Ray Teal

Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor who appeared in more than 300 television shows and movies during his 40 year career. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the television series Bonanza (1959–1972), which was only one of dozens of sheriffs on television and in movies that he played during his long and prolific career stretching from 1937 to 1970. He appeared in pictures such as Western Jamboree with Gene Autry, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) with Fredric March and Myrna Loy, The Black Arrow (1948), Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole (1951) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) with Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster.

Early life Teal was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A saxophone player, he worked his way through the University of California, Los Angeles as a bandleader before becoming an actor.

Musical career In the early 1930s Teal and his orchestra, the Floridians, played in southern cities in the United States, with full-house audiences in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville, and other cities. The group had a 17-week stay at the Olympia Theater in Miami. Teal also was master of ceremonies at the Paramount Theatre in New York. By the mid-1930s he had expanded his show to include a "Music Hall Varieties" segment that featured comedian Ben Blue.

Acting career His longest-running role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee, a law-enforcing sheriff on Bonanza. Teal was one of the most senior members of the crew having a permanent role. He had also played a sheriff in the Billy Wilder film Ace in the Hole (1951). Teal co-starred in numerous TV westerns throughout his career: he appeared five times on Cheyenne, four times on The Lone Ranger, on The Alaskans, three times in different roles on another long-running western series, Wagon Train, on NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo, on the ABC western series Broken Arrow, five times on the ABC western comedy Maverick, on the CBS western series The Texan, the NBC western series The Californians, twice on Colt .45, once on Wanted: Dead or Alive, and as "Sheriff Clay" for a single 1960 episode of the NBC western series Riverboat, and four times on a western series about the rodeo titled Wide Country.

After more than 15 years performing in films and in early television, Teal secured a recurring role as a police officer in the 1953–1955 ABC sitcom with a variety-show theme, Where's Raymond?, later renamed The Ray Bolger Show.

In 1955, Teal appeared as McCanles, a ruthless cattle baron in the episode "Julesburg" of the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series, Cheyenne. Altogether, Teal appeared five times on Cheyenne. He later appeared in a guest-starring role in another ABC/WB Western series, The Alaskans. From 1957 to 1962, Teal was cast three times in different roles on the Western series, Wagon Train. He also appeared in a number of episodes of Bat Masterson, an episode of The Rifleman (S2 E6 "Eddie's Daughter" as Albie Finley in 1959) and later in Green Acres.

In 1957, Teal played a lawman, Captain McNelly, in the episode "Sam Bass" of NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo. Teal was cast as Fenster in "The Bounty Hunters" (1957) on the ABC Western series, Broken Arrow. In 1958, Teal guest-starred "No Tears for the Dead" on the CBS Western series, The Texan. He also later appeared in the CBS sitcom, Dennis the Menace.

On the Warner Bros. series Maverick starring James Garner and Jack Kelly, Teal played a crooked sheriff in the episode "The Day They Hanged Bret Maverick" (1958) and also starred as villains in the episodes "Stage West" (1957) based on a story by Louis L'amour and "Two Beggars on Horseback" (1958).

In 1960, Teal was cast as Sheriff Roy Coffee in Bonanza, a role he played until 1972, appearing in 98 episodes, occasionally as the lead character. He also portrayed judge/dentist/shoe repairman H.G. Cogswell in Bat Masterson starring Gene Barry.

Teal appeared twice in another ABC/WB Western, Colt .45, playing Mike O'Tara in the series finale, "The Trespassers" (1960). In 1960, he was cast as Sheriff Clay in the episode "Zigzag" of the NBC Western series Riverboat. In 1962, Teal portrayed Mr. Todd in the episode entitled "The Tall Shadow" of the NBC modern Western drama, Empire. That same year, he was cast as Sam Thorpe in the episode "Step Forward" of the NBC police drama 87th Precinct. He portrayed, in 1962, the character Alvin Greaves in "Unwanted: Dead or Alive" of the syndicated adventure series The Everglades. In 1962 and 1963, he was cast four times, three as the character Frank Higgins, on the Western series about the rodeo, Wide Country. In 1963, Teal appeared as murder victim Joe Downing in the CBS courtroom drama series Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Shifty Shoebox".

Teal was a bit-part player in Western films for several years before landing a minor role in Northwest Passage (1940). Another of his roles was as Little John in The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946). Notable film roles include playing one of the judges in Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) with Spencer Tracy and an indulgent bar owner to Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in The Wild One (1953). This was the second of three times that Teal appeared with Brando, having done so already as a drunk in Brando's debut in The Men (1950) and later in Brando's only directorial effort, One-Eyed Jacks (1961), as a bartender.

Teal appeared in three episodes of the 1955–1957 anthology series, Crossroads, a study of clergymen from different denominations.

Death He died of undisclosed causes on April 2, 1976, at age 74 in Santa Monica, California.

Selected filmography Year Film Role Director Notes 1937 Sweetheart of the Navy Orchestra Leader uncredited 1937 Radio Patrol Perkins Clifford Smith Serial; uncredited 1937 Zorro Rides Again Henchman [Chs. 2–3] John English Serial; uncredited 1938 Give Me a Sailor Sailor Playing Clarinet Elliott Nugent uncredited 1938 Western Jamboree McCall Ralph Staub 1939 Star Reporter Crook Howard Bretherton uncredited 1940 Northwest Passage Bradley McNeil uncredited 1940 Strange Cargo Guard Frank Borzage uncredited 1940 Viva Cisco Kid Stage Holdup Man Norman Foster uncredited 1940 Florian Soldier John E. Burch (assistant) uncredited 1940 New Moon Bondsman W. S. Van Dyke uncredited 1940 Adventures of Red Ryder Henchman Shark [Chs. 1as2] John English Serial 1940 I Love You Again Watchman W.S. Van Dyke uncredited 1940 Prairie Schooners Wolf Tanner Sam Nelson 1940 Cherokee Strip Smokey Lovell Lesley Selander 1940 Third Finger, Left Hand Cameraman in Ohio Robert Z. Leonard uncredited 1940 The Trail Blazers Recognizes Emergency Code George Sherman uncredited 1940 Melody Ranch Henchman Joseph Santley uncredited 1940 Pony Post Claud Richards 1940 Trail of the Vigilantes Deputy Sheriff uncredited 1940 The Green Hornet Strikes Again! Chief Guard at Steel Mill John Rawlins Serial; uncredited 1940 Kitty Foyle Clarinet Player Sam Wood uncredited 1941 Outlaws of the Panhandle Walt Burnett 1941 Ziegfeld Girl Pawnbroker Robert Z. Leonard uncredited 1941 Billy the Kid Sammy Axel David Miller uncredited 1941 They Met in Bombay Private Clarence Brown uncredited 1941 Sergeant York Marching Soldier Howard Hawks uncredited 1941 Honky Tonk Poker Player on Train Jack Conway uncredited 1941 They Died with Their Boots On Barfly Raoul Walsh uncredited 1941 Shadow of the Thin Man Cab Driver W. S. Van Dyke uncredited 1941 Unholy Partners Waiter Mervyn LeRoy uncredited 1942 Don Winslow of the Navy Saboteur Radio Operator [Chs. 4–12] Ray Taylor Serial; uncredited 1942 The Bugle Sounds Sergeant S. Sylvan Simon uncredited 1942 Nazi Agent Officer Graves Jules Dassin uncredited 1942 Wild Bill Hickok Rides Beadle Ray Enright Credits 1942 Woman of the Year Married Sports Reporter George Stevens uncredited 1942 Captain Midnight Borgman- Henchman #8 James W. Horne Serial 1942 Fingers at the Window Police Car #12 Driver Charles Lederer uncredited 1942 The Big Shot Motorcycle Cop Lewis Seiler uncredited 1942 Calling Dr. Gillespie Detroit Policeman Harold S. Bucquet uncredited 1942 Escape from Crime Dude's Gang Member D. Ross Lederman uncredited 1942 Secret Enemies Casey, the Motorcycle Cop Benjamin Stoloff uncredited 1942 Overland Mail Phony Indian [Ch. 5] John Rawlins Serial; uncredited 1942 Apache Trail Ed Cotton Richard Rosson with Lloyd Nolan and Donna Reed 1942 Northwest Rangers Poker Player uncredited 1942 Tennessee Johnson Sergeant at Arms William Dieterle uncredited 1943 The Youngest Profession Second Taxi Driver Edward Buzzell uncredited 1943 Prairie Chickens Henchman Sam Hal Roach, Jr. uncredited 1943 Slightly Dangerous Pedestrian Lifting Peggy Up Buster Keaton uncredited 1943 She Has What It Takes Cop Charles Barton uncredited 1943 A Gentle Gangster Joe Barton Phil Rosen 1943 Crime Doctor Detective with Pipe Michael Gordon uncredited 1943 Thousands Cheer Ringmaster at Circus George Sidney uncredited 1943 Dangerous Blondes Detective Charlie Temple Leigh Jason uncredited 1943 The Chance of a Lifetime Policeman Joe William Castle uncredited 1943 The North Star German Soldier with Binoculars and Grenade Lewis Milestone uncredited 1943 The Heat's On Stagehand Gregory Ratoff uncredited 1943 Madame Curie Driver Mervyn LeRoy uncredited 1943 Lost Angel Guard Roy Rowland uncredited 1943 Whistling in Brooklyn Traded Beaver Baseball Player S. Sylvan Simon uncredited 1944 None Shall Escape Oremski Andre de Toth 1944 Song of Russia Motorcycle Rider uncredited 1944 See Here, Private Hargrove Public Relations Officer Wesley Ruggles uncredited 1944 Once Upon a Time Shipyard Worker Alexander Hall uncredited 1944 Bathing Beauty Adams Club Maitre d' at George Sidney uncredited 1944 Raiders of Ghost City Joe Burke Ray Taylor uncredited 1944 U-Boat Prisoner C.P.O. Shaw uncredited 1944 Wing and a Prayer Executive Officer Henry Hathaway uncredited 1944 Secret Command Shipyard Worker A. Edward Sutherland (as Eddie Sutherland) uncredited 1944 Maisie Goes to Reno Policeman Harry Beaumont uncredited 1944 Cry of the Werewolf Policeman Ed Henry Levin uncredited 1944 The Soul of a Monster Truck Driver uncredited 1944 Strange Affair Henchman Alfred E. Green uncredited 1944 An American Romance Mine Personnel Clerk King Vidor uncredited 1944 The Missing Juror Chief of Detectives at Line-Up Budd Boetticher(as Oscar Boetticher Jr.) uncredited 1944 The Princess and the Pirate Guard David Butler uncredited 1944 The Thin Man Goes Home Second Man Outside Barber Shop Richard Thorpe uncredited 1944 Nothing But Trouble Police Officer Sam Taylor uncredited 1944 Hollywood Canteen Army Captain Delmer Daves uncredited 1944 Gentle Annie Expressman on Train Andrew Marton uncredited 1945 Main Street After Dark Cop at Finale Edward L. Cahn uncredited 1945 Keep Your Powder Dry Camouflage Leader Edward Buzzell uncredited 1945 The Clock Police Officer Standing Next to Mounted Policeman Vincente Minnelli uncredited 1945 Sudan Slave Trader John Rawlins uncredited 1945 Circumstantial Evidence Policeman John Larkin 1945 Diamond Horseshoe Tough Customer at Footlight Club George Seaton uncredited 1945 Back to Bataan Lieutenant Colonel Roberts Edward Dmytryk uncredited 1945 Wonder Man Opera Ticket Taker H. Bruce Humberstone uncredited 1945 Along Came Jones Kriendler Stuart Heisler with Gary Cooper and Loretta Young 1945 Anchors Aweigh Assistant Movie Director George Sidney uncredited 1945 Ziegfeld Follies 2nd Subway Policeman ('Limehouse Blues') George Sidney uncredited 1945 Shady Lady Andy George Waggner uncredited 1945 Don't Fence Me In State Investigator John English uncredited 1945 Snafu American Legionnaire uncredited 1945 Captain Kidd Michael O'Shawn Rowland V. Lee uncredited 1945 Adventure Maritime Commissioner Victor Fleming uncredited 1946 The Fighting Guardsman Albert Henry Levin uncredited 1946 The Harvey Girls Conductor Robert Alton uncredited 1946 A Letter for Evie Cab Driver Jules Dassin uncredited 1946 The Bandit of Sherwood Forest Little John George Sherman 1946 Blonde Alibi Detective Jones Will Jason uncredited 1946 The Runaround Jeremiah P. Cagan Charles Lamont uncredited 1946 Dangerous Business Plainclothesman D. Ross Lederman uncredited 1946 Deadline for Murder Frank James Tinling uncredited 1946 Strange Voyage Captain Andrews Irving Allen 1946 The Missing Lady Neal Howison Phil Karlson uncredited 1946 Decoy Policeman at Roadblock Jack Bernhard uncredited 1946 Three Wise Fools Foreman Edward Buzzell uncredited 1946 The Strange Woman Duncan Edgar G. Ulmer uncredited 1946 Lady Luck Sign Painter Edwin L. MarinJames Anderson (assistant) uncredited 1946 The Best Years of Our Lives Mr. Mollett William Wyler 1946 Till the Clouds Roll By Movie Studio Orchestra Conductor Richard Whorf uncredited 1947 Dead Reckoning Motorcycle Cop uncredited 1947 The Michigan Kid Sergeant Ray Taylor 1947 Ramrod Ed Burma Andre de Toth 1947 The Sea of Grass Cattleman Elia Kazan uncredited 1947 Undercover Maisie Wolf at Union Station Harry Beaumont uncredited 1947 Pursued Army Captain Raoul Walsh scenes deleted 1947 My Favorite Brunette State Trooper Sergeant Elliott Nugent uncredited 1947 The Long Night Mr. Hudson Anatole Litvak uncredited 1947 Cheyenne Gambler Raoul Walsh uncredited 1947 Northwest Outpost Wounded Trapper Allan Dwan uncredited 1947 Brute Force Guard Jules Dassin uncredited 1947 Desert Fury Bus Driver Lewis Allen uncredited 1947 Deep Valley Prison Official Jean Negulesco uncredited 1947 Driftwood Clem Perkins Allan Dwan 1947 Unconquered Soldier in the Gilded Beaver Cecil B. DeMille uncredited 1947 Louisiana 1947 The Fabulous Texan State Police Captain Edward Ludwig uncredited 1947 Roses Are Red Weston James Tinling uncredited 1947 High Wall Police Lieutenant Curtis Bernhardt uncredited 1947 Road to Rio Buck Norman McLeod uncredited 1947 Killer McCoy Welsh's Bodyguard Roy Rowland uncredited 1948 The Swordsman Driver Joseph H. Lewis uncredited 1948 Black Bart Pete George Sherman uncredited 1948 Tenth Avenue Angel Mounted Train Yard Guard Roy Rowland uncredited 1948 The Mating of Millie Mike Henry Levin uncredited 1948 The Miracle of the Bells Koslick, a Miner Irving Pichel uncredited 1948 The Black Arrow Nick Appleyard 1948 Fury at Furnace Creek Sergeant H. Bruce Humberstone uncredited 1948 Raw Deal Police Commanding Officer Anthony Mann uncredited 1948 I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes Guard #1 William Nigh 1948 Hazard Plainclothesman George Marshall uncredited 1948 Daredevils of the Clouds Jim Mitchell George Blair 1948 The Man from Colorado Bartender Henry Levin uncredited 1948 Walk a Crooked Mile Police Sergeant Gordon Douglas uncredited 1948 Black Eagle George Robert Gordon uncredited 1948 The Snake Pit Doctor Anatole Litvak uncredited 1948 Road House Bus Depot (uncredited) Jean Negulesco with Ida Lupino and Richard Widmark) 1948 Joan of Arc Bertrand de Poulengy Victor Fleming a squire 1948 The Countess of Monte Cristo Charlie Fred de CordovaAndrew L. Stone (uncredited) 1948 An Act of Murder Dr. McDermott Michael Gordon uncredited 1948 Whispering Smith Seagrue Leslie Fenton 1948 One Sunday Afternoon Cop on Bike Raoul Walsh uncredited 1949 Bad Boy Police Officer Kurt Neumann uncredited 1949 Streets of Laredo Henchman Cantrel Leslie Fenton 1949 It Happens Every Spring Policeman Lloyd Bacon uncredited 1949 Kazan McCready Will Jason 1949 The Great Gatsby Cop at Accident Scene Elliott Nugent uncredited 1949 Mr. Soft Touch Squad Car Police Officer Henry Levin uncredited 1949 Scene of the Crime Patrolman Roy Rowland uncredited 1949 Blondie Hits the Jackpot Gus Edward Bernds uncredited 1949 Once More, My Darling Truck Driver Robert Montgomery 1949 Rusty's Birthday Virgil Neeley Seymour Friedman 1949 Oh, You Beautiful Doll Policeman John M. Stahl uncredited 1949 Samson and Delilah Tax Collector Cecil B. DeMille uncredited 1950 Davy Crockett, Indian Scout Captain McHale Lew Landers 1950 Ambush Captain J.R. Wolverson Sam Wood 1950 Gun Crazy California Border Inspector Joseph H. Lewis uncredited 1950 The Kid from Texas Sheriff Rand Kurt Neumann 1950 Quicksand Motorcycle Officer Irving Pichel 1950 Harbor of Missing Men Frank Leggett R. G. Springsteen 1950 Winchester '73 Marshall Noonan Anthony Mann uncredited 1950 The Asphalt Jungle Cop in Car Barn Slugged by Dix John Huston uncredited 1950 Where Danger Lives Sheriff Joe Borden John Farrow uncredited 1950 The Men Man at Bar Fred Zinnemann 1950 Our Very Own Mr. Jim Lynch David Miller 1950 Edge of Doom Ned Moore Mark Robson 1950 No Way Out Day Deputy in Hospital Prison Ward Joseph L. Mankiewicz uncredited 1950 The Petty Girl Policeman #1 Henry Levin uncredited 1950 When You're Smiling Steve Joseph Santley 1950 Convicted Cell Block / Yard Guard Henry Levin uncredited 1950 Southside 1-1000 Bunco Agent Boris Ingster 1951 The Great Missouri Raid Union Sergeant Gordon Douglas uncredited 1951 Oh! Susanna Corporal at Gate Joseph Kane uncredited 1951 The Redhead and the Cowboy Brock Leslie Fenton 1951 Along the Great Divide Deputy Lou Gray Raoul Walsh 1951 Home Town Story Complaining Electrical Worker Arthur Pierson uncredited 1951 Lorna Doone Farmer Ridd Phil Karlson uncredited 1951 Ace in the Hole Sheriff Gus Kretzer Billy Wilder 1951 Fort Worth Gabe Clevenger Edwin L. Marin 1951 The Secret of Convict Lake Sheriff Cromwell Michael Gordon uncredited 1951 Tomorrow Is Another Day Henry Dawson Felix E. Feist 1951 Distant Drums Private Mohair Raoul Walsh 1952 The Wild North Ruger Andrew Marton 1952 Flaming Feather Coconino County Sheriff Ray Enright uncredited 1952 The Captive City Chief Gillette Robert Wise 1952 The Lion and the Horse Dave Tracy Louis King 1952 Jumping Jacks Brigadier General W.W. Timmons Norman Taurog with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis 1952 Carrie Bondsman William Wyler 1952 Cattle Town Judd Hastings Noel M. Smith 1952 Montana Belle Emmett Dalton Allan Dwan 1952 The Turning Point Clint, Police Captain William Dieterle 1952 Hangman's Knot Quincey Roy Huggins 1953 Ambush at Tomahawk Gap Doc Fred F. Sears 1953 The Wild One Frank Bleeker László Benedek 1954 The Command Dr. Trent David Butler 1954 Lucky Me Thayer Crony Jack Donohue uncredited 1954 About Mrs. Leslie Barney Daniel Mann 1954 Rogue Cop Patrolman Mullins Roy Rowland 1955 Rage at Dawn Sheriff of Seymour Tim Whelan with Randolph Scott and Mala Powers 1955 The Man from Bitter Ridge Shep Bascom Jack Arnold 1955 Run for Cover Sheriff Nicholas Ray 1955 Apache Ambush Sergeant Tim O'Roarke Fred F. Sears 1955 The Desperate Hours State Police Lieutenant Fredericks William Wyler with Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March 1956 The Indian Fighter Morgan Andre de Toth with Kirk Douglas and Walter Matthau 1956 Canyon River Mr. Reed Harmon Jones uncredited 1956 The Burning Hills Joe Sutton Stuart Heisler 1956 The Young Guns Josh Albert Band uncredited 1957 Utah Blaine Russ Nevers Fred F. Sears 1957 The Big Caper Real Estate Broker Robert Stevens uncredited 1957 The Phantom Stagecoach Sheriff Ned Riorden Ray Nazarro 1957 The Guns of Fort Petticoat Salt Pork George Marshall with Audie Murphy and Kathryn Grant Crosby 1957 The Oklahoman Jason Stableman Francis D. Lyon with Joel McCrea 1957 Band of Angels Mr. Calloway Raoul Walsh with Clark Gable and Sidney Poitier 1957 The Wayward Girl Sheriff Lesley Selander 1957 Decision at Sundown Morley Chase Budd Boetticher with Randolph Scott 1957 The Tall Stranger Cap Thomas Carr 1958 Saddle the Wind Brick Larson Robert Parrish 1958 Gunman's Walk Jensen Sieverts Phil Karlson 1958 Girl on the Run Lieutenant Harper 1960 Home from the Hill Dr. Reuben Carson Vincente Minnelli 1960 Inherit the Wind Jessie H. Dunlap Stanley Kramer with Spencer Tracy and Fredric March 1961 Posse from Hell Banker Herbert Coleman 1961 The Absent-Minded Professor Man in Street Interviewee Robert Stevenson uncredited 1961 One-Eyed Jacks Barney Marlon Brando 1961 Ada Sheriff Kearney Smith Daniel Mann uncredited 1961 Judgment at Nuremberg Judge Curtiss Ives Stanley Kramer with Spencer Tracy 1962 A Girl Named Tamiko Kyle Munce John Sturges 1963 Cattle King Ed Winters Tay Garnett 1964 Bullet for a Badman Sweeper R.G. Springsteen 1964 Taggart Ralph Taggart R. G. Springsteen 1970 The Liberation of L.B. Jones Chief of Police William Wyler 1970 Chisum Justice J.B. Wilson Andrew V. McLaglen

Television