Rough and tumble American actor Dick Wessel had a fierce-looking scowl on that bulldog of a mug. That, coupled with a thick build and imposing stance, earned him a ticket to appear in countless Warner Bros. hard-boiled comedies and crime dramas throughout the late 30s and 40s. Of the hundreds of films he churned out, however, he had few chances to show off, appearing uncredited in over half of them and in minor, fleeting roles when he did receive billing. Although he showed up in such "A" pictures as Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), and Strangers on a Train (1951), his visibility in them was practically nil. Born Richard M. Wessel in Wisconsin in 1913, the husky-framed character began his career on stage before arriving in films in the mid-30s. Glimpsed in extra roles at first, he appeared on both sides of the moral fence over the years, playing as many brutish gangsters, henchmen and convicts as he did roughhewn cops or streetwise characters (cabbies, mailmen, bartenders, boxers, etc.) The tough-sounding names of his characters, such as "Monk," "Beans," "Moxie" and "Chopper Kane" pretty much said it all. His best showcase, and it should have worked out better for him, was his bold menace as the bald-pated arch villain Harry "Cueball" Lake in Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946). Here he was finally given a chance to shine but it did not lead to other meatier roles. He also became a stock player for Columbia and their assembly-line of short comedy subjects essaying a slew of burglars, thieves, wrestlers, circus strongmen and lummox husbands for The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde and others. On TV he was a rugged presence on such western series as "Gunsmoke," "Laramie," "Rawhide" and "Bonanza." Close to the end of his life and career he had a regular part as a crew member on the TV adventure yarn "Riverboat" (1959) with Darren McGavin. Dick's final role was released posthumously, playing a bit as a frantic delivery man in Ugly Dachshund, The (1966). He had died a year earlier at his Hollywood home of a heart attack on his 52nd birthday. His wife and a daughter survived him.