- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRalph Roy Moody
- Height5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
- Ralph Moody was born on November 5, 1886 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA as Ralph Roy Moody, the oldest son of Franklin Jerome Moody and Ida M. Hicklin. His introduction to show business was first as an actor on the stage in pre-radio days and then as a radio personality. His first acting role was in 1900 as the boy, Heinrich, in Rip Van Winkle. At the 1904 World's Fair he sang tenor in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He had a wide following as Uncle Abner on WIBW, CBS Radio, in the 1930's in Topeka, Kansas, USA. As Uncle Abner he was the town's barber, constable, postmaster, and chief source of information. Beginning in the mid-1940's he was a frequent radio cast member on The Roy Rogers Show. When Gunsmoke began its radio show run in 1952, Ralph Moody was one of the regular cast members. He began making film and television appearances at the age of 62. His first television roles were on three 1949-50 The Lone Ranger (1949) episodes, each time as an Indian chief with a different name. Frequently on TV westerns he had roles as an Indian, but was not type cast. His range of characters included a variety of roles with Jack Webb on Dragnet (1951). Many of his dozen appearances on The Rifleman (1958) were as Doc Burrage. He had six appearances on Bonanza (1959), most as an Indian, at the end of his 23 year acting career. He was married to Hazel B. McOwen. He died on September 16, 1971 in Burbank, California, USA.- IMDb Mini Biography By: SAGE STEPS
- SpouseHazel Belle McOwen(December 24, 1917 - August 23, 1960) (her death)
- White Actor Cast in "Indian" roles for Westerns
- Burly American character actor, on screen from 1948. Often seen as gruff old geezers or Native Americans. A favorite of director/producer Jack Webb, who used him on "Dragnet", as well as in films and on radio shows.
- Every Sunday afternoon in 1947 an educational radio program aired called California Caravan. It dramatized major events in state history. The story of the Comstock Lode featured Ralph Moody as "Old Pancake." The California Parent-Teacher Association endorsed the series as one of radio's most entertaining educational programs.
- From 1944 to 1954 Ralph Moody was in the cast of 43 Roy Rogers Show radio programs.
- Ralph Moody's twenty years of circle stock, meaning a touring troupe of actors and actors, came to a sudden end in 1939. Four twisters wrecked two of his tents and three of his five tents. He moved from the acting circuit to full-time radio work and moved to WLW-Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
- The first radio episode of Have Gun Will Travel in 1958 included Ralph Moody in the cast. He also was in the cast of the fourth episode.
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