Wilton Graff (born Wilton Calvert Ratcliffe; August 13, 1903 – January 13, 1969) was an American actor.

Early years

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Graff, he was born Wilton Calvert Ratcliffe in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, US. He graduated from West Hartford High School in 1921.

Career

Before he became an actor, Graff worked for newspapers, including ''

The Hartford Times ''The Hartford Times'' was a daily afternoon newspaper serving the Hartford, Connecticut, community from 1817 to 1976. It was owned for decades by the Gannett Company which sold the financially struggling paper in 1973 to the owners of the ''New ...

'', '' The Springfield Republican'', and the ''

Paris Herald The ''New York Herald'' was a large-distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between 1835 and 1924. At that point it was acquired by its smaller rival the ''New-York Tribune'' to form the ''New York Herald Tribune''. Hist ...

''. Graff debuted on Broadway in ''Fantasia'' (1933). His last Broadway appearance was in ''Gabrielle'' (1941). He began working in movies in the 1940s and eventually appeared in dozens, usually as a professional man or an authority figure, such as a military officer. He starred in only one film, ''Bloodlust!'', playing against type as an obvious, deranged villain. Most of his work in the last 10 years of his career was on television. In 1956, he guest starred on James Arness’s TV Western Series ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', as “Troy Carver”, in the episode “20-20” (S1E19) as an aging lawman losing both his eyesight and his faith in his ability to handle his job.

Personal life

Graff was married twice, firstly to Mary Goodwin, from August 6, 1938, until her death on April 11, 1950. They had one child, Nancy Graff. On June 12, 1952, he married Elizabeth W. Wilson, and they remained together until his death.

Death

Graff died in Pacific Palisades, California on January 14, 1969. He was 65 years old.

Partial filmography

* ''

Earl of Puddlestone ''Earl of Puddlestone'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Ewart Adamson and Val Burton. The film stars James Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Russell Gleason, Harry Davenport (actor), Harry Davenport, Lois Ranson and Tomm ...

'' (1940) – Mr. Thayer (uncredited) * '' Jungle Queen'' (1945, Serial) – Courier (uncredited) * '' A Royal Scandal'' (1945) – Russian General (uncredited) * ''

Earl Carroll Vanities ''Earl Carroll Vanities'' is a 1945 American musical film directed by Joseph Santley and written by Frank Gill Jr. The film stars Dennis O'Keefe, Constance Moore, Eve Arden, Otto Kruger, Alan Mowbray and Stephanie Bachelor. It was released on Ap ...

'' (1945) – Mr. Thayer * ''

Counter-Attack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...

'' (1945) – Russian Officer (uncredited) * ''

Gangs of the Waterfront ''Gangs of the Waterfront'' is a 1945 American crime drama film directed by George Blair, and based on an original story by Samuel Fuller. Robert Armstrong has a dual role as Dutch Malone, a gang leader, and a taxidermist Peter Winkly who is i ...

'' (1945) – Police Commissioner Hogan * ''

Strange Confession ''Strange Confession'' is a 1945 Inner Sanctum film noir mystery horror film, released by Universal Pictures and starring Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish and Brenda Joyce. The film was directed by John Hoffman and was later rereleased unde ...

'' (1945) – Brandon * ''

An Angel Comes to Brooklyn ''An Angel Comes to Brooklyn'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by June Carroll and Stanley Paley. The film stars Kaye Dowd, Robert Duke, David Street, Barbara Perry, Charles Kemper and Marguerite d'Alvare ...

'' (1945) – Rodney Lloyd * ''

Pillow of Death ''Pillow of Death'' is a 1945 film noir mystery horror film directed by Wallace Fox and starring Lon Chaney, Jr. and Brenda Joyce. The last of the Inner Sanctum mystery films, it is based on a story by Dwight V. Babcock. The "Inner Sanctum" f ...

'' (1945) – Police Captain McCracken * '' Because of Him'' (1946) – Stage Manager (uncredited) * '' Just Before Dawn'' (1946) – Alexander 'Alec' Girard (uncredited) * '' The Phantom Thief'' (1946) – Rex Duncan * '' Valley of the Zombies'' (1946) – Dr. Lucifer Garland * ''

Traffic in Crime ''Traffic in Crime'' is a 1946 American action film directed by Lesley Selander, written by David Lang, and starring Kane Richmond, Anne Nagel, Adele Mara, Wade Crosby, Wilton Graff and Roy Barcroft. It was released on June 28, 1946, by Republic ...

'' (1946) – Nick Cantrell * ''

Avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and earth ...

'' (1946) – Jeremy Austin * '' The Unknown'' (1946) – Ralph Martin * ''

Shadowed ''Shadowed'', also known as ''The Gloved Hand'', is a 1946 American film noir crime film directed by John Sturges and starring Anita Louise, Lloyd Corrigan, and Robert Scott. Plot Salesman Fred J. Johnson manages to hit a hole-in-one as he p ...

'' (1946) – Tony Montague * ''

Dead Reckoning In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating current position of some moving object by using a previously determined position, or fix, and then incorporating estimates of speed, heading direction, and course over elapsed time. ...

'' (1947) – Surgeon (uncredited) * ''

The Web The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet. Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web se ...

'' (1947) – District Attorney * ''

The Corpse Came C.O.D. ''The Corpse Came C.O.D.'' is a 1947 American comedy-mystery film directed by Henry Levin, produced by Samuel Bischoff and starring George Brent and Joan Blondell. The comedic mystery is notable for featuring cameos by Hollywood gossip columnists ...

'' (1947) – Maxwell Kenyon (uncredited) * ''

High Conquest ''High Conquest'' is a 1947 American drama film directed by Irving Allen and starring Anna Lee, Gilbert Roland, and Warren Douglas. It was adapted from the 1941 book of the same title by James Ramsey Ullman. It was distributed by Monogram Picture ...

'' (1947) – Mr. Douglaston * ''

They Won't Believe Me ''They Won't Believe Me'' is a 1947 black-and-white film noir directed by Irving Pichel and starring Robert Young, Susan Hayward and Jane Greer. It was produced by Alfred Hitchcock's longtime assistant and collaborator, Joan Harrison. Plot Af ...

'' (1947) – Patrick Gold – Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited) * ''

Something in the Wind ''Something in the Wind'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by Irving Pichel and starring Deanna Durbin, Donald O'Connor, and John Dall. Durbin's third husband Charles David said she "hated" making her last three films and that she ...

'' (1947) – Mr. Belton (uncredited) * '' Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back'' (1947) – Cedric Mason * '' Key Witness'' (1947) – Albert Loring * ''

Gentleman's Agreement A gentlemen's agreement, or gentleman's agreement, is an informal and legally non-binding agreement between two or more parties. It is typically oral, but it may be written or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or th ...

'' (1947) – Maitre d' (uncredited) * '' A Double Life'' (1947) – Dr. Mervin * ''

A Woman's Vengeance ''A Woman's Vengeance'' is a 1948 American film noir drama mystery film directed by Zoltán Korda and starring Charles Boyer, Ann Blyth, Jessica Tandy, Cedric Hardwicke, Rachel Kempson, and Mildred Natwick. The screenplay by Aldous Huxley was ...

'' (1948) – Defending Counselor (uncredited) * ''

The Wreck of the Hesperus "The Wreck of the Hesperus" is a narrative poem by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, first published in ''Ballads and Other Poems'' in 1842. It is a story that presents the tragic consequences of a skipper's pride. On an ill-fated voyag ...

'' (1948) – Caleb Cross * '' The Return of the Whistler'' (1948) – Dr. Bertram H. Grantland (uncredited) * ''

Who Killed Doc Robbin ''Who Killed Doc Robbin'' is a 1948 film directed by Bernard Carr and starring Larry Olsen, Billy Gray, and Renee Beard. It was produced by Hal Roach and Robert F. McGowan as a reimagining of their ''Our Gang'' series. The film was one of "H ...

'' (1948) – Prosecutor * ''

Another Part of the Forest ''Another Part of the Forest'' is a 1946 play by Lillian Hellman, a prequel to her 1939 drama ''The Little Foxes''. Plot synopsis Set in the fictional town of Bowden, Alabama, in June 1880, the plot focuses on the wealthy, ruthless, and innatel ...

'' (1948) – Sam Taylor * ''

The Babe Ruth Story ''The Babe Ruth Story'' is a 1948 biographical film of Babe Ruth, the famed New York Yankees slugger. It stars William Bendix (New York Yankee batboy in the 1920s) as the ballplayer and Claire Trevor as his wife Claire Merritt Hodgson. Critic ...

'' (1948) – Dr. Beldon (uncredited) * ''

The Gentleman from Nowhere ''The Gentleman from Nowhere'' is a 1948 American crime-drama film directed by William Castle. Plot Warner Baxter plays a security guard, wounded in a robbery of furs, who arouses the suspicions of an insurance investigator. The guard may or ...

'' (1948) – Larry Hendricks * ''

The Gallant Blade ''The Gallant Blade'' is a 1948 American Cinecolor adventure film directed by Henry Levin and starring Larry Parks as a peasant hero of France in the 17th century after the Thirty Years' War. Cast *Larry Parks as Lt. David Picard * Marguerite Ch ...

'' (1948) – Duc, d'Orleans * ''

The Mozart Story ''The Mozart Story'' is a 1948 Austrian-American film. It is a re-edited version of '' Whom the Gods Love'' (1942). Cast *Hans Holt as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart *William Vedder as Joseph Haydn *René Daltgen as Ludwig van Beethoven *Wilton Graff as ...

'' (1948) – Antonio Salieri * ''

Family Honeymoon ''Family Honeymoon'' is a 1949 domestic comedy film made by Universal International, directed by Claude Binyon, and written by Dane Lussier, based on novel by Homer Croy. It was shot in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Plot Katie Armstrong ...

'' (1948) – Dr. Wilson (uncredited) * ''

The Dark Past ''The Dark Past'' is a 1948 American film noir psychological thriller film starring William Holden, Nina Foch, and Lee J. Cobb. Directed by Rudolph Maté, the Columbia Pictures release is a remake of '' Blind Alley'' (1939), also released by Co ...

'' (1948) – Frank Stevens * '' Caught'' (1949) – Gentry (uncredited) * ''

Blondie's Big Deal ''Blondie's Big Deal'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the twenty-fifth of the 28 Blondie films. Plot Dagwood accidentally invents a ...

'' (1949) – Joe Dillon * ''

Take Me Out to the Ball Game "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a 1908 Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of North American baseball, although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song ...

'' (1949) – Nick Donford (uncredited) * ''

Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (french: link=no, la Terreur) was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervour, ...

'' (1949) – Marquis de Lafayette (uncredited) * ''

Once More, My Darling ''Once More, My Darling'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by and starring Robert Montgomery and Ann Blyth. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording ( Leslie I. Carey). Plot Collier "Collie" Laing, a confirm ...

'' (1949) – Mr. Frobisher * ''

And Baby Makes Three ''And Baby Makes Three'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy film directed by Henry Levin and starring Robert Young and Barbara Hale. Plot Jackie Walsh, recently divorced from Vernon Walsh, is told she is pregnant with Vernon's child just as s ...

'' (1949) – Root (uncredited) * ''

Girls' School Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in separate buildings or schools. The practice of ...

'' (1950) – Dave Vickers * ''

When Willie Comes Marching Home ''When Willie Comes Marching Home'' is a 1950 World War II comedy film directed by John Ford and starring Dan Dailey and Corinne Calvet. It is based on the 1945 short story "When Leo Comes Marching Home" by Sy Gomberg. The film won the Golden L ...

'' (1950) – General Chester Jans (uncredited) * ''

Mother Didn't Tell Me ''Mother Didn't Tell Me'' is a 1950 American comedy film written and directed by Claude Binyon. It is based on the 1949 book ''The Doctor Wears Three Faces'' by Mary Bard. The film stars Dorothy McGuire, William Lundigan, June Havoc, Gary Merril ...

'' (1950) – Dr. Harold Jones (uncredited) * '' Fortunes of Captain Blood'' (1950) – Capt. Alvarado * ''

Rogues of Sherwood Forest ''Rogues of Sherwood Forest'' is a 1950 Technicolor adventure film from Columbia Pictures, directed by Gordon Douglas, and starring John Derek as Robin, the Earl of Huntingdon, the son of Robin Hood, Diana Lynn as Lady Marianne, and Alan Hale, S ...

'' (1950) – Baron Fitzwalter * ''

Convicted In law, a conviction is the verdict reached by a court of law finding a defendant guilty of a crime. The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal (that is, "not guilty"). In Scotland, there can also be a verdict of " not proven", which is co ...

'' (1950) – Dr. Agar (scenes deleted) * '' The West Point Story'' (1950) – Lieutenant Colonel Martin * '' Mr. Imperium'' (1951) – Andrew Bolton (uncredited) * ''

My True Story "My True Story" is a 1961 single recorded by The Jive Five and co-written by the group's lead singer Eugene Pitt, along with Oscar Waltzer and Joe Rene. Chart performance The single was the biggest hit for the group on both the R&B and pop cha ...

'' (1951) – George Trent * ''

Night Into Morning ''Night Into Morning'' is a 1951 American drama film starring Ray Milland, John Hodiak and Nancy Davis. Plot Everything is going very well for college professor Phillip Ainley (Ray Milland), who has a loving wife and son and an offer to teach a ...

'' (1951) – Attorney (uncredited) * ''

Mask of the Avenger ''Mask of the Avenger'' is a 1951 American historical adventure film directed by Phil Karlson starring John Derek, Anthony Quinn and Jody Lawrance. Derek portrays Renatu Dimorna, the son of an Italian aristocrat, who vows revenge after his fathe ...

'' (1951) – Count Dimorna (uncredited) * ''

Young Man with Ideas ''Young Man with Ideas'' is a 1952 romantic comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Ruth Roman and Glenn Ford. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay concern a young small-town lawyer, who moves his family from Monta ...

'' (1952) – Mr. Cardy * ''

Fearless Fagan ''Fearless Fagan'' is a 1952 comedy film directed by Stanley Donen and stars Janet Leigh and Carleton Carpenter. It is about a clown who is drafted into the military and tries to sneak his pet lion into the service. The film was inspired by the 12 ...

'' (1952) – Col. Horne * ''

Springfield Rifle The term Springfield rifle may refer to any one of several types of small arms produced by the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts, for the United States armed forces. In modern usage, the term "Springfield rifle" most commonly ref ...

'' (1952) – Col. George Sharpe * ''

Something for the Birds ''Something for the Birds'' is a 1952 film directed by Robert Wise and starring Victor Mature and Patricia Neal. Plot Johnnie Adams, an engraver in Washington, uses some of the invitations his firm makes to crash Washington parties. He gets to ...

'' (1952) – Taylor * ''

Operation Secret ''Operation Secret'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Lewis Seiler and written by Harold Medford and James R. Webb. The film stars Cornel Wilde, Steve Cochran, Phyllis Thaxter, Karl Malden, Paul Picerni and Lester Matthews. The film was ...

'' (1952) – French Official * ''

Million Dollar Mermaid ''Million Dollar Mermaid'' (also known as ''The One Piece Bathing Suit'' in the UK) is a 1952 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer biographical film of the life of Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Arthur ...

'' (1952) – Garvey * ''

The I Don't Care Girl ''The I Don't Care Girl'' is a 1953 Technicolor film starring Mitzi Gaynor. It is a biography of entertainer Eva Tanguay.Lili ''Lili'' is a 1953 American film released by MGM. It stars Leslie Caron as a touchingly naïve French girl whose emotional relationship with a carnival puppeteer is conducted through the medium of four puppets. The film won the Academy Award for ...

'' (1953) – M. Tonit * ''

Scandal at Scourie ''Scandal at Scourie'' is a 1953 American drama Technicolor film directed by Jean Negulesco, starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon "above the title", and co-starring Donna Corcoran. Garson and Pidgeon were together for the 8th and last time in t ...

'' (1953) – Mr. Leffington * '' So This Is Love'' (1953) – Henry Erlanger, Producer (uncredited) * ''

Miss Sadie Thompson ''Miss Sadie Thompson'' is a 1953 3-D American musical romantic drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Rita Hayworth, José Ferrer, and Aldo Ray. The film was released by Columbia Pictures. The film is based on W. Somerset Maugh ...

'' (1953) – Governor * '' A Star Is Born'' (1954) – Shrine Auditorium Emcee (uncredited) * ''

The Sea Chase ''The Sea Chase'' is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner, and featuring David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, and Tab Hunter. It was directed by John Farrow from a screenplay by James Warner Bellah and John Twist based on ...

'' (1955) – Counsel General Hepke * ''

The Benny Goodman Story Dick Winslow ''The Benny Goodman Story'' is a biographical film starring Steve Allen and Donna Reed, directed by Valentine Davies, and released by Universal-International in 1956. The film was intended as a follow-up to Universal's 1954 hit '' Th ...

'' (1956) – John Hammond Sr. * '' Lust for Life'' (1956) – Rev. Stricker * ''

Something of Value ''Something of Value'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Richard Brooks and starring Rock Hudson, Dana Wynter, and Sidney Poitier. The film was reissued under the title ''Africa Ablaze''. The film, based on the book of the same name by R ...

'' (1957) – Captain Hillary (uncredited) * ''

Tip on a Dead Jockey ''Tip on a Dead Jockey'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Taylor and Dorothy Malone. It is based on ''The New Yorker'' 1954 short story by Irwin Shaw. Plot Phyllis Tredman is shocked when her husband ...

'' (1957) – John Rusk (uncredited) * ''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is a ...

'' (1959) - Episode "The Cavis Boy" * ''

Compulsion Compulsion may refer to: * Compulsive behavior, a psychological condition in which a person does a behavior compulsively, having an overwhelming feeling that they must do so. * Obsessive–compulsive disorder, a mental disorder characterized by i ...

'' (1959) – Mr. Steiner * ''

Return to Peyton Place ''Return to Peyton Place'' is a 1959 novel by Grace Metalious, a sequel to her best-selling 1956 novel '' Peyton Place''. Plot summary After the phenomenal success of her first novel, Metalious hastily penned a sequel centering on the life and ...

'' (1961) – Dr. Fowlkes (uncredited) * '' Bloodlust!'' (1961) – Dr. Albert Balleau * ''

Sail a Crooked Ship ''Sail a Crooked Ship'' is a 1961 American black-and-white comedy heist film starring Robert Wagner, Dolores Hart, Carolyn Jones, Frankie Avalon, Ernie Kovacs and Frank Gorshin. It was directed by Irving Brecher and was based on the 1960 novel of ...

'' (1961) – Simon J. Harrison * ''Lonnie'' (1963) – Mitchell

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Graff, Wilton 1903 births 1969 deaths American male film actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from St. Louis