Actor. Prolific Hollywood character player. Born Joseph Creaghan in Baltimore, he began performing in regional theatres in the early 1900s and made his Broadway debut in 1914. Apart from an isolated silent screen appearance in “Under Two Flags” (1916), he showed no interest in movies until the arrival of talkies. Stocky and severe-looking, Crehan was immediately typed for roles as authority figures, often at Warner Bros., making up for his small stature with a thunderous voice and take-charge manner. With a beard he bore a striking resemblance to Ulysses S. Grant and he played the historical figure in several films, including “Union Pacific” (1939) and “They Died with Their Boots On” (1941). Among his 340 other credits are “It Happened One Night” (1934), “Anthony Adverse” (1936), “Dodge City” (1939), “Gentleman Jim” (1942), “The Big Sleep” (1946), and “Monsieur Verdoux” (1947). After 1952 Crehan focused on TV guest spots, though he returned to the big screen for small roles in “Judgement at Nuremburg” (1961) and “Seven Days in May” (1964). (bio by: Bobb Edwards)