John Carradine (February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was one of the greatest and most prolific character actors in American cinema, a legendary figure known for his gaunt, commanding presence, his deep, Shakespearean voice, and a career of over 350 screen credits.
A classically trained stage actor, Carradine became a key member of director John Ford’s prestigious stock company. He delivered some of his most acclaimed performances in Ford’s masterpieces, playing the fallen Southern aristocrat Hatfield in Stagecoach (1939), the tormented preacher Casy in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), and the bombastic Major Starbuckle in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
Carradine also became a horror icon, playing Count Dracula in Universal films like House of Frankenstein (1944) and starring in hundreds of B-movies in his later career. He was the revered patriarch of the Carradine acting dynasty, which includes his sons David, Keith, and Robert, cementing a family legacy that is a significant part of Hollywood history.
