John Dierkes

Dierkes was born on February 10, 1905 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Brown University and subsequently went to work as an economist for the United States Department of State. In 1941 he joined the Red Cross and served in the Britain duringWorld War II.

There he met director John Huston who recommended that he try Hollywood after the war. Instead, Dierkes went to work for the U.S. Treasury Department which coincidentally sent him to Hollywood to function as technical advisor for the film To the Ends of the Earth (1948).

Because of his appearance and very tall frame (6 feet, 6 inches), Dierkes enjoyed a long career as a character actor, often portraying villains or soldiers. In the 1953 film Shane, Dierkes portrays villain Morgan Ryker, who is the last man shot by the title character, Shane, in the final bar room shootout. One of his more memorable scenes is in the 1960 film, The Alamo.

Dierkes portrays a Tennessean named Jocko, who is torn between leaving before the attack to care for his blind wife, or staying to support the Texans' cause. Understanding that if Jocko stays to fight she will likely be widowed, Jocko's wife coaxes him to stay and defend the fort, despite her disability. Dierkes died in 1975 of emphesyma and was survived by his wife Cynthia, two sons, and two daughters.

John Dierkes is known for work in acting across film and television. New Release currently presents 31 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes The Haunted Palace (1963), The Raven (1963), One-Eyed Jacks (1961), The Buccaneer (1958), Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde (1953), Shane (1953), The Red Badge of Courage (1951), The Rifleman (1958). The recorded credits span 1950 to 1971, including 19 movies and 12 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.