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.

Gene Roth/Gene Stutenroth Full name: Eugene Oliver Edgar Stutenroth 1903 - 1976

(Image courtesy of Jack Tillmany)

Born in Redfield, South Dakota, Eugene Roth/Stutenroth did not specialize in western movies, but he worked in some. Big and burly with a cigar in his hand and his hair well oiled and slicked back, Roth did a nice job portraying brains heavies or Nazi officers or foreign agents ... or just doing support/character roles or bit parts in A and B grade films as a policeman, detective, judge, guard, bartender, et al. He also worked in a handful or two of later Three Stooges shorts and features (ones with Shemp Howard, Joe DeRita or Joe Besser). Roth was one of many who transitioned into the new medium of television, and can be spotted in scores of 1950s and 1960s TV programs, including a bunch of westerns. His later film work is primarily low budget horror flicks (such as his role as the local sheriff in both EARTH VS. THE SPIDER (American International, 1958) and ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (American International, 1959)).

Roth's near 30 year movie and TV career spanned from the late 1930s through the mid 1960s.

Gene Roth did some memorable roles in oaters and cliffhangers. Examples that come to mind include:

• He's the piano playing boss stirrin' up a range war in the Rod Cameron and Eddie Dew BEYOND THE PECOS (Universal, 1945).
• In the closing minutes of MARSHAL OF CRIPPLE CREEK (Republic, 1947), the last of the Republic Red Ryder features, Allan Lane and brains heavy Roth have a terrific brawl in the local saloon.
• Roth was the local newspaper owner/publisher - and Roy Barcroft's boss - in the Allan 'Rocky' Lane adventure OKLAHOMA BADLANDS (Republic, 1948).
• It's Roth and gang versus Clayton Moore in the twelve chapter GHOST OF ZORRO (Republic, 1949).
• Roth, as the evil "Vultura", does battle with Judd Holdren (as Captain Video) in the chapterplay CAPTAIN VIDEO, MASTER OF THE STRATOSPHERE (Columbia, 1951).

Jack Tillmany had a chance meeting with the retired Gene Roth. Jack writes:

"He seems to have retired from acting before reaching age 65, since his last film and television credits are 1967, but in later years he worked as cashier at the drug store on the SW corner of Hollywood and Highland. Imagine my surprise when I stopped in there one afternoon and had Gene Roth ring up my purchase! Happily, I had my autograph book in my pocket, and of course he obliged! By way of trivia: Gene Roth kept a record of all his film work which I got a copy of a long time back, and updated his credits on IMDb. The drugstore was in the heart of Hollywood, across the street and about a half block East of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. It's now a souvenir shop."

Les Adams has Roth identified in about 200 films, and that includes 40+ westerns and 20+ chapterplays. His work at Republic occurred during the period from 1947 - 1955 and consisted of 15 westerns and serials. Interesting tidbit: Roth appeared in over a dozen films and serials that were produced by Sam Katzman (including the above mentioned CAPTAIN VIDEO). Wonder if they were friends ... or Katzman frequently cast Roth because he was solid and dependable.

Roth was walking near his home on July 19, 1976 and was critically injured when he was struck by a car. He passed away at a local hospital from those injuries. You may want to go to the In Search Of ... page on the Old Corral and then to the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for: Eugene O. Stutenroth, born 1/8/1903 in South Dakota and passed away on 7/19/1976 in the Los Angeles area. There is a corresponding record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

(Courtesy of Diane Grom) Above - Roth as "Vultura" in the 1951 CAPTAIN VIDEO serial.

Diane Grom is Gene Roth's grand-daughter and has been researching the Stutenroth family and genealogy for years. Diane adds some additional details on her grandfather: "... his full name was 'Eugene Oliver Edgar Stutenroth' - in that order. Although he never used the 'Edgar' that I know of - I think it's a Swedish derivation of 'Edward' - his birth certification includes it. His mom had to give South Dakota an affidavit to get him a birth certificate, as I don't think that state issued them that early. Perhaps it was originally 'Edward' - but, she gave the affidavit around 1930, and that's the information she gave the state of South Dakota." "Ruth Irene was his cousin." (in reference to the photos at the University of South Dakota link below). "... my grandmother was the Broadway dancer Helen Mack (her stage name - not to be confused with the film star of the same name) - Gene married her in the 1920s. They met in New York, but were married in Danville, Kentucky, and lived for a time in New York. My father was his son 'Eugene Arthur Stutenroth' (born in Chicago - 'Arthur' for my grandmother's brother) and very closely resembled Gene (so much so, that it sometimes still surprises me). "I have Gene's death certificate from Los Angeles County, and that's what it says" (relating to my question about his death being caused by a hit-and-run driver). "Gene really grew up in the old west you know - that's what SD was."

Diane Grom welcomes contact with Stutenroth family members who come from the South Dakota branch, and is willing to share all family research data - back through the Revolutionary War era. If anyone has further details on Gene Roth and the Stutenroth Family, please e-mail the Old Corral webmaster and I'll also pass that info to Diane.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on Gene Roth/Stutenroth: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0744841/

Spooky Tom's website has some images of Roth, which are primarily from his work in horror/sci-fi films and 1950s - early 1960s TV shows: http://www.spookytoms.com/Gene_Roth_Tribute.html

Included are three family photos submitted by Roth's grand-daughter Diane Grom: http://www.spookytoms.com/Gene_Roth_5.html

Todd Gault's Serial Experience website has a profile and photo on Roth: http://www.serialexperience.com/showarticle.php?fldRecNum=189

The Barry Brown Unsung Heroes Of The Horrors website has a lengthy bio on Roth, including mentions of Roth's several marriages, his daughter Dorene, his later career when he did low budget horror films ... and his death by a hit-and-run driver: http://www.barrybrown.info/unsungheroes/generoth.html

Bill Capello also connected with Roth when he worked at that drug store/liquor store. Capello also notes that Roth was killed by a hit-and-run driver: http://billcappello.blogspot.com/2008/04/gene-roth.html

Google searches are always fun. There's a 1923 yearbook photo of the University Orchestra at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota. Playing second violin is Ruth Stutenroth. Another photo from that same period is the Zeta Chi Delta sorority and Ruth Stutenroth is shown. Diane Grom notes that Ruth Irene Stutenroth was Gene Roth's cousin. Go to: http://www.deadfred.com/photos/35491.jpg and http://www.deadfred.com/photos/35571.jpg

(Courtesy of Les Adams) Above from L-to-R are big and burly Gene Roth/Stutenroth giving orders to big and burly Roy Barcroft in a scene from the Allan 'Rocky' Lane adventure, OKLAHOMA BADLANDS (Republic, 1948). (From Old Corral image collection) There were multiple Durango Kids in TRAIL OF THE RUSTLERS (Columbia, 1950). On the far left is Gail Davis, better known as TV's ANNIE OAKLEY. Next to Gail Davis is Gene Roth/Stutenroth and Starrett sidekick Smiley Burnette is sitting at the desk. Charles Starrett has his sixgun leveled on the second Durango Kid (played by Don Harvey). The two players on the right with backs to the camera are Myra McKinney and Myron Healey.