Harry Lauter

With a career of over 40 years, actor Harry Lauter boasts the remarkable total of nearly 300 films to his credit. Beginning in 1948 he worked consistently on several projects a year, building a reputation as a reliable supporting actor who was particularly suited to Westerns and adventure films. His career began to pick up in the '50s with the rise of TV serials. In 1951 he joined the casts of "The Adventures of Kit Carson" and "The Range Rider," playing a variety of parts. In addition, he made consistent appearances on "Buffalo Bill, Jr." and the iconic Western show "The Lone Ranger." His most successful collaboration was with Western legend Gene Autry. Lauter began appearing on "The Gene Autry Show" in 1950 and in many of Autry's films, such as "Valley of Fire," "Whirlwind," and "Apache Country." His greatest contribution to the genre came as Ranger Clay Morgan on "Tales of the Texas Rangers," a series that ran from 1955 to 1958. Outside of Westerns, Lauter also appeared on the crime drama "Waterfront." In addition to his impressive television work, he continued to make films, though he stuck mostly with Westerns and adventures, most notably 1958's crime drama "The Cry Baby Killer," co-starring a young Jack Nicholson. In the '60s, Lauter made several appearances on "Tarzan" and "Death Valley Days." Harry Lauter died on October 30, 1990 at the age of 76.