The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.

(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Lew Meehan Sometimes: Lou Meehan Full name: James Llewellyn Meehan 1890 - 1951 On the left is Lew, with his crooked and flattened nose, mustache, scowl, and wearing his usual costume which consisted of a dark hat and a vest.

Born in Minnesota on September 7, 1890, Lew Meehan was a salesman for a states rights distributor/film exchange in Minneapolis circa 1918, and that connection to the movie business may have been the impetus that led him to Hollywood.

His movie career began around 1921. In silents, Meehan did villainy against Yakima Canutt, Jack Perrin, Pete Morrison, Bob Custer, Tom Tyler, more. The September 28, 1924 issue of Film Daily had a review of the Jack Perrin COYOTE FANGS (F&W Prod., 1924) which was helmed by Harry S. Webb. That review had a pretty good description of Meehan: "Cast .... Lew Meehan a regulation stock villain who stops at nothing to get his man out of the way."

In silents, he was often the principal heavy. In talkies, Lew found himself demoted to mostly gang member roles and he free lanced everywhere. He shows up in a one or a few oaters with Jack Perrin, Bill Cody, Reb Russell, Dick Foran, Buddy Roosevelt, Harry Carey Sr., Hoot Gibson, John Wayne, Lane Chandler, Rex Bell, the William Boyd/Hopalong series, the Three Mesquiteers, more. But the bulk of his 1930s screen work occurred with the following cinema range riders:

The cliffhanger MYSTERY MOUNTAIN (Mascot, 1934) includes a typical Lew Meehan performance. For twelve chapters, hero Ken Maynard is on the trail of the mysterious "Rattler" whose main henchmen are Bob Kortman, George Chesebro, Tom London ... and Meehan. Lo and behold, Lew even gets billing in the opening titles and credits. But there's a spelling boo-boo and he's listed as Lou Meehan. MYSTERY MOUNTAIN was one of a half dozen serials that Meehan did for Mascot producer/owner Nat Levine - he also picked up paychecks for FIGHTING WITH KIT CARSON (Mascot, 1933), THE WOLF DOG (Mascot, 1933), THE MYSTERY SQUADRON (Mascot, 1933), THE LOST JUNGLE (Mascot, 1934), and BURN 'EM UP BARNES (Mascot, 1934).

As noted above, Lew menaced Bob Steele in ten 1930s oaters. He gets billing credit and lots of dialog in one of Steele's best, THE RED ROPE (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1937). In that, Meehan is "Rattler Haynes", a gunslick hired to get rid of Bob. And in Steele's ARIZONA GUNFIGHTER (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1937), Bob and reformed outlaw Ted Adams go up against Meehan (as "Snake Bralt").

Our "regulation stock villain" had a rough and tough look, accentuated by a crooked and flattened nose remindful of a prize fighter who took too many punches.

By the early 1940s, Lew had hit 50 years of age and his film work was infrequent. His last screen appearance was in 1944, and that wrapped up a 200+ movie career that began in 1920s silents.

James Llewellyn Meehan was under medical care for about four months at Rancho Los Amigos, Los Angeles County, near Hondo and Downey, California. He passed away there from congestive heart failure on August 10, 1951. His remains were given to the University of Southern California.

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are Lew Meehan (with his flattened and crooked nose), Sherry Tansey and Bob Steele in a crop from a lobby card from THUNDER IN THE DESERT (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1938).

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Lew Meehan: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0576055/

The Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), the death certificate, and California Death Index have more about Lew Meehan:

• World War I draft registration - 26 year old James Leo [sic] Meehan was living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born September 7, 1890 in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota; was single; occupation was "Moving pict salsm" (meaning Moving Picture Salesman) and employer was "Supreme Feature Film Co., Film Ex. on 4th Street": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-26450-40282-85?cc=1968530
  (Trade papers and magazines indicate that the Supreme Feature Film Company was headquarted in Minneapolis and was a states rights distributor/film exchange that covered Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin.)
• 1930 census - 27 year old James L. Meehan (born Minnesota) was renting at the Paramount Hotel, 5311 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. He was single; not a military veteran; and his occupation was "Actor - Moving Pictures": https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCV3-CPJ
• 1940 census - 49 year old James Lew Mehan [sic] (born Minnesota) was listed as "Partner" and resided in Los Angeles. With him was 5 year old daughter Jerien James, but there is a glitch and confusion from the census taker: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9HW-LMC
  1940 census takers worksheet - Lew was living in unit/apartment 234 at 5425 Santa Monica, Los Angeles. He was single; completed 4 years of college; occupation was "Actor & Extra - M. P. Studio", and in 1939, he worked 26 weeks and earned $1000.00. If you view this census worksheet, note the words "Contd" (meaning continued). These were later additions from the census taker and in the left side of the sheet, April 12 is shown next to the entries for Lew and Jerien James: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-27796-5978-80?cc=2000219
  On a separate 1940 census worksheet dated April 11, the confusion is resolved and we find the rest of Jerien James' family - 32 year old William James and 27 year old wife Isobel. His occupation was "Electrician - M. P. Studio". They were renting unit/apartment 234 at 5425 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles. Complicated answer is that Lew Meehan and the James family were living together: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-27796-6004-21?cc=2000219&wc=9R78-V83:790105301,796133301,802350001,953381701
• 1942 World War II draft registration for 51 year old James (Lew) Llewellyn Meehan. Birth date and location were September 7, 1890 and Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. His occupation/employer was "Freelance actor - motion pictures"; home address was 5617 La Mirada, Los Angeles; and the "person who will always know your address" line shows Screen Actors Guild and a notation of "(no relatives)": https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16414-29401-83?cc=1861144
• Death certificate: James Lew Meehan was born September 7, 1890 in Minnesota; parents were James L. Meehan (born Wisconsin) and Margaret Dougherty (born Wisconsin); he was not a military veteran; occupation was "Actor - Motion Picture"; and he was divorced from Dolores Meehan. Lew lived at 2032 N. Ivar Avenue, Los Angeles. He suffered from arteriosclerotic heart disease and pulmonary emphysema and was under medical care for about four+ months at Rancho Los Amigos, Los Angeles County, California. He passed away there from congestive heart failure on August 10, 1951. Death certificate informant was "Records of Rancho Los Amigos". He was not embalmed and his remains were given to the University of Southern California.
• The California Death Index mirrors the death certificate - James Lew Meehan, born 9/7/1890 in Minnesota, Mother's maiden name of Dougherty, and he passed away on 8/10/1951.

Rancho Los Amigos is a medical care / rehab facility near Hondo and Downey, California. Originally, it was "The County Poor Farm" but in the 1930s, was upgraded to a medical facility. B western players Lew Meehan and Steve Clemente passed away there. Info on Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rancho_Los_Amigos_National_Rehabilitation_Center

(From Old Corral collection) Above is a 1950 blue duotone re-release lobby card and crop/blowup from THE GUN RANGER (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1937). Bob Steele has the drop on, from L-to-R, Earl Dwire, Lew Meehan, Archie Ricks, an unidentified guy, and Barney Beasley. The unidentified guy may be Dick Morehead. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Left to right are Bob Steele, Julian Rivero and Lew Meehan in a lobby card from RIDIN' THE LONE TRAIL (A. W. Hackel/Republic, 1937). Rivero and Meehan were henchmen in this.