Dick Purcell was an American actor who is best known for Captain America (1944), Mystery House (1938), and Heroes in Blue (1939).
Personal and Family Life
Dick Purcell was born on August 6, 1905, in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was briefly married to Ethelind Terry from March to August 1942, but they divorced shortly after. Purcell did not have any children.
Death and Legacy
Dick Purcell passed away on April 10, 1944, in Hollywood, California, due to a heart attack. He was found in the locker room after finishing a round of golf. Purcell is remembered as the first actor to portray Captain America on screen and for his strong performances in Warner Bros. B-movies of the 1930s and 1940s.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| The Bank Dick | 1940-11-29 | Mackley Q. Greene |
| King of the Zombies | 1941-05-14 | James ‘Mac’ McCarthy |
| Bullets or Ballots | 1936-06-06 | Ed Driscoll |
| New Moon | 1940-06-28 | Alexander |
| Nancy Drew… Detective | 1938-11-19 | Keiffer |
| Blackwell’s Island | 1939-01-24 | Terry Walsh |
| Times Square Playboy | 1936-05-09 | Wally Calhoun |
| Mystery House | 1938-05-21 | Lance O’Leary |
| Flight Command | 1940-12-27 | Lieut. ‘Stichy’ Payne |
| Reveille with Beverly | 1943-02-04 | Andy Adams |
| Captain America | 1944-02-05 | Captain America / Grant Gardner |
| No Hands on the Clock | 1941-12-01 | Red Harris |
| Over the Wall | 1938-04-02 | Ace Scanlon |
| Arise, My Love | 1940-11-08 | Pinky O’Connor |
| Phantom Killer | 1942-10-02 | Edward Clarkk |
| The Case of the Velvet Claws | 1936-07-03 | Crandal |
| The Mystery of the 13th Guest | 1943-11-05 | Johnny Smith |
| Brides Are Like That | 1936-04-18 | Dr. Randolph Jenkins (as Richard Purcell) |
| Men in Exile | 1937-04-04 | Jimmy Carmody |
| Wine, Women and Horses | 1937-09-11 | George Mayhew |
| Public Enemy’s Wife | 1936-07-24 | Louie |
| Missing Witnesses | 1937-12-11 | “Bull” Regan |
| X Marks the Spot | 1942-11-04 | Police Lt. William ‘Bill’ Decker |
| Valley of the Giants | 1938-09-17 | Creel |
| Penrod’s Double Trouble | 1938-07-23 | Tex Boyden |
| Melody for Two | 1937-05-01 | Mel Lynch |