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Roy Barcroft (born Howard Harold Ravenscroft; September 7, 1902 – November 28, 1969) was an American character actor famous for playing villains in B-Westerns and other genres. From 1937 to 1957, he appeared in more than 300 films for Republic Pictures. Film critic Leonard Maltin acclaimed Barcroft as "Republic Pictures' number one bad guy".
Incredibly prolific American character actor of low-budget Westerns and serials, most frequently seen as a villain. He was born in either Weeping Waters, Nebraska or Crab Orchard, Nebraska, depending on the source (the two towns are within a few miles of each other), to a farm family.
- September 7, 1902
- November 28, 1969
Roy Barcroft was an American actor who was best known for his roles in westerns and serials. He was born on September 7, 1902 in Crab Orchard, Nebraska. He began his career in the 1930s, appearing in a number of westerns and serials. He was often cast as a villain, and he appeared in over 200 films and television shows throughout his career.
- 67 years old
- Howard Clifford Ravenscroft
- actor
- Virgo
Roy Barcroft. Actor: The Purple Monster Strikes. After serving in World War I, Roy Barcroft spent most of the 1920s and early 1930s moving from job to job. It was in the 1930s, after he moved to California with his wife, that he found his calling while acting in amateur theatrical productions.
- January 1, 1
- Crab Orchard, Nebraska, USA
- January 1, 1
- Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
Mar 3, 2017 · Roy Barcroft was one of those Western actors you’d recognize immediately—but never knew his name. The Nebraska native and WWI hero (who enlisted at age 15) fell into acting in the ‘30s, mostly as an extra. He soon got juicier roles in “B” Westerns, usually portraying a bad guy.
Roy Barcroft Biography (1902-1969) Original name, Howard Clifford Ravenscroft; born September 7, 1902, in Weeping Water (some sources say Weeping Hills or Crab Orchard), NE; died of cancer,November 28, 1969, in Woodland Hills, CA; married first wife (divorced, 1930); married Vera Thompson, 1932; children: three. Career: Actor.
MINI BIO: The tall, solid, dark-haired, often mustachioed western villain who always looked as if he meant business, Barcroft's florid features were probably punched more often by cowboy heroes, especially in Republic 'B' features of the 1940s, than those of any other actor.
