra (1941) as Jake Kranmer Come Live with Me (1941) as Barney Grogan Western Union (1941) as Jack Slade Barnacle Bill (1941) as John Kelly Hit the Road (1941) as James J. Ryan Manpower (1941) as Smiley Quinn Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) as Sam Higgins Wild Geese Calling (1941) as Pirate Kelly The Maltese Falcon (1941) as Lieutenant Dundy All Through the Night (1942) as Marty Callahan The Big Street (1942) as Case Ables Highways by Night (1942) as Leo Bronson Man of Courage (1943) as John Wallace A Gentle Gangster (1943) as Mike Hallit Bombardier (1943) as Sgt. Archie Dixon Song of Texas (1943) as Jim Calvert The Underdog (1943) as John Tate The Crime Doctor's Strangest Case (1943) as Detective Rief Nabonga (1944) as Carl Hurst Marine Raiders (1944) as Sgt. Maguire The Mummy's Ghost (1944) as Inspector Walgreen Secret Command (1944) as Red Kelly Cry of the Werewolf (1944) as Lt. Barry Lane Gentle Annie (1944) as Sheriff Tatum Tarzan and the Amazons (1945) as Ballister Scared Stiff (1945) as George 'Deacon' Markham The Spanish Main (1945) as Capt. Benjamin Black Mysterious Intruder (1946) as Detective Taggart Santa Fe Uprising (1946) as Crawford San Quentin (1946) as Nick Taylor Tarzan and the Huntress (1947) as Paul Weir Jungle Flight (1947) as Case Hagin Cheyenne (1947) as Webb Yancey The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) as Pat McCormick Relentless (1948) as Tex Brandow Silver River (1948) as 'Banjo' Sweeney The Dude Goes West (1948) as Texas Jack Barton The Walls of Jericho (1948) as Gotch McCurdy Angel in Exile (1948) as Max Giorgio Unknown Island (1948) as Capt. Tarnowski Red Light (1949) as Strecker Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) as Police Lt. John Reece Rookie Fireman (1950) as Captain Jess Henshaw Let's Dance (1950) as Larry Channock The Bandit Queen (1950) as Jim Harden Best of the Badmen (1951) as Joad Drums in the Deep South (1951) as Sgt. Mac McCardle Bugles in the Afternoon (1952) as Capt. Myles Moylan The Half-Breed (1952) as Marshal Cassidy Thunderbirds (1952) as Sgt. Durkee Kansas Pacific (1953) as Cal Bruce Cow Country (1953) as Marvin Parker Captain Scarface (1953) as Captain Scarface Sea of Lost Ships (1953) as Capt. Jack Matthews Jack Slade (1953) as Jules Reni The Glenn Miller Story (1954) as General Arnold Jubilee Trail (1954) as Deacon Bartlett Rails Into Laramie (1954) as Lee Graham Hell's Outpost (1954) as Sheriff Olson Treasure of Ruby Hills (1955) as 'Chalk' Reynolds The Silver Star (1955) as Henry 'Tiny' Longtree Foxfire (1955) as Jim Mablett Jail Busters (1955) as Captain Jenkins, Head Guard Last of the Desperados (1955) as Mosby, Gang Leader Jaguar (1956) as Steve Bailey Backlash (1956) as Sgt. George Lake Wetbacks (1956) as Karl Shanks The Man is Armed (1956) as Det. Lt. Dan Coster Naked Gun (1956) as Joe Barnum Three Violent People (1956) as Yates Hell's Crossroads (1957) as Pinkerton Agent Clyde O'Connell Sierra Stranger (1957) as Lem Gotch Naked in the Sun (1957) as Wilson Girl in the Woods (1958) as Big Jim Girl on the Run (1958) as Francis J. Brannigan Frontier Gun (1958) as Simon Crayle The Geisha Boy (1958) as Maj. Ridgley Gunfighters of Abilene (1960) as Seth Hainline Noose for a Gunman (1960) as Carl Avery Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Police Commissioner Law of the Lawless (1964) as Big Tom Stone The Rounders (1965) as Tanner Town Tamer (1965) as James Fenimore Fell Arizona Bushwhackers (1968) as Sheriff Grover Buckskin (1968) as Dr. H. 'Doc' Raymond

Television credits