Chances are you've seen his imposing character face scores of times but
couldn't place the name. Colorado-born actor Walter Sande was one of
those stern, heavyset character actors in Hollywood everyone recognized
but no one could identify.
Born in Denver on July 9, 1906, Sande showed an early passion for music
as a youth and by his college years managed to start his own band. This
led to a job as musical director for 20th Century-Fox's theater chain,
which in turn led to acting in films beginning in 1937. Usually
providing atmospheric bits with no billing, he made an initial
impression in serial cliffhangers as a third-string heavy with the
popular
The Green Hornet Strikes Again! (1940)
and
Sky Raiders (1941). His first top
featured role, however, would come with
The Iron Claw (1941) as Jack
"Flash" Strong, a photographer who--uncharacteristically for
Walter--served as a comic sidekick to the serial's hero. Best of all
would be his role in another serial as Red Pennington, the amusing
sidekick to
Don Winslow of the Navy (1942).
he repeated his role again in
Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (1943),
the successful sequel. The role of Pennington sparked a long and steady
supporting career in movies, usually a step or two behind Hollywood's
elite on camera, which included
Humphrey Bogart and
Lauren Bacall in
To Have and Have Not (1944)
(prominently featured as the fisherman who tries to cheat Bogie),
Gary Cooper in
Along Came Jones (1945),
Alan Ladd in
The Blue Dahlia (1946),
Charlton Heston in
Dark City (1950) and
Spencer Tracy in
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955),
among hundreds of others. He also lent an an authoritative presence to
classic sci-fi films such as
Red Planet Mars (1952),
The War of the Worlds (1953)
and
Invaders from Mars (1953),
and also had a recurring featured part in the 1940s "Boston Blackie"
film series playing Detective Matthews alongside
Chester Morris' former
thief-turned-crime hero.
A prolific supporting player during the "golden age" of TV, Sande
worked on nearly every popular western and crime show that aired
throughout the 1950s and 1960s. He had a regular series role on
The Adventures of Tugboat Annie (1957)
as Capt. Horatio Bullwinkle, Annie's tugboat rival, and a recurring one
as
Inger Stevens' Swedish father, Lars
"Papa" Holstrum, on
The Farmer's Daughter (1963).
Walter Sande died of a heart attack in 1971 at age 65.
The Magical World of Disney(1954)as John Parsons, Judge McManus
Gunsmoke(1955)as Caldwell, Cal Haines, Cal Hoskins, Charlie, Harry Miles
The Doris Day Show(1968)as Doc Carpenter, Dr. Wagner, Head Santa
Adam-12(1968)as Boatyard Owner
The Goldwyn Follies(1938)
The Lone Ranger Story(1955)as Sheriff Taylor
The Legend of the Lone Ranger(1952)as Sheriff Taylor
