Jay C. Flippen - The John Wayne Message Board (JWMB) (2024)

JAY C. FLIPPEN

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Date of birth
6 March 1899
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Date of death
3 February 1971
Los Angeles, California, USA. (in surgery)

Height
6' (1.83 m)

Sometimes Credited As:
J.C. Flippen

Spouse
Ruth Brooks Flippen (March 1947 - 3 February 1971) (his death)

Trivia
Entombed at Westwood Memorial Park, Westwood, California - Corridor of Memories (Five crypts to the right of Marilyn Monroe)

Mini Biography
Jay C. Flippen could probably be characterized these days as one of those distinctive faces you know but whose name escapes you while viewing old 50s and 60s movies and TV. His distinctive bulldog mug, beetle brows, bulky features, and silver-white hair were ideally suited for crimers and rugged adventure, while his background in vaudeville and minstrel shows helped him obtain roles in occasional fluffy slapstick and light musical comedy. Flippen was already a veteran performer on radio and the Broadway stage by the time he focused on film. He could be counted on to provide his patented gruff and bluster in many an actioneer whether playing a sheriff, prison warden, military high-ranker, bartender, or farmer. Moreover, his characters supported James Stewart in several of his standard vehicles, including Winchester '73 (1950), Bend of the River (1952), Thunder Bay (1953), The Far Country (1954), Strategic Air Command (1955), The Restless Breed (1957), Night Passage (1957), and Firecreek (1968). Dogged by illness but determined in later years, he continued his career in a wheelchair following a leg amputation. He was married for 25 years to screenwriter Ruth Brooks Flippen, whose work included a couple of Gidget movies. He died at age 72 of an aneurysm caused by a swollen artery.
IMDb mini-biography by Gary Brumburgh

Filmography

Actor
1. The Seven Minutes (1971) .... Luther Yerkes
2. Sam Hill: Who Killed Mr. Foster? (1971) (TV) .... Sheriff Ben
... aka Sam Hill: Who Killed the Mysterious Mr. Foster?
3. The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) (TV) .... Pawnbroker
4. "Here Come the Brides"
- The Sea-Bear (1970) TV Episode
5. "The Name of the Game"
- Chains of Command (1969) TV Episode .... Zack Whitten
- The Incomparable Connie Walker (1969) TV Episode .... Grover
6. "Bracken's World"
- King David (1969) TV Episode .... David Caldwell
7. "Judd for the Defense"
- Borderline Girl (1969) TV Episode .... Judge Kramer
8. "The Virginian"
... aka The Men from Shiloh (new title)
- Stopover (1969) TV Episode .... Judge
- The Barren Ground (1967) TV Episode .... Asa Keogh
- The Wolves Up Front, the Jackals Behind (1966) TV Episode .... Pa Colby
9. The Sound of Anger (1968) (TV) .... Judge Prentiss
10. Hellfighters (1968) .... Jack Lomax
11. Firecreek (1968) .... Mr. Pittman
12. "Ironside"
... aka The Raymond Burr Show (USA: syndication title)
- A Very Cool Hot Car (1967) TV Episode
13. The Spirit Is Willing (1967) .... Mother
14. "The Road West"
- Charade of Justice (1967) TV Episode .... Judge Platt
15. "The Rounders"
- Polo, Anyone? (1966) TV Episode .... Kenny Fahrbush
16. Fame Is the Name of the Game (1966) (TV) .... Dizzy Shaner
17. "A Man Called Shenandoah"
- The Imposter (1966) TV Episode .... Andrew O'Rourke
18. "Vacation Playhouse"
- Alec Tate (1965) TV Episode .... Cappy Skidmore
19. Cat Ballou (1965) .... Sheriff Cardigan
20. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) (uncredited) .... Drunken soldier (Herod Antipas' court)
... aka George Stevens Presents The Greatest Story Ever Told (USA: complete title)
21. "Rawhide"
- Josh (1965) TV Episode .... Bigger
- Incident at Hourglass (1964) TV Episode .... Sergeant Shaler
- Incident of the Widowed Dove (1959) TV Episode .... Marshal Lindstrom
22. Looking for Love (1964) .... Mr. Ralph Front
23. "Kraft Suspense Theatre"
- Portrait of an Unknown Man (1964) TV Episode .... Hugh Ramsey
24. "Gunsmoke"
... aka Gun Law (UK)
... aka Marshal Dillon (USA: rerun title)
- Owney Tupper Had a Daughter (1964) TV Episode .... Owney Tupper
25. "Burke's Law"
... aka Amos Burke, Secret Agent (USA: new title)
- Who Killed Molly? (1964) TV Episode .... Lt. 'Smiler' Grogan, Burglary Division
- Who Killed Wade Walker? (1963) TV Episode .... Bill, the Desk Sergeant
- Who Killed Holly Howard? (1963) TV Episode .... Bill, Desk Sergeant
26. "Grindl"
- Active Retirement (1964) TV Episode .... Mr. Casey
27. "Bonanza"
... aka Ponderosa (USA: rerun title)
- The Prime of Life (1963) TV Episode .... Barney Fuller
28. "The Dick Powell Show"
... aka The Dick Powell Theatre (new title)
- The Last of the Private Eyes (1963) TV Episode .... Jay C. Flippen
29. How the West Was Won (1962) (uncredited) .... Huggins
30. "Ensign O'Toole" (1962) TV Series .... CPO Homer Nelson
31. "The Dick Van Dyke Show"
... aka Head of the Family (USA: pilot title)
... aka The Dick Van Dyke Daytime Show (USA: rerun title)
- The Return of Happy Spangler (1962) TV Episode .... Happy Spangler
32. "Bus Stop"
- Verdict of 12 (1962) TV Episode .... Mike Carmody
33. "The Untouchables"
- Fall Guy (1962) TV Episode .... Big Joe Holvak
- You Can't Pick the Number (1959) TV Episode .... Al Morrisey
34. Elfego Baca: Six Gun Law (1962)
35. "The Best of the Post"
- The Thompsons of Thunder Ridge (1961) TV Episode
36. "Stagecoach West"
- Not in Our Stars (1961) TV Episode .... Aaron Sutton
37. "Follow the Sun"
- The Last of the Big Spenders (1961) TV Episode
38. "Route 66"
- Legacy for Lucia (1960) TV Episode .... Nathaniel
39. The Plunderers (1960) .... Sheriff McCauley
40. "Thriller"
... aka Boris Karloff's Thriller
- The Guilty Men (1960) TV Episode .... Harry Ganns
41. Studs Lonigan (1960) .... Father Gilhooey
42. Wild River (1960) (as J.C. Flippen) .... Hamilton Garth
43. "Johnny Ringo"
... aka The Westerners (USA: syndication title)
- Four Came Quietly (1960) TV Episode .... Gabe Jethro

44. "The David Niven Show"
- Good Deed (1959) TV Episode .... Sergeant Nelson
45. "Alcoa Theatre"
- The Best Way to Go (1959) TV Episode .... Donovan
46. "Disneyland"
... aka Disney's Wonderful World (USA: new title)
... aka The Disney Sunday Movie (USA: new title)
... aka The Magical World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka The Wonderful World of Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney Presents (USA: new title)
... aka Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (USA: new title)
- Elfego Baca: The Griswold Murder (1959) TV Episode .... Pop Griswold
47. "Wanted: Dead or Alive"
- Miracle at Pot Hole (1958) TV Episode .... Chute Wilson
48. "The Nine Lives of Elfego Baca" (1958) TV Series .... Pops Griswald
... aka Elfego Baca
49. From Hell to Texas (1958) .... Jake Leffertfinger
... aka Manhunt (UK)
50. "Playhouse 90"
- No Time at All (1958) TV Episode .... Happy Gallant
- Before I Die (1958) TV Episode .... Lester Carr
51. Escape from Red Rock (1957) .... John Costaine
52. Jet Pilot (1957) .... Maj. Gen. Black
53. The Deerslayer (1957) .... Old Tom Hutter
54. "Goodyear Television Playhouse"
... aka Goodyear Playhouse (new title)
- The House (1957) TV Episode .... Jeb
55. Run of the Arrow (1957) .... Walking Coyote
... aka Hot Lead (USA: video title)
56. Night Passage (1957) .... Ben Kimball
57. The Midnight Story (1957) .... Sgt. Jack Gillen
... aka Appointment with a Shadow (UK)
58. "Climax!"
... aka Climax Mystery Theater (USA)
- Mr. Runyon of Broadway (1957) TV Episode .... Happy
- The Stalker (1957) TV Episode .... Ed Bagley
- Faceless Adversary (1956) TV Episode .... Detective
- Pink Cloud (1955) TV Episode .... Joe
59. The Restless Breed (1957) .... Marshal Steve Evans
60. "The 20th Century-Fox Hour"
... aka Fox Hour of Stars (USA: new title) (USA: rerun title)
- Deadline Decision (1957) TV Episode .... Chief Swanson
61. Hot Summer Night (1957) .... Oren Kobble
62. Public Pigeon No. One (1957) .... Lt. Ross Qualen
63. The Halliday Brand (1957) .... Chad Burris
64. The King and Four Queens (1956) .... Bartender of Rosebud Saloon in Touchstone
65. 7th Cavalry (1956) .... Sgt. Bates
66. The Killing (1956) .... Marvin Unger
67. "Lux Video Theatre"
... aka Summer Video Theatre (USA: summer title)
- Branded (1955) TV Episode
68. Oklahoma! (1955) .... Ike Skidmore
69. Kismet (1955) .... Jawan
70. It's Always Fair Weather (1955) .... Charles Z. 'Charlie' Culloran
71. Strategic Air Command (1955) .... Tom Doyle
72. Man Without a Star (1955) .... Strap Davis
73. Six Bridges to Cross (1955) .... Vincent Concannon
74. The Far Country (1954) .... Dawson Marshal Rube Morris
75. Carnival Story (1954) .... Charley Grayson
76. "The Ford Television Theatre"
... aka Ford Theatre (USA: short title)
- Come On, Red (1954) TV Episode .... Tom
77. The Wild One (1953) .... Sheriff Stew Singer
... aka Hot Blood (USA: first screenings title)
78. East of Sumatra (1953) .... Mac
79. Devil's Canyon (1953) .... Guard Captain Jack Wells
80. Thunder Bay (1953) .... Kermit MacDonald
81. Woman of the North Country (1952) .... Axel Nordlund
82. Bend of the River (1952) .... Jeremy Baile, Wagon train party leader
... aka Where the River Bends (UK)
83. The Las Vegas Story (1952) .... Capt. H.A. Harris
84. The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951) .... Dan Chancellor
85. The Lady from Texas (1951) .... Mike, the Sheriff
86. The People Against O'Hara (1951) .... Sven Norson
87. Flying Leathernecks (1951) .... MSgt. Clancy, Line Chief
88. The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) .... Straight Flush
89. Two Flags West (1950) .... Sgt. Terrance Duey
90. Winchester '73 (1950) .... Sgt. Wilkes
91. Love That Brute (1950) .... Biff
92. The Yellow Cab Man (1950) .... Hugo
93. Buccaneer's Girl (1950) .... First Mate Jared Hawkins
94. Oh, You Beautiful Doll (1949) .... Lippy Brannigan
95. A Woman's Secret (1949) .... Police Insp. Jim Fowler
96. Down to the Sea in Ships (1949) .... Luke Sewell
97. They Live by Night (1948) .... Henry 'T-Dub' Mansfield
... aka The Twisted Road (UK)
98. Intrigue (1947) (as J.C. Flippen) .... Mike, the bartender
99. Brute Force (1947) .... Hodges (guard)
100. Salt Shakers (1938) (as J.C. Flippen) .... Master of Ceremonies
101. Marie Galante (1934) .... Sailor in bar
102. Million Dollar Ransom (1934)

Himself
1. Rambling 'Round Radio Row #4 (1932) (as J.C. Flippen) .... Himself
... aka Rambling 'Round Radio Row

Jay. C. Flippen, was a supporting actor,
that you seemed to see everywhere,
and think, who is that fella???
J.C was in 3 films with Duke,
and 2 in which Duke was involved,
but not in the same scenes.

Hellfighters (1968) .... Jack Lomax
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) (uncredited) .... Drunken soldier (Herod Antipas' court)(not in the same scene)
How the West Was Won (1962) (uncredited) .... Huggins(not in the same scene)
Jet Pilot (1957) .... Maj. Gen. Black
Flying Leathernecks (1951) .... MSgt. Clancy, Line Chief

Here's a case where the picture really made a difference, Keith! Thanks!

My best memories of JC are from Hellfighters and The Flying Leathernecks, but I never really knew who he was . . . . . . now I do.

I think you adding the picture to the bio is a very good thing. Not even IMDb has pictures for all their bios! This is a real classy joint we've got here .

Chester

Not one of the better known stars, but here are a couple of sites -

http://www.dougmacaulay.com/kingspud/sel_b...or_last=Flippen
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2068

Mrs. C

Hey thanks for the great information, Keith and Mrs. C!

Cheers B)

Hi Sue,

Thanks for the links, it all helps!

A long circuitous route brought us to noticing Mr. Flippen's distinctive face in a pirate movie, Buccaneer's Girl, which also stars Yvonne De Carlo. John Qualen, who appeared with Duke in 9 films, is also in this film.

When I say circuitous, I mean that we got started on the pirate movies after the Mrs. started reading Maureen O'Hara's bio, and learning she had appeared in quite a few pirate flicks. A couple of the DVDs we bought had multiple titles on them, and this was one of them. As I looked at First Mate Hawkins, he seemed SO familiar, and indeed he was.

Yvonne De Carlo was delightful to watch. She sings very well, and played her part in this film with a flair.

Chester