George Morrell and Milton Kibbee

George Morrell

Little biographical information is available on prolific B western performer George Morrell who seemed to specialize in portraying a townsman, rancher, homesteader, bartender/waiter, storekeeper, or drunk/barfly.

His Hollywood career spanned about twenty five years, from the 1920s through early 1950s. Les Adams has Morrell identified in 350+ films, and of that total, most are westerns along with a dozen+ serials.

Prior to Hollywood, Morrell was a stage actor.

The Family Search website has info on Morrell:

1900 census: 27 year old George Morrell and 23 year old wife Rosalie are living in Juneau, Alaska: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3FN-CZW
1900 census takers worksheet: George Morrell and wife Rosalie are living in Juneau, Alaska. Both identify their birth location as California, and their occupations are "actor" and "actress". Morrell reported his birth date as November, 1873: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12873-209908-34?cc=1325221&wc=MMPN-JJK:2085816979
1930 census: 58 year old George and wife Rosalie are residing in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XCJB-K3K
1940 census has the 67 year old Morrell married, and notes that he was born in California: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9CD-BWN
1940 census takers worksheet shows Morrell as "actor moving pictures"; he was 67 years old on his last birthday; his wife's name is not shown; and they are renting at 6126 1/2 Selma Avenue in the Los Angeles area: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-27797-2898-85?cc=2000219&wc=MMYH-X1Q:n1292110451

Too bad the census didn't include Morrell's middle initial or middle name. There was only one George Morrell with an 187x birth year in the California Death Records database: George Thomas Morrell, born 4/10/1872 and he passed away in the Los Angeles area on 4/28/1955. However, this is probably not our actor George Morrell.

The University of Washington Libraries, J. Willis Sayre Photograph Collection, has a 1914 photo of stage actor George Morrell: http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/sayrepublic&CISOPTR=3896&CISOBOX=1&REC=7

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on George Morrell: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0606256/

Above, an unidentified player (whom we call John Doe #1) on the left with George Morrell in a crop from a lobby card from Johnny Mack Brown's RANGE LAW (Monogram, 1944).

(Image courtesy of Carol Murray and her "Jack Hendricks Photo Album")

Above from left to right are Jack Hendricks (grounded), George Morrell, Merrill McCormick (beard), George Regas (moustache) and Leroy Mason in a still from the Kermit Maynard mountie film THE FIGHTING TROOPER (Ambassador-Conn, 1934).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Marion Shilling, Frank Yaconelli, Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, Roger Williams, Wally Wales (Hal Taliaferro) and George Morrell in a still from the Big Boy starrer GUN PLAY (Beacon, 1935; alternate title: LUCKY BOOTS).

(Courtesy of Ed Tabor)

Above from left to right are: Roger Williams, Custer and George Morrell in a lobby card from AMBUSH VALLEY (Reliable, 1936). Jack Evans is on the far left in the shadows, and between Williams and Custer are Buck Morgan (in the center with the moustache) and Ed Carey (dark shirt).

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Above from left to right are Robert Walker, Frank Ellis, Dick Rush, Edmund Cobb, Charles Starrett, George Morrell (behind and right of Starrett). In the background on horseback are Steve Clark and Tex Cooper (Buffalo Bill-looking character). Scene from Starrett's TWO-FISTED SHERIFF (Columbia, 1937).

(From Old Corral image collection)

Above from left to right are Hoot Gibson, George Morrell, youngster Sammy McKim, Hal Taliaferro/Wally Wales and Ray 'Crash' Corrigan in a still from Chapter 1 of THE PAINTED STALLION (Republic, 1937) serial.

(Image courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Tim McCoy, Bob Terry, Dave O'Brien and bartender George Morrell in a crop from a lobby card from TEXAS WILDCATS (Victory, 1939) which starred McCoy as Lightnin' Bill Carson.

Milt Kibbee's older brother was stage and screen actor Guy Kibbee (1882-1956). While Guy was born in El Paso, Texas, Milton's 1942 draft registration has his birth date and location as January 27, 1896 and Roswell, New Mexico.

Milne Bryan Kibbee tied the knot with Lois H. Wilson on May 21, 1918 in her home state of Ohio, and they listed their occupations as actor and actress on the marriage license. Sketchy biographies indicate they were performers in a traveling show. In the 1930 census, Milt, Lois and their three children were living in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. A couple years later, the family was in California and Milt's first movie role occurred in 1933. Brother Guy did his first film in 1931, and may have suggested that Milt head west to Hollywood and the movie business.

During a 20+ year career from about 1933 - 1953, Milt worked in about 375 films. In most, he had minor/bit roles and was uncredited. Included in that number are about 30 B westerns and other features for Republic Pictures during the years 1938 - 1951. Les Adams has Milton Kibbee identified in 50+ westerns and 4 serials.

Guy and Milt worked together in eighteen movies, including 42ND STREET (Warners, 1933), BABBITT (Warners, 1934) and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (Columbia, 1939). In these, Guy Kibbee had the meaty (and credited) roles while Milt did a bit part and picked up a day's pay. Occasionally, Milt got a few lines of dialog and an example is his portrayal of Judy Garland's father in STRIKE UP THE BAND (MGM, 1940).

In the post World War II years - when Milt had hit the half century mark in age - you can spot him as "Professor Townley" in four of Monogram's 1946-1947 "The Teen Agers" series which featured Freddie Stewart, June Preisser, Jackie Moran, Noel Neill and Frankie Darro. And he was the crooked banker trying to thwart Peggy Stewart's quest for oil in CONQUEST OF CHEYENNE (Republic, 1946) which was Wild Bill Elliott's last appearance as Red Ryder.

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: Milne B. Kibbee, born 1/27/1896 in New Mexico and he passed away in the Ventura, California area on 4/17/1970. There is a corresponding record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Don Barry, Harry Worth and Milton Kibbee in a scene from Barry's KANSAS CYCLONE (Republic, 1941). If you look closely between Worth and Kibbee, you might make out Eddie Dean, about five years before he became PRC's resident singin' cowboy.

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from left to right are Milton Kibbee, Don Barry with the badge and a pair of stag-handled six-shooters, and Fred 'Snowflake' Toones in a crop from a lobby card from TWO-GUN SHERIFF (Republic, 1941), one of the films in which Barry had a dual role.