Actor, Film Director. He was best known for playing the character roles of correspondents, musicians, outlaws, professors, attorneys, judges, henchmen, historical figures, editors, colonels, editors, doctors, mayors, messengers, army officers, criminals, admirals, lieutenants, deputies, fathers, reverends, farmers, emcees, principals, gangsters, captains, marshals, prosecutors, sheriffs, generals, usually in Sci-Fi films and western films, most notably in the Hopalong Cassidy films. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Henry Stoneham' in the classic western film, "North Of The Rio Grande" (1937). The film which was directed by Nate Watt, which was written for the screen by Joseph O'Donnell, which was based on the story, "Cottonwood Gulch," by Clarence E. Mulford, and which also starred William Boyd, George 'Gabby' Hayes, and Russell Hayden, tells the story of Hoppy's brother who has been murdered and he is on the trail of the murderers. To get them he makes himself seem to be a wanted man. He will also be best remembered for playing the role of 'Merle' in the episode entitled, "The Bobsy Twins," of the classic western television series, "Gunsmoke," which originally aired on May 21, 1960, and which also starred James Arness, Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone, and Amanda Blake, tells the story of two brothers have decided that it is their mission to rid the West of Indians. He was born one of two children as Morris Winslow Ankrum (another source says Stephen Morris Nussbaum), in Danville, Illinois, to Horace L. Ankrum (1868-1908), and his wife Carrie B. Gregory Ankrum (1866-1944), on August 27, 1897. He was educated locally and later attended and graduated from the University of Southern California School of Law in Los Angeles, California, and practiced as an attorney and was an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of California-Berkeley in Berkeley, California, when he began an acting career on the stage. He appeared on Broadway in New York City, New York, in several stage productions of such plays as, 'Rogers' in "In The Next Room" (November 27, 1923, to April 1924), as 'Dr. Wachler' in "The Assumption Of Hannele" (February 15, 1924, to February 1924), as 'Harold Plevin' in "The Blue Peter" (March 24, 1925, to April 1925), as 'Manuel de Castillo' in "The Fountain" (December 10, 1925, to January 1926), as 'Davis' in "Glory Hallelujah" (April 06, 1926, to April 1926), as 'Frank Reynolds' in "The Good Fellow" (October 05, 1926, to October 1926), he was the writer for, "The Mystery Man" (January 26, 1927, to April 1927), as 'Spiker' in "Gods Of The Lightning" (October 24, 1928, to November 1928), as 'Swaggerty' in "Buckaroo" (March 16, 1929, to March 1929), as 'The Atheist' in "Within The Gates" (October 22, 1934, to February 1935), he was Production Supervisor on "Prologue To Glory" (March 17, 1938, to November 05, 1938), the production was under the direction of him for, "The Big Blow" (October 01, 1938, to February 1939). During his time on the Broadway stage he worked with the likes of Arthur Albertson, Edward Butler, Mary Kennedy, Claude King, William J. Kline, Wright Kramer, Merle Maddern, George Riddell, Leighton Stark, Olive Valerie, Georgia Backus, Charles Ellis, Edward Forbes, Charles Francis, Mrs. Edmund Gurney, Alice John, Teddy Jones, Paul Kalkhurst, Eva Le Gallienne, Paul Leyssac, Merle Maddern, Agnes McCarthy, Owen Meech, Basil Rathbone, Florence Walcott, Henry Warwick, Ralph Benzies, Stanley Berry, Egon Brecher, Curtis Cooksey, Ray Corning, Liza Dallett, Rosalinde Fuller, Walter Huston, Perry Ivins, Philip Jones, Pauline Moore, Henry O'Neill, William Stahl, Edgar Stehli, John Taylor, Crane Wilbur, Mildred Albert, Charles Angelo, George Augustin, Tony Barone, Mordecai Bauman, Phil Bishop, Suzanne Black, Kenneth Bostock, Mary Brandt, Edward Broadley, Victor Bryant, Tomes Chapman, Kathryn Collier, Ralph Cullinan, Kathryn Curl, Martha Eaton, Bramwell Fletcher, Frank Gabrielson, Lillian Gish, Betty Gladstone, Anne Goddard, Miriam Goldina, Gordon Gould, Serge Gradoff, Dorothy Higgins, Marjorie Hyder, Serge Inga, Moffat Johnston, James Jolley, Charles Keane, Barry Kelley, Robert Kerr, Stanley Klein, Karl Kohrs, Ellen Larned, Alexander Lewis, Ellen Love, Byron McGrath, Barry Macollum, Vera Fuller Mellish, Ram Meyer, Dodson Mitchell, Esther Mitchell, Elizabeth Morgan, Mary Morris, Margaret Mower, John Daly Murphy, Gifford Nash, Jessamine Newcombe, Arthur Porter, Evangeline Raleigh, Ursula Seiler, Edith Shayne, Virginia Spottswood, Pauline Stokes, Peggy Strickland, Ralph Sumpter, William Triest, Arthur Villars, Clyde Walters, Teddy Williams, William Williams, Rodifer Wilson, and Stanley G. Wood, among many others. He also appeared in or directed several plays for the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, California, including, "Othello" (193), "Shore Acres" (1930), "If" (1930), "Cock Robin" (1931), "Richelieu" (1931), "No More Frontier" (1931), "Many Waters" (1931), "The Speckled Band" (1931), "Passing Brompton Road" (1931), "The Three Musketeers" (1931), "Once In A Lifetime" (1932), "Peer Gynt" (1932), "Green Grow The Lilacs" (1932), "Mr. Mary Sawyer" (1932), "Henry VIII" (1932), "Louder, Please," (1933), "Mr. Faithful" (1933), "Volpone" (1933), "Too True To Be Good" (1933), "Petticoat Influence" (1933), "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1933), "Cavalcade" (1934), "Roadside" (1935), "King Richard II" (1935), "King Richard VIII" (1935), "King Richard III" (1935), "Yellow Man" (1936), "Hollywood Holiday" (1936), "Rain From Heaven" (1936), "Coriolanus" (1936), "Cymbeline" (1936), "Strictly Dishonorable" (1941), "The Moment Is Now" (1942), "Yellow Jack" (1944), "Another Part Of The Forest" (1948), "Lightnin'" (1949), "Abe Lincoln In Illinois" (1952), and "The Dybbuk" (1962). During this time he also made the transition to films and eventually to television. He made his actual film debut playing a 'Musician' in the romance film drama, "Reunion In Vienna" (1933). The film which was directed by Sidney Franklin, which was written for the screen by Ernest Vajda and Claudine West, which was based on the play by Robert E. Sherwood, and which also starred John Barrymore, Diana Wynyard, and Frank Morgan, tells the story of an archduke who had been banished from Austria who returns to Vienna for a reunion of his old fellow aristocrats and meets up with the former love of his life, who is now married to a psychoanalyst. Besides, playing a 'Musician' in the romance film drama, "Reunion In Vienna" (1933), and playing the role of 'Henry Stoneham' in the classic western film, "North Of The Rio Grande" (1937), his many other film credits include, "Stand Up And Cheer!" (1934), "Hopalong Cassidy Returns" (1936), "Trail Dust" (1936), "Borderland" (1937), "Hills Of The Rio Grande" (1937), "Rustlers' Valley" (1937), "Knights Of The Range" (1940), "The Showdown" (1940), "The Light Of The Western Stars" (1940), "Buck Benny Rides Again" (1940), "Cherokee Strip" (1940), "Three Men From Texas" (1940), "Doomed Caravan" (1941), "Cheers For Miss Bishop" (1941), "The Round Up" (1941), "In Old Colorado" (1941), "Border Vigilantes" (1941), "Pirates On Horseback" (1941), "Wide Open Town" (1941), "The Woman Is Mine" (1941), "The Bandit Trail" (1941), "I Wake Up Screaming" (1941), "Road Agent" (1941), "Ride 'Em Cowboy" (1942), "Roxie Hart" (1942), "Two Gentlemen From West Point" (1942), "Tales Of Manhattan" (1942), "The Love Of Edgar Allan Poe" (1942), "The Omaha Trail" (1942), "Time To Kill" (1942), "Reunion In France" (1942), "Tennessee Johnson" (1942), "The Human Comedy" (1943), "Assignment In Brittany" (1943), "Dixie Dugan" (1943), "Best Foot Forward" (1943), "Let's Face It" (1943), "I Dood It" (1943), "Swing Fever" (1943), "The Cross Of Lorraine" (1943), "Whistling In Brooklyn" (1943), "Sucker Bait" (1943), "See Here, Private Hargrove" (1944), "The Heavenly Body" (1944), "Rationing" (1944), "Main Street Today" (1944), "Radio Bugs" (1944), "Important Business" (1944), "Mee The People" (1944), "Kismet" (1944), "Marriage Is A Private Affair" (1944), "Barbary Coast Gent" (1944), "Return From Nowhere" (1944), "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" (1944), "The Thin Man Goes Home" (1944), "Dark Shadows" (1944), "Gentle Annie" (1944), "Watchtower Over Tomorrow" (1945), "Fall Guy" (1945), "Phantoms, Inc." (1945), "The Hidden Eye" (1945), "Purity Squad" (1945), "Adventure" (1945), "The Harvey Girls" (1946), "The Green Years" (1946), "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946), "Little Mister Jim" (1946), "Courage Of Lassie" (1946), "The Cockeyed Miracle" (1946), "Lady In The Lake" (1946), "The Mighty McGurk" (1947), "A Really Important Person" (1947), "The Sea Of Grass" (1947), "Undercover Maisie" (1947), "Song Of The Man" (1947), "Cynthia" (1947), "Merton Of The Movies" (1947), "Desire Me" (1947), "Good News" (1947), "High Wall" (1947), "Alias Of A Gentleman" (1948), "Souvenirs Of Death" (1948), "Fighting Back" (1948), "The Fabulous Fraud" (1948), "For The Love Of Mary" (1948), "Joan Of Arc" (1948), "Badmen Of Tombstone" (1949), "We Were Strangers" (1949), "Colorado Territory" (1949), "The Fountainhead" (1949), "Slattery's Hurricane" (1949), "Chain Lightning" (1950), "Borderline" (1950), "The Damned Don't Cry" (1950), "In a Lonely Place" (1950), "Rocketship X-M" (1950), "Suicide 1-1000" (1950), "Short Grass" (1950), "The Redhead And The Cowboy" (1951), "The Lion Hunters" (1951), "Fighting Coast Guard" (1951), "Along The Great Divide" (1951), "Tomorrow Is Another Day" (1951), "Flight To Mars" (1951), "My Favorite Spy" (1951), "Fort Osage" (1952), "Mutiny" (1952), "Red Planet Mars" (1952), "And Now Tomorrow" (1952), "Three For Bedroom C" (1952), "Son Of Ali Baba" (1952), "The Raiders" (1952), "Because Of You" (1952), "Law Of The Trigger" (1952), "Hiawatha" (1952), "The Man Behind The Gun" (1953), "Fort Vengeance" (1953), "I Beheld His Glory" (1953), "invaders From Mars" (1953), "Arena" (1953), "Devil's Canyon" (1953), "Sky Commando" (1953), "Mexican Manhunt" (1953), "The Moonlighter" (1953), "Flight Nurse" (1953), "Three Young Texans" (1954), "Taza, Son of Cochise" (1954), "Southwest Passage" (1954), "The Saracen Blade" (1954), "Silver Lode" (1954), "Drums Across The River" (1954), "Apache" (1954), "The Outlaw Stallion" (1954), "Two Guns And A Badge" (1954), "Cattle Queen Of Montana" (1954), "Vera Cruz" (1954), "The Steel Cage" (1954), "For The Defense" (1954), "Dr. Harvey W. Wiley" (1955), "Many Rivers To Cross" (1955), "Crashout" (1955), "The Silver Star" (1955), "Chief Crazy Horse" (1955), "The Eternal Sea" (1955), "The Man Who Shot The Devil" (1955, He played the role of 'Father Gaspar' in the film and also directed the film), "No Man's Woman" (1955), "No Man's Woman" (1955), "The Last Command" (1955), "Duel On The Mississippi" (1955), "Tennessee's Partner" (1955), "The Little Lamb: A Christmas Story" (1955), "Fury At Gunfight Pass" (1956), "When Gangland Strikes" (1956), "Quincannon, Frontier Scout" (1956), "Down Liberty Road" (1956), "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" (1956), "Walk The Proud Land" (1956), "The Adventures Of Dr. Fu Manchu" (1956), "Death Of A Scoundrel" (1956), "Naked Gun" (1956), "The Desperados Are In Town" (1956), "Drango" (1957), "Hell's Crossroads" (1957), "Zombies Of Mora Tau" (1957), "Kronos" (1957), "Beginning Of The End" (1957), "The Giant Claw" (1957), "Omar Khayyam" (1957), "Giant From The Unknown" (1958), "Young And Wild" (1958), "How To Make A Monster" (1958), "Badman's Country" (1958), "Jack The Ripper" (1958), "Twilight For The Gods" (1958), "Curse Of The Faceless Man" (1958), "The Saga Of Hemp Brown" (1958), "From The Earth To The Moon" (1958), "Tarawa Beachhead" (1958), "Frontier Gun" (1958), "The Power Of The Resurrection" (1958), "Half Human" (1958), "The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come" (1961), "Most Dangerous Man Alive" (1961), "Tower Of London" (1962), X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes" (1963), and "Guns Of Diablo" (1964). Besides, playing the role of 'Merle' in the episode entitled, "The Bobsy Twins," of the classic western television series, "Gunsmoke," which originally aired on May 21, 1960, and which also starred James Arness, Dennis Weaver, Milburn Stone, and Amanda Blake, tells the story of two brothers have decided that it is their mission to rid the West of Indians, his many other television credits include, "Racket Squad," "The Amos 'n Andy Show," "Gruen Guild Theater," "Your Jeweler's Showcase," "Family Theatre," "Cowboy G-Men," "Fireside Theatre," "The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse," "City Detective," "The Loretta Young Show," "Hopalong Cassidy," "The Lone Wolf," "The Ford Television Theatre," "For The Defense," "The Man Behind The Badge," "The Stu Erwin Show," "Stories Of The Century," "It's A Great Life," "The Whistler," "Public Defender," "Big Town," "Soldiers Of Fortune," "Celebrity Playhouse," "The Life And Legend Of Wyatt Earp," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Casablanca," "Lux Video Theatre," "Four Star Playhouse," "Navy Log," "The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show," "TV Reader's Digest," "The Adventures Of Dr. Fu Manchu," "The Best In Mystery," "Science Fiction Theatre," "You Are There," "Chevron Hall Of Stars," "Crossroads," 'Whirlybirds," "The Millionaire," "The 20th Century-Fox Hour," "Telephone Time," "Tales Of The 77th Bengal Lancers," "Lassie," "Cavalcade Of America," "Wire Service," "The Sheriff Of Cochise," "The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial," "The O. Henry Playhouse," "West Point," "The Silent Service," "The Adventures Of Jim Bowie," "Boots And Saddles," "General Electric Theater," "Tales Of The Texas Rangers," "Studio 57," "The Thin Man," "M Squad," "The Gray Ghost," "Official Detective," "Climax!" "Sea Hunt," "Target," "Studio One," "Alcoa Theatre," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin," "Campbell Summer Soundstage," "Wagon Train," "26 Men," "The Veil," "Cimarron City," "Northwest Passage," "Frontier Doctor," 'Union Pacific," "Mackenzie's Raiders," "Death Valley Days," "Lawman," "Bat Masterson," "Markham," "Sugarfoot," "Tombstone Territory," "Riverboat," "U.S. Marshal," "Maverick," "The Man From Blackhawk," "The Texan," "Gunsmoke," "Dennis The Menace," "The Red Skelton Hour," "Cheyenne," "Rawhide," "The Rifleman," "Tales Of Wells Fargo," "The Barbara Stanwyck Show," "Bronco," "Bonanza," "Kraft Suspense Theatre," and "Destry." His last roles were playing 'Judge,' 'Judge Bates,' and 'Trial Judge,' in twenty-two episodes of the classic crime mystery television series drama, "Perry Mason," from 1957 to 1964, which also starred Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper, Ray Collins, and William Talman, tells the story of the cases of a master criminal defense attorney, handling the most difficult of cases in the aid of the innocent. He continued to act and entertain until his death. During his acting career, he also used the name of Morrie Ankrum, Morri Ankrum, and Stephen Morris. He passed away at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California, of a heart attack that came after a week's hospitalization for an intestinal ailment. He had suffered a previous heart attack. His funeral service was held through Turner & Stevens in Pasadena, California, and he was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery and Mausoleum in his native Danville, Illinois. He was married to the actress Joan Natalia Wheeler Ankrum (1913-2001), from 1935 until his death on September 2, 1964. The couple had two children together, David Ankrum, who was born in 1947, and who is also an actor, and Cary Gregory Ankrum who was born in 1950.