Grant Withers

Granville Gustavus Withers (January 17, 1905 – March 27, 1959), known professionally as Grant Withers, was an American film actor. He began working in motion pictures during the last years of the silent era. Withers moved into sound films, establishing himself with a list of headlined features as a young and handsome male lead. Historian Terry Rowan writes, "As his career progressed ... his importance diminished, but he did manage a 10-year contract with Republic."

His friendships with both John Ford and John Wayne secured him a spot in nine of Wayne's films, but later roles dwindled to supporting roles, mainly as villains in B-movies, serials, and television.

Early life and career "Born in Pueblo, Colorado, Withers worked as an oil company salesman and newspaper reporter before breaking into films near the end of the silent era."

Withers's early work had him opposite actors such as W.C. Fields, Buster Keaton, Boris Karloff, Mae West, and Shirley Temple. Appearing in The Red-Haired Alibi (1932) with Temple, he played the role of her first on-screen parent.

Starring roles in major pictures later dwindled to supporting parts, mainly as villains in B-movies and serials. Notable exceptions included two starring roles in serials for Universal, Jungle Jim and Radio Patrol (both 1937); and the recurring role of the brash police captain Bill Street in Monogram Pictures' five-film Mr. Wong series, starring Boris Karloff, beginning in 1938. He was under a Republic Pictures contract from February 1944 through April 1954. Withers's credits at Republic total about 60 films from 1937 to 1957.

After 1940, he was a character actor and tough guy in Westerns. He took numerous supporting roles in television as his popularity in films waned. He guest-starred as baseball coach Whitey Martin in the 1956 episode "The Comeback" on Crossroads. He was cast as Gus Andrews and Miles Breck, respectively, in two episodes, titled "The time for All Good Men" (1957) and "King of the Frontier" (1958), on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, starring Hugh O'Brian.

In 1956, he played "Jed Lardner" (a callous cowboy who left his injured partner to die) in S2E15, "Pucket's New Year", on the TV Western Gunsmoke. In 1958, Withers portrayed wealthy rancher Sam Barton in the episode "The Return of Dr. Thackeray" of Have Gun—Will Travel. He also appeared in two other Have Gun—Will Travel episodes. That year, he played Charles Stewart Brent, owner of the Brent Building in Los Angeles, where Perry Mason had his office, and the defendant in the Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Gilded Lily."

In 1959, shortly before his death, Withers was cast in the episode "Feeling His Oats" on the children's Western series Fury, starring Peter Graves and Bobby Diamond. He also appeared that year as Sheriff Charlie Clayton in the episode "A Matter of Friendship" in John Bromfield's crime drama U.S. Marshal. His last film role was in the 1959 Roger Corman crime drama I Mobster. His last TV role, also in 1959, was as Ed Martin in "The Ringer" episode of the Rory Calhoun Western series The Texan.

In total, Withers appeared in some 200 film and television roles.

Personal life In 1930, he eloped to Yuma, Arizona, with 17-year-old actress Loretta Young. The marriage ended in annulment in 1931 just as their second movie together, titled Too Young to Marry, was released. Withers and Rodriguez were married in Reno on January 31, 1953, with John Wayne as best man. It was an unhappy union, and Withers and Rodriguez separated on September 23, 1954. Withers attempted suicide the next day. She sued for divorce on November 30, 1954.

Illness and death A noticeable weight gain became apparent in his films as his career progressed. In later years, back problems were among his health issues.

In failing health, Withers committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates on March 27, 1959, in his Hollywood apartment. He was 54. Withers left a suicide note that read: "Please forgive me, my family. I was so unhappy. It's better this way." He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1926 Fighting Hearts Tod Raleigh 1926 The Gentle Cyclone Wilkes Junior 1928 Golden Shackles Frank Fordyce 1928 Bringing Up Father Dennis 1929 The Time, the Place and the Girl Jim Crane 1929 The Greyhound Limited Bill 1929 In the Headlines Nosey Norton 1929 So Long Letty Harry Miller 1930 Soldiers and Women Captain Clive Branch 1930 The Other Tomorrow Jim Carter 1930 Sinner's Holiday Angel Harrigan 1931 Other Men's Women Bill White 1931 Swanee River Garry 1932 The Gambling Sex Bill Foster 1935 The Fighting Marines Cpl. Larry Lawrence 1935 The Test Brule Conway 1935 Skybound Chet Morley 1935 Goin' To Town Cowboy 1935 Rip Roaring Riley Major Gray 1936 The Arizona Raiders Monroe Adams 1937 Jungle Jim Jim 'Jungle Jim' Bradley Serial 1937 Bill Cracks Down "Tons" Walker 1937 Hollywood Round-Up Grant Drexel 1938 Mr. Wong – Mr. Wong, Detective Capt. William 'Bill' Street 1939 Mr. Wong – Mr. Wong in Chinatown Capt. William 'Bill' Street 1939 Daughter of the Tong Ralph Dickson 1939 Navy Secrets Steve Roberts 1940 Mr. Wong – Fatal Hour Capt. William 'Bill' Street 1940 Mr. Wong – Doomed to Die Capt. William 'Bill' Street 1940 Mr. Wong – Phantom of Chinatown Capt. William 'Bill' Street 1943 In Old Oklahoma Richardson 1943 Petticoat Larceny Detective Hogan 1944 The Fighting Seabees Whanger Spreckles 1944 The Yellow Rose of Texas Express Agent Lucas 1946 My Darling Clementine Ike Clanton 1947 Tycoon Fog Harris 1948 Fort Apache Silas Meacham 1948 Wake of the Red Witch Capt. Wilde Youngeur 1950 Bells of Coronado Craig Bennett 1950 Rio Grande Deputy Marshal 1952 Tropical Heat Wave Norman James 1953 Fair Wind to Java Jason Blue 1954 Jubilee Trail Maj. Lynden Uncredited 1955 Run for Cover Gentry 1955 Lady Godiva of Coventry Pendar 1956 The White Squaw Sheriff 1957 Hell's Crossroads Sheriff Steve Oliver 1957 The Last Stagecoach West Jack Fergus 1959 I Mobster Paul Moran