Roscoe Karns

Biography

Roscoe Karns (September 7, 1891 – February 6, 1970) was a notable American actor whose prolific career spanned nearly five decades, encompassing almost 150 films from 1915 to 1964. Renowned for his portrayal of cynical, wise-cracking characters often tinged with humor and a touch of inebriation, Karns brought a lively energy to many film comedies and crime dramas throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Although he starred in several silent films, including the acclaimed Wings and Beggars of Life, it was with the advent of sound that his career truly flourished.

One of his most memorable performances came in the Oscar-winning comedy It Happened One Night (1934), where he played the obnoxious bus passenger Oscar Shapeley. He followed this success with a standout role as the drunken press agent Owen O'Malley in Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century. Karns also made a mark in Hawks' His Girl Friday (1940) as a reporter. In 1937, he teamed up with Lynne Overman in two comedic mystery films, Murder Goes to College and Partners in Crime.

Between 1950 and 1954, Karns starred as Rocky King in the popular DuMont Television Network series, Rocky King, Inside Detective, alongside his son, Todd Karns. Later, from 1959 to 1962, he played Admiral Walter Shafer in the CBS military sitcom/drama Hennesey. His final film appearance was in Hawks' Man's Favorite Sport? in 1964. Born in San Bernardino, California, Karns passed away in Los Angeles.