Harry Carey Jr.: Movies & Box Office

Harry Carey Jr. (Henry George Carey Jr., May 16 1921 – December 27 2012) was an American character actor best known for his extensive work in Westerns and his long‑standing association with director John Ford. Born on a working ranch in the Saugus area of Santa Clarita, California, he grew up surrounded by horses, cattle, and the mythology of the Old West, learning to speak Navajo as a child and earning the nickname “Dobe” for his adobe‑colored hair. The son of silent‑film star Harry Carey and actress Olive Carey, he inherited a theatrical lineage that also included vaudeville entertainer George Fuller Golden as his maternal grandfather. After serving six years as a Pharmacist Mate 2nd Class in the United States Navy during World War II—first in the Pacific and later in a naval photographic unit attached to the OSS under John Ford’s direction—he returned to civilian life and briefly pursued a singing career before joining the John Ford Stock Company alongside his father. From his first credited role in Red River (1948) to memorable turns in 3 Godfathers, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Searchers and Cheyenne Autumn, Carey became a dependable supporting player, often portraying cavalrymen, ranch hands, or stoic townsfolk. He worked repeatedly with icons such as John Wayne (nine films), Howard Hawks (four films), and Ben Johnson, and he appeared in Hollywood classics ranging from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to the cult favorite Gremlins (1984). On television he was a familiar face in series like Spin and Marty, Have Gun — Will Travel, Bonanza and Gunsmoke, and he earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the small screen. In his later years Carey authored the memoir Company of Heroes (1996), participated in documentary projects such as Tales from the Set, and continued to appear in films like Back to the Future Part III and Tombstone. He died of natural causes in Santa Barbara in 2012 at age 91, leaving behind his wife Marilyn Fix, four children, and a legacy as arguably the last living member of the classic John Ford Stock Company.