He Traded His Dental Mirror for Hollywood Spotlights

A place in Hollywood is rarely guaranteed for latecomers, but Edgar Buchanan, age 36, was the curious exception to that rule.

(L–R) Jack Kruschen, Edgar Buchanan, and John Wayne in "McLintock" in 1963. Buchanan leaned into his grizzled exterior to play a bevy of colorful roles. Public Domain

Legendary comedian and actor George Burns once said, “The secret of acting is sincerity. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” Good looks and movie charisma don’t hurt either, yet one very successful character actor seemingly possessed neither of those yet managed to carve out a prominent niche for himself over a 35-year career spanning movies and television.

Edgar Buchanan (1903–1979) played a variety of characters in more than 100 movies and television shows from 1939 through 1974. His roles ranged from Old West doctors, judges, and sheriffs to grizzled villains, scheming rascals, and wily cheats. A Missouri native who grew up in Oregon, Buchanan possessed a gravelly voice reminiscent of a rock slide. He often portrayed bewhiskered frontiersmen of dubious character.