Patrick Cranshaw

Joseph Patrick Cranshaw (June 17, 1919 – December 28, 2005) was an American character actor known for his distinctive look and deadpan humor. He is best known for one of his last roles, that of Joseph "Blue" Pulaski, a fraternity brother, in the 2003 hit comedy Old School. Some sources state that this role gave him "pop-culture status".

Early life
Cranshaw was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and became interested in acting while entertaining American troops as a member of the Army Air Forces before World War II.

Career
Cranshaw began his screen acting career in 1955 when he was 36 in the uncredited role of a bar tender at a dance in the western Texas Lady.

Despite an acting span of more than 40 years and some 102 appearances, Cranshaw's first credited film role came at the age of 41, in The Amazing Transparent Man (1960). Cranshaw's mild-mannered and gentlemanly demeanor led him to a number of roles as bank tellers, store managers, and grandfathers. His major credits include Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bandelero! (1968) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978), Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), Moving (1988), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Nothing to Lose (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Broken Vessels (1998), Best in Show (2000), Bubble Boy (2001), Old School (2003), My Boss's Daughter (2003), and Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005).

He also appeared in more than 50 television series, including Alice, After MASH, Little House on the Prairie, Mork & Mindy, The Dukes of Hazard, Night Court, Growing Pains, Married... with Children, Coach, The Drew Carey Show, and Just Shoot Me!.

Death
Cranshaw died of pneumonia at his Fort Worth, Texas home, aged 86. He is interred at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas County, Texas.

Selected filmography

 * The Amazing Transparent Man (1960) - Security Guard
 * The Yesterday Machine (1963)
 * Under Age (1964) - W.J. Earnhardt
 * Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - Bank Teller (uncredited)
 * Bandolero! (1968) - Bank Clerk
 * Adam-12 (1974) - Jealous Husband
 * Nightmare Honeymoon (1974) - Old Bail Boy
 * Slumber Party '57 (1976) - Store Owner
 * Alice (1976-78) -Andy
 * Thunder and Lightning (1977) - Taylor
 * Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) - Western Union Messenger
 * Little House on the Prairie (1978-80) - Various Characters
 * Mork & Mindy (1978-82) - Various Characters
 * The New Adventures of Wonder Woman (1979) - Codger
 * The Dukes of Hazard (1979-80) - Doc Petticord
 * The Private Eyes (1980) - Roy
 * The Gong Show Movie (1980) - Man Dying In Elevator
 * CHiPs (1980) Kidnap - Carpenter
 * Yes, Giorgio (1982) - Man on Gurney
 * Diff’rent Strokes (1983) - Old Man as Arnold Jackson
 * After M*A*S*H (1983) - Veteran Bob Scannell
 * Highway to Heaven (1984) - Clark
 * Night Court (1984-85) - Various Characters
 * Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) - Hobo
 * Perfect Strangers (1986) - Street Person
 * Growing Pains (1989) - Reverend Chuck MacGregor
 * Married... with Children (1991) - Young Kit
 * The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) - Reverend Mason
 * The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) - Ancient Sorter
 * Coach (1994) - Mr. Knickerbocker
 * Everyone Says I Love You (1996) - Grandpa
 * The Drew Carey Show (1997) - Gerald Thompson
 * Nothing to Lose (1997) - Henry
 * Broken Vessels (1998) - Gramps
 * Almost Heroes (1998) - Jackson
 * Just Shoot Me! (1998) - Cowboy Pete
 * MVP: Most Valuable Primate (2000) - Ron
 * Best in Show (2000) - Leslie Ward Cabot
 * Bubble Boy (2001) - Pappy / Pippy
 * MVP: Most Vertical Primate (2001) - Ron
 * Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (2002) - Sheriff Bob
 * Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002) - The Old Man
 * Old School (2003) - Blue
 * Air Bud: Spikes Back (2003) - Sheriff Bob
 * My Boss's Daughter (2003) - Old Man
 * Breakin' All the Rules (2004) - Mr. Lynch
 * Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) - Jimmy D.
 * Air Buddies (2006) - Sheriff Bob (final film role, posthumous release)