Clem Guy Bevans (October 16, 1879 – August 11, 1963) was an American character actor best remembered for playing eccentric, grumpy old men.
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Early life
Bevans was born in Cozzadale, Ohio.
Career
Bevans's career began in vaudeville in 1900 in an act with Grace Emmett. He went on to perform in stock theater and light opera, eventually achieving stardom after 45 years, at age 67. Watching David Warfield "turn comedy to pathos by creating the character of a sad old man" in 1901 prompted Bevans to portray old men. He spent time in country stores in New England observing voices and gestures of old men before he began portraying old characters on stage.
Bevans's film debut came in Way Down East (1935). His portrayal was so good, he became stereotyped and played mostly likable old codgers for the rest of his life. He was a contract player for 20th Century Fox for a number of years. Bevans played the neighbor of Gregory Peck's character in The Yearling and the gatekeeper in Harvey (1950). However, he did occasionally play against type, for example as a Nazi spy in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942).
Bevans made his first television appearance in the half-hour Christmas program, The Guiding Star, in 1946. His other work on TV included portraying Captain Hugo in the 1958 Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Demure Defendant" and Pete in The Twilight Zone episode "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" (1962). He played Captain Cobb in Disney's TV miniseries Davy Crockett.
He was the last surviving charter member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Personal life and death
Bevans and his wife had two adopted daughters. On August 11, 1963, he died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, aged 83. His remains are interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood.
