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Tim McCoy
Actor

Tim McCoy

10 Apr 1891Born
29 Jan 1978Died
86Age at death
93Credits

Biography

One of the great stars of early American Westerns. McCoy was the son of an Irish soldier who later became police chief of Saginaw, Michigan, where McCoy was born. He attended St. Ignatius College in Chicago and after seeing a Wild West show there, left school and found work on a Wyoming ranch. He became an expert horseman and roper and developed a keen knowledge of the ways and languages of the Indian tribes in the area. He competed in numerous rodeos, then enlisted in the U.S. Army when America entered the First World War. He was commissioned and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

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At the end of World War I, he returned to his ranch in Wyoming, only to be called by Governor Bob Carry to the post of Adjutant General of Wyoming, a position he held until 1921. The position carried with it the rank of Brigadier General (a brevet promotion) and it has been reported that this made him the youngest general officer in the U.S. Army. His reputation as a friend to the Wind River Reservation Indians, both Arapahoe and Shoshone, preceded him and in 1922, he was asked by the head of Famous Players-Lasky, Jesse L. Lasky, to provide Indian extras for the Western extravaganza, The Covered Wagon (1923). He resigned from the state position and recruited several hundred Indians to the Utah movie location. When the film wrapped, he was asked to choose several Indians to accompany him to Hollywood. There the production company developed a live 'prologue' to be presented just prior to the movie showing. The idea was a success and McCoy and his Indian group toured the U.S. and eventually, Europe as well. After touring this country and Europe with the Indians as publicity, McCoy returned to Hollywood and used his connections to obtain further work in the movies, both as a technical advisor and eventually as an actor. MGM speedily signed him to a contract to star in a series of Westerns and McCoy rapidly rose to stardom, making scores of Westerns and occasional non-Westerns. He retired from the army and from films after the war, but emerged in the late 1940s for a few more films and some television work. In 1942 he ran for the Republican Nomination for the U.S. Senate in Wyoming. He was defeated and returned to Hollywood and an uncertain future. In 1946 he sold his Wyoming ranch and moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania and the life of the gentleman farmer. While living there, he met and married Danish writer Inga Arvad. He later built a home in Nogales, Arizona where Inga subsequently died in 1973. He spent his later years as a retired rancher. He died at the U.A. Army hospital at Ft. Hauchuca, Arizona on January 29 1978 at the age of 86.

Inducted into the Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1974.

During World War I, he served as an artillery officer in the US Army in France.

Spouse Inga Arvad (1945 - 1973) (her death)

Alice Miller (? - 1931) (divorced) (3 children)

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 93 credits.

  1. 1976Meanwhile, Back at the RanchFilm: (archive footage)
  2. 1965Requiem for a GunfighterFilm: Judge Irving Short
  3. 1957Run of the ArrowFilm: Gen. Allen (as Colonel Tim McCoy)
  4. 1956Around the World in 80 DaysFilm: Colonel
  5. 1942West of the LawFilm: Marshal Tim McCall
  6. 1942Riders of the WestFilm: Marshal Tim McCall
  7. 1942Down Texas WayFilm: U. S. Marshal Tim McCall
  8. 1942Ghost Town LawFilm: Marshal Tim McCall
  9. 1942Below the BorderFilm: Marshal Tim McCall
  10. 1941Forbidden TrailsFilm: Marshal Tim McCall
  11. 1941The Gunman From BodieFilm: Marshal Tim McCall
  12. 1941Arizona BoundFilm: Tim McCall
  13. 1941The Texas MarshalFilm: Marshal Trigger Tim Rand
  14. 1941Outlaws of the Rio GrandeFilm: Tim Barton
  15. 1940Riders of Black MountainFilm: Marshal Tim Donovan
  16. 1940Arizona Gang BustersFilm: Trigger Tim Rand
  17. 1940Gun CodeFilm: Marshal Tim Hammond posing as Tim Hays
  18. 1940Frontier CrusaderFilm: Trigger Tim Rand
  19. 1940Texas RenegadesFilm: 'Silent' Tim Smith
  20. 1939Trigger FingersFilm: 'Lightning' Bill Carson
  21. 1939The Fighting RenegadeFilm: Bill Carson posing as El Puma
  22. 1939Straight ShooterFilm: "Lightning" Bill Carson
  23. 1939Outlaws' ParadiseFilm: William Carson / Trigger Mallory
  24. 1939Texas WildcatsFilm: 'Lightning' Bill Carson
  25. 1939Code of the CactusFilm: Bill Carson
  26. 1938Six-Gun TrailFilm: Captain William Carson
  27. 1938Lightning Carson Rides AgainFilm: Lightning Bill Carson / Jose
  28. 1938Phantom RangerFilm: Tim Hayes
  29. 1938Two Gun JusticeFilm: Tim
  30. 1938Code of the RangersFilm: Tim Strong
  31. 1938West of Rainbow's EndFilm: Tim Hart
  32. 1936The TraitorFilm: Tim McCoy: Sergeant Tim Vallance - Texas Ranger
  33. 1936Ghost PatrolFilm: Tim Caverly
  34. 1936The Lion's DenFilm: Tim Barton
  35. 1936Aces and EightsFilm: Tim Madigan
  36. 1936Lightnin' Bill CarsonFilm: Marshal Lightnin' Bill Carson
  37. 1936Border CaballeroFilm: Tim Ross
  38. 1936Roarin' GunsFilm: Tim Corwin
  39. 1935Bulldog CourageFilm: Slim Braddock / Tim Braddock
  40. 1935The Man from GuntownFilm: Tim Hanlon
  41. 1935Riding WildFilm: Tim Malloy / Tex Ravelle
  42. 1935The Outlaw DeputyFilm: Tim Mallory
  43. 1935Justice of the RangeFilm: Tim Condon
  44. 1935Fighting ShadowsFilm: Constable Tim O'Hara
  45. 1935The Revenge RiderFilm: Tim O'Neil
  46. 1935Law Beyond the RangeFilm: Tim McDonald
  47. 1935Square ShooterFilm: Tim Baxter
  48. 1934The WesternerFilm: Tim Addison
  49. 1934The Prescott KidFilm: Tim Hamlin
  50. 1934Beyond the LawFilm: Tim Weston
  51. 1934A Man's GameFilm: Tim Bradley
  52. 1934Hell Bent for LoveFilm: Police Captain Tim Daley
  53. 1934Voice in the NightFilm: Tim Dale
  54. 1934Speed WingsFilm: Tim
  55. 1933StraightawayFilm: Tim Dawson
  56. 1933Hold the PressFilm: Tim Collins
  57. 1933Police Car 17Film: Tim Conlon
  58. 1933Rusty Rides AloneFilm: Tim Burke
  59. 1933The WhirlwindFilm: Tim Reynolds
  60. 1933Silent MenFilm: Tim Richards
  61. 1933Man Of ActionFilm: Ranger Tim Barlow
  62. 1932End of the TrailFilm: Captain Tim Travers
  63. 1932The Western CodeFilm: Tim Barrett
  64. 1932Fighting for JusticeFilm: Tim Keene
  65. 1932CorneredFilm: Sheriff Tim Laramie
  66. 1932Daring DangerFilm: Tim Madigan
  67. 1932Two-Fisted LawFilm: Tim Clark
  68. 1932The Riding TornadoFilm: Tim Torrant
  69. 1932Texas CycloneFilm: Texas Grant
  70. 1932The Fighting FoolFilm: Sheriff Tim Collins
  71. 1931The Fighting MarshalFilm: Tim Benton
  72. 1931Shotgun PassFilm: Tim Walker
  73. 1931The One Way TrailFilm: Tim Allen
  74. 1931Heroes of the FlamesFilm: Bob Darrow
  75. 1930The Indians Are ComingFilm: Jack Manning
  76. 1929The Desert RiderFilm: Jed Tyler
  77. 1929Sioux BloodFilm: Flood
  78. 1929The Overland TelegraphFilm: Captain Allen
  79. 1929Morgan's Last RaidFilm: Capt. Daniel Clairbourne
  80. 1928The BushrangerFilm: Edward

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.