Pals Of The Saddle- Frank McGrath

[ethanedwards]

FRANK McGRATH

..

Born
Benjamin Franklin McGrath
February 2, 1903 in Mound City, Missouri, USA
Died:
May 13, 1967 (age 64) in Hollywood, California, USA

Spouse
Libby Quay Buschlen McGrath (?-1967, his death)

Mini-Biography
Stuntman/actor Frank McGrath was born of Irish and Native American
heritage in Mound City, MO, February 2, 1903. In his pre-Hollywood earlier
years he had some experience with small time rodeos then went on to be a
jockey at midwest race-tracks.
When a Mexican track went broke, Frankie hopped a north-bound freight
train. As legend has it, a movie producer saw Frank jump from the train
and encouraged his entry into early film stuntwork.

Supposedly, at 16 years of age in 1919, Frank began his film career working and doubling
for Stan Laurel, Buster Keaton, Warner Baxter and J. Carroll
Naish, just to name a few. Frank was 5' 8" so his small frame and wiry movies also enabled
him to double a lot of female stars such as Gene Tierney.

In the ‘30s and ‘40s McGrath began to get small speaking roles along with his
stuntwork. He can be seen in “Rainbow Trail” (‘32) with George O’Brien,
“Western Union” (‘41), “Sundown Jim” (‘42), “Heldorado” (‘46), etc.

Frank and his long time friend, Terry Wilson, became part of John Wayne’s
stunt crew on “Hondo”, “Fort Apache”, “Rio Grande”, “Three Godfathers”,
“She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”, “The Searchers” and dozens more.

At the time, the TV series “Wagon Train” was being prepped in ‘57. Frank
was ready for retirement after more than 40 years in the business but his
friend, actor Ward Bond, was very persuasive and instrumental in getting
Frank cast as irascible cook Charlie Wooster. An 8 year run on “Wagon Train”
brought belated fame and recognition to Frank and Terry Wilson, making
them popular guest stars at many top rodeos and fairs across America and
Canada.

Frank kept working as an actor after “Wagon Train” ended its run and played
Uncle Lucius on the “Tammy” TV series. Over the years Frank worked on
such classic westerns as “Westward the Women”, “Devil’s Doorway”, “Naked
Spur”, “Tin Star”, “Last Challenge” and many non-westerns including
the best ever version of “The 3 Musketeers” (‘48) starring Gene Kelly.

Frank was a rascal, known to like his booze, but he was one of the most
respected stuntmen in Hollywood, a man who played hard but got the job
done. Stuntman Chuck Roberson, in his book THE FALL GUY (‘80), wrote,
“Frank had a fondness for large quantities of Seagrams gin and bitters.
Known to millions of television viewers as ornery little Charlie Wooster on
‘Wagon Train’, he was ornery long before that.
He loved to start fights, then leave someone else to finish them, or be
finished by them. A friendship with McGrath could be hazardous to (your)
health. Everybody liked McGrath, but damn, you had to be careful around
him.”
Sadly for all of us, Frank passed away of a heart attack May 13, 1967,
but is still seen worldwide in “Wagon Train” reruns and almost nightly in a
John Wayne film being shown somewhere.
He left his mark and helped pave the way for stuntmen to come.
Information from Western Clippings

Also see:
Wikipedia- Full Biography

Information from IMDb

Filmography

Actor
1968 The Shakiest Gun in the West...Mr. Hiram Remington
1967 The Pistolero of Red River...Ballard Weeks
1967 The Reluctant Astronaut...Plank
1967 Tammy and the Millionaire...Uncle Lucius
1967 The War Wagon...Bartender
1967 The Big Valley (TV series)– Plunder at Hawk's Grove (1967) … Buster
1967 Gunfight in Abilene...Ned Martin
1966 The Virginian (TV series)– Linda (1966) … Neddie Henshaw
1965-1966 Tammy (TV series)...Uncle Lucius
1957-1965 Wagon Train (TV series)...Charlie Wooster
1965 The Sword of Ali Baba...Pindar
1958 Tales of Wells Fargo (TV series)– The Most Dangerous Man Alive (1958) … Jake Rivers
1957 Hell Bound...Detective (uncredited)
1957 The Tin Star...Jim Clark, Stagecoach Driver (uncredited)
1956 The Boss...Saloon Patron (uncredited)
1956 Cheyenne (TV series)– Quicksand (1956) … John Pike
1956 The Searchers...Ranger (uncredited)
1953 Hondo...Lowe's Partner (uncredited)
1953 Ride, Vaquero!..Pete
1951 Westward the Women...Outrider (uncredited)
1951 Slaughter Trail...Jamora (uncredited)
1951 Across the Wide Missouri...St. Leger (uncredited)
1951 Night Into Morning...Irate Driver (uncredited)
1951 The Red Badge of Courage...Captain (uncredited)
1950 The Milkman...Man (uncredited)
1950 Devil's Doorway...Posse Member (uncredited)
1950 Broken Arrow...Barfly (uncredited)
1950 Wagon Master...Posse Member (uncredited)
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon...Bugler/Indian (uncredited)
1949 Mighty Joe Young...Cowboy (uncredited)
1949 Big Jack...Posse Member (uncredited)
1948 My Hero...Dispatch Rider (uncredited)
1948 Half Past Midnight...Taxi Driver (uncredited)
1948 Fort Apache...Cpl. Derice (uncredited)
1948 Alias a Gentleman..Murph (uncredited)
1946 Heldorado...Bearded Man Next to Carnival Jail (uncredited)
1945 They Were Expendable...Slim Bearded CPO (uncredited)
1943 The Ox-Bow Incident...Posse Member (uncredited)
1942 Sundown Jim...Outlaw
1941 Riders of the Purple Sage...Pete
1941 Western Union...Posse Rider (uncredited)
1940 High School...Student in Fight (uncredited)
1935 Under the Pampas Moon...Minor Role (uncredited)
1932 Robbers' Roost...Mexican (uncredited)
1932 The Rainbow Trail...Horseman (uncredited)

Stunts
1967 The War Wagon (stunts - uncredited)
1957 The Wings of Eagles (stunts - uncredited)
1956 The Searchers (stunts - uncredited)
1954 20000 Leagues Under the Sea (stunts - uncredited)
1953 Hondo (stunts - uncredited)
1953 The Naked Spur (stunts - uncredited)
1952 MacDonald of the Canadian Mounties (stunts - uncredited)
1952 Apache War Smoke (stunts - uncredited)
1951 Westward the Women (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Rio Grande (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Devil's Doorway (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Wagon Master (stunts - uncredited)
1950 Side Street (stunts - uncredited)
1949 She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (stunts - uncredited)
1948 Three Godfathers (stunt double: Pedro Armendariz - uncredited)
1948 The Three Musketeers (stunts - uncredited)
1948 Fort Apache (stunts - uncredited)
1941 Western Union (stunts - uncredited)
1940 High School (stunts - uncredited)
1939 Hollywood Cavalcade (stunts - uncredited)
1934 Elinor Norton (stunts - uncredited)
1932 The Rainbow Trail (stunt double - uncredited)
1925 Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (stunt performer - uncredited)

[ethanedwards]

Mentioned in a few posts recently
seemed like an opportune time to profile
this much loved and well known support actor and stuntman.

Without doubt, Frank was best known as the loveable
Charlie Wooster in the long running TV series Wagon Train.

He also appeared in movies such as Broken Arrow and Wagon Master,
and also TV series such as The Virginian

He was a big friend of fellow actor/stuntman
Terry Wilson,
also of Wagon Train and Duke's movies.

What is not universally known is that he appeared alongside Duke
either as a support actor or stuntmen, or both in 9 movies, and 1 TV movie

The War Wagon(1967) ...Bartender (stunts - uncredited)
"Wagon Train"- The Colter Craven Story (1960)...Charlie Wooster
The Wings of Eagles(1957) (stunts - uncredited)
The Searchers(1956)...Ranger (uncredited) (stunts - uncredited)
Hondo(1954)...Lowe's Partner (uncredited) (stunts - uncredited)
Rio Grande (1950) (stunts - uncredited)
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon(1949) ...Bugler/Indian (uncredited) (stunts - uncredited)
3 Godfathers (1948) (stunt double: Pedro Armendariz - uncredited)
Fort Apache(1948) ....Cpl. Derice (uncredited) (stunts - uncredited)
They Were Expendable (1945) ...Slim Bearded CPO (uncredited)

[ethanedwards]

According to the book John Wayne:American,
Frank was asked to join one of John Ford's card games,
but was considered too unpredictable.
He was good at his job, but he loved nothing more
than drinking and fighting,
and was singularly unimpressed by John Ford.
In one game he caught Ford cheating and said:

Hey, One Eye! Stop peaking at my God damned hand

He then kicked the director in the shins.
Duke roared with laughter, while Ford grumbled
about McGrath being

a useless drunk

Go ahead Boss send me home,

the stuntman added concluding,

De Mille wants me anyway

[The Tennesseean]

In your list of movies he was in with Duke, you left out "The Were Expendable" (1945)

[ethanedwards]

In your list of movies he was in with Duke, you left out "The Were Expendable" (1945)

Thanks so much for spotting the miss, I've now corrected it

[Hawkswill]

Nice addition. In The Searchers, he was a ranger and the Union Army bugler who came back with Patrick. He jumped a pole while holding his bugle high in the air as if blowing it. Of course, he was right behind Patrick, or his double, in the extremely rapid rides through the Indian camp also. Keith

[Gorch]

Bad Chuck Roberson writes in his autobiography that Wayne bullied Frankie into three months of abstinence while filming "Hondo". Duke had told him that if he ever found Frankie near a gin bottle he would be sent home.
At the wrap party, Frankie approached Duke with an empty glass. "Okay now"? he asked and Duke said sure.
The party lasted until dawn when Roberson asked Frankie's whereabouts. He was found sleeping curled around a tree branch that was hanging over the motel pool with two empty gin bottles floating in the water.
"The Fall Guy" has many stories about Frankie, all of which are unprintable on these pages.


We deal in lead,friend.

[Hawkswill]

I had heard of something like that, I believe from you in a private message. I also read something I did NOT like to see in print that Frank said HIMSELF about the drinking that went on beginning around 4pm on the filming of Wagon Train......he specifically said Ward, Terry, and I. I have searched all over and haven't found it again, but I will unless it has been removed.

OK, so he was an alcoholic, a gambler, and had a bad mouth. Sad thing for me to find out, very sad. But, life is life. Just goes to show what an incredible actor he was. In some of the episodes you just couldn't help but think he was the kindest, most loving person totally devoted to Major Adams. And as for his horse expertise, I even got BOYD, a friend of Bob Horton's, to admit that he was excellent. Seems as if Terry Wilson was quite a carouser himself. And Ward........well we all knew about him. Seems as if he greatly cut down near the end though after the heart attack and the horrific pace he set for himself to make certain Wagon Train was up to snuff. Sometimes your "heroes" are not all you thought they were. We know some things about Duke that we just don't talk about....no reason to.......we still love him! Keith Thanks for the extra stuff.

[Gorch]

Uhhm, I admire Frankie and don't mean to denigrate him at all. Like the line in Butch Cassidy - he was "colorful". I think he would have probably killed me if I had associated with him, but I would have enjoyed the hell out of his company.
All these stuntmen and actors had great times together, even if they weren't that fond of one another at times. Red Morgan seems to have been a particularly grumpy and surly fellow, but he was accepted for what he was. After his horrible accident on HTWWW, Duke made sure that Red's wife, Yvonne DeCarlo, had a substantial part in "McClintock!"
As far as drinking goes, I've awakened in some pretty strange places myself in my younger days. Not in a tree, though. Not yet.


We deal in lead, friend.

[ethanedwards]

Uhhm, I admire Frankie and don't mean to denigrate him at all. Like the line in Butch Cassidy - he was "colorful". I think he would have probably killed me if I had associated with him, but I would have enjoyed the hell out of his company.
All these stuntmen and actors had great times together, even if they weren't that fond of one another at times. Red Morgan seems to have been a particularly grumpy and surly fellow, but he was accepted for what he was. After his horrible accident on HTWWW, Duke made sure that Red's wife, Yvonne DeCarlo, had a substantial part in "McClintock!"
As far as drinking goes, I've awakened in some pretty strange places myself in my younger days. Not in a tree, though. Not yet.


We deal in lead, friend.

It was not Boyd 'Red' Morgan but Bob Morgan,
who was the husband of Yvonne DeCarlo,

Both stunt men, but different men.

I will be profiling Red Morgan shortly

[Gorch]

Thanks for the kind words, Ethan. I knew Bob was DeCarlo's husband but always thought his nickname was Red. Gotta check myself before shooting my mouth off.


We deal in lead, friend.

[n.debrabant]

I always loved Frank McGrath and his performance on Wagon Train. He was a very important part of She Wore A yellow Ribbon, being on screen a lot. I think he should have gotten some credit for it even though he hardly had any words. Ithink he may have said "Yes Sir" a time or two. He was almost always by JW side as they rode through the plains. It took me a while to realize that he played both Charley and the bugler.