Trevor Bardette (1902 - 1977)

Born 19 Nov 1902 in Nashville, Howard, Arkansas, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Dorothy Virginia (Chandler) Bardette — married 14 Jun 1928 in Bexar, Texas, United States

Died 28 Nov 1977 at age 75 in Green Valley, Pima, Arizona, United States

Biography

Trevor Bardette is Notable.

Trevor Bardette, originally known as Terva Gaston Hubbard, is a notable figure in entertainment due to his extensive and versatile career as a character actor in both film and television. With over 172 movie appearances and 72 television roles, he portrayed many characters, often excelling in villainous and menacing roles. Bardette's distinctive features and compelling performances made him a recognizable and memorable figure in the industry. His contributions spanned multiple decades and genres, and he left an enduring mark on the world of entertainment, showcasing his adaptability and skill as an actor.^[1]

Trevor Bardette, originally known as Terva Gaston Hubbard, was born on November 19, 1902, in Nashville, Howard County, Arkansas. His parents were Marshall Boyd Hubbard and Olive Parilea (Youngblood) Hubbard.^[2] At a young age, his parents divorced, and he relocated to California with his mother.^[3]

The 1920 census shows Trevor residing in Township 15, Kern County, California.^[3] He pursued higher education, became involved with the dramatic club at Oregon State University, ultimately graduating in 1925 with a degree in mechanical engineering. His academic journey continued at Northwestern University, where he earned a master of science degree.^[1][4]

On June 14, 1928, Trevor Bardette married Dorothy Chandler in Bexar, Texas.^[5] During his early career, he authored a story titled The Phantom Photoplay, published in the August 1927 issue of "Weird Tales" magazine. It's worth noting that his first name, Terva, was sometimes mistaken as feminine, possibly influencing his decision to change his name to Trevor Bardette in the late 1920s.^[6][7]

Trevor's acting career began on the East Coast stage^[4][8], but his true breakthrough came when he moved to Hollywood in 1937. Over his thirty-year career, he appeared in over 172 movies and made 72 television appearances. Although he occasionally portrayed sheriffs, rustic characters, and hero sidekicks, his distinctive features, characterized by cold, deep-set eyes and a stony demeanor, often cast him as ruthless villains, spies, swindlers, gangsters, or double-crossers. Many of his on-screen personas met unfortunate fates before the final scene.^[1][4]

Notably, he appeared in prestige films such as "Jezebel" (1938), "Marie Antoinette" (1938), Gone with the Wind (1939), Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), and The Grapes of Wrath (1940). However, his screen time increased in smaller studios and television roles, especially in serials, where he could fully embrace his menacing presence. Some of his memorable roles include Pegleg in Overland with Kit Carson (1939), Raven in Winners of the West(1940), and Jensen in The Secret Code (1942).^{[1][4][9][10][11]}

In television, Trevor Bardette portrayed Old Man Clanton, a cattle rustler and perennial adversary of law and order, in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955). He also made recurring appearances in series like Lassie (1954), Cheyenne (1955), and Gunsmoke (1955). Bardette's versatility allowed him to adapt to various roles, making him a sought-after character actor.^[1][4][9]

In addition to his television work, he guest-starred in episodes of The Ford Television Theatre and appeared in series like The Restless Gun, Wagon Train, Have Gun - Will Travel, Tales of Wells Fargo, Broken Arrow, Maverick, Laramie, and Trackdown.^[1][4][9]

One of his notable television roles was as the sinister title character in the 1951 episode "The Human Bomb" of Adventures of Superman. He also appeared in "The Andy Griffith Show" as Wally, the proprietor of Wally's Filling Station, in the episode Gomer the House Guest.^[1][4][9]

Trevor Bardette's extensive career spanned multiple decades and genres, making him a recognizable face in both film and television. He made two guest appearances on "Perry Mason," first as murder victim John Brant in 1959 and later as murderer Garrett Richards in 1963.^[1][4][9]

In 1962, he played Jessie Johnson in an episode of "Bonanza" titled The Way Station. He also appeared as Stanley Conklin in the 1965 episode The Unborn of the CBS drama series "Slattery's People."^[1][4][9]

One of his long-standing roles was as Old Man Clanton in "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp," which he portrayed from 1959 to 1961. His final appearance on the show was in the episode The Requiem for Old Man Clanton on May 30, 1961. Bardette also appeared in various other roles in earlier episodes of Wyatt Earp between 1956 and 1958.^[1][4][9]

Trevor Bardette made his last television appearance in the 1968 episode Goodbye, Dolly of the CBS sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. His final film appearance was in Mackenna's Gold the following year.^[1][4][9]

After retiring from acting in 1970, Trevor Bardette settled on his ranch in Green Valley, Arizona, where he spent his remaining years. An interesting fact is that he authored a short story titled "The Phantom Photoplay," published in the August 1927 issue of "Weird Tales" magazine. His first name, Terva, often led to his inclusion in lists of female writers in the publication.^[4]

Trevor Bardette passed away in November 1977 in Green Valley, Pima County, Arizona.^[12] Instead of a traditional burial, he chose cremation as his final resting option. His extensive contributions to the entertainment industry left an indelible mark, with his performances as rustlers, gangsters, wartime collaborators, and more making him a recognizable and versatile character actor.^[1][9]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11} Wikipedia contributors, "Trevor Bardette," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trevor_Bardette&oldid=1134314202 (accessed September 17, 2023).
2. ↑ Arkansas, Birth Certificates, 1914-1922: Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Birth Certificates; Year: 1902 Ancestry Record 61774 #669331
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} 1920 United States Federal Census: Year: 1920; Census Place: Township 15, Kern, California; Roll: T625_100; Page: 26A; Enumeration District: 110 Ancestry Record 6061 #92130
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11} Bardette, Trevor. “Trevor Bardette - Biography.” IMDb. Accessed September 17, 2023.
5. ↑ Texas, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1837-1965: Bexar County Clerk's Office; San Antonio, Texas; Bexar County Marriage Records; Volumes: 43; Pages: 571 Ancestry Record 9168 #132171031
6. ↑ Artists and Writers in the Unique Magazine, Tellers of Weird Tales, 1 Ju 2011. "Terva Gaston Hubbard (1902-1977)." Accessed 17 Sep 2023.
7. ↑ Wikisource contributors, "Weird Tales/1927," Wikisource , https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Weird_Tales/1927&oldid=13363441 (accessed September 17, 2023).
8. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census: Year: 1930; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 20A; Enumeration District: 0243; FHL microfilm: 2341293 Ancestry Record 6224 #42134287
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8} Alchetron, Updated on 13 Nov 2022. “Trevor Bardette - Biography.” Accessed September 17, 2023.
10. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census: Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00376; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 60-53 Ancestry Record 2442 #73705339
11. ↑ U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947: National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 96 Ancestry Record 2238 #17612914
12. ↑ U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014: Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File Ancestry Record 3693 #2856255

See Also

• Wikidata: Item Q2412911
• Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/76608431/trevor-bardette : accessed 24 June 2021), memorial page for Trevor Bardette (19 Nov 1902–28 Nov 1977), Find a Grave Memorial ID Find A Grave: Memorial #76608431, ; Maintained by Find A Grave Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend.