Charles Butters (
May 10,
1914,
Des Moines, Iowa -
July 30,
1980,
Studio City, California), best known by his stage name
Charles McGraw, was an
American actor, who made his first film in
1942, albeit in a small, uncredited cameo role.
Career
McGraw developed into a
leading man, especially in
film noir classics during the late 1940s and 1950s. His gravelly voice and rugged looks enhanced his appeal in the
noir stylistic genre, and provided him many roles as cop or gunman.
[Baxter, John. The Gangster Film, p. 80.; A.S. Barnes & Co: New York (1970)]
McGraw's notable roles include: "Honest Joe" insurance investigator turned thief by love interest in the
noir classic
Roadblock (1951); playing the grumpy cop hired to protect
Marie Windsor in the
noir B-movie The Narrow Margin (1952);
Kirk Douglas'
gladiator trainer in the epic
Spartacus; righteous cop Lt. Jim Cordell in the
Armored Car Robbery (1950); and the "The Preacher" in the science fiction
cult classic A Boy and His Dog (1975).
