
Ray Teal
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the television series Bonanza (1959–1972), which was only one of dozens of sheriffs on television and in movies that he played during his long and prolific career stretching from 1937 to 1970. He appeared in pictures such as Western Jamboree (1938) with Gene Autry, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) with Fredric March and Myrna Loy, The Black Arrow (1948), Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole (1951) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) with Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster. Teal was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A saxophone player, he worked his way through the University of California, Los Angeles as a bandleader before becoming an actor. His longest-running role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee, a law-enforcing sheriff on Bonanza. Teal was one of the most senior members of the crew having a permanent role. He had also played a sheriff in the Billy Wilder film Ace in the Hole (1951). Teal co-starred in numerous TV westerns throughout his career: he appeared five times on Cheyenne, four times on The Lone Ranger, on The Alaskans, three times in different roles on another long-running western series, Wagon Train, on NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo, on the ABC western series Broken Arrow, five times on the ABC western comedy Maverick, on the CBS western series The Texan, the NBC western series The Californians, twice on Colt .45, once on Wanted: Dead or Alive, and as "Sheriff Clay" for a single 1960 episode of the NBC western series Riverboat, and four times on a western series about the rodeo titled Wide Country. After more than 15 years performing in films and in early television, Teal secured a recurring role as a police officer in the 1953–1955 ABC sitcom with a variety-show theme, Where's Raymond?, later renamed The Ray Bolger Show. In 1955, Teal appeared as McCanles, a ruthless cattle baron in the episode "Julesburg" of the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series, Cheyenne. Altogether, Teal appeared five times on Cheyenne. He later appeared in a guest-starring role in another ABC/WB Western series, The Alaskans. From 1957 to 1962, Teal was cast three times in different roles on the Western series, Wagon Train. He also appeared in a number of episodes of Bat Masterson, an episode of The Rifleman and later in Green Acres. In 1957, Teal played a lawman, Captain McNelly, in the episode "Sam Bass" of NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo. Teal was cast as Fenster in "The Bounty Hunters" (1957) on the ABC Western series, Broken Arrow. In 1958, Teal guest-starred "No Tears for the Dead" on the CBS Western series, The Texan. He also later appeared in the CBS sitcom, Dennis the Menace. In 1960, Teal was cast as Sheriff Roy Coffee in Bonanza, a role he played until 1972, appearing in 98 episodes, occasionally as the lead character. He also portrayed judge/dentist/shoe repairman H.G. Cogswell in Bat Masterson starring Gene Barry. He died of undisclosed causes on April 2, 1976, at age 74 in Santa Monica, California. CLR
Filmografi
Distant Drums1951 · Pvt. Mohair
Chisum1970 · Justice J.B. Wilson
Brute Force1947 · Jackson - Guard (uncredited)
Bathing Beauty1944 · Adams Club Maitre D' (uncredited)
The Clock1945 · Policeman
Judgment at Nuremberg1961 · Curtiss Ives
Hacksaw1971 · The Rancher
The Men1950 · Man at Bar
Driftwood1947 · Mr. Perkins
Undercover Maisie1947 · Man at Union Station
The Best Years of Our Lives1946 · Mr. Mollett
The Oklahoman1957 · Jason - Stableman
Kitty Foyle1940 · Clarinet Player (uncredited)
Ace in the Hole1951 · Sheriff
Ziegfeld Girl1941 · Pawnbroker (uncredited)
The Asphalt Jungle1950 · Cop in Car Barn Slugged by Dix (uncredited)
Decoy1946 · Policeman (uncredited)
One-Eyed Jacks1961 · Barney
Star Reporter1939 · Crook
Taggart1965 · Ralph Taggart
Kazan1949 · McCready
Inherit the Wind1960 · Jessie H. Dunlap
Woman of the Year1942 · Married Sports Reporter (uncredited)
Home from the Hill1960 · Dr. Carson
Burt Lancaster
Judy Garland
Alan Baxter
William Shatner
John Wayne
Lee Meriwether
Jay C. Flippen
Bruce Cabot
Ben Johnson
Montgomery Clift
Richard Widmark
Gary Cooper