Charles McGraw

Acting

Charles McGraw

Born May 10, 1914 · Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Died July 29, 1980 · aged 66

Charles McGraw (born Charles Butters) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. He developed into a leading man, especially in film noir classics during the late 1940s and early 1950s. His gravelly voice and rugged looks enhanced his appeal in the noir stylistic genre and provided him many roles as cops, military officers, and the such.

Known For

SpartacusSpartacus · 1960
Spartacus
7.51960
MovieHistoryDrama
The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.
The BirdsThe Birds · 1963
The Birds
7.51963
MovieHorrorThriller
Thousands of birds flock into a seaside town and terrorize the residents in a series of deadly attacks.
Hang 'em HighHang 'em High · 1968
Hang 'em High
6.91968
MovieWesternDrama
Marshall Jed Cooper survives a hanging, vowing revenge on the lynch mob that left him dangling. To carry out his oath for vengeance, he returns to his former job as a lawman. Before long, he's caught up with the nine men on his hit list and starts dispensing his own brand of Wild West justice.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldIt's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World · 1963
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
7.01963
MovieAdventureComedy
A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.
The Night StalkerThe Night Stalker · 1972
The Night Stalker
6.91972
MovieMysteryHorror
Wisecracking reporter Carl Kolchak investigates a string of murders in Las Vegas and suspects the culprit is a vampire. His editor thinks he's crazy and the police think he's a nuisance, so Kolchak takes matters into his own hands.
Dead Men Don't Wear PlaidDead Men Don't Wear Plaid · 1982
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
6.61982
MovieComedyMystery
Juliet Forrest is convinced that the reported death of her father in a mountain car crash was no accident. Her father was a prominent cheese scientist working on a secret recipe. To prove it was murder, she enlists the services of private eye Rigby Reardon. He finds a slip of paper containing a list of people who are 'The Friends and Enemies of Carlotta'.
Johnny Got His GunJohnny Got His Gun · 1971
Johnny Got His Gun
7.51971
MovieWarDrama
A young American soldier, rendered in pseudocoma from an artillery shell from WWI, recalls his life leading up to that point.
The Defiant OnesThe Defiant Ones · 1958
The Defiant Ones
7.11958
MovieCrimeDrama
Two convicts—one white, one black—escape while chained to each other.

Filmography

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Mission: ImpossibleMission: Impossible · 1966
Mission: Impossible
7.61966
SeriesAction & AdventureCrime
Mission: Impossible is an American television series that was created and initially produced by Bruce Geller. It chronicles the missions of a team of secret government agents known as the Impossible Missions Force. In the first season, the team is led by Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill; Jim Phelps, played by Peter Graves, takes charge for the remaining seasons. A hallmark of the series shows Briggs or Phelps receiving his instructions on a recording that then self-destructs, followed by the theme music composed by Lalo Schifrin. The series aired on the CBS network from September 1966 to March 1973, then returned to television for two seasons on ABC, from 1988 to 1990, retaining only Graves in the cast. It later inspired a popular series of theatrical motion pictures starring Tom Cruise, beginning in 1996.
The Wild Wild WestThe Wild Wild West · 1965
The Wild Wild West
7.61965
SeriesAction & AdventureComedy
The Wild Wild West is an American television series. Developed at a time when the television western was losing ground to the spy genre, this show was conceived by its creator, Michael Garrison, as "James Bond on horseback." Set during the administration of President Ulysses Grant, the series followed Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon as they solved crimes, protected the President, and foiled the plans of megalomaniacal villains to take over all or part of the United States. The show also featured a number of fantasy elements, such as the technologically advanced devices used by the agents and their adversaries. The combination of the Victorian era time-frame and the use of Verne-esque style technology have inspired some to give the show credit for the origins of the steam punk subculture.
The DetectivesThe Detectives · 1959
The Detectives
6.71959
SeriesAction & AdventureDrama
The Detectives is an American crime drama series which ran on ABC during its first two seasons, and on NBC during its third and final season. The series, starring motion picture star Robert Taylor, was produced by Four Star Television. Captain Matt Holbrook (Robert Taylor) is head of the detective division of a large metropolitan police force—a man whose devotion to duty, professional brilliance, and quick judgment are reflected in his 20-year career on the force. His aides, Lt. Johnny Russo (Tige Andrews), Lt. Otto Lindstrom (Russ Thorson), and Sgt. Chris Ballard (Mark Goddard) form a team that is both proficient and warmly human. The stories stress the interrelationships between the men as well as the solutions to crimes and the apprehension of criminals, adding a dimension of human drama to the excitement, action, and suspense inherent in each story of the detectives' difficult, sometimes thankless, and frequently dangerous assignments.