Men Of Character Character Actors
Willis Bouchey
The Big Heat/ Lt. Ted Wilks
No Name On The Bullet/ Sheriff Buck Hastings
Two Rode Together/ Harry J. Wringle
Big House U S A/ Robertson Lambert
Per Quinlan's Character Stars:
Solidly built, ambivalent looking American supporting player with greying brown hair. He left the security of a Broadway career to try his luck in the still film filled Hollywood of the early 1950's and stayed in steady employ there for the reminder of his career.
Willis Bouchey was born in 1907 at Vernon, MI.
Formerly on Broadway, Bouchey began a film career in 1951 playing pompous or officious types, especially military men. Bouchey could at one time be a crooked judge and the next time be a straight laced cavalry officer.
A favorite of John Ford, Bouchey appeared in a number of James Stewart films. He was a true professional and always provided a fine performance regardless of the size of the role. He projected a sober, dignified demeanor that served him well in character roles.
He is another familiar face which is hard to place a name with.
Some of the film roles of Willis Bouchey were:
Elopement (1951) as Dr. Lucas Brenner
Return Of The Texan (952) as Isham Gilder
Deadline U S A (1952) as Henry
Anything Can Happen (1952) as Judge Gordon
Carbine Williams (1952) as Joseph Mitchell
Belles On Their Toes (1952) as Kendall Williams
Red Planet Mars (1952) as President
Washington Story (1952) as Senator
Don't Bother To Knock (1952) as Joe The Bartender
Just For You (1952) as Hank Ross
Assignment Paris (1952) as Biddle
Million Dollar Mermaid (1952) as Director
Destination Gobi (1953) as Captain Gates
The President's Lady (1953) as Judge McNairy
Pickup On South Street (1953) as Zara
Gun Belt (1953) as Endicott
Dangerous Crossing (1953) as Capt. Peters
From Here To Eternity (1953) as Army Lt. Colonel
The Affairs Of Dobey Gillis (1953) as Dr Askit, Quiz Master
The Big Heat (1953) as Lt. Ted Wilkes
Battle Of Rogue River (1954) as Major Wallach
Executive Suite (1954) as Detective
Fireman Save My Child (1954) as Mayor
Them! (1954) as Official at D C Meeting
Suddenly (1954) as Dan Carney
A Star Is Born (1954) as McBride
Drum Beat (1954) as General Gilliam
The Bridges At Toko-Ri (1954) as Captain Evans
The Long Gray Line (1955) as Major Thomas
The Violent Men (1955) as Sheriff Martin Kenner
Battle Cry (1955) as Mr. Forrester
The Eternal Sea (1955) as Review Panel Chairman
Big House U S A (1955) as Robertson Lambert
I Cover The Waterfront (1955) as Warden Lewis Johnson
The McConnell Story (1955) as Newton Bass
Hell On Frisco Bay (1955) as Police Lt. Paul Neville
The Spoilers (1955) as Jonathan Struve
Forever, Darling (1956) as Mr. Oliver Clinton
Magnificent Roughnecks (1956) as Ernie Biggers
Johnny Concho (1956) as Sheriff Henderson
Pillars Of The Sky (1956) as Col. Edson Stedlow
The Forest Ranger (1956) as Jody Scott
The Wings Of Eagles (1957) as Barton
Mister Cory (1957) as Mr. Vollard
Last Of The Badmen (1957) as Marshal Parker
The Night Runner (1957) as Loren Mayes
The Garment Jungle (1957) as Dave Bronson
Beau James (1957) as Arthur Julian
The Last Stagecoach West (1957) as George Bryceson
Zero Hour! (1957) as British Army Doctor
Darby's Rangers (1958) as Brig. general Truscott
The Sheepman (1958) as Frank Payton
The Last Hurrah (1958) as Roger Surgue
No Name On the Bullet ( 1959) as Buck Hastings
The Horse Soldiers (1959) as Colonel Phil Secord
It Started With A Kiss (1959) as Officer At Airport
Sergeant Rutledge (1960) as Colonel Otis Fosgate
Five Guns To Tombstone (1960) as George Landan
Two Rode Together (1961) as Harry Wringle
You Have To Run Fast (1961) as Colonel Maitland
Pocketful Of Miracles (1961) as Newspaper Editor
Saintly Sinners (1962) as Police Chief Harrihan
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962) as Jason Tully, Train Conductor
Incident In An Alley (1962) as Police Captain Tom Brady
Panic In The Year Zero (19620 as Dr. Powell Strong
How The West Was Won (1962) as Surgeon
Cheyenne Autumn (1964) as Colonel At Victory Cave
Where Love Has Gone (1964) as Judge Murphy
McHale's Navy Joins The Air Force ( 1965) as Adm. Doyle
Follow Me Boys! (1966) as Judge
Return Of The Gunfighter (1966) as Judge Ellis
Support Your Local Sheriff (1969) as Thomas Devery
The Love God? (1969) as Judge Jeremiah Claypool
Young Billy Young (1969) as Doc Cushman
Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) as Ira Teasdale
Support Your Local Gunfighter (1973) as McLaglen
Shoot Out (1971) as Stationmaster
Mr. Bouchey was very active on television appearing in such programs as Dragnet, Schlitz Playhouse Of Stars, Screen Directors Playhouse, Four Star Playhouse, Father Knows Best, The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin, Zane Grey Theater, Have Gin Will Travel, Sea Hunt, Frontier, Navy Log, General Electric Theater, Bachelor Father, Dr. Kildare, The Patty Duke Show, Gunsmoke, The Case Of The Dangerous Robin, 77 Sunset Strip, Lawman, Colt 45, Bat Masterson, Wanted Dead Or Alive, Riverboat, Tales Of Wells Fargo, Wagon Train, The Untouchables, Boris Karloff's Thriller, Laramie, Bonanza, The Virginian, Lassie, Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, McHale's Navy, Hazel, Perry Mason, Daniel Boone, The Doris Day Show, The Mod Squad, Ironside and Mayberry RFD among many others.
Mr. Bouchey played the judge in twenty three episodes of the Perry Mason TV series.
Willis Bouchey passed away in 1977.
I remember this actor especially in the films The Long Gray Line, Drum Beat, Last Of The Bad Men, Wings Of Eagles, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, Sergeant Rutledge, The Horse Soldiers, No Name On The Bullet, Big House U S A, Two Rode Together, Panic In The Year Zero, Support Your Local Sheriff, Support Your Local Gunfighter and The Love God.
I also remember that distinctive, no nonsense voice of his as well.
Louie The Movie Buff