Russell Thorson

Russell Thorson (October 14, 1906 – July 6, 1982 ) was an American actor, perhaps best known for his co-starring role as Det. Lt. Otto Lindstrom in ABC's 1959–1962 hit crime drama, The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor.

Background Thorson was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and his family moved to Montana when he was 12 years old.

Career In the early 1940s, Thorson played Charles Meredith in Midstream on radio, replacing Hugh Studebaker when Studebaker had health problems. His other radio parts included the title roles in The Tom Mix Ralston Straightshooters and Dr. Paul and Bart Friday in Adventures by Morse. He was also a member of the cast of Family Skeleton. In 1955, he began portraying Paul Barbour on the radio version of One Man's Family after having had the same role in the TV version of the program.

Thorson had small roles for film and television in Double Dynamite (1951), with Jane Russell, Groucho Marx and Frank Sinatra, Dangerous Mission (1954). He has also appeared in several classic movies, including Johnny Concho (1956), 36 Hours (1965), The Stalking Moon (1968), and Walking Tall (1973).

Most of his career was spent on television. He is best remembered for playing the role of Det. Lt. Otto Lindstrom in The Detectives from 1959 to 1961. He made four guest appearances on CBS's Perry Mason, including three episodes during the first two seasons from 1958 to 1959.

He appeared in guest-starring roles in such television series as Maverick (as the stalwart Marshal Walt Hardie in a James Garner episode titled "Day of Reckoning"), Gilligan's Island, Tales of Wells Fargo, Trackdown, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke (as Mr. Brady in “Chester’s Mail Order Bride” - 1956), Lassie, Peyton Place, and The Virginian, and is also known for his role as a ship captain in "Cocoon", the pilot episode of CBS's original Hawaii Five-O with Jack Lord.

Filmography + Film Year Title Role Notes 1949 Easy Living Hunk Edwards (as Russ Thorson) 1951 Double Dynamite Tailman (as Russ Thorson) 1954 Dangerous Mission Radio Operator Uncredited 1956 Please Murder Me Trial judge (as Russ Thorson) 1956 Hot Rod Girl Detective Captain 1956 Gunsmoke (S1E21) Mr. Bowers (as Russ Thorson) 1956 Johnny Concho Sheriff Uncredited 1957 The Gray Ghost Greene TV series 1957 Destination 60,000 Dan Maddox 1957 Sheriff of Cochise Willis TV series 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Dr. Rhody Season 2 Episode 35: "The West Warlock Time Capsule" 1957 Undersea Girl Commander Watkins Uncredited 1957 Zero Hour! Vancouver Flight Dispatcher 1957 Have Gun – Will Travel Col. Harrison TV series 1957–1958 Sugarfoot Jim Travis / Sheriff TV series 1957–1958 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Judge / Mason / Walter Harrison TV series 1957–1962 Tales of Wells Fargo Wells Fargo Manager TV series 1958 Gun Fever Thomas Rand 1958 Cowboy Cattle Buyer Uncredited 1958 The True Story of Lynn Stuart Man at Coroner's Inquest Uncredited 1958 Run Silent, Run Deep Submarine Crewman Uncredited 1958 Gunman's Walk Cattleman Uncredited 1958 Jefferson Drum Bert Temple TV series 1958 When Hell Broke Loose Col. Crandall Uncredited 1958 Tarawa Beachhead Casey Nelson 1958 I Want to Live! San Quentin Sgt. 1958 The Texan Sheriff TV series 1958 Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman Prof. Philip Osborne 1959 Good Day for a Hanging Harry Landers 1959 Trackdown Dr. Aaron Hosper / Sheriff Jesse Jackson TV series 1959 The Last Angry Man Bennett – City Editor of New York Mirror Uncredited 1959 Battle of the Coral Sea Adm. Gibney Uncredited 1959–1961 The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor Det. Lt. Otto Lindstrom TV series 1960 Gunfighters of Abilene Marshal Wilkinson 1960 The Man from Blackhawk Perry TV series 1960 The Music Box Kid Margaret's Father Uncredited 1960 Wanted Dead or Alive (TV series)The Sheriff season 2 episode 19 (The Monster) 1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Deputy Sheriff Geary Season 1 Episode 17: "Forecast: Low Clouds and Coastal Fog" 1963 Gunsmoke Pa Willis TV series (S9E13) 1963 Empire Austin TV series 1963 Sam Benedict Thomas Morgan Uncredited 1963 It Happened at the World's Fair Sheriff Garland Uncredited 1963 The Virginian Sheriff Stan Evans TV series episode "Echo of Another Day" 1963 The Virginian Sheriff Tybee TV series 1963 The Lieutenant Sallaway Sr. TV series 1963 Temple Houston Red Gilman TV series 1964 The Greatest Show on Earth Hickey TV series 1964 Where Love Has Gone Mayor Barrett Uncredited 1964 36 Hours General Allison 1965 The Virginian Ollie TV series 1965 Lassie Doc Reynolds (veterinarian) TV series 1965 Two on a Guillotine Mr. Carmichael, Val's editor 1965 My Blood Runs Cold Sheriff 1966 The Plainsman Marshal Hart Uncredited 1967 A Covenant with Death Dr. Shilling 1967 The Invaders Sheriff TV series – episode "The Enemy" 1968 Cimarron Strip Hank Marlin TV series 1967–1968 Peyton Place William Kennerly TV series 1968 Hang 'Em High Maddow, Cooper Hanging Party 1968 The Stalking Moon Ned 1969 The Big Valley Otis Clark TV series 1969 The Learning Tree Judge Cavanaugh 1970 The F.B.I. Derelict TV series 1970 The Virginian (TV series)Josh Dorcassaison 8 episode 23 (Rich man, poor man) 1971 Mission Impossible Warden TV series episode "Nerves" 1973 Walking Tall Ferrin Meaks 1973 Police Story Dana TV series 1975 Guilty or Innocent: The Sam Sheppard Murder Case Judge Edwards TV movie 1977 Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected Scottie TV series 1978 The Rockford Files Arthur Kenner TV series, (final appearance)