Dennis Moore

Dennis Moore (January 26, 1908 – March 1, 1964) was an American actor best known for his many appearances in Western films and serials.

Early years Moore was born Dennis Meadows in Fort Worth, Texas, and attended schools in El Paso. He was active in aviation and had a pilot's license. Before going into films, he worked in stock theater.

A plane crash nearly ended his life. After more than a year spent in a hospital and two additional years of recovery, he could not pass the physical examination for a pilot's license, so he chose to change from aviation to acting.

Career Moore began appearing in short subjects and low-budget feature films in the 1930s under the name Denny Meadows.

Moore played leads or second leads in serials, and holds the distinction of having co-starred in the last serials ever produced by Universal Pictures (The Mysterious Mr. M, in 1946) and Columbia Pictures (Blazing the Overland Trail, in 1956). In 1956 he played a villainous role in the Bowery Boys comedy Hot Shots.

Television Dennis Moore also appeared on television in the syndicated The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones, in the 1955 CBS series Brave Eagle with Keith Larsen, and in the 1956 episode "Panhandle" of the CBS series Tales of the Texas Rangers, with Willard Parker and Harry Lauter.

He was cast as Mr. Finley in "The Gold Watch" and as Jeb in "A Permanent Juliet" on the NBC Western series Buckskin, starring Tom Nolan, Sally Brophy, and Mike Road. He was cast as Walker in the 1958 episode "Three Wanted Men" of the syndicated Western series Frontier Doctor, starring Rex Allen. At this time, he also made multiple appearances on Richard Carlson's syndicated Western series Mackenzie's Raiders.

Moore appeared in five episodes of Jack Webb's police procedural Dragnet. He also guest-starred on the syndicated adventure series Rescue 8, starring Jim Davis and Lang Jeffries, the crime drama U.S. Marshal, starring John Bromfield, and the NBC Western Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin.

Later years Moore moved with his family from Los Angeles to Big Bear Lake, operating a gift shop there.

Death On March 1, 1964, Moore died of rheumatic heart disease in San Bernardino, California.

Selected filmography

The Dawn Rider (1935) China Clipper (1936) as Engineer on Clipper Desert Justice (1936) Fugitive in the Sky (1936) Unbilled Irish Luck (1939) Overland Mail (1939) Girl from Rio (1939) Boys of the City (1940) as Giles Fugitive from a Prison Camp (1940) Flying Wild (1941) as George Bowery Blitzkrieg (1941) as Dorgan Spooks Run Wild (1941) as Dr. Von Grosch The Lone Rider Fights Back (1941) as Al Williams Billy the Kid in Santa Fe (1941) as Silent Don Benson The Lone Rider and the Bandit (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore The Lone Rider in Cheyenne (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore The Lone Rider in Texas Justice (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore Border Roundup (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore Outlaws of Boulder Pass (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore Overland Stagecoach (1942) as Sheriff Smoky Moore Arizona Trail (1943) West of the Rio Grande (1944) The Mummy's Curse (1944) as Dr. James Halsey Song of the Range (1944) as Denny The Frozen Ghost (1945) Radio Show Announcer (uncredited) The Crime Doctor's Courage (1945) David Lee (uncredited) The Master Key (1945) Colorado Serenade (1946) as Duke Dillon Rainbow Over the Rockies (1947) Frontier Agent (1948) Range Renegades (1948) Across the Rio Grande (1949) as Carson Life of St. Paul series (1949) as Roman Centurion I Killed Geronimo (1950) as Henchman Luke Hot Rod (1950) Federal Man (1950) as Harry Snow Dog (1950) as LaFontaine Factor (uncredited) Gunslingers (1950) as Marshal Dean Yukon Manhunt (1951) as Henchman Blazing Bullets (1951) as Crowley - Henchman The Lusty Men (1952) The Shrike (1955) as spectator The White Squaw (1956) as rancher (uncredited) Friendly Persuasion (1956) Farmer (uncredited) Blazing the Overland Trail (1956) as Ed Marr, Pony Express relay station manager Hot Shots (1956) as Tony, ship's chandler The Phantom Stagecoach (1957) as Townsman The Restless Gun (1958) in Episode "The Manhunters" Bat Masterson (1959) as Tom Bat Masterson (1960) as Sheriff Bat Masterson (1961) as Hacker