Above is a screen capture of Sherry Tansey from THE LAW OF 45's (Normandy, 1935) which starred Big Boy Williams and Al St. John. Below is a screen capture of Sherry from THE PHANTOM COWBOY (Aywon, 1935) which starred Ted Wells. In this, Sherry's name is mangled and he's billed as "Cherry Tausie".

A familiar face in B westerns was Sherry Tansey. He was born July 29, 1904 in Queens, New York and was the youngest of three sons born to Harry and Emma (nee Purcell) Tansey.

In the silent era, he did 'kid' roles (as 'Sheridan Tansey'). Reaching adulthood, he re-started his movie career in the late 1920s as a bad guy in FBO and Pathe westerns.

Thanks to Hans Wollstein for checking some of his silent film references where he found the following credits for 'Sheridan Tansey': CONQUERED HEARTS (Rialto del Luxe Films, 1916); A LUCKY GOLD PIECE (Imperial, 1916); THE RUNAWAY (Empire All Star, 1917): THE FOOLISH VIRGIN (Selznick, 1917); THE LITTLE DUCHESS (World/Peerless, 1917); THE POWER AND THE GLORY (World, 1918); THE TWO BRIDES (Paramount, 1919); OVER THE HILL TO THE POOR HOUSE (Fox, 1920) and UNCLE SAM OF THE FREEDOM RIDGE (Levey Service Co., 1920). Silent western appearances included THE FIGHTING BOOB (FBO, 1926) starring Bob Custer, CODE OF THE COW COUNTRY (Action Pictures/Pathe, 1927) with Buddy Roosevelt, and THE OBLIGIN' BUCKAROO (Action Pictures/Pathe, 1927) starring Buffalo Bill, Jr.

From about 1930 through the early 1940s, Sherry appeared in about 150 sound films, and most were B westerns. Tall and thin, he generally portrayed a henchman and gang member and generally sported lots of beard stubble to make him look mean and ornery.

Much of his film work was uncredited. Director and producer brother Bob Tansey ensured that Sherry was frequently employed, and the two worked together on about 65 westerns.

You can spot Sherry menacing Fred Scott, Rex Bell, the Range Busters, George Houston, and John Wayne (his Lone Stars and early Republic films). But the bulk of his oaters were with Tex Ritter (in 21 films), Bob Steele (in 19), Tim McCoy (in 11), Jack Randall (in 10), Wally Wales (in 8), Tom Keene (in 8), and Johnny Mack Brown (in 7).

His last film appearances were in the early 1940s at Monogram with Tom Keene, Tex Ritter and the Range Busters. Then he exits the movie business. That's a bit strange as brother Bob was very busy during 1943 - 1946 doing producing and directing chores on the Monogram Trail Blazers followed by the Eddie Dean series at Producers Releasing Corporation (PRC). But Sherry doesn't show up either series. Was he ill ... injured ... tired of movie work ... found another job ... or on the outs with brother Bob? I posed that question to Dave Tansey and he didn't recall why Sherry dropped out of films.

Suffering from heart problems, Sherry Tansey died April 12, 1961 at the Sacramento County Hospital. At the time of his passing, he was custodian at a union hall in Sacramento, California.

Don't forget to visit the Old Corral page on "The Tansey Family in Hollywood" which includes more on producer / director / writer / jack-of-all-trades Robert Emmett 'Bob' Tansey, Sherry Tansey, John Tansey and their mother, actress Emma Tansey.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Sherry Tansey: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0792175/

The IMDb has a "people working together" search function. Sherry Tansey did about 65 films in which his brother Bob Tansey / Robert Emmett Tansey was the writer or director or producer, etc.: https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?role=nm0792175,nm0849806

(Courtesy of Dave Tansey)
Above - Sherry Tansey.

(Courtesy of Dave Tansey)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Dave Tansey)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Sam Lawson)

(Courtesy of Bruce Hickey)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

(From Old Corral collection)

(Courtesy of Les Adams)

The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), newspapers, California Death Index, and the death certificate provide more on Sherry Tansey.

There is a question on his full birth name - is he Sheridan James Tansey or James Sheridan Tansey? He's Sheridan Tansey with no middle name or initial on his New York birth certificate. However, his World War II draft registration has him as Sheridan James Tansey.

• Ancestry.com had a New York Birth Index record for Sheridan Tansey, born July 29, 1904 in Queens, New York.
• New York City Municipal Archives has the birth certificate of Sheridan Tansey, born July 29, 1904 in the borough of Queens, New York City : https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov/view/1615928
• March 19, 1910 The New York Dramatic Mirror newspaper had a death notice for 47 year old actor and father Harry Tansey who passed away from penumonia at his New York home on March 12, 1910. Excerpts: "... left his home in St. Louis thirty years ago with a Pinafore company." ; "He was the father of the clever stage children, John, Robert and Sheridan Tansey."
• 1920 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting in Palisades Park, Bergen County, New Jersey were 42 year old Emma Tansey (born Kentucky; no occupation), 18 year old son John (born New York; occupation "Actor - Moving Pictures"), and 13 year old son Sheridan (born New York; occupation "Actor - Moving Pictures"). Also living there were Emma's 22 year old son Robert Tansey (born New York; occupation "Actor - Moving Pictures"), his 19 year old wife Katie (born New York; occupation "Actress - Moving Pictures") and one year old son Robert (born New York): https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4PK-9R4
• 1930 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills Township, Los Angeles County, California were 33 year old Robert E. Tansey (born New York; occupation "Director - Motion Pictures"), his 30 year old wife Catherine (born New York), their 11 year old son Robert E. Tansey Jr. (born New Jersey), and 8 year old daughter Jeanne (born New Jersey). Also living with them are Tansey's mother Emma Tansey (born Kentucky; widow; occupation "Actress - Motion Pictures") and Tansey's brother, 23 year old Sheridan Tansey (born New York; occupation "Actor - Motion Pictures"): https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XCFL-1DV
• 1940 census summary and census takers worksheet - renting at 6060 Carlos Avenue, Los Angeles were 69 year old Emma Tansey (born Kentucky; widowed) and her 37 year old son Sherry Tansey (born New York). No occupation listed for Emma. Sherry completed school through the seventh grade. His occupation was "Actor - Motion Pictures" and in 1939, he worked 28 weeks and earned $1800.00: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9CD-59H
• Ancestry.com had the World War II draft registration for Sheridan James Tansey. He was born July 29, 1904 in New York City; lived with mother Emma Tansey at 957 Cole Avenue, Los Angeles; his employer was "Various Studios"; and he was 6 feet tall and 145 pounds.
• Death certificate - 56 year old Sherry James Tansey was born July 29, 1904 in New York, and his parents were unknown. He was never married; home address was 600 Fourth Street, Broderick, Yolo County, California; and his occupation was "Custodian - Union Hall Broderick - Labor Union". He was hospitalized for four days at the Sacramento County Hospital, Sacramento, California, and passed away there on April 12, 1961 from heart problems. Death certificate informant was the hospital. Funeral director was Davis Funeral Chapel and burial at Woodland Cemetery.
• California Death Index mirrors the death certificate - Sherry J. Tansey was born July 29, 1904 in New York, and he passed away April 12, 1961 in the Sacramento, California area: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP2N-HHX