Andy Devine

Andy Devine wasn't supposed to be a movie star. He had a heavyset build and a voice that sounded like someone was grinding gravel in a blender. But that very physical quirk kept him working for five decades in an industry that tends to discard anything imperfect.

His high, raspy voice came from a childhood accident with a curtain rod that pierced his palate. When talkies arrived, everyone thought his career would end before it began. It turned out the opposite was true.

That voice was his life insurance.

Ford's favorite stagecoach driver

Before making it to Hollywood, he was a professional football player. That build helped him fit into the Western genre, where men had to look like rocks. In 1939 he shot Stagecoach under the direction of John Ford, and his role as Buck made him memorable to audiences.

Devine provided the comic relief needed amid all the gunfire and border tension. He didn't need big speeches to steal a scene, because his mere physical presence filled the frame. He appeared in more than 400 movies over the course of his career.

John Ford often insulted him on set to draw out genuine reactions. But the actor knew that being the target of the director's jokes was a sign of respect in that tough-guy environment.

From the Plains to the Small Screen

In the 1950s the actor made the jump to television with The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok. He played Jingles P. Jones, and his opening catchphrase became a staple in American homes. He was paid to be the loyal sidekick who never failed.

He had an incredible work ethic. During the 1960s he voiced animated characters in Disney productions. In 1973 he voiced Friar Tuck in the animated version of Robin Hood. It was one of his last significant roles before his health began to decline.

And he never complained about being typecast.

He died of leukemia in 1977 in Orange, California. The funeral was held at Holy Family Cathedral and was attended by hundreds of fellow industry professionals. His estate was valued at millions of dollars at the time of his death thanks to his real estate investments in the San Fernando Valley.