Morris Ankrum (August 28, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was a prolific American character actor who, with his stern visage and authoritative presence, became the quintessential military man and scientist in a host of classic 1950s science-fiction films.
A former attorney and university professor, Ankrum brought a powerful sense of gravitas to his more than 150 film roles. He was a staple of the Western genre, appearing in classics like Vera Cruz (1954) alongside Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, and Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) with Barbara Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan.
He is best remembered today as a true icon of Cold War-era science fiction. He frequently played the steadfast general or wise professor tasked with saving the world from alien threats in a string of cult classics, including Rocketship X-M (1950), Flight to Mars (1951), the chilling Invaders from Mars (1953), and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), cementing his legacy as the face of authority in the golden age of sci-fi.
