James Nusser

James Nusser (May 3, 1905 – June 8, 1979) was an American film and television actor. He was best known for playing the recurring role of town drunk Louis Pheeters in the American western television series Gunsmoke from 1961 to 1970.

Nusser guest-starred in numerous television programs including I Married Joan, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, Bat Masterson, The Fugitive, The Virginian, The Wild Wild West, Mannix and Cannon. He also appeared in films such as Bonzo Goes to College, One Girl's Confession, It Should Happen to You, Hell Canyon Outlaws, The Rare Breed, Hillbillys in a Haunted House, Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?, Hail, Hero! and Cahill U.S. Marshal.

Nusser died on June 8, 1979, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 74. He was buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.

Filmography

Film

Television Year Title Role Notes1951 Space Patrol Ben season 1 episode 34 ("The Underwater Hideout")1952 Chevron Theatre season 1 episode 11 ("Poor Miss Emmie")1953 I Led 3 Lives Captain Norton season 1 episode 7 ("Army Infiltration")The Ford Television Theatre season 5 episode 14 ("Alias Nora Hale")1954–1955 I Married Joan miscellaneous roles 2 episodes (seasons 2–3)1954–1958 The Lineup Willie Martin 5 episodes (seasons 1, 4)1955–1956 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars miscellaneous roles 2 episodes (seasons 4–5)1955 TV Reader's Digest Harry Griffin season 1 episode 9 ("The American Master Counterfeiters")The Man Behind the Badge Coroner season 2 episode 21 ("The Case of the Unwelcome Stranger")Sergeant Preston of the Yukon Captain Whitman season 1 episode 14 ("The Mad Wolf of Lost Canyon")1956–1970 Gunsmoke miscellaneous roles 5 episodes credited (seasons 1–6)Louie Pheeters recurring character; 69 episodes credited (seasons 7–15)1956 The Star and the Story season 2 episode 22 ("The Lonely Ones")Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre Cab Driver season 2 episode 7 ("No More Tears")Dragnet season 6 episode 13 ("The Big Handcuffs")1957 Broken Arrow Al Perkins season 1 episode 17 ("The Missionaries")Dr. Christian McKnight season 1 episode 21 ("Mother's Boy")Perry Mason Judge season 1 episode 12 ("The Case of the Negligent Nymph")1958 The Court of Last Resort Judge season 1 episode 25 ("The Todd–Loomis Case")The Texan Shanks season 1 episode 4 ("The First Notch")1959 Peter Gunn Bartender season 1 episode 36 ("Vendetta")1960–1961 Bat Masterson miscellaneous roles 2 episodes (seasons 2–3)1960 This Man Dawson season 1 episode 24 ("Accessory to Murder")Riverboat Hotel Clerk season 2 episode 9 ("The Quota")1961 Mrs. G. Goes to College Telephone Man season 1 episode 13 ("Mrs. G.'s Private Telephone")1962 Ben Casey Burleigh Hanks season 1 episode 15 ("Imagine a Long Bright Corridor")Target: The Corruptors! Stickface's Accomplice season 1 episode 26 ("A Man's Castle")1963 Temple Houston Flytrap season 1 episode 10 ("Billy Hart")1965 The Fugitive Smiley season 2 episode 28 ("A.P.B.")The Long, Hot Summer Pliny season 1 episode 7 ("No Hiding Place")1966 The Road West Amos season 1 episode 3 ("The Gunfighter")1967–1968 The Virginian miscellaneous roles 3 episodes (seasons 6–7)1967 Cimarron Strip Judge Homer Padgett season 1 episode 10 ("Till the End of Night")The Wild Wild West Reeves season 3 episode 12 ("The Night of the Legion of Death")1968 The Outsider Thin Man season 1 episode 10 ("I Can't Hear You Scream")1969 Then Came Bronson Ben Crosswell season 1 episode 2 ("The Old Motorcycle Fiasco")1970 The Wonderful World of Disney Ben Forrester season 16 episodes 18–19("Menace on the Mountain: Parts 1 and 2")The Mod Squad Gus season 3 episode 2 ("See the Eagles Dying")1972 The Waltons Jake the Junkman season 1 episode 4 ("The Hunt")1976 Cannon Ryan season 5 episode 16 ("The Reformer")