Willis Bouchey

Already in his 40s when he first hit the big screen, versatile character actor Willis Bouchey managed to amass an enormous number of screen credits through the 1950s and '60s, frequently working with such legends as John Ford and Jimmy Stewart. Bouchey first broke into pictures in the early '50s, often in small uncredited bits before playing the President of the United States in the science fiction thriller "Red Planet Mars," setting himself up for future parts as a man of authority. He played larger supporting roles, an FBI agent and a police lieutenant, in the crime dramas "Pickup on South Street" and "The Big Heat," working with esteemed directors Samuel Fuller and Fritz Lang, respectively. Bouchey played a secret service agent facing wild would-be assassin Frank Sinatra in "Suddenly." As various mayors, military men, and officers of the law, he worked his way through dozens of guest spots on television shows, including crime serials and Westerns. As a judge, he faced Raymond Massey across the bench on "Perry Mason." He was also a regular member of the John Ford Stock Company, and appeared in many of the acclaimed director's productions, including the standout classic "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," featuring Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne.