Hank Worden
Hank Worden was an American cowboy-turned-character actor who appeared in many Westerns, including many John Ford films such as The Searchers and the TV series The Lone Ranger.
Biography
Worden was raised on a cattle ranch near Glendive, Montana and was educated at Stanford University and the University of Nevada as an engineer. He enlisted in the U.S. Army hoping to become an Army pilot, but failed to pass flight school. An expert horseman, he toured the country in rodeos as a saddle bronc rider. During one ride, his horse landed atop him and broke his neck, but aside from a temporarily sore neck, Worden did not know of the break until x-rayed twenty years later. While appearing in a rodeo at Madison Square Garden in New York, he and fellow cowboy Tex Ritter were chosen to appear in the Broadway play Green Grow the Lilacs, the play from which the musical Oklahoma! was later derived. Following the run of the play, Worden drove a cab in New York, and then worked on dude ranches as a wrangler and as a guide on the Bright Angel trail of the Grand Canyon.A chance encounter with actress Billie Burke at a dude ranch led her to recommend him to several film producers. Worden made his film debut as an extra in Cecil B. DeMille's The Plainsman. By this time, Tex Ritter had become a star, and Worden played sidekick roles in a number of Ritter's Westerns. In several of his early appearances, Worden was billed as "Heber Snow", until he reverted to his real name. A small part in Howard Hawks's Come and Get It led to a number of later appearances for that director, who also recommended him to director John Ford. He appeared in episode 121 of the TV Series the Lone Ranger.
Worden eventually became a member of the John Ford Stock Company, and was directed by Ford twelve times in films and television. The connection with Ford led to an association with actor John Wayne, and Worden appeared in 17 of Wayne's films. Foremost among his collaborations with Wayne and Ford in The Searchers, the 1956 classic Western in which Worden portrayed his most memorable role, that of "Mose Harper," the Shakespearean fool who only longed for "a roof over head and a rocking chair by the fire."
Worden's best performances were given for demanding directors. He had a striking appearance: tall, thin, bald, his voice and mannerisms unforgettable to anyone who saw him. He worked steadily in television as well as films, long outliving Hawks, Ford and Wayne, and achieving some late notice as a senile hotel waiter in David Lynch's Twin Peaks TV series.
In 1992, Worden hosted and co-produced, with director Clyde Lucas, an independent special shown on the Nostalgia Channel and some PBS stations entitled Thank Ya, Thank Ya Kindly. The special looked back on Worden's career and featured guests Clint Eastwood, Paul Hogan, Harry Carey Jr., Ben Johnson, Frankie Avalon, Burt Kennedy and stuntman Dean Smith.
Widowed by his wife of 37 years in 1977, he later shared his house for several years with actor Jim Beaver. In good health through his 91st year, he died peacefully during a nap at his home in Los Angeles on December 6, 1992. He was survived by his daughter, Dawn Henry, whom he and his wife had adopted as an adult.
Selected filmography
John Wayne films
- Stagecoach as Cavalryman extra
- The Night Riders as Rancher
- A Lady Takes a Chance as Walter
- Angel and the Badman as Townsman
- Fort Apache as Southern Recruit
- Red River as Sims Reeves
- 3 Godfathers as Deputy Curly
- The Fighting Kentuckian as Abner Todd
- The Searchers as Mose Harper
- The Horse Soldiers as Deacon Clump
- The Alamo as Parson
- McLintock! as Curly Fletcher
- True Grit as R. Ryan - Undertaker
- Chisum as Elwood - Stationmaster
- Rio Lobo as Hank - Hotel Clerk
- Big Jake as Hank
- Cahill U.S. Marshal as Albert
Other appearances
- Barbary Coast as Barfly / Townsman
- For the Service as Henchman
- Ghost-Town Gold as Mr. Crabtree
- Come and Get It as Lumberjack
- The Plainsman as Deadwood Townsman
- Trouble in Texas as Hank a Dancer
- Hittin' the Trail as Sidekick Hank
- Sing, Cowboy, Sing as Henchman
- Riders of the Rockies as Henchman
- Riders of the Dawn as Deputy
- The Californian as Ruiz Man
- The Mystery of the Hooded Horsemen as Deputy
- Moonlight on the Range as Ranch Hand
- Hollywood Round-Up as Saloon Set Extra
- Boss of Lonely Valley as Hank - Wagon Driver
- Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts as Henchman
- Sudden Bill Dorn as Barfly
- The Singing Outlaw as Bixby Cowhand
- Frontier Town as Henchman Buck
- The Last Stand as Rustler Playing Fiddle at Campfire
- Western Trails as Townsman
- Flaming Frontiers as Henchman
- Rollin' Plains as Henchman Squint
- The Stranger from Arizona as Skeeter
- Where the Buffalo Roam as Man at Dance
- The Cowboy and the Lady as Cowhand Leonard
- Ghost Town Riders as Tom 'Cherokee' Walton
- Sundown on the Prairie as Henchman Hank
- Rollin' Westward as Slim Regan
- Timber Stampede as Photographer
- Oklahoma Frontier as Townsman
- Chip of the Flying U as Cowhand
- Reno as Townsman
- Northwest Passage as Ranger Tying Oars
- Viva Cisco Kid as Deputy
- Rancho Grande as Cowhand
- Riders of Pasco Basin as Townsman
- Shooting High as Townsman
- Beyond Tomorrow as Hospital Visitor
- Gaucho Serenade as Farmer Driving Jalopy
- Prairie Law as Jacobs - Homesteader
- Winners of the West as Drunk
- Cross-Country Romance as Wedding Witness
- The Range Busters as Cowhand
- Brigham Young as Mormon Cheering Porter
- Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride as Henry Haggerty
- Triple Justice as Townsman Outside Saloon
- Ride, Kelly, Ride as Slim
- Robbers of the Range as Stagecoach Attendant
- Border Vigilantes as Aunt Jennifer's Wagon Driver
- Last of the Duanes as Loafer
- Dude Cowboy as Man with Toothache
- Code of the Outlaw as Expectant Father
- Cowboy Serenade as Opie
- Riding the Wind as Duff Bricker
- Just Off Broadway as Comedian in Wings
- Deep in the Heart of Texas as Townsman
- Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground as Sleepy Martin
- Black Market Rustlers as Slim
- So Proudly We Hail! as Soldier on Troop Ship
- Flesh and Fantasy as Circus Spectator
- Jack London as New Year's Eve Party Guest
- Canyon City as Barfly
- The Woman of the Town as The Barber
- None Shall Escape as German Motorcycle Soldier
- Rationing as Man at Wedding
- Wyoming Hurricane as Cowboy
- Lumberjack as Lumberjack
- The Great Moment as Morton's Sign Painter - replaced Roscoe Ates
- National Barn Dance as Farmer at Barn Dance
- The Bullfighters as Mr. McCoy
- Abbott and Costello in Hollywood as Joe
- Frontier Gunlaw as Pete
- Lawless Breed as The Deputy
- The Missing Lady as Flophouse Bum
- Undercurrent as Telegram Delivery Man
- Duel in the Sun as Dance- Floor Cowboy
- The Shocking Miss Pilgrim as Office Clerk
- The Sea of Grass as Bill - Salt Fork Townsman
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as Minor Role
- Prairie Express as Deputy Clint
- High Wall as Diner Customer
- Slippy McGee as Station Wagon Driver
- The Man from Texas as Churchgoer
- Lightnin' in the Forest as Bartender
- The Sainted Sisters as Taub Beasley
- Hazard as Man in Cheap Hotel
- Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin' as Clem
- Tap Roots as Cropper
- Whispering Smith as Murray's Ranchhand
- Yellow Sky as Rancher, Bank Customer
- Cover Up as Undertaker
- Red Canyon as Charley
- Streets of Laredo as Texas Ranger
- Hellfire as Witness
- Roseanna McCoy as Jacob
- When Willie Comes Marching Home as American Legionnaire Band Leader
- Father Is a Bachelor as Finnegan
- Wagon Master as Luke Clegg
- Curtain Call at Cactus Creek as Townsman
- Frenchie as Mr. Grady
- Sugarfoot as Johnny-Behind-the-Stove
- Comin' Round the Mountain as Target Judge
- Joe Palooka in Triple Cross as Hard-of-Hearing Farmer
- The Man with a Cloak as First Carriage Driver
- Boots Malone as Gas Station Mechanic
- Woman of the North Country as Tom Gordon
- The Big Sky as Poordevil
- Apache War Smoke as Amber
- Sky Full of Moon as Cowhand
- The Lawless Breed as Kansas City Barfly
- Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
- Powder River as Joe
- Crime Wave as Sweeney
- Ma and Pa Kettle at Home as Indian
- The Outcast as Bartender
- Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier as Cave bar patron
- The Road to Denver as Shad Ewing, Livery Stable Owner
- The Vanishing American as Shoie
- The Indian Fighter as Crazy Bear / Guardhouse Keeper
- Davy Crockett and the River Pirates as Fiddler
- Meet Me in Las Vegas as Joe
- Thunder Over Arizona as Old Jonas
- Accused of Murder as Les Fuller
- The Quiet Gun as Sampson
- Spoilers of the Forest as Pat Casey
- Dragoon Wells Massacre as Hopi Charlie
- The Buckskin Lady as Lon
- Forty Guns as Marshal John Chisum
- Sing, Boy, Sing as Girl's Father at Police Station
- The Notorious Mr. Monks as Pete
- Toughest Gun in Tombstone as Liveryman
- Bullwhip as Tex
- Wild Heritage as Trail Drive Cowhand
- Sergeant Rutledge as Laredo
- One-Eyed Jacks as Doc
- The Music Man as Undertaker
- Good Times as Kid
- The President's Analyst as Dirty Old Man
- Big Daddy
- Zachariah as Old Cowboy
- Bedknobs and Broomsticks as Old Home Guardsman
- Black Noon as Joseph
- Eve of Aunt Agnes
- The Legend of Frank Woods as Slim
- Smokey and the Bandit as Trucker
- Which Way Is Up? as The Flunky
- Big Wednesday as Shopping Cart
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as Old Lonely Hearts Club Band
- They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way as Butch Collins
- Every Which Way But Loose as Trailer Court Manager
- Bronco Billy as Station Mechanic
- Scream as John
- Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. as Old Geezer
- Hammett as Pool Room Attendant
- Flush
- Island Fury as Gramps Jebediah
- The Ice Pirates as Elderly Jason
- UFOria as Colonel
- Runaway Train as Old Con
- Space Rage as Old codger
- Once Upon a Texas Train as Old Timer
- Big Bad John as Good Ole Boy
- Almost an Angel as Pop, Patient in Hospital
Television
- The Lone Ranger - episode - The Tenderfeet as Rusty Bates
- The Lone Ranger - episode - Woman from Omaha as Whip
- The Lone Ranger - episode - The Ghost of Coyote Canyon as Ed
- The Lone Ranger - episode - Stage to Tishomingo as Ike Beatty, Stage driver
- The Lone Ranger - episode - The Bait: Gold! as Jud, Stagecoach Driver
- The Lone Ranger - episode - The Banker's Son as Bruckner
- Rawhide - episode - Incident of the Devil and His Due as Joe Wendell
- Wagon Train - episode - The Colter Craven Story as Hank
- Wagon Train - episode - The Nellie Jefferson Story as Trader
- Bonanza - episode - The Stranger as Station Attendant
- Bonanza - episode - The Bride as Ned Birch
- Bonanza - episode - Tommy as Dave
- Hondo and the Apaches - TV movie as One of Gallagher's Mine Workers
- Hondo - episode - Hondo and the Eagle Claw as Miner
- Hondo - episode - Hondo and the War Cry as Miner
- McCloud - episode - A Little Plot at Tranquil Valley as Elderly Patient
- Gunsmoke - episode - The Tarnished Bridge as Claude
- The Yellow Rose - episode - A Question of Love as Old Man
- Knight Rider - episode - Fright Knight as Slim
- Twin Peaks as Waiter