Edward Russell Hicks (June 4, 1895 – June 1, 1957) was an American film character actor. Hicks was born in 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland. During World War I, he served in the U.S. Army in France. He later became a lieutenant colonel in the California State Guard.
Hicks was a character actor appearing in bit parts and small supporting roles in nearly 300 films between 1933 and 1956 (in 1937, he appeared in 25 films). He was often cast as a smooth-talking confidence man, or swindler, as in the W.C. Fields comedy classic The Bank Dick (1940). Hicks played a variety of judges, attorneys, corrupt officials and crooked businessmen in a variety of mediums until shortly before his death in 1957. Hicks appeared once in the syndicated western television series The Cisco Kid.
Broadway plays in which Hicks acted included The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1954), On Borrowed Time (1953), Time for Elizabeth (1948), All the King's Horses (1934), The Little Black Book (1932), Nona (1932), Torch Song (1930), Goin' Home (1928), No Trespassing (1926), and The Wisecrackers (1925).
On June 1, 1957, Hicks, aged 61, was involved in an automobile accident and suffered a heart attack afterward; he died on route to Santa Monica Receiving Hospital.
Filmography
The Birth of a Nation (1915) as Minor Role (film debut) (uncredited) Intolerance (1916) as Extra (uncredited) Before Morning (1933) as James Nichols Enlighten Thy Daughter (1934) as Daniel Stevens The Case of the Howling Dog (1934) as Clinton Foley Happiness Ahead (1934) as Jim Meehan The St. Louis Kid (1934) as Gorman (uncredited) The Firebird (1934) as Mr. Beyer – the Stage Manager Gentlemen Are Born (1934) as Newspaper Editor Babbitt (1934) as Commissioner Lyle Gurnee Murder in the Clouds (1934) as Taggart The Secret Bride (1934) as John F. Holdstock Devil Dogs of the Air (1935) as Captain The Woman in Red (1935) as Clayton – Defense Attorney Sweet Music (1935) as The Mayor Living on Velvet (1935) as Major While the Patient Slept (1935) as Dr. Jay Cardinal Richelieu (1935) as Le Moyne Go Into Your Dance (1935) as Sam Rupert (uncredited) $10 Raise (1935) as Hendricks (uncredited) Ladies Crave Excitement (1935) as Bert Taylor Honeymoon Limited (1935) as Slug Gorman / Sugar Carver Lady Tubbs (1935) as Mr. Ronald Ash-Orcutt Dante's Inferno (1935) as Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited) Ladies Love Danger (1935) as Melvin Thunder in the Night (1935) as Prefect of Police Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935) as James Andrews 1,000 Dollars a Minute (1935) as Sonny Rycross Grand Exit (1935) as Drake (uncredited) Millions in the Air (1935) as Davis If You Could Only Cook (1935) as Dillon (uncredited) Two in the Dark (1936) as McCord – Police Officer (uncredited) Tough Guy (1936) as Corbin (uncredited) Rose Marie (1936) as Commandant (uncredited) Follow the Fleet (1936) as Jim Nolan The Music Goes 'Round (1936) as Mr. Cohn (uncredited) Laughing Irish Eyes (1936) as Silk Taylor Woman Trap (1936) as Dodd Special Investigator (1936) as Insp. Perkett Fatal Lady (1936) as American Opera House Manager (uncredited) Hearts in Bondage (1936) as Sen. Pillsbury Trapped by Television (1936) as J.F. Howland – Board Member (uncredited) Ticket to Paradise (1936) as Colton Bunker Bean (1936) as A.C. Jones Spendthrift (1936) as Attorney (uncredited) Grand Jury (1936) as Jim Hanify Straight from the Shoulder (1936) as Capt. Daniels (uncredited) The General Died at Dawn (1936) as American with No Matches (uncredited) Sea Spoilers (1936) as Phil Morgan 15 Maiden Lane (1936) as Judge Graham The Accusing Finger (1936) as Senator Forrest Laughing at Trouble (1936) as Cyrus Hall Dodge City Trail (1936) as Kenyon Phillips We Who Are About to Die (1937) as District Attorney Knight (uncredited) Secret Valley (1937) as Austin Martin Girl Overboard (1937) as Sam Le Maire Espionage (1937) as Alfred Hartrix (uncredited) 23 1/2 Hours' Leave (1937) as Capt. Barker Maytime (1937) as Monsieur Bulliet (uncredited) Midnight Taxi (1937) as Barney Flagg King of Gamblers (1937) as Man at Temple's Table (uncredited) Maytime (1937) as Monsieur Bulliet (uncredited) Let Them Live (1937) as Newspaper Editor (uncredited) Criminals of the Air (1937) as Kurt Feldon It Happened Out West (1937) as Cooley Pick a Star (1937) as Mr. Stone Fifty Roads to Town (1937) as Police Official The Wildcatter (1937) as Tom Frayne On Again-Off Again (1937) as George Dilwig A Dangerous Adventure (1937) as Allen The Toast of New York (1937) as Lawyer The Big Shot (1937) as Martin Drake The Man Who Cried Wolf (1937) as Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited) Fit for a King (1937) as Editor Hardwick Partners in Crime (1937) as Mayor Callahan The Westland Case (1937) as Mr. Woodbury Clipped Wings (1937) as Capt. Morton Wise Girl (1937) as David Larrimore (uncredited) In Old Chicago (1938) as Politician in Jack's Office The Big Broadcast of 1938 (1938) as Capt. Stafford Kidnapped (1938) as Bailiff Men with Wings (1938) as Gen. Marlin (uncredited) Little Miss Broadway (1938) as Perry Gateway (1938) as Ernest Porter You Can't Take It with You (1938) as Attorney to Kirby (uncredited) Fugitives for a Night (1938) as Maurice Tenwright That Certain Age (1938) as Scout Leader (uncredited) Kentucky (1938) as Thad Goodwin Sr. – 1861 North of Shanghai (1939) as Rowley Boy Trouble (1939) as Magistrate Boy Slaves (1939) as Albee's Attorney (uncredited) Honolulu (1939) as Mr. Clifford Jones (uncredited) The Three Musketeers (1939) as Porthos I Was a Convict (1939) as District Attorney The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) as Colonel (uncredited) The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939) as Mr. Barrows East Side of Heaven (1939) as Hinkle (uncredited) Hotel Imperial (1939) as Austrian Officer (uncredited) Union Pacific (1939) as Sergeant (uncredited) Man of Conquest (1939) as Mr. Allen (uncredited) Hotel for Women (1939) as Van Ellis (uncredited) Stanley and Livingstone (1939) as Commissioner Our Leading Citizen (1939) as Chairman (uncredited) The Real Glory (1939) as Capt. George Manning Rio (1939) as Banker (uncredited) Hollywood Cavalcade (1939) as Roberts Bad Little Angel (1939) as Maj. Ellwood – Newspaper Owner (uncredited) Rulers of the Sea (1939) as Mr. Cunard (uncredited) Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President (1939) as Mr. Graves The Honeymoon's Over (1939) as J.P. Walker The Big Guy (1939) as Lawson Swanee River (1939) as Andrew McDowell The Blue Bird (1940) as Daddy Tyl Parole Fixer (1940) as U.S. District Court Judge Johnny Apollo (1940) as District Attorney Virginia City (1940) as John Armistead Enemy Agent (1940) as Lyman Scott Earthbound (1940) as Prosecutor The Mortal Storm (1940) as Rector Queen of the Mob (1940) as Judge (uncredited) Sporting Blood (1940) as 'Sneak' OBrien The Return of Frank James (1940) as Prosecutor Junior G-Men (1940, Serial) as Col. Barton Fugitive from a Prison Camp (1940) as Minor Role (uncredited) Nobody's Children (1940) as Sen. Lawrence Hargrave (uncredited) Seven Sinners (1940) as First Governor East of the River (1940) as Warden The Bank Dick (1940) as J. Frothingham Waterbury Lady with Red Hair (1940) Wealthy London Host (uncredited) A Night at Earl Carroll's (1940) as Mayor Jones of Hollywood No, No, Nanette (1940) as 'Hutch' Hutchinson Santa Fe Trail (1940) as Dr. J. Boyce Russell (uncredited) Love Thy Neighbor (1940) as Mr. Harrington Arkansas Judge (1941) as John Root – Attorney Western Union (1941) as Governor The Strawberry Blonde (1941) as Treadway – Hugo's Lawyer (uncredited) A Man Betrayed (1941) as C.R. Pringle Ellery Queen's Penthouse Mystery (1941) as Walsh Here Comes Happiness (1941) as John Vance The Man Who Lost Himself (1941) as Mr. Van der Girt Man Made Monster (1941) as Prison Warden Harris (uncredited) The Great Lie (1941) as Col. Harriston Blood and Sand (1941) as Marquis The Big Store (1941) as Arthur Hastings Sergeant York (1941) as General (uncredited) The Parson of Panamint (1941) as Prosecuting Attorney Hold That Ghost (1941) as Bannister Dive Bomber (1941) as Admiral – Speaks at Final Awards (uncredited) The Little Foxes (1941) as William Marshall The Pittsburgh Kid (1941) (uncredited) Doctors Don't Tell (1941) as Supt. Duff Unexpected Uncle (1941) as Tony (uncredited) Buy Me That Town (1941) as Malcolm Great Guns (1941) as Gen. Burns Public Enemies (1941) as Tregar They Died with Their Boots On (1941) as Colonel of 1st Michigan (uncredited) Pacific Blackout (1941) as Commanding Officer Sealed Lips (1942) as Dr. Charles Evans Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) as Rodeo Announcer #1 (uncredited) We Were Dancing (1942) as Mr. Bryce-Carew Joe Smith, American (1942) as Mr. Edgerton Butch Minds the Baby (1942) as J. Wadsworth Carrington To the Shores of Tripoli (1942) as Maj. Wilson Ship Ahoy (1942) as Capt. C.V. O'Brien (uncredited) Fingers at the Window (1942) as Dr. Chandley Pacific Rendezvous (1942) as John Carter Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942) as Judge Abbotson Lady in a Jam (1942) as Carter Wings for the Eagle (1942) as Committee Speaker (uncredited) Blondie for Victory (1942) as Colonel (uncredited) King of the Mounties (1942, Serial) as Marshal Carleton Springtime in the Rockies (1942) as Man in Dark with Lighter (uncredited) Hitler – Dead or Alive (1942) as Samuel Thornton Strictly in the Groove (1942) as R.C. Saunders Behind the Eight Ball (1942) as Harry B. Kemp Tennessee Johnson (1942) as Lincoln's Emissary Harrigan's Kid (1943) as Col. Lowry Air Raid Wardens (1943) as Maj. Scanlon King of the Cowboys (1943) as Texas Governor Shuville Follow the Band (1943) as Jeremiah K. Barton Three Hearts for Julia (1943) as Army Colonel (uncredited) Someone to Remember (1943) as Mr. Stanton Northern Pursuit (1943) as Chief Inspector (uncredited) His Butler's Sister (1943) as Sanderson There's Something About a Soldier (1943) as Mr. Edwards (uncredited) What a Woman! (1943) as Sutton (uncredited) The Woman of the Town (1943) as Publisher Captain America (1944, Serial) as Randolph Hat Check Honey (1944) as J.J. Worthington Bathing Beauty (1944) as Mr. Allenwood (uncredited) Louisiana Hayride (1944) as H.C. Forbes Janie (1944) as Col. Lucas – Commander Camp Wingate The Port of 40 Thieves (1944) as Charles Farrington The Captain from Köpenick (1945) as Police Commissioner She Gets Her Man (1945) as Mayor A Guy, a Gal and a Pal (1945) as General (uncredited) The Master Key (1945, Serial) as Police Chief Michael J. O'Brien The Valley of Decision (1945) as Mr. Laurence Gaylord Flame of Barbary Coast (1945) as Cyrus Danver First Yank Into Tokyo (1945) as Col. Thompson (uncredited) Apology for Murder (1945) as Harvey Kirkland That Night with You (1945) as Henry Brock (uncredited) A Game of Death (1945) as Mr. Whitney She Wouldn't Say Yes (1945) as Mr. Lindsay – Patient (uncredited) Getting Gertie's Garter (1945) as Board Member (uncredited) Scarlet Street (1945) as J.J. Hogarth A Close Call for Boston Blackie (1946) as Harcourt (uncredited) Gay Blades (1946) as Buxton The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946) as Robin Hood – Earl of Huntington Swing Parade of 1946 (1946) as Daniel Warren Sr. The Hoodlum Saint (1946) as Marty Martindale (uncredited) Dark Alibi (1946) as Warden Cameron The Unknown (1946) as Col. Wetherford (uncredited) G.I. War Brides (1946) as Insp. Ramsaye Earl Carroll Sketchbook (1946) as John Hawks (uncredited) The Bachelor's Daughters (1946) as John Llewelyn Dillon Plainsman and the Lady (1946) as Sen. Gwin Till the Clouds Roll By (1946) as Producer (uncredited) The Show-Off (1946) as Mr. Thorbison (uncredited) The Pilgrim Lady (1947) as Thackery Gibbs The Beginning or the End (1947) as General (uncredited) The Sea of Grass (1947) as Maj. Dell Harney Buck Privates Come Home (1947) as Mr. Appleby Fun on a Weekend (1947) as John Biddle