Eddie Acuff

Eddie Acuff
Eddie Acuff
	Acuff in What Price Vengeance (1937)
Born	Edward DeKalb Acuff; June 3, 1903; Caruthersville, Missouri, U.S.
Died	December 17, 1956 (aged 53); Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1932–1952

Edward DeKalb Acuff (June 3, 1903 – December 17, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. He frequently was cast as a droll comic relief, in the support of the star. His best-known recurring role is that of Mr. Beasley, the postman, in the Blondie movie series that starred Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake.^[1]

Early years

Acuff was born in Caruthersville, Missouri.^[2] He was the son of DeKalb Acuff (1880-1916)^[3] and his wife Grace (later known as Mrs. H. N. Arnold),.^[4]

Career

Before beginning his Hollywood film career in 1934, Acuff performed in Broadway theatre in the early-1930s. His Broadway credits include Jayhawker (1934), Yellow Jack (1934), John Brown (1934), Growing Pains (1933), Heat Lightning (1933), and The Dark Hours (1932).^[5]

In 1935, Warner Bros. signed Acuff to a long-term contract and scheduled him to debut on film in Anchors Aweigh.^[6] He had a recurring role as the postman in the Blondie film series.^[7] Acuff was seen in three film serials — as Curly in Jungle Girl, as Red Kelly in Daredevils of the West, and as Spud Warner in Chick Carter Detective.^[8]

Death

On December 17, 1956, Acuff died of a heart attack^[2] in Hollywood, California. He is buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.^[9]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1934	Here Comes the Navy	Marine Orderly	Uncredited
1935	Mr. Widget		Short Film; uncredited
	Shipmates Forever	Lincoln 'Cowboy'
	I Found Stella Parish	Dimmie
	Miss Pacific Fleet	Clarence 'Dutch'
1936	The Petrified Forest	Lineman
	The Walking Dead	Betcha
	Boulder Dam	Ed Harper
	Colleen		Uncredited
	The Law in Her Hands	Eddie O'Malley
	The Golden Arrow	Davis
	Crash Donovan	Alabam
	Jailbreak	Sig Patton
	The Case of the Velvet Claws	Spudsy Drake
	Yellowstone	Desk Clerk	Uncredited
	Laughing at Trouble	Jamie Bradford	Credited as Edward Acuff
	Let's Make a Million		Uncredited
1937	Guns of the Pecos	Ranger Jeff Carter
	Black Legion	Metcalf
	The Outer Gate	Todd Shannon	Credited as Edward Acuff
	The Go Getter	Bob Blair
	What Price Vengeance	Tex McGirk
	The Singing Marine	Sam
	They Won't Forget	Drugstore Clerk
	Talent Scout	Musselman - Writer	Uncredited
	Back in Circulation	Murphy
	Love Is on the Air	'Dunk' Glover
	Missing Witnesses	Detective Pete	Uncredited
	She Loved a Fireman	Skillet Michaels
	Hollywood Hotel	Cameraman
1938	The Invisible Menace	Corporal Sanger
	Law of the Underworld	Bill
	Gangs of New York	Motorist	Uncredited
	Ladies in Distress	Horace - First Thug
	Young Fugitives	Loafer	Uncredited
	The Chaser	Photographer	Uncredited
	Smashing the Rackets	Joe - Hoodlum	Credited as Edward Acuff
	Four Daughters	Sam
	Youth Takes a Fling	Bum
	King of Alcatraz	Steward	Uncredited
	How to Watch Football	Yelling Fan Next to Benchley	Short Film; uncredited
	Rhythm of the Saddle	Dixie Erwin
	The Cowboy and the Lady	Bus Driver	Uncredited
	His Exciting Night	Reporter	Uncredited
	Next Time I Marry	Gas Station Attendant	Uncredited
	Road Demon	Smitty	Uncredited
	Ride a Crooked Mile	Airplane Pilot	Uncredited
1939	Fighting Thoroughbreds		Uncredited
	The Phantom Creeps	Mac - AMI Agent
	The Mysterious Miss X	Pete - Policeman
	Ambush	Bus Conductor	Uncredited
	Wings of the Navy	Reporter	Uncredited
	Persons in Hiding	Collins	Uncredited
	High Peril		Short Film
	Society Smugglers	Radio Technician
	Blondie Meets the Boss	Pots and Pans Peddler	Uncredited
	Rough Riders' Round-up	Tommy Ward
	Winner Take All	Second	Uncredited
	Blind Alley	State Trooper Stopping Fred	Uncredited
	Help Wanted	Workman	Short Film; uncredited
	The Cowboy Quarterback	Airplane Pilot
	Miracles for Sale	Second Taxi Driver	Uncredited
	When Tomorrow Comes	Second Bus Driver	Uncredited
	Flight at Midnight	Stubby - Passenger Plane Pilot	Uncredited
	Two Bright Boys	Washburn
	Espionage Agent		Uncredited
	Hero for a Day	Eddie Gibbons	Uncredited
	On Dress Parade	Fort Lewis Sergeant	Uncredited
	The Roaring Twenties	Cabbie	Uncredited
	Too Busy to Work	Stage Manager
	Meet Dr. Christian	Benson
	Days of Jesse James	Train Conductor	Uncredited
	Lawyer Woman
	Backfire
1940	Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!	Motorcycle Cop	Uncredited
	Cafe Hostess	Scotty
	Honeymoon Deferred	Cab Driver	Uncredited
	Castle on the Hudson	Bill	Uncredited
	Charlie Chan in Panama	Sailor	Uncredited
	Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me	Counter Man	Uncredited
	It's a Date	Ship's Steward	Uncredited
	Star Dust	Mike, Dallas Stagehand	Uncredited
	Shooting High	Andy Carson
	Enemy Agent	Federal Agent Posing as Drunk	Uncredited
	Buck Benny Rides Again	Truck Driver	Uncredited
	Flight Angels	Mechanic with Apple	Uncredited
	Sailor's Lady	Guide
	Manhattan Heartbeat	First Mechanic	Uncredited
	Girls of the Road	Bartley - Bus Driver	Uncredited
	They Drive by Night	Driver in Café	Uncredited
	The Boys from Syracuse	Taxi Cab Driver
	The Secret Seven	Driver	Uncredited
	Money and the Woman	Mr. Jones	Uncredited
	Flowing Gold	Shorty Smith	Uncredited
	Dr. Kildare Goes Home	Clifford Genet - Orderly	Uncredited
	Spring Parade	Earl	Uncredited
	So You Won't Talk	Lounger	Uncredited
	The Villain Still Pursued Her	Joe	Uncredited
	Slightly Tempted	Hartman - Policeman	Uncredited
	One Night in the Tropics	First S.S. Atlantica Steward	Uncredited
	Gallant Sons	Taxi Driver	Scenes deleted
	The Bank Dick	Reporter	Uncredited
	Dr. Kildare's Crisis	Clifford Genet - Window Cleaner	Uncredited
	The Border Legion	Ticket Agent	Uncredited
	Texas Rangers Ride Again	Bud - Ranger Stenographer	Uncredited
	The Green Hornet Strikes Again!	Lowery - a Reporter
1941	Robin Hood of the Pecos	Sam Starr
	Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga	Steward
	High Sierra	Bus Driver	Uncredited
	Arkansas Judge	Townsman	Uncredited
	Back Street	Andy	Uncredited
	Ride, Kelly, Ride	Roy Wall	Uncredited
	Blondie Goes Latin	Cab Driver	Uncredited
	The Great Train Robbery	Telegrapher	Uncredited
	Here Comes Happiness	Bill
	Dutiful But Dumb	Headquarters Guard - Right of Door	Short film; uncredited
	Mr. District Attorney	Cabbie	Uncredited
	Model Wife	Undetermined Role	Uncredited
	The Wagons Roll at Night	Pickpocket Victim	Uncredited
	The People vs. Dr. Kildare	Clifford Genet
	The Great American Broadcast	Jimmy
	Broadway Limited	Engineer's Assistant	Uncredited
	Jungle Girl	Curly Rogers
	A Very Young Lady	Sheriff Bill Stone	Uncredited
	Bad Men of Missouri	Peg Leg	Uncredited
	Rags to Riches	Ace
	Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day	Clifford Genet - Orderly	Uncredited
	Bad Man of Deadwood	Reporter of Burns' Death	Uncredited
	They Died with Their Boots On	Cpl. Smith	Uncredited
	Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case	Hypo
	Hellzapoppin'	Drafted Devil	Uncredited
1942	Fly-by-Night	Garage Attendant	Uncredited
	Dr. Kildare's Victory	Clifford Genet
	The Lady Is Willing	Patrolman Murphy	Uncredited
	What's Cookin'	Doorman	Uncredited
	Sleepytime Gal	First Mug	Uncredited
	Sing Your Worries Away	Tour Map Seller	Uncredited
	True to the Army	Sgt. Riggs
	Who Is Hope Schuyler?	Arthur Guerney	Uncredited
	Mississippi Gambler	Everett - Desk Clerk
	Take a Letter, Darling	Man Who Picks Teeth	Uncredited
	In This Our Life	Worker	Uncredited
	She's in the Army	Pete
	Private Buckaroo	Waiter Captain	Uncredited
	Yankee Doodle Dandy	Reporter	Uncredited
	The Postman Didn't Ring	Photographer	Uncredited
	Calling Dr. Gillespie	Clifford Genet
	Timber!	Man	Uncredited
	Blondie for Victory	Husband Whose Wife Knits Socks	Uncredited
	Pardon My Sarong	Wise Guy at Gas Station	Uncredited
	The Old Homestead	Policeman	Uncredited
	Bells of Capistrano	Mug / Sign-Poster #1	Uncredited
	The War Against Mrs. Hadley	Soldier in Canteen	Uncredited
	Girl Trouble	Taxi Driver	Uncredited
	Youth on Parade	Cop	Uncredited
	Army Surgeon	Sergeant	Uncredited
	Fall In	Sgt. Topps	Uncredited
	Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant	Clifford Genet
	The Traitor Within	Tommy
1943	Slightly Dangerous	Soda Jerk	Uncredited
	He Hired the Boss	Driver	Uncredited
	Good Morning, Judge	Cab Driver	Uncredited
	Daredevils of the West	Red Kelly
	Pilot #5	Newsreel Cameraman	Uncredited
	Hers to Hold	Reporter	Uncredited
	Headin' for God's Country	Hugo Higgins
	Guadalcanal Diary	Pvt. Tex McIlvoy	Uncredited
	Flesh and Fantasy	Cop	Uncredited
	Swingtime Johnny	Worker	Uncredited
	Lost Angel	Policeman	Uncredited
1944	Week-End Pass	Waikowsky
	Hat Check Honey	Cameraman	Uncredited
	Four Jills in a Jeep	Sentry	Scenes deleted
	It Happened Tomorrow	Jim
	Hey, Rookie	Jokester	Uncredited
	Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble	Taxi Driver #1	Uncredited
	Once Upon a Time	Shipyard Worker	Uncredited
	Silent Partner	Taxicab Driver	Uncredited
	South of Dixie	Jay Hatcher
	Christmas Holiday	Steve	Uncredited
	Bride by Mistake	Photographer	Uncredited
	Wing and a Prayer	Pharmacist's Mate	Uncredited
	I Love a Soldier	Private	Uncredited
	Rainbow Island	Sailor	Uncredited
	In the Meantime, Darling	Milkman	Uncredited
	Irish Eyes Are Smiling	Harry	Uncredited
	Something for the Boys	Blue Army Radio Operator	Uncredited
	Sergeant Mike	Monohan	Uncredited
	Carolina Blues	Eddie	Uncredited
	Can't Help Singing	Cavalry Officer	Uncredited
	Belle of the Yukon	Miner	Uncredited
1945	She Gets Her Man	Boze - Photographer
	Roughly Speaking	Billiards Player	Uncredited
	Her Lucky Night	Chauffeur
	Leave It to Blondie	Mailman	Uncredited
	Without Love	Taxi Driver	Uncredited
	The Clock	First Subway Official	Uncredited
	Between Two Women	Orderly
	Brewster's Millions	Cab Driver	Uncredited
	Diamond Horseshoe	Clarinet Player	Uncredited
	Honeymoon Ahead	Connors
	Wonder Man	Pelican Club Doorman	Uncredited
	Flame of Barbary Coast	Fireman	Uncredited
	The Frozen Ghost	Reporter in Hallway	Uncredited
	Don Juan Quilligan	Customer at Mossrock's	Uncredited
	The Jungle Captive	Bill
	On Stage Everybody	George	Uncredited
	The Hidden Eye	Whitey
	Shadow of Terror	Joe Walters
	Life with Blondie	Mailman	Uncredited
	San Antonio	Gawking Townsman	Uncredited
1946	Meet Me on Broadway	Waiter	Uncredited
	The Notorious Lone Wolf	Detective Jones	Uncredited
	The Flying Serpent	Jerry 'Jonsey' Jones
	Cinderella Jones	Truck Driver	Uncredited
	Renegades	Stagecoach Driver	Uncredited
	Blonde Alibi	Ambulance Attendant	Uncredited
	Bad Bascomb	Corporal Finch	Uncredited
	Inside Job	Jerry	Uncredited
	Chick Carter, Detective	Spud Warner
	Danger Woman	Reporter	Uncredited
	The Bamboo Blonde	M.P. Sergeant	Uncredited
	Three Little Girls in Blue	Josh	Uncredited
	Wake Up and Dream	Bus Driver	Uncredited
	Gallant Bess	Chief Petty Officer	Uncredited
	Heldorado	Carnival Shooting Gallery Attendant
	Lady in the Lake	Ed - Coroner	Uncredited
1947	Blondie's Big Moment	Mailman	Uncredited
	The Sea of Grass	Cattleman	Uncredited
	Suddenly, It's Spring	Man Retrieving Pajamas	Uncredited
	Buck Privates Come Home	Soldier	Uncredited
	Blondie's Holiday	Postman
	Bells of San Angelo	Bus Driver
	Swing the Western Way	Mr. Spraggs
	Wyoming	Nester	Uncredited
	The Secret Life of Walter Mitty	Wells Fargo Cowboy	Uncredited
	Down to Earth	Stage Hand	Uncredited
	Exposed	Policeman at Bentry Mansion Door	Uncredited
	Black Gold	Colonel Caldwell's Ranch Foreman	Uncredited
	Blondie in the Dough	Postman
	The Fabulous Texan	Telegrapher	Uncredited
	Roses Are Red	Reporter	Uncredited
	Bandits of Dark Canyon	Stage Passenger Faraday
	Blondie's Anniversary	Mailman	Uncredited
1948	Slippy McGee	Charlie
	G-Men Never Forget	'Fiddler' - Used Car Salesman
	Black Bart	Elkins	Uncredited
	Song of Idaho	Hash Brown
	Blondie's Reward	Mr. Johnson
	The Timber Trail	Telegraph Operator
	Coroner Creek	Bit	Uncredited
	Northwest Stampede	Hamburger Vendor	Uncredited
	The Return of October	Stable Boy	Uncredited
	Leather Gloves	Duke
	Bungalow 13	José Fernando
	Smoky Mountain Melody	Jenkins
	Blondie's Secret	Mr. Beasley
1949	Blondie's Big Deal	Mr. Beasley
	Home in San Antone	Postman	Uncredited
	Johnny Allegro	Sam	Uncredited
	Miss Grant Takes Richmond	Bus Driver	Uncredited
1950	The Milkman	Herman Schultz	Uncredited
1951	Painting the Clouds with Sunshine	Golden Egg Doorman	Uncredited
1952	Stop, You're Killing Me	Cab Driver	Uncredited; final role

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1950	The Lone Ranger	Sheriff	Episode: "Sheep Thieves"

References

^ "Day's Best Hollywood Story". Toledo Blade. January 12, 1948. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
^ ^a ^b Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. p. 26. ISBN 9780786477623. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
^ Obituary: DeKalb Acuff, The Pemiscot Argus, Caruthersville, MO., p. 6, 24 Feb. 1916
^ "Eddie Acuff in picture Sun.-Mon". Caruthersville Journal. Missouri, Caruthersville. July 1, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved January 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Eddie Acuff". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
^ Percy, Eileen (June 4, 1935). "Warners Sign Stage Comic". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. p. 8. Retrieved January 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Eddie Acuff Returns As Postman in 'Blondie' Series". The Owensboro Messenger. Kentucky, Owensboro. August 22, 1948. p. 15. Retrieved January 2, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Cline, William C. (1997). In the Nick of Time: Motion Picture Sound Serials. McFarland. p. 100. ISBN 9780786404711. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
^ Resting Places: The Burial Places of 14,000 Famous Persons, by Scott Wilson