RALPH BYRD BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
 
Ralph Byrd was born on April 22nd, 1909 in Dayton, Ohio.  He became most well known to many as portrayer of comic-strip detective, "Dick Tracy" in the 1940's films.  He first began appearing in the 1937, Republic serial "Dick Tracy" and then followed with roles in, "Dick Tracy Returns" (1938) and "Dick Tracy's G-Men" (1938).
 
His career in entertainment first began in 1935 in such films as, "The Adventures of Rex and Rinty", "The Affair of Susan" (1935), "Hell-Ship Morgan" (1936), "Border Caballero" (1936) and "The Last Outlaw" (1936), however many of his roles not just early in his career but throughout his career were un-credited.  
 
In 1945, RKO Pictures produced a feature film, "Dick Tracy" but originally, Byrd was not cast as "Dick Tracy".  After receiving numerous complaints they cast Byrd and allowed him to finish the series, "Dick Tracy's Dilemma" (1947) and "Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome" (1947).
 
Along with his most popular role, later in his career he appeared on the television series, "Fireside Theatre" (1950) and such films as, "Close to My Heart" (1951), "Double Crossbones" (1951), "Lightning Strikes Twice" (1951) and "My Favorite Spy" (1951) all four which again he was un-credited.  
 
Ralph Byrd married only once to Virginia Carroll in 1936 and they had one child before he passed away on August 18th, 1952 in Tarzana, California after suffering from a fatal heart attack at the age of forty three.   

Filmography

1950-1953  Dick Tracy

1952   Craig Kennedy, Criminologist 

1951   My Favorite Spy

1951   Lightning Strikes Twice

1951   The Redhead and the Cowboy

1951   Double Crossbones 

1951   Close to My Heart

1950   Fireside Theatre

1950   Union Station 

1950   Radar Secret Service 

1948   Thunder in the Pines 

1948   Jungle Goddess

1948   Canon City 

1948   Stage Struck 

1948   The Argyle Secrets 

1947   Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

1947   The Vigilante: Fighting Hero of the West 

1947   Dick Tracy's Dilemma 

1947   Stallion Road

1944   Tampico 

1944   Four Jills in a Jeep

1943   Guadalcanal Diary 

1943   They Came to Blow Up America 

1943   The Meanest Man in the World 

1943   Margin for Error 

1943   Three Cadets

1943   December 7th 

1942   Time to Kill

1942   Manila Calling 

1942   Careful, Soft Shoulder

1942   Ten Gentlemen from West Point 

1942   Moontide

1942   Jungle Book 

1942   Broadway Big Shot

1942   Duke of the Navy

1941   Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc.

1941   A Yank in the R.A.F.

1941   Navy Blues

1941   Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day
 
1941   Life Begins for Andy Hardy 

1941   Desperate Cargo 

1941   Here Comes the Cavalry

1941   Power Dive

1941   Wings of Steel

1941   The Penalty

1941   Play Girl 

1940   Misbehaving Husbands 

1940   The Son of Monte Cristo 

1940   Dark Streets of Cairo

1940   The Mark of Zorro 

1940   North West Mounted Police

1940   Drums of the Desert 

1940   Dulcy 

1940   The Howards of Virginia

1940   Buyer Beware

1940   The Golden Fleecing

1940   The Captain Is a Lady 

1939   Dick Tracy's G-Men 

1939   Mickey the Kid 

1939   S.O.S. Tidal Wave 

1939   Fighting Thoroughbreds

1938   Down in 'Arkansaw' 

1938   Dick Tracy Returns

1938   Army Girl 

1938   Born to Be Wild

1937   Hard to Hold

1937   The Trigger Trio 

1937   The Firefly

1937   SOS Coast Guard 

1937   San Quentin 

1937   A Fight to the Finish 

1937   They Gave Him a Gun 

1937   Criminals of the Air 

1937   Motor Madness 

1937   Dick Tracy 

1937   Sea Devils 

1937   They Wanted to Marry

1937   Blake of Scotland Yard

1937   Find the Witness

1937   We Who Are About to Die

1936   White Legion 

1936   A Tenderfoot Goes West 

1936   Alibi for Murder 

1936   Killer-Dog 

1936   Swing Time 

1936   Two-Fisted Gentleman 

1936   The Final Hour 

1936   The Last Outlaw

1936   Pride of the Marines 

1936   Border Caballero 

1936   Hell-Ship Morgan 

1935   The Affair of Susan 

1935   The Adventures of Rex and Rinty 

1935   Chinatown Squad