Deceased
How Did Dick Wessel Die?
Life & Death
Died aged 52Also known asDick Wassel, Richard M. Wessel , Richard Wessel , Dick Wessell, Richard Wessell , Richard Michael WesselGenderMaleNationalityUnited StatesBorn20/04/1913Born inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, USADied20/04/1965 (aged 52)Died inStudio CityCausemyocardial infarctionWikidataQ5273537 ↗Buried atFort Rosecrans National CemeteryTMDb#34448 ↗
Richard Michael Wessel was an American film actor who appeared in more than 270 films between 1935 and 1966. He is best remembered for his only leading role, a chilling portrayal of strangler Harry "Cueball" Lake in Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946), and for his appearances as comic villains opposite The Three Stooges.
Read full Wikipedia article ↗Filmography134 titles
| Year | Title | Character | Age at release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Daniel BooneSeries | Moses Hennepin | 51 |
| 1963 | The FugitiveSeries | Charley Hendricks | 50 |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreSeries | Officer | 50 |
| 1963 | Petticoat JunctionSeries | Bink Sharfells | 50 |
| 1963 | Who's Minding the Store?Movie | Traffic Cop | 50 |
| 1963 | Arrest and TrialSeries | Carnival Manager | 50 |
| 1963 | Wives and LoversMovie | Mr. Liberti | 50 |
| 1961 | Ben CaseySeries | — | 48 |
| 1961 | Dr. KildareSeries | Sam Dlugash | 48 |
| 1961 | Pocketful of MiraclesMovie | Governor of Florida (uncredited) | 48 |
| 1961 | All in a Night's WorkMovie | Janitor (uncredited) | 48 |
| 1961 | 87th PrecinctSeries | Howard Pitt | 48 |
| 1959 | The Twilight ZoneSeries | Charlie | 46 |
| 1959 | BonanzaSeries | Big Mike Campbell | 46 |
| 1959 | RawhideSeries | Jed | 46 |
| 1959 | The Many Loves of Dobie GillisSeries | — | 46 |
| 1959 | The GazeboMovie | Louis | 46 |
| 1959 | RiverboatSeries | Carney Kohler | 46 |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset StripSeries | Stan | 45 |
| 1958 | Peter GunnSeries | — | 45 |
| 1958 | Man with a CameraSeries | — | 45 |
| 1958 | LawmanSeries | Jed Thomas | 45 |
| 1957 | Wagon TrainSeries | Biff | 44 |
| 1957 | Perry MasonSeries | Transfer Man | 44 |
| 1957 | TrackdownSeries | Matt Morris | 44 |
| 1957 | The Thin ManSeries | — | 44 |
| 1957 | ZorroSeries | Cpl. Delgado (uncredited) | 44 |
| 1957 | Tricky ChicksMovie | — | 44 |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 DaysMovie | Train Engineer (uncredited) | 43 |
| 1956 | Hey, Jeannie!Series | Trucker | 43 |
| 1956 | The Desperados Are in TownMovie | Hank Green (as Richard Wessel) | 43 |
| 1955 | Navy LogSeries | — | 42 |
| 1955 | GunsmokeSeries | Sol Durham | 42 |
| 1955 | FurySeries | Fred | 42 |
| 1955 | Rebel Without a CauseMovie | Planetarium Guide (uncredited) | 42 |
| 1955 | Bowery to BagdadMovie | Henchman Gus | 42 |
| 1955 | G.I. Dood ItMovie | Sgt. Flint (as Richard Wessel) | 42 |
| 1954 | Father Knows BestSeries | Officer | 41 |
| 1954 | LassieSeries | Fred Brockway | 41 |
| 1954 | December BrideSeries | — | 41 |
| 1954 | Public DefenderSeries | Sgt. Willis | 41 |
| 1954 | Studio 57Series | Alvin T. 'Bear' Bristow | 41 |
| 1954 | The Lone WolfSeries | Bill Basey | 41 |
| 1953 | The Danny Thomas ShowSeries | Policeman | 40 |
| 1953 | Gentlemen Prefer BlondesMovie | Chez Louis Nightclub Patron (uncredited) | 40 |
| 1953 | The Life Of RileySeries | Squarehead Malloy | 40 |
| 1952 | The Ford Television TheatreSeries | Tom O'Brien (as Richard Wessell) | 39 |
| 1952 | Young Man with IdeasMovie | Eddie Tasling | 39 |
| 1952 | The WAC from Walla WallaMovie | Sgt. Malone | 39 |
| 1952 | Rancho NotoriousMovie | Deputy (uncredited) | 39 |
| 1952 | The Abbott and Costello ShowSeries | Larry | 39 |
| 1952 | Love Is Better Than EverMovie | Smittie | 39 |
| 1952 | Heebie Gee-GeesMovie | Big Dan | 39 |
| 1951 | The Red Skelton ShowSeries | Assistant (uncredited) | 38 |
| 1951 | The Adventures of Wild Bill HickokSeries | Willard Crane | 38 |
| 1951 | An American in ParisMovie | Ben Macrow (uncredited) | 38 |
| 1951 | Texas CarnivalMovie | Concessionaire #1 | 38 |
| 1951 | Strangers on a TrainMovie | Bill (uncredited) | 38 |
| 1951 | Flying LeathernecksMovie | Mess Sergeant (uncredited) | 38 |
| 1951 | Reunion in RenoMovie | Taxi Driver | 38 |
| 1951 | The Texas RangersMovie | Arkansas (uncredited) | 38 |
| 1951 | Gasoline AlleyMovie | Pudge | 38 |
| 1951 | Corky of Gasoline AlleyMovie | Pudge McKay | 38 |
| 1951 | Her First RomanceMovie | Night Watchman (uncredited) | 38 |
| 1951 | Life with Buster KeatonMovie | — | 38 |
| 1950 | The Jack Benny ProgramSeries | Man | 37 |
| 1950 | Sands of Iwo JimaMovie | Grenade Instructor (uncredited) | 37 |
| 1950 | Father of the BrideMovie | Moving Man with Chandelier (uncredited) | 37 |
| 1950 | HarveyMovie | Mr. Cracker (uncredited) | 37 |
| 1950 | Beware of BlondieMovie | Mailman | 37 |
| 1950 | Blondie's HeroMovie | Mailman (uncredited) | 37 |
| 1950 | Watch the BirdieMovie | Man Who Undresses | 37 |
| 1950 | Punchy CowpunchersMovie | Sgt. Mullins | 37 |
| 1950 | Dizzy YardbirdMovie | Sergeant Flint | 37 |
| 1950 | The Misadventures of Buster KeatonMovie | Harry (uncredited) | 37 |
| 1949 | Thieves' HighwayMovie | Cab Driver (uncredited) | 36 |
| 1949 | Canadian PacificMovie | Bailey | 36 |
| 1949 | On the TownMovie | Sailor Kovarsky (uncredited) | 36 |
| 1949 | Blondie Hits the JackpotMovie | Mailman (uncredited) | 36 |
| 1949 | TulsaMovie | Joker (uncredited) | 36 |
| 1949 | The Green PromiseMovie | Mr. Clairborne | 36 |
| 1948 | The Fuller Brush ManMovie | Police Sergeant (uncredited) | 35 |
| 1948 | PitfallMovie | Desk Sergeant | 35 |
| 1948 | Unknown IslandMovie | Sanderson, 1st Mate | 35 |
| 1947 | 13 Rue MadeleineMovie | Gestapo Officer (uncredited) | 34 |
| 1947 | High WallMovie | Jim Hale (uncredited) | 34 |
| 1947 | Blondie's Big MomentMovie | Bus Driver (uncredited) | 34 |
| 1947 | CaliforniaMovie | Blacksmith (uncredited) | 34 |
| 1947 | Merton of the MoviesMovie | Chick | 34 |
| 1947 | Hectic HoneymoonMovie | Duffy | 34 |
| 1947 | In Room 303Movie | — | 34 |
| 1946 | Young WidowMovie | Cab Driver (Uncredited) | 33 |
| 1946 | Black AngelMovie | Mavis' Doorman (Uncredited) | 33 |
| 1946 | Blonde AlibiMovie | Detective (Uncredited) | 33 |
| 1946 | Slappily MarriedMovie | Eddie--Honey's Fiance | 33 |
| 1946 | In Old SacramentoMovie | Oscar | 33 |
| 1946 | Gallant BessMovie | Marine (uncredited) | 33 |
| 1945 | Scarlet StreetMovie | Detective (uncredited) | 32 |
| 1943 | Action in the North AtlanticMovie | Cherub Joe (uncredited) | 30 |
| 1943 | Yanks AhoyMovie | Ship Cargo Seaman (uncredited) | 30 |
| 1943 | Silver SpursMovie | Buck Walters | 30 |
| 1942 | Brooklyn OrchidMovie | Al | 29 |
| 1942 | Gentleman JimMovie | Referee (uncredited) | 29 |
| 1942 | Joe Smith, AmericanMovie | Aircraft Plant Worker (uncredited) | 29 |
| 1942 | X Marks the SpotMovie | Dizzy | 29 |
| 1942 | Friendly EnemiesMovie | Delivery man | 29 |
| 1942 | The Traitor WithinMovie | Henchman Otis | 29 |
| 1941 | Steel Against the SkyMovie | Mike (uncredited) | 28 |
| 1941 | They Died with Their Boots OnMovie | Sgt. Brown (uncredited) | 28 |
| 1941 | The Strawberry BlondeMovie | Barber Shop Hanger-on (uncredited) | 28 |
| 1941 | ManpowerMovie | Lineman at Cafe Counter (uncredited) | 28 |
| 1941 | The Great Train RobberyMovie | Gorman | 28 |
| 1940 | They Drive by NightMovie | Driver in Cafe (uncredited) | 27 |
| 1940 | Brother OrchidMovie | Buffalo Burns | 27 |
| 1940 | City for ConquestMovie | Cab Driver by Fire (uncredited) | 27 |
| 1940 | Flight CommandMovie | Big Sailor on Downed Seaplane (uncredited) | 27 |
| 1940 | The Howards of VirginiaMovie | Backwoodsman | 27 |
| 1940 | So You Won't Talk?Movie | Dopey | 27 |
| 1939 | The Roaring TwentiesMovie | Fletcher's Mechanic (uncredited) | 26 |
| 1939 | Missing DaughtersMovie | Brick McGirk | 26 |
| 1939 | Dust Be My DestinyMovie | Customer (uncredited) | 26 |
| 1939 | They Made Me a CriminalMovie | Collucci | 26 |
| 1939 | They All Come OutMovie | Moxie (uncredited) | 26 |
| 1938 | A Slight Case of MurderMovie | Partygoer Popping Cork (uncredited) | 25 |
| 1938 | Racket BustersMovie | Truck Driver (uncredited) | 25 |
| 1938 | Submarine PatrolMovie | Dock Shore Patrolman (facing camera) | 25 |
| 1938 | Hawk of the WildernessMovie | Dirk | 25 |
| 1937 | They Gave Him a GunMovie | German Machine Gunner (uncredited) | 24 |
| 1937 | White BondageMovie | Beans Clerk | 24 |
| 1937 | San QuentinMovie | Trusty (uncredited) | 24 |
| 1937 | The Game That KillsMovie | 'Leapfrog' Soule | 24 |
| 1936 | Small Town GirlMovie | College Boy in Car (uncredited) | 23 |
| 1936 | FuryMovie | Bodyguard (uncredited) | 23 |
| 1935 | In Spite of DangerMovie | Monk Grady | 22 |