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John Ireland in Messenger of Death

John Ireland (1914 - 1992)

Film Deaths:[]

  • My Darling Clementine (1946) [Billy Clanton]: Shot by Henry Fonda while John is riding away after shooting Linda Darnell; he dies shortly after arriving at his home, and his body is shown afterwards when Tim Holt comes to arrest him (historically, Clanton was killed in the OK Corral shootout).
  • Railroaded! (1947) [Duke Martin]: Shot to death in a shootout with Hugh Beaumont. (Thanks to Harry)
  • Red River (1948) [Cherry Valance]: Shot in the chest by John Wayne, as he challenges him to draw his gun from behind. (as Wayne is walking toward Montgomery Clift). (although some production notes state he survives, I'll keep it listed, figured it'll get suggestions if it was left out).
  • The Doolins of Oklahoma (1949) [Bitter Creek]: Dies of pneumonia, after been wounded in the shoulder by George Macready and his men.
  • The Walking Hills (1949) [Frazee]: Shot to death by Arthur Kennedy with John's own gun.
  • I Shot Jesse James (1949) [Bob Ford]: Shot with a shotgun in a showdown with Preston Foster. He dies after confessing his sorrow for killing Reed Hadley. (in reality Bob Ford died instantly after being shot, as the blast went to his throat and nearly decapitated him).
  • The Return of Jesse James (1950) [Johnny Callum]: Shot in the stomach by Henry Hull, after John shoots him. He later dies of his wound after also killing Ann Dvorak.
  • Red Mountain (1951) [Quantrill]: Shot in the chest in a shoot-out with Alan Ladd, just as John tries to kill him.
  • Vengeance Valley (1951) [Hub Fasken]: Shot in the back by members of a posse as John tries to ride away. Shown from a distance.
  • The Good Die Young (1954) [Eddie]: Electrocuted when Laurence Harvey pushes him onto the third rail. (Thanks to Brian)
  • Queen Bee (1955) [Judson Prentiss]: Commits suicide by deliberately driving his car into a ravine in order to kill both himself and Joan Crawford. (Thanks to Duncan)
  • Gunslinger (The Yellow Rose of Texas) (1956) [Cane Miro]: Shot in the chest in a shoot-out with Beverly Garland
  • Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) [Johnny Ringo]: Shot to death by Kirk Douglas in the titular gunfight. (IRL, Ringo was not involved in the O.K. Corral gunfight. He was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head more than eight months later, and the official verdict was suicide.)
  • Party Girl (1958) [Lucky Louie Canetto]: He is trying to get the top off a bottle of acid (to throw at Robert Taylor), in a building already besieged by the cops and as he pauses in front of a window he is machine gunned. (Thanks to Brian)
  • Spartacus (1960) [Crixus]: He has a gladius stuck through him in the final battle between the slave army and the Romans. (Thanks to Brian)
  • Faces In The Dark (1960) [Max Hammond]: Dies (off-screen) of a violent coughing fit which leads to a heart attack. We find out when Mai Zetterling tells his brother John Gregson. (Thanks to Brian)
  • The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [Ballomar]: As he's chained to a stake with his wife, Lena von Martens, and burnt to death when the dying Christopher Plummer shouts out his last command "Burn them, burn them" (only Sophia Loren escapes alive). (Thanks to Brian)
  • I Saw What You Did (1965) [Steve Marak]: Shot in the back by John Crawford while he's strangling (trying to kill) Andi Garrett in the backseat of a car.
  • Hate for Hate (Odio per odio) (1967) [James Cooper] Dies from a combination of malaria and a gunshot wound inflicted by Mirko Ellis.
  • Machine Gun Killers (Gattling Gun) (Damned Hot Day of Fire) (Quel caldo maledetto giorno di fucco) (1968) [Tarpas] Shot to death by Robert Woods.
  • The House of Seven Corpses (1974) [Eric Hartman]: Crushed to death when a zombie drops a treasure chest on him. (Thanks to Michael)
  • The Swiss Conspiracy (1976) [Dwight McGowan] Shot in the back by David Janssen causing him to fall off a cliff.
  • Satan's Cheerleaders (1977) [The Sheriff]: Stabbed in the stomach with a fence post by Jack Kruschen.
  • Terror Night (1987) [Lance Hayward]: Plays a ghost who returns to kill the intruders on his estate. (Thanks to PortsGuy)
  • Messenger of Death (1988) [Zenas Beecham]: Shot in the chest in a big shoot-out. (Thanks to Michael)
  • Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989) [Jefferson]: Playing a vampire, he explodes after being exposed to a giant cross.

Television Deaths:[]

  • Thriller: Papa Benjamin (1961) [Eddie Wilson]: Dies from a voodoo curse placed on him by Jester Hairston.
  • Gunsmoke: Stage Stop (1966) [Jed Coombs]: Shot to death by Milburn Stone, after John ignores Milburn's warning to stop attacking John's wife (Anne Whitfield), after Anne catches him smothering one of his gang members. (Thanks to Brian)
  • Gunsmoke: Vengeance Part 2 (1967) [Parker]: Shot in the back by James Anderson, who then steals his money, he staggers out of the saloon and confronts James Stacy who kills him as they exchange shots. (Thanks to Brian)
  • Hawaii Five-O: A Shallow Grave (1979) [Phil Coleman]:

Notable Connections[]

  • Ex-Mr. Joanne Dru.

Gallery[]