John Dierkes
Born
February 10, 1905
Died
January 8, 1975 (69 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Dierkes was born on February 10, 1905 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Brown University and subsequently went to work as an economist for the United States Department of State. In 1941 he joined the Red Cross and served in the Britain duringWorld War II. There he met director John Huston who recommended that he try Hollywood after the war. Instead, Dierkes went to work for the U.S. Treasury Department which coincidentally sent him to Hollywood to function as technical advisor for the film To the Ends of the Earth (1948). Because of his appearance and very tall frame (6 feet, 6 inches), Dierkes enjoyed a long career as a character actor, often portraying villains or soldiers. In the 1953 film Shane, Dierkes portrays villain Morgan Ryker, who is the last man shot by the title character, Shane, in the final bar room shootout. One of his more memorable scenes is in the 1960 film, The Alamo. Dierkes portrays a Tennessean named Jocko, who is torn between leaving before the attack to care for his blind wife, or staying to support the Texans' cause. Understanding that if Jocko stays to fight she will likely be widowed, Jocko's wife coaxes him to stay and defend the fort, despite her disability. Dierkes died in 1975 of emphesyma and was survived by his wife Cynthia, two sons, and two daughters.
John Wayne's 'The Alamo'
Jocko Robertson
1992
Creepy Classics
Roderick Craven - (archive footage)
1987
Rage
Bill Parker
1972
The Omega Man
Family Member
1971
Johnny Cool
Cripple
1963
The Haunted Palace
Benjamin West / Jacob West
1963
X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
Preacher (uncredited)
1963
The Raven
Roderick Craven
1963
Convicts 4
Cell Block Guard (uncredited)
1962
The Premature Burial
Sweeny
1962
The Comancheros
Ranger Bill Larsen (uncredited)
1961
One-Eyed Jacks
Chet
1961
The Alamo
Jocko Robertson
1960
The Aquanauts
Inspector Crail · (1 episode)
1960
The Slowest Gun in the West
'Wild Bill' Monks
1960
The Oregon Trail
Gabe Hastings
1959
The Hanging Tree
Society Red
1959
Rawhide
Private · (1 episode)
1959
Rawhide
Martinson · (1 episode)
1959
The Buccaneer
Deacon
1958
The Rifleman
(2 episodes)
1958
Peter Gunn
(1 episode)
1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Charlie · (1 episode)
1958
The Left Handed Gun
McSween
1958
Blood Arrow
Ez
1958
Touch of Evil
Policeman (uncredited)
1958
Death in Small Doses
1957
Valerie
Bartender
1957
The Buckskin Lady
Swanson
1957
Daughter of Dr. Jekyll
Jacob
1957
The Guns of Fort Petticoat
Texas Storekeeper (uncredited)
1957
Tales of Wells Fargo
Scanlon · (1 episode)
1957
Duel at Apache Wells
Bill Sowers
1957
The Halliday Brand
Reverend
1957
Friendly Persuasion
Farmer (uncredited)
1956
State Trooper
(1 episode)
1956
The Fastest Gun Alive
Cross Creek Townsman (uncredited)
1956
Telephone Time
(1 episode)
1956
Jubal
Carson - Horgan Rider
1956
The Vanishing American
Freil
1955
Gunsmoke
Rydell · (1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Ace · (1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Indian · (1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Dahoma · (1 episode)
1955
Betrayed Women
Cletus Ballard
1955
Not as a Stranger
Bursar
1955
Hell's Outpost
Swede - the Cook (uncredited)
1954
The Raid
Cpl. Fred Deane
1954
Adventures Of The Falcon
(1 episode)
1954
The Desperado
Police Sergeant
1954
The Naked Jungle
Gruber
1954
Gun Fury
1953
The Moonlighter
Sheriff Daws
1953
Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Batley
1953
The Vanquished
General Morris
1953
Shane
Morgan Ryker
1953
Les Miserables
Bosun (uncredited)
1952
Silver City
Arnie
1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Joe Bronson · (1 episode)
1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Dr. Belvedere · (1 episode)
1951
The Red Badge of Courage
Jim Conklin - the Tall Soldier
1951
The Thing from Another World
Dr. Chapman
1951
Three Husbands
Night Court Judge (uncredited)
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Jeb Bricker · (1 episode)
1950
Macbeth
Ross
1948