Patrick Cranshaw

Joseph Patrick Cranshaw (June 17, 1919 – December 28, 2005) was an American character actor known for his distinctive look and deadpan humor. He is best known for one of his last roles, that of Joseph "Blue" Pulaski, a fraternity brother, in the 2003 film Old School. It had been said that this role helped him achieve "pop-culture status".

Early life Cranshaw was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and became interested in acting while entertaining American troops as a member of the Army Air Forces before World War II.

Career Cranshaw began his screen acting career in 1955 when he was 36 in the uncredited role of a bar tender at a dance in the western Texas Lady.

Despite an acting span of more than 40 years and some 102 appearances, Cranshaw's first credited film role came at the age of 41, in The Amazing Transparent Man (1960). Cranshaw's mild-mannered and gentlemanly demeanor led him to a number of roles as bank tellers, store managers, and grandfathers. His major credits include Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bandelero! (1968) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978), Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), Moving (1988), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Nothing to Lose (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Broken Vessels (1998), Best in Show (2000), Bubble Boy (2001), Old School (2003), My Boss's Daughter (2003), and Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005).

He also appeared in more than 50 television series, including Green Acres, Sanford and Son, Alice, AfterMASH, Little House on the Prairie, Mork & Mindy, The Dukes of Hazzard, Night Court, Growing Pains, Married... with Children, Coach, The Drew Carey Show, and Just Shoot Me!.

Death Cranshaw died of pneumonia at his Fort Worth, Texas home, aged 86. He is interred at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas County, Texas.

Months earlier his son Frederick "Freddy" Cranshaw had killed four people and himself in a shooting rampage at a church in Sash, Texas.

Selected filmography

The Amazing Transparent Man (1960) – Security Guard The Yesterday Machine (1963) – Confederate Soldier Under Age (1964) – W.J. Earnhardt Bonnie and Clyde (1967) – Bank Teller (uncredited) Bandolero! (1968) – Bank Clerk Green Acres (1970) – Old Man Adam-12 (1974) – Mr. Ferguson Nightmare Honeymoon (1974) – Old Bail Boy Sanford and Son (1976) – Bank Guard Slumber Party '57 (1976) – Store Owner Alice (1976–78) – Andy Thunder and Lightning (1977) – Taylor Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – Western Union Messenger Little House on the Prairie (1978–80) – Manuel Barton, Spokes Mork & Mindy (1978–82) – The Man in the Store, The Old Man, Jake Loomis The New Adventures of Wonder Woman (1979) – Codger The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–80) – Doctor, Doc Petticord The Private Eyes (1980) – Roy The Gong Show Movie (1980) – Man Dying in Elevator CHiPs (1980) – Carpenter Yes, Giorgio (1982) – Man on Gurney Diff'rent Strokes (1983–84) – Mr. Clemens, Old Man AfterMASH (1983) – Bob Scannell Highway to Heaven (1984) – Clark Night Court (1984–85) – Mr. MacNulty, Mr. Shelton Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) – Hobo Perfect Strangers (1986) – Street Person Growing Pains (1989) – Reverend Chuck MacGregor Married... with Children (1991) – Young Kit The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) – Reverend Mason The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) – Ancient Sorter Coach (1994) – Mr. Knickerbocker Everyone Says I Love You (1996) – Grandpa The Drew Carey Show (1997) – Gerald Thompson Nothing to Lose (1997) – Henry Broken Vessels (1998) – Gramps Almost Heroes (1998) – Jackson Just Shoot Me! (1998) – Cowboy Pete MVP: Most Valuable Primate (2000) – Ron Best in Show (2000) – Leslie Ward Cabot Bubble Boy (2001) – Pappy / Pippy MVP: Most Vertical Primate (2001) – Ron Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (2002) – Sheriff Bob Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002) – The Old Man Old School (2003) – Blue Air Bud: Spikes Back (2003) – Sheriff Bob My Boss's Daughter (2003) – Old Man Breakin' All the Rules (2004) – Mr. Lynch Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) – Jimmy D. Air Buddies (2006) – Sheriff Bob (final film role, posthumous release)