Walter Brennan

American actor

Born: July 25, 1894 · Died: September 21, 1974

Famous Persons

Who was Walter Brennan?

Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. Brennan was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on, less than two miles from his family's home in Swampscott. His father was an engineer and inventor, and young Brennan also studied engineering at Rindge Technical High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Brennan was also nominated for his performance in Sergeant York (1941). Other noteworthy performances were in To Have and Have Not (1944), My Darling Clementine (1946), Red River (1948) and Rio Bravo (1959). On television, he starred in the sitcom The Real McCoys (1957–1963). His parents were both Irish immigrants. While working as a bank clerk, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a private with the 101st Field Artillery Regiment in France for two years during World War I.

Brennan in Affairs of Cappy Ricks (1937)

Historical significance

He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Come and Get It (1936), Kentucky (1938) and The Westerner (1940), making him the only person to win three awards in the supporting actor category.

Walter Brennan in The Guns of Will Sonnett (1967)

Sources and further reading

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Wikipedia source

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MLA

“Walter Brennan.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/walter-brennan/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Walter Brennan. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/walter-brennan/

Chicago

“Walter Brennan.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/walter-brennan/.

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