Image of John Dierkes

John Dierkes

Dierkes was born on February 10, 1905 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Brown University and subsequently went to work as an economist for the United States Department of State. In 1941 he joined the Red Cross and served in the Britain duringWorld War II. There he met director John Huston who recommended that he try Hollywood after the war. Instead, Dierkes went to work for the U.S. Treasury Department which coincidentally sent him to Hollywood to function as technical advisor for the film To the Ends of the Earth (1948). Because of his appearance and very tall frame (6 feet, 6 inches), Dierkes enjoyed a long career as a character actor, often portraying villains or soldiers. In the 1953 film Shane, Dierkes portrays villain Morgan Ryker, who is the last man shot by the title character, Shane, in the final bar room shootout. One of his more memorable scenes is in the 1960 film, The Alamo. Dierkes portrays a Tennessean named Jocko, who is torn between leaving before the attack to care for his blind wife, or staying to support the Texans' cause. Understanding that if Jocko stays to fight she will likely be widowed, Jocko's wife coaxes him to stay and defend the fort, despite her disability. Dierkes died in 1975 of emphesyma and was survived by his wife Cynthia, two sons, and two daughters.


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Born:
Feb 10, 1905 In Cincinnati - Ohio - USA
Movie/TV Credits:
50
First Appeared:
In the movie Macbeth 1948-10-01
Latest Project:
Movie Rage 1972-11-22
Known For
Poster of The Omega Man
Poster of The Left Handed Gun
Poster of The Vanishing American
Poster of The Raid
Filmography
Movie Rage Bill Parker 1972-11-22
Movie The Omega Man Family Member 1971-08-01
Movie The Raven Roderick Craven 1963-01-25
Movie X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes Preacher (uncredited) 1963-07-13
Movie The Haunted Palace Benjamin West / Jacob West 1963-08-28
Movie Johnny Cool Cripple 1963-10-02
Movie The Premature Burial Sweeny 1962-03-07
Movie Convicts 4 Cell Block Guard (uncredited) 1962-09-15
Movie The Comancheros Ranger Bill Larsen (uncredited) 1961-12-16
Movie One-Eyed Jacks Chet 1961-03-30
Movie The Slowest Gun in the West 'Wild Bill' Monks 1960-05-07
Movie The Alamo Jocko Robertson 1960-10-23
Series Rawhide Unknown 1959-01-09
Movie The Oregon Trail Gabe Hastings 1959-08-31
Movie The Hanging Tree Society Red 1959-02-19
Movie Blood Arrow Ez 1958-03-31
Movie Touch of Evil Policeman (uncredited) 1958-03-30
Series Wanted: Dead or Alive Unknown 1958-09-06
Movie The Left Handed Gun McSween 1958-05-07
Series Peter Gunn Unknown 1958-09-22
Movie The Buccaneer Deacon 1958-12-11
Series The Rifleman Unknown 1958-09-30
Movie Daughter of Dr. Jekyll Jacob 1957-06-28
Movie Duel at Apache Wells Bill Sowers 1957-01-25
Movie The Guns of Fort Petticoat Texas Storekeeper (uncredited) 1957-04-01
Movie The Buckskin Lady Swanson 1957-07-01
Movie Valerie Bartender 1957-08-01
Movie Death in Small Doses 1957-09-15
Movie The Fastest Gun Alive Cross Creek Townsman (uncredited) 1956-07-12
Movie Jubal Carson - Horgan Rider 1956-02-25
Series State Trooper Unknown 1956-09-25
Movie Friendly Persuasion Farmer (uncredited) 1956-11-25
Movie Betrayed Women Cletus Ballard 1955-07-17
Movie Not as a Stranger Bursar 1955-07-01
Series Gunsmoke Unknown 1955-09-10
Movie The Vanishing American Freil 1955-11-17
Movie The Desperado Police Sergeant 1954-06-20
Movie The Naked Jungle Gruber 1954-03-03
Movie The Raid Cpl. Fred Deane 1954-08-04
Movie Hell's Outpost Swede - the Cook (uncredited) 1954-12-15
Movie Shane Morgan Ryker 1953-04-23
Movie The Vanquished General Morris 1953-06-03
Movie Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Batley 1953-08-01
Movie The Moonlighter Sheriff Daws 1953-09-19
Movie Les Miserables Bosun (uncredited) 1952-08-14
Movie Silver City Arnie 1951-12-01
Movie The Thing from Another World Dr. Chapman 1951-04-05
Movie The Red Badge of Courage Jim Conklin - the Tall Soldier 1951-09-27
Movie Three Husbands Night Court Judge (uncredited) 1950-11-10
Movie Macbeth Ross 1948-10-01