(Neosho Daily News) Actor, area native Dabbs Greer dies
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A veteran character actor from the Neosho area - best known for his
roles in film's "The Green Mile" and television's "Little House on the
Prairie" - has died.
Dabbs Greer, 90, died at a California hospital Saturday evening, B.J.
Goodwin, owner of Ozark Funeral Home and the McDonald County coroner,
confirmed this morning. The cause of death was not immediately known
this morning. A memorial service is pending, Goodwin said.
Greer was born April 2, 1917, in Fairview and moved to Anderson with
his family as an infant. His father operated a drug store in Anderson,
while his mother was a speech therapist.
Greer got his first acting experience on the stage of a Children's
Theater production at age 8. After graduating from Anderson High
School, he attended Drury College in Springfield, earning a bachelor's
degree. He was head of the drama department at Mountain Grove High
School from 1940 to 1943.
Greer made his film debut as an extra in the 1938 20th Century Fox
production of "Jesse James," which was filmed primarily in Pineville.
"Just like everybody else in the county," he joked during a 2002
interview with the Neosho Daily News. "The folks at 20th Century Fox
didn't realize this, but that picture really put McDonald County on
the map. And they were paying $5 a day - a day! - to local people for
being extras. That was really good money in those days, more money
than we had seen in a long time. That picture was beneficial for the
whole area."
Greer played several parts in the production, including a man on the
street, a well-dressed young man, and a Confederate soldier.
After teaching at Mountain Grove, Greer went to Pasadena, where he was
offered a job at the community playhouse. He left the position after
seven years for a career in film, including "Father's Little Dividend"
with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor; "Monkey Business" with Cary
Grant; and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." More recent roles have
included such films as "Con Air" and "The Green Mile," a film based on
a Stephen King serial novel. In the latter film, Greer portrayed the
elderly Paul Edgecomb.
Television appearances have included "The Brady Bunch" pilot episode,
where he portrayed the minister who married Mike and Carol Brady. He
also had roles in series such as "Gunsmoke," "Gomer Pyle USMC," "How
to Marry a Millionaire," and "Picket Fences." He was perhaps best
known for his portrayal of Rev. Alden in "Little House on the
Prairie."
In 2002, Anderson paid tribute to Greer as the community renamed the
Town Hole Park in his honor. In an interview that year, Greer recalled
growing up in Anderson.
"I still have some good memories of the place, and I've never called
any other place home, although I've lived in California for 50 years.
One thing about a small town like Anderson is you get to know people
intimately. You can't do that in a big city. It was a beautiful city
then, and it's still beautiful. We would fish, have adventures, just
do the things that boys do in a rural community."
Goodwin said Greer's caretaker in California would be contacting the
funeral home this afternoon about arrangements. More information will
be in upcoming editions of the Neosho Daily News.
By John Ford / Daily News Managing Editor