Richard Edward Botiller (October 26, 1896 – March 24, 1953) was an American character actor of the 1930s and 1940s. While most of his roles were un-credited, many of them nameless as well, he was given more substantial roles occasionally.

Life and career

Botiller was born on October 26, 1896, in

Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley (California), Central Valley r ...

, California. He entered the film industry in 1933, debuting with an unnamed, un-credited role in the western, ''

Silent Men ''Silent Men'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Western film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Tim McCoy. Cast * Tim McCoy as Tim Richards * Florence Britton as Gwen Wilder * J. Carrol Naish as Jack Wilder (as J. Carroll Naish) * Wheeler O ...

''. During the 1930s and 1940s Botiller appeared in over 150 films, film shorts, and film serials. He frequently played a henchman, and sometimes an Indian. Some of his more notable roles include: as Little Feather in '' Range Warfare'' (1934); as Felipe Farley in the 1935 western ''Cheyenne Tornado''; as Bald Eagle in 1936's ''

West of Nevada ''West of Nevada'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Robert F. Hill and starring Rex Bell, Joan Barclay and Al St. John. Plot Cast * Rex Bell as Jim Carden, posing as Jim Lloyd * Joan Barclay as Helen Haldain * Al St. John as Wa ...

''; as Hernandez in '' Torrid Zone'' (1940); as Nardo in the 1940 crime drama '' Dark Streets of Cairo''; and as Indian Pete in '' The Yellow Rose of Texas''; Other notable films in which Botiller appeared include: the classic war drama, ''

The Charge of the Light Brigade The Charge of the Light Brigade was a failed military action involving the British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. Lord Raglan had intended to s ...

'', starring

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Olivia ...

and

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

, in which he played a native; as an Indian in Cecil B. DeMille's historical drama, ''

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pac ...

'', starring

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

and

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Western film, Westerns, for ...

; as a tourist in the 1939 drama, '' Only Angels Have Wings'', starring

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

and

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American Broadway and film actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

, which is considered to be one of

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is ...

' finest films; as a warrior in the

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

and

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

comedy classic, '' Road to Morocco'' (1942); in the classic World War I drama, '' For Whom the Bell Tolls'' (1943), starring

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

and

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary '' Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is ofte ...

, in which he played a sergeant; as a native officer in the classic World War II romance, '' Casablanca'', starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman; as an aide in the 1944 version of '' Kismet'', starring

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...

; and in as an unnamed character in one of his final roles in Humphrey Bogart's 1951 drama, ''

Sirocco Sirocco ( ), scirocco, or, rarely, siroc (see below) is a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara and can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe, especially during the summer season. Names ''Sirocco'' derives from ...

''. Botiller's final appearance was as a cattleman (un-credited) in the 1952 western ''Smoky Canyon'', one of

Charles Starrett Charles Robert Starrett (March 28, 1903 – March 22, 1986) was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the ''Durango Kid'' westerns. Starrett still holds the record for starring in the longest series of theatrical features: ...

's Durango Kid films. In addition to his feature work, Botiller also appeared in numerous film serials, including: in several different roles in 1934's '' The Return of Chandu'', starring Béla Lugosi; as Cottonwood in '' The Miracle Rider'' (1935), starring

Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were silent films. He ...

; as a phantom raider in ''

The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok ''The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok'' (1938) is a Columbia Pictures movie serial. It was the fourth of the 57 serials released by Columbia and the studio's first Western serial. The serial was the first to be produced by Columbia person ...

'' (1938), starring

Bill Elliott William Clyde Elliott (born October 8, 1955), also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, Million Dollar Bill, or Wild Bill is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He competes full time in the Camping World Superstar Raci ...

; as Yellow Snake in '' The Oregon Trail'' (1939), starring

Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western films. Early life Born and raise ...

; as Krause in the 1942 serial '' Captain Midnight'', starring Dave O'Brien. Botiller died on March 24, 1953, in Ridgecrest, California.

Selected filmography

* '' The Man Trailer'' (1934) * '' Wild Mustang'' (1935) *'' Lightning Triggers'' (1935) * ''

Outlaw Rule ''Outlaw Rule'' is a 1935 American Western film directed by S. Roy Luby and starring Reb Russell, Betty Mack and Al Bridge.Pitts p.213 Cast * Reb Russell as Reb Russell * Betty Mack as Kay Lathrop * Al Bridge as Deputy Bat Lindstrom * Yak ...

'' (1935) * '' Gun Play'' (1935) * ''

Million Dollar Haul ''Million Dollar Haul'' is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Albert Herman and starring Reed Howes, Janet Chandler and William Farnum.Pitts p.374 Synopsis The owner of a Los Angeles warehouse that has been robbed calls in a private investi ...

'' (1935) * '' The Cheyenne Tornado'' (1935) * '' Arizona Bad Man'' (1935) * '' The Traitor'' (1936) * '' Gun Smoke'' (1936) * '' South of Arizona'' (1938) * '' Pioneer Trail'' (1938) * '' The Pinto Kid'' (1941) * ''

Dizzy Detectives ''Dizzy Detectives'' is a 1943 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 68th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring th ...

'' (1943) * '' The Return of the Durango Kid'' (1945) * '' Smoky Canyon'' (1952)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Botiller, Dick 1896 births 1953 deaths Male actors from Bakersfield, California 20th-century American male actors