Jack Pennick

Ronald Jack Pennick (December 7, 1895 – August 16, 1964) was an American film actor. After working as a gold miner as a young man, he appeared in over 140 films between 1926 and 1962. Pennick was a leading member of the informal John Ford Stock Company, appearing in dozens of the director's films. Pennick also drilled the military extras in John Wayne's The Alamo (1960).

Jack Pennick
'Sentimental Ballad' by Grant Wood, 1940
Born
Ronald Jack Pennick

(1895-12-07)December 7, 1895
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
DiedAugust 16, 1964(1964-08-16) (aged 68)
Manhattan Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1926-1962
Spouse(s)Grechin Pennick (? - ?)
Nona Lorraine (? - ?)
Children3

Biography

Pennick was born in Portland, Oregon, the son of gold miner Albert R. and Bessie (Murray) Pennick. He and his first wife, Grechin, had two children by the time he was twenty. He had a third child with his second wife, Nona Lorraine. Pennick joined the United States Marine Corps serving in China and World War I.[1][2] In the 1920s he worked as a horse wrangler on various film productions before he was noticed by filmmaker John Ford. He soon began working as an actor, as well as a military technical adviser.[3] He re-enlisted in the United States Navy in September 1941, at the age of 45.[4] He was promoted to chief warrant officer (chief photographer) in December 1942.[5] He served in the Field Photographic Unit for the Office of Strategic Services under the command of Ford where he helped to drill and train new recruits in the unit.[1] Pennick was awarded the Silver Star medal for action in North Africa.[6] He died in Manhattan Beach, California at the age of 68.

Selected filmography

Television
  • Wagon Train - episode - The Colter Craven Story - Drill Sgt. Tim Molley (uncredited) (1960)
  • Gunslinger - episodes - The Buried People, Appointment in Cascabel, The Zone, and The Diehards - Sgt. Duffy (1961)

References
  1. Matheson, Sue (2019). The John Ford Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 249–250. ISBN 9781538103821.
  2. "Jack Pennick, 69, Dies; Character Actor in Films". The New York Times. August 19, 1964.
  3. "Jack Pennick". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  4. Muster Rolls of U.S. Navy Ships, Stations, and Other Naval Activities, January 1, 1939 – January 1, 1949; Record Group: 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1798 - 2007; Series ARC ID: 594996; Series MLR Number: A1 135.
  5. United States Department of the Navy, Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Naval Reserve, Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., 1944, p. 1006
  6. United States Department of the Navy, "Decorations and Citations," Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin, August 1943, p. 57
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