Herman Nowlin, Lew Morphy, Pascale Perry

Unkempt, rough and tough looking members of the gang or lynch mob, or vigilantes, or posse riders or cow herders. They had minimal or no dialog, not much screen time, and were generally not listed in the film credits. Some would show up as a face in the crowd, portraying townspeople, barflys, deputies, wagon drivers, ranch hands, etc. We tend to recognize some of their faces, but have no clue as to their real names.

Lew Morphy
Full name: Lewis Harris Morphy
1904-1958
appeared in at least 80 westerns ... and counting. His film career ran from about 1931 - early 1950s.

Ken Jones, co-author of Heroes, Heavies and Sagebrush provides the following biographical info: Lewis Harris Morphy was a movie stuntman, sometime actor and an expert marksman. He once toured rodeos and the vaudeville circuits with a shooting act. He started his stage career under the name of Cheyenne Sharpshooter Murphy. One of his acts was to shoot chalk cigarettes and candles from the mouths of pretty girls on the stage. He gradually drifted into movie stuntwork and could be seen in many western films as a henchman or a face in the crowd. On November 7, 1958 Morphy shot and killed his wife, Kaye, former speedboat champion, and her mother in the couple's Laurel Canyon home. Spared when Murphy ran berserk was his father-in-law and 2 children. He called a friend and told him what he had done then went to the bedroom and shot and killed himself. Morphy was known to have a violent temper and had become increasingly despondent since the death of his mother and was also brooding over the financial failure of a resort he owned in Tennessee.

The Unsung Joe website has a writeup on Lew Morphy and his wife "Boots" ... and the tragic ending of their lives in 1958: http://morethanyouneededtoknow.typepad.com/the_unsung_joe/2009/04/index.html

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: Lewis M. Morphy, born 8/18/1904 in New York, Mother's maiden name of Harris, and passed away 11/7/1958 in the Los Angeles area.

I was unable to locate any U. S. census records as well as State of New York census records for Morphy (and I tried name variations including Morphy, Murphy, Lewis, Louis, etc.). However, the 1938 California Voter Registration records have Lewis H. Morphy, actor, and Althea V. Morphy, actress, living at 1721 North Western Avenue in Los Angeles. I also found a Los Angeles newspaper funeral notice from June, 1954 for Morphy's mother, Mabel Marris Morphy.

E-mail the Old Corral webmaster if you'd like copies of several newspaper articles on the death of Morphy, his wife and mother-in-law.

Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Lew Morphy: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0606186

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Chick Hannan/Hannon, Hank Worden, Lew Morphy, Bob Baker, Wally West and Bob Card in THE SINGING OUTLAW (Universal, 1938). That's Herman Hack in the back row center with his hand in the air. High in the upper right corner is Art Mix (George Kesterson).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are William Desmond, Tom Smith, Charles Starrett and Lew Morphy in DOWN RIO GRANDE WAY (Columbia, 1942).

Herman Nowlin/Herman Nolan
Full name: Herman Franklin Nowlin
1892-1951
appeared in at least 44 westerns and 1 serial, and his film career ran from about 1930 through the early 1950s.

Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Herman Nowlin: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0634276

The Family Search website has information on Herman Nowlin:

1940 census: 48 year old H. F. Nowlin, 41 year old wife Lula (born Indiana) and 21 year old son Van Nowlin (born Indiana) are living in Los Angeles: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CD-QRS
1940 census takers worksheet: Nowlin, wife Lulu and son Van live in a home they own at 2725 Clearwater in Los Angeles and they lived there in 1935. Nowlin reports his birth location as Oklahoma and occupation as "Actor - Motion Pictures": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-27797-1677-52?cc=2000219&wc=MMYH-NSW:n1861848394
1942 World War II draft registration: Herman Franklin Nowlin reports his birth date and location as January 16, 1892 and Assumption, Illinois. His address is 2725 Clearwater Street in Los Angeles (same as the 1940 census), and his employer is General Motors Corp. Plant Protection Dept., South Gate Calif.: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16368-29892-61?cc=1861144&wc=MMRW-15R:n1652918836

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: Herman Franklin Nowlin, born 1/16/1892 in Illinois, Mother's maiden name of Freeman, and he passed away in the Los Angeles area on 9/2/1951.

I do have a newspaper funeral notice from September 5, 1951, which reads in part: "Masonic funeral services for Herman F. Nowlin, 59, veteran cowboy actor, will be conducted by Forest Lawn Mortuary tomorrow ..."

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Tommy Coats, Bob Clark, Tom London, Herman Willingham, Herman Nowlin/Nolan, and Clyde Kinney in GHOST VALLEY RAIDERS (Republic, 1940), which starred Don Barry.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Herman Nowlin/Nolan, Eddie Dew and Bud Osborne in a scene from RIDING THE WIND (RKO, 1942), which starred Tim Holt.

Pascale Perry
Real name: Harvey Pascale Poirier
1888 or 1895 - 1953
appeared in at least 96 westerns and 8 serials, and his film career ran from about 1931 - 1951.

Although some of the data may be incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Pascale Perry: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675243

The Family Search website has information on Pascale Perry:

1940 census: 51 year old Pascale Perry and 39 year old wife Lilian M. reside in Los Angeles: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9HL-XYQ
1940 census takers worksheet: Perry and wife Lillian M. are renting at 5247 1/2 Corteen (sp?) Place in Los Angeles. He reports his birth location as Arizona and occupation as "Actor - Motion Picture studios": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-27793-4772-42?cc=2000219&wc=MMYH-F6K:n643789087
1942 World War II draft registration: Harvey Pascale Poirier is living at 10735 Aqua Vista in North Hollywood, California. He lists his birth date and location as October 22, 1888 in Maricopa County, Arizona, and his employment is Motion Picture Actor: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16371-1919-33?cc=1861144&wc=MMRW-1VG:1468258342

You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find dual records - one for Harvey Pascale Poirier and another for Pascale Perry. The other information is the same - he was born October 22, 1895 in Arizona, Mother's maiden name of Chabat, and he passed away on July 11, 1953 in the Los Angeles area.

I do have a newspaper funeral notice from July 13, 1953, which reads in part: "POIRIER, Harvey Pascale. Pascale Perry, of 5104 Denny Avenue, North Hollywood, aged 64 years, passed away at his home July 11 ... survived by his wife Myrtle L. Poirier and stepson ... Services Tuesday, July 14 at ... Pierce Brothers, Van Nuys ... interment Glenhaven Memorial Park."

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Jack Ingram, Pascale Perry, Fred Kohler, Jr., Tom Tyler, Tom Chatterton, Sam Lufkin (bartender) and Al Taylor in a scene from the Three Mesquiteers RAIDERS OF THE RANGE (Republic, 1942).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Jess Cavin, Rex Lease, Pascale Perry, Earle Hodgins and Bob Wilke in a crop from a lobby card from the Sunset Carson FIREBRANDS OF ARIZONA (Republic, 1944).