Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the headstrong Calamity Joe in "The Old Oregon Trail" (1928). After beginning his careers as a leading man in stock companies, he was discovered by fellow actor Buddy Roosevelt while attending a casting call or bit players. Impressed by his dark good looks, slim physique, and distinctive voice, he took notice of his potential and helped him begin a career in the film industry beginning with him appearing in the title role in "Stockman Joe" (1910). From there, he would go on to enjoy a successful career as a notable supporting character actor appearing in over 290 features; often typecast as cowboys, sheriffs, policemen, guards, bartenders, eccentrics, curmudgeons, retail clerks, businessmen, blue-collared guys, henchmen, heroes, aristocrats, detectives, reporters, jurors, waiters, doormen, construction workers, and gamblers. He appeared in such feature films as "The Lone Rider" (1922), "Below the Border" (1929), "The Big Trail" (1930), "The Montana Kid" (1931), "Border Devils" (1932), "Circle Canyon" (1933), "Fighting Through" (1934), "Desert Mesa" (1935), "The Glory Trial" (1936), "Blake of Scotland Yard" (1937), "West of Rainbow's End" (1938), "In Old Montana" (1939), "East Side Kids" (1940), "How Green Was My Valley" (1941), "Western Mail" (1942), "Calaboose" (1943), "False Colors" (1944), "San Antonio" (1945), "Ghost of Hidden Valley" (1946), "Unconquered" (1947), "Silver River" (1948), "The Gal Who Took The West" (1949), "Dakota Lil" (1950), "Three Desperate Men" (1951), "Bend of the River" (1952), "Son of Belle Starr" (1953), "Battle of Rogue River" (1954), "A Lawless Street" (1955), "Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado" (1956), "The FBI Story" (1959), "North to Alaska" (1960), "Zebra in the Kitchen" (1965), "A Big Hand for the Little Lady" (1966), "Five Bloody Graves" (1969), and "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" (1971). On television, he became an even more familiar face appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "The Gene Autry Show," "Adventures of Wild Bill Hickock," "The Adventures of Kit Carson," "Buffalo Bill, Jr.," "Circus Boy," "Rescue 8," "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin," "Death Valley Days," "The Jack Benny Program," "Laramie," "Gunsmoke," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "Wagon Train," "Destry," "Bonanza," "F Troop," and "The Virginian". During his career, he was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, held dual citizenship with the United States and Australia, had been a member of the Hollywood Republican Committee, was a regular parishioner of the Catholic church, had been a professional horse rider, was the founder of his own production company Art Mix Productions, had been a script supervisor for several major studios, was a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, and he was married to actress Dolores Booth with whom he fathered five children (one of whom was actor Al Adamson). Following his 1971 retirement, he spent the final years of his life centered on charitable and artistic ventures, until his death.