Stanley Price

Biography

Prolific western utility player, in Hollywood from 1932. Noticeable for his dusky looks, hypnotic stare and crocodilian smile, Price was perhaps one of the busier small-part actors of the period, as attested by the fact, that -- in 1939 alone -- he worked for 52 weeks and earned $2700. He served in the military during the latter stages of World War I and thereafter acted on stage in the Midwest. Except for a part in a failed 1929 Broadway play, he did not make much of a splash on the Great White Way but apparently also sidelined as a playwright. From the early 30's, he was seldom out of film work, amassing numerous credits as nervous or craven second-string henchmen, Mexican bandidos, maniacal killers, gamblers, barflys and even the odd lawman in westerns. He was especially active for Republic and Monogram, supporting popular sagebrush heroes Johnny Mack Brown, William Boyd, Tex Ritter, Bob Steele and Charles Starrett. Price made occasional appearances in crime and science fiction serials. He received his most prominent billing (fourth) as 'the Phantom Ruler' in Republic's The Invisible Monster (1950). Price was known for his distinctively well-intoned, quiet delivery. Not surprisingly, then, that he was employed by Lippert Productions as a dialogue coach/director towards the latter stages of his career, from 1948 to 1955.