John Crawford

John Crawford (born Cleve Allen Richardson; September 13, 1920 – September 21, 2010) was an American actor. He appeared in a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone, called "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim", and in several Gunsmoke episodes. He had a key role in the 1975 film Night Moves, a crime thriller starring Gene Hackman. He also played the mayor of San Francisco in 1976's The Enforcer, the third Dirty Harry film featuring Clint Eastwood, as well as the Chief Engineer in Irwin Allen's classic 1972 box-office smash and disaster-film epic The Poseidon Adventure.

Life and career Crawford was born in Colfax, Washington, and studied at the School of Drama at the University of Washington. In films from the 1940s, Crawford appeared in bit parts for many years before playing leads in several films in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the lead antagonist in Hammer's noir film 'Hell Is A City' opposite Stanley Baker.

In 1960 in the UK, he appeared in Danger Man in the episode entitled "The Girl in the Pink Pajamas" as Dr. Keller.

When he returned to the United States, he played supporting roles in several films but was more prolific on TV in character roles, in scores of series such as State Trooper (in the episode "The Last Stage Robbery"), Gunsmoke (14 episodes between 1959 and 1974), The Twilight Zone, Combat!, The Fugitive, Harry O, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Wheels, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Incredible Hulk, The Time Tunnel, Mannix, Lost in Space, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, Hogan's Heroes, The Rockford Files and most notably as Sheriff Ep Bridges on CBS' The Waltons.

Crawford co-wrote the screenplay of the film The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970), directed by Sam Peckinpah. In addition to appearing with James Arness in 14 episodes of Gunsmoke, he was in two episodes of Arness' subsequent western series How the West Was Won (1976–79) and in two episodes of Arness' subsequent police detective series McClain's Law (1981–1982).

His other notable silver screen turns include the investigating State Trooper in I Saw What You Did (1965), the Chief Engineer in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Callahan in The Towering Inferno (1974), and as Brian Deering in The Boogens (1981).

Death Crawford died from a stroke eight days past his 90th birthday. According to Variety, he died in Newbury Park, California and was survived by his longtime companion and former wife, Ann Wakefield.

Selected filmography

Year Title Role Notes 1944 Thoroughbreds Uncredited 1945 The Phantom of 42nd Street John Carraby 1946 Without Reservations Soldier Uncredited 1946 The Time of Their Lives Dandy at Party Uncredited 1948 G-Men Never Forget Duke, Dictaphone Boobytrap Thug Serial; Ch. 5; Uncredited 1948 Dangers of the Canadian Mounted Danton, Henchman 1948 Sons of Adventure George Norton, Cameraman 1948 Adventures of Frank and Jesse James Amos Ramsey 1949 Ghost of Zorro Mulvaney Serial; Ch. 3, 4 1949 The James Brothers of Missouri Mr. Carson Uncredited 1949 Radar Patrol vs. Spy King Sands Serial; Chs. 7-8 1950 Chain Lightning Radio Operator Uncredited 1950 The Invisible Monster Harris 1950 The Asphalt Jungle Reporter Uncredited 1950 Mystery Street Reporter Uncredited 1950 Lonely Heart Bandits Stevedore 1950 Union Station Hackett Uncredited 1950 A Life of Her Own Photographer Uncredited 1950 Right Cross Photographer Uncredited 1950 Cyrano de Bergerac Cadet 1951 Cuban Fireball Photographer Uncredited 1951 Raton Pass Sam 1951 I Was A Communist for the FBI FBI Agent McGowan Uncredited 1951 Hollywood Story 1st Detective Uncredited 1951 Show Boat Hotel Clerk Uncredited 1951 The Red Badge of Courage Soldier Uncredited 1951 Honeychile Marvin McKay 1951 Man in the Saddle Isham Rider Uncredited 1951 Northwest Territory LeBeau 1952 The Greatest Show on Earth Jack, Circus Attendant Uncredited 1952 Scaramouche Vignon Uncredited 1952 Actor's and Sin Movie Hero Segment "Woman of Sin" 1952 Zombies of the Stratosphere Roth 1952 Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom Chuck 1952 Old Oklahoma Plains Chuck Ramsey 1952 The Ring Cop in Diner Uncredited 1952 Son of Geronimo: Apache Avenger Ace Devlin Serial; Chs. 1-9 1952 Invasion U.S.A. Man in Bar Uncredited 1952 Stop, You're Killing Me State Trooper Uncredited 1953 Star of Texas Texas Ranger Stockton 1953 Marshal of Cedar Rock Chris Peters, Henchman 1953 Salome Guard Uncredited 1953 Serpent of the Nile Captain Domitius 1953 Rebel City Joe Spencer 1953 Mission Over Korea Tech Sergeant Uncredited 1953 Conquest of Cochise Capt. Bill Uncredited 1953 The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd Capt. Kidd Chs. 1-13 1953 The Big Heat Al, Bannion's Brother-in-Law Uncredited 1953 Slaves of Babylon Avil, Belshazzar's Chief Soldier 1953 Prisoners of the Casbah Guard Uncredited 1953 Three Sailors and a Girl Shore Patrolman Uncredited 1953 Man Crazy Farmer 1954 Trader Tom of the China Seas Bill Gaines 1954 The Battle of Rogue River Capt. Richard Hillman 1954 Jesse James vs. the Daltons Gang Member Uncredited 1954 Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl Bonnett 1958 The Key American Captain 1958 Blind Spot Doctor 1958 Orders to Kill Maj. Kimball 1958 Intent to Kill Boyd 1958 Floods of Fear Jack Murphy 1959 John Paul Jones George Washington 1959 Solomon and Sheba Joab 1960 Hell Is a City Don Starling 1960 I Aim at the Stars Dr. Bosco White Sands, New Mexico 1960 Piccadilly Third Stop Joe Preedy 1960 The Man Who Was Nobody South Africa Smith 1960 Exodus Captain Hank Schlosberg 1961 The Impersonator Sgt. Jimmy Bradford 1961 The Long Shadow Kelly 1962 The 300 Spartans Agathon the Spartan Spy 1962 The Longest Day Col. Caffey Uncredited 1963 Come Fly with Me Co-Pilot 1963 Captain Sindbad Aram 1963 Jason and the Argonauts Polydeuces Uncredited 1963 The Victors U.S. Army Captain at rest area1963 "Combat!"German Sergeant Gunnar 1964 The Americanization of Emily Chief Petty Officer Paul Adams 1965 The Greatest Story Ever Told Alexander 1965 I Saw What You Did State Trooper 1966 Duel at Diablo Clay Dean 1967 Return of the Gunfighter Butch Cassidy 1967 The Galileo Seven Star Trek Episode 1969 The Ravine Captain Keller 1971 J. W. Coop Rancher 1972–1981 The Waltons Sheriff Ep Bridges TV Series 1972 Napoleon and Samantha Desk Sergeant 1972 Trouble Man Sergeant Koeppler 1972 The Poseidon Adventure Chief Engineer 1973 The Severed Arm Doctor Ray Sanders 1974 The Towering Inferno Callahan 1975 Night Moves Tom Iverson 1976 The Enforcer The Mayor 1977 Outlaw Blues Buzz Cavenaugh 1979 Tilt Mickey 1979 Hollywood Knight Josh 1979 Dreamer Riverboat Captain 1979 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again Captain Sherick 1981 Elvis and the Beauty Queen Vernon Presley 1981 The Boogens Brian Deering 1981 The Other Victim 1981 McClain's Law Salvi 1984 Yak's Best Ride Director 1989 Grave Secrets Homer