Lyle Bettger
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.
Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 6.59 |
Birthday | 1915-02-13 |
Place of Birth | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Also Known As | Lyle Stathem Bettger, |
1966
Nevada Smith
6.8/163
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...
Watch Now
Nevada Smith
1957
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
7/325
Lawman Wyatt Earp and outlaw Doc Holliday form an unlikely alliance which culminates in their participation in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corr...
Watch Now
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
1952
The Greatest Show on Earth
6.282/227
To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won c...
Watch Now
The Greatest Show on Earth
1953
Forbidden
6/10
Eddie Darrow, seeking a mobster's widow in Macao, gets involved in a casino owner's affairs.
Watch Now
Forbidden
1955
The Sea Chase
6.1/43
As the Second World War breaks out, German freighter captain Karl Ehrlich is about to leave Sydney, Australia with his vessel, the Ergenstrasse. Ehrli...
Watch Now
The Sea Chase
1950
No Man of Her Own
6.9/42
A penniless pregnant woman adopts the identity of a rich woman killed in a train crash.
Watch Now
No Man of Her Own
1950
Union Station
6.3/40
Police catch a break when suspected kidnappers are spotted on a train heading towards Union Station. Police, train station security and a witness try...
Watch Now
Union Station
1953
The Vanquished
4.5/11
A man returns to his home -- a post Civil-War village -- and finds the law is in the hands of a few scrupulous people.
Watch Now
The Vanquished
1954
Carnival Story
4.6/11
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 tor...
Watch Now
Carnival Story
1953
All I Desire
6.9/39
In 1910, a stage actress re-visits her husband and children she deserted ten years ago.
Watch Now
All I Desire
1970
The Hawaiians
5.4/16
A wanderer returns home only to find political turmoil, disease and romantic difficulties.
Watch Now
The Hawaiians
1954
Destry
6/31
Western remake of "Destry Rides Again", starring Audie Murphy, Mari Blanchard, Thomas Mitchell, Lori Nelson and Lyle Bettger.
Watch Now
Destry
1967
The Fastest Guitar Alive
4.3/5
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 si...
Watch Now
The Fastest Guitar Alive
1966
Johnny Reno
6.3/15
The townsfolk are set on lynching an accused killer held in the town lockup. But US Marshal Johnny Reno stands in their way.
Watch Now
Johnny Reno
1969
Impasse
4.7/9
Adventurers search for World War II gold in the Philippines.
Watch Now
Impasse
1954
Drums Across the River
5.4/20
When whites hunger after the gold on Ute Indian land, a bigoted young man finds himself forced into a peacekeeping role.
Watch Now
Drums Across the River
1956
The Lone Ranger
6.1/20
The territorial governor asks the Lone Ranger to investigate mysterious raids on settlers by Indians who ride with saddles. Wealthy rancher Reese Kilg...
Watch Now
The Lone Ranger
1953
The Great Sioux Uprising
5.7/6
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...
Watch Now
The Great Sioux Uprising
1956
Showdown at Abilene
5.2/9
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...
Watch Now
Showdown at Abilene
1952
Denver and Rio Grande
5.4/12
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 sab...
Watch Now
Denver and Rio Grande
1951
Dear Brat
4/2
Mirian Wilkins, the teenage daughter of Senator Wilkins, starts a Society for the Rehabilitation of Criminals and, without the approval or knowledge o...
Watch Now
Dear Brat
1967
Return of the Gunfighter
6.1/66
A gunfighter and a cowboy help a Mexican girl avenge the land-related murder of her parents.
Watch Now
Return of the Gunfighter
1951
The First Legion
6.7/3
A Catholic priest fights against his colleagues' immediate acceptance of an ambiguous “miracle”.
Watch Now
The First Legion
1965
Town Tamer
6.4/9
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, Bruc...
Watch Now
Town Tamer
1952
Hurricane Smith
6/2
South Sea freebooters fight for hidden treasure and the love of the beautiful Luana.
Watch Now
Hurricane Smith
1960
Guns of the Timberland
6.5/10
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 resident...
Watch Now
Guns of the Timberland
1959
Gundown at Sandoval
0/0
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...
Watch Now
Gundown at Sandoval
1993
La Classe américaine
7.684/209
George Abitbol, the classiest man in the world, dies tragically during a cruise. The director of an American newspaper, wondering about the meaning of...
Watch Now
La Classe américaine
1980
M Station: Hawaii
6/1
In this unsold pilot, the US government hires a salvage team to recover a sunken Russian submarine, heightening Cold War tensions.
Watch Now