Lyle Bettger

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

0.7465

Gender

Male

Birthday

13-Feb-1915

Age

(111 years old)

Place of Birth

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Also Known As
  • Lyle Stathem Bettger

Lyle Bettger

Biography

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lyle S. Bettger (February 13, 1915 – September 24, 2003) was a character actor known most for his Hollywood roles from the 1950s, typically portraying villains. He is perhaps most recognisable as the wrathfully jealous elephant handler Klaus from the Oscar winning film The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lyle was the son of Frank Bettger, who was an infielder for the St Louis Cardinals. An enthusiastic fan of cinema, Lyle left school in his late teens with the ambition of becoming an actor. Bettger graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. His theatrical debut was in Brother Rat at the Biltmore Theatre in New York City in 1936. After a period languishing in small-time theatre he landed the lead role in the Broadway production of The Flying Gerardos in 1940. When Paramount sent a talent scout to see the show, Bettger was signed on a three-year contract. Bettger's movie career began when he was cast as the lead in the film noir No Man of Her Own (1950). He soon became a regular on the set of Westerns such as Denver and Rio Grande (1952), The Great Sioux Uprising (1953), Drums Across the River (1954), The Lone Ranger (1956) and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). Lyle developed a reputation for playing the bad guy and excelled in villainous roles such as the menacing Joe Beacom in Union Station (1950) and the cold-blooded Nazi Chief Officer Kirchner in The Sea Chase (1955). Bettger also made many appearances in dramatic roles on television, starring in the 1957 series The Court of Last Resort as well as guesting on Hawaii Five-O, Rawhide, The Rifleman, Bonanza and The Time Tunnel. Lyle was married to Mary Rolfe (1940–1996) until her death. They had three children: Lyle Jr., Frank and Paula. He was also survived by a sister, Lee Morgan. Lyle Bettger died on September 24, 2003 in San Luis Obispo County, California. Description above from the Wikipedia article Lyle Bettger, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


Credits

M Station: Hawaii M Station: Hawaii (1980) Character: Adm. Lincoln
In this unsold pilot, the US government hires a salvage team to recover a sunken Russian submarine, heightening Cold War tensions.
Destry Destry (1954) Character: Phil Decker
Western remake of "Destry Rides Again", starring Audie Murphy, Mari Blanchard, Thomas Mitchell, Lori Nelson and Lyle Bettger.
Town Tamer Town Tamer (1965) Character: Lee Ring
A gunfighter is hired to clean up a wild frontier town, but there are forces afoot who want to keep the town as wide-open as it is. Lyle Bettger, Bruce Cabot and Richard Jaeckel co-star as the lawless bad guys in this Western based on a novel by Frank Gruber.
The Fastest Guitar Alive The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967) Character: Charlie
Confederate super-spy Johnny and his partner in crime Steve travel to San Francisco near the end of the Civil War, masquerading, respectively, as a singer/guitar instructor and a magic-elixir vendor. Once there, Johnny dons a fake wig, beard and mustache, and steals Union gold to bring back to the South, aided by a guitar that doubles as a gun.
Impasse Impasse (1969) Character: Hansen
Adventurers search for World War II gold in the Philippines.
Guns of the Timberland Guns of the Timberland (1960) Character: Clay Bell
Logger Jim Hadley and his lumberjack crew are looking for new forest to cut. They locate a prime prospect outside the town of Deep Wells. The residents of Deep Wells led by Laura Riley are opposed to the felling of the trees, believing that losing them would cause mudslides during the heavy rains. Conflict between the town's residents and the loggers is inevitable.
Gundown at Sandoval Gundown at Sandoval (1959) Character: N/A
In this exciting western, cowpoke Texas John Slaughter rides out for revenge against the man who killed his friend. He heads for Sandoval, a notorious outlaw lair. Horses gallop, guns blaze, and mayhem ensues.
Dear Brat Dear Brat (1951) Character: Baxter
Mirian Wilkins, the teenage daughter of Senator Wilkins, starts a Society for the Rehabilitation of Criminals and, without the approval or knowledge of her father, elects him to the position of honorary president. When the family's new gardener, Baxter, turns out to be a notorious ex-convict who was sentenced to prison by Senator Wilkins when he was a judge, Wilkins considers firing him until his daughter points out that would be an unwise decision considering the position her father held on society.
Nevada Smith Nevada Smith (1966) Character: Jack Rudabough
Nevada Smith is the young son of an Indian mother and white father. When his father is killed by three men over gold, Nevada sets out to find them and kill them. The boy is taken in by a gun merchant. The gun merchant shows him how to shoot and to shoot on time and correct.
No Man of Her Own No Man of Her Own (1950) Character: Stephen Morley
A penniless pregnant woman adopts the identity of a rich woman killed in a train crash.
All I Desire All I Desire (1953) Character: Dutch Heineman
In 1910, a stage actress re-visits her husband and children she deserted ten years ago.
Drums Across the River Drums Across the River (1954) Character: Frank Walker
When whites hunger after the gold on Ute Indian land, a bigoted young man finds himself forced into a peacekeeping role.
The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger (1956) Character: Reece Kilgore
The territorial governor asks the Lone Ranger to investigate mysterious raids on settlers by Indians who ride with saddles. Wealthy rancher Reese Kilgore wants to mine silver on Spirit Mountain which is sacred to the Indians.
The Great Sioux Uprising The Great Sioux Uprising (1953) Character: Stephen Cook
During the Civil War, in Wyoming, horse dealers Joan Britton and Stephen Cook are competing to supply the Union Army with horses. A Cherokee is in the area to stir up the Sioux against the Union just as Cook decides to steal a herd of Sioux horses. Ex-army doctor Jonathan Westgate opposes Cook’s unscrupulous methods as well as being Cook’s rival for the affections of Joan. It seems Westgate is the only one able to prevent a new Indian war.
Forbidden Forbidden (1953) Character: Justin Keit
Eddie Darrow, seeking a mobster's widow in Macao, gets involved in a casino owner's affairs.
Showdown at Abilene Showdown at Abilene (1956) Character: Dave Mosely
Jim Trask, former sheriff of Abilene, returns to the town after fighting for the Confederacy to find everyone thought he was dead. His old friend Dave Mosely is now engaged to Trask's former sweetheart and is one of the cattlemen increasingly feuding with the original farmers. Trask is persuaded to take up as sheriff again but there is something about the death of Mosely's brother in the Civil War that is haunting him.
Return of the Gunfighter Return of the Gunfighter (1967) Character: Clay Sutton
A gunfighter and a cowboy help a Mexican girl avenge the land-related murder of her parents.
The Sea Chase The Sea Chase (1955) Character: Chief Officer Kirchner
As the Second World War breaks out, German freighter captain Karl Ehrlich is about to leave Sydney, Australia with his vessel, the Ergenstrasse. Ehrlich, an anti-Nazi but proud German, hopes to outrun or out-maneuver the British warship pursuing him. Aboard his vessel is Elsa Keller, a woman Ehrlich has been ordered to return to Germany safely along with whatever secrets she carries. When Ehrlich's fiercely Nazi chief officer Kirchner commits an atrocity, the British pursuit becomes deadly.
The Hawaiians The Hawaiians (1970) Character: Janders
A wanderer returns home only to find political turmoil, disease and romantic difficulties.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) Character: Ike Clanton
Lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Denver and Rio Grande Denver and Rio Grande (1952) Character: Johnny Buff
Jim Vesser and his team of railroading men try to build a rail line through a mountain pass, while a group of less scrupulous construction workers sabotages the entire operation in the hopes that they can get their tracks laid first and get the money from the railroad.
Carnival Story Carnival Story (1954) Character: Frank Colloni
In search of a better life, a German girl named Willi joins an American carnival passing through Munich. While traveling from town to town, she is torn between two suitors: cruel carnival barker Joe and kindhearted high-dive artist Frank. Frank gets the upper hand when he asks Willi to join his act. The partners soon become the most popular attraction at the carnival. But tragedy is only a slip away.
Johnny Reno Johnny Reno (1966) Character: Jess Yates
The townsfolk are set on lynching an accused killer held in the town lockup. But US Marshal Johnny Reno stands in their way.
Hurricane Smith Hurricane Smith (1952) Character: Clobb
South Sea freebooters fight for hidden treasure and the love of the beautiful Luana.
The First Legion The First Legion (1951) Character: Dr. Peter Morrell
A Catholic priest fights against his colleagues' immediate acceptance of an ambiguous “miracle”.
The Vanquished The Vanquished (1953) Character: Roger Hale
A man returns to his home -- a post Civil-War village -- and finds the law is in the hands of a few scrupulous people.
La Classe américaine La Classe américaine (1993) Character: Famous Man (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Abitbol, the classiest man in the world, dies tragically during a cruise. The director of an American newspaper, wondering about the meaning of these intriguing final words, asks his three best investigators, Dave, Peter and Steven, to solve the mystery. (Sixteen French actors dub scenes from various Warner Bros. films to create a parody of Citizen Kane, 1941.)
The Greatest Show on Earth The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) Character: Klaus
To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.
Union Station Union Station (1950) Character: Joe Beacom
Police catch a break when suspected kidnappers are spotted on a train heading towards Union Station. Police, train station security and a witness try to piece together the crime and get back the blind daughter of a rich business man.



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