Russell Thorson

Russell Thorson
Born Delos Russell Thorson
(1906-10-14)October 14, 1906
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died July 6, 1982(1982-07-06) (aged 75)
Van Nuys, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1941-1978

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 1959-62 hit crime drama, The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor.[1][2]

Background

Delos Russell Thorson was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and his family moved to Montana when he was 12 years old.[2] In 1930, Thorson graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.[3][4]

Career

In the early 1940s, Thorson played Charles Meredith in Midstream on radio, replacing Hugh Studebaker when Studebaker had health problems.[4]

He starred in a later version ('49-'52) of the radio series, I Love a Mystery, as Jack Packard, alongside Jim Boles as Doc and Tony Randall as Reggy[5].

Thorson had small roles for film and television in Double Dynamite (1953), with Jane Russell 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.[6]

He appeared in guest-starring roles in such television series as Gilligan's Island, Tales of Wells Fargo, Trackdown, Wagon Train, 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, starring Jack Lord.[7]

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 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 TV Series
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
1963 Empire Austin TV Series
1963 Sam Benedict Thomas Morgan Uncredited
1963 It Happened at the World's Fair Sheriff Garland Uncredited
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 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
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
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)

References

  1. ↑ "The Detectives (1959)". tviv.org. 25 May 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Familiar Face". The Daily Telegram. February 13, 1960. p. 2. Retrieved July 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Thorson, Delos R ~ Missoula, Mt - Journalism". University of Montana Class of 1930. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Say Hello to ..." (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 14 (5): 45. September 1940. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Tune In Yesterday, John Dunning, 1976, Prentice-Hall.
  6. ↑ "Russell Thorson". The Perry Mason Database. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Russell Thorson". tviv.org/Guest Starring Roles. 25 May 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2016.

Other sources

  • Harmon, Jim (2003) Radio Mystery and Adventure and Its Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media (McFarland & Company) ISBN 978-0786418107
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