Name: Dennis Moore
Date of Birth: 26 January 1908 A dark-haired, durably handsome and reasonably dependable cowboy actor equipped with a strong stance and taciturn seriousness both on and off camera, Dennis Moore was cast as both hero and villain in his three-decade career. A player in well over two hundred "B"-level oaters and serials during the 30s, 40s and 50s, Dennis Moore never reached the rugged heights of top-flight stardom but did manage to find steadfast employment until only a few years before his death at age 56. Moore was born Denn... is Meadows on January 26, 1908, in Fort Worth, Texas. His initial interest in show business may have been sparked while employed as an usher at a movie theater. He eventually learned the tools of the trade performing on the dramatic stage in Texas and in stock companies in the early 30s. His film career began in 1932, appearing uncredited for a time in various cliffhangers and westerns as various crewmen and cowhands and even as a stuntman on occasion. Billed first as Denny Meadows, his name was changed to the more catchy, marquee-friendly Dennis Moore by 1936. An avid flyer (he was once a transport pilot and flight instructor), a few of his roles reflected this passion. He portrayed a pilot in the _Tailspin Tommy (1934)_ (qv) serial and, while signed at Warner Studios for a time, played 'Humphrey Bogart' (qv)'s flight engineer in _China Clipper (1936)_ (qv). By the 1940s he was freelancing at various minor studios and was occasionally given the action lead, such as in _Fangs of the Wild (1939)_ (qv), etc. He also appeared opposite stalwart cowboy stars 'Gene Autry (I)' (qv), [error], 'Buck Jones' (qv), [error] and [error], among others, in their vehicles, and was seen in both the "Three Mesquiteers" and "Rough Riders" series. Moore hit his peak in films during WWII when many of the big stars were off serving their country. A serious plane crash had left him ineligible for enlistment. During this productive period he co-starred with 'Ray Corrigan' (qv) and 'Max Terhune' (qv) in the "Range Buster" series and then co-starred with 'Tex Ritter' (qv) and 'Jimmy Wakely' (qv) in some of their popular western entries. He also was front and center in the _Raiders of Ghost City (1944)_ (qv) and _The Purple Monster Strikes (1945)_ (qv) serials, among others. In mid-career, Moore turned from firm-jawed heroes to perennial bad guys for many of his "Poverty Row" westerns, yet still enjoyed a couple of serial leads and co-leads every now and then, including _Perils of the Wilderness (1956)_ (qv) and _Blazing the Overland Trail (1956)_ (qv). He also was seen quite frequently on TV westerns ("Tombstone Terriotory," "Sky King," "Rin Tin Tin," "Bat Masterson") in standard guest spots. One of his last was a recurring part in Disney's _"The New Adventures of Spin and Marty" (1957)_ (qv) on the Mickey Mouse Club series. He hung up his gun belt shortly thereafter. A highly private man who was considered a loner by nature, little is known about Moore and his private life. He never married and retired to Big Bear Lake, California where he operated a gift shop for the last few years of his life. He died on March 1, 1964 of rheumatic heart disease combined with circulatory problems.Read more Dennis Moore movies (actor)User Comments |
