Jack Pennick

Ronald Jack Pennick (December 7, 1895 – August 16, 1964) was an American film actor. After working as a gold miner as a young man, serving as a U.S. Marine, he would go on to appear in more than 140 films between 1926 and 1962. Pennick was a leading member to in the informal John Ford Stock Company, appearing in dozens of the director's films. Pennick also drilled the military extras in John Wayne's The Alamo (1960). Pennick was born in Portland, Oregon, the son of gold miner Albert R. and Bessie (Murray) Pennick. He and his first wife, Grechin, had two children by the time he was twenty. He had a third child with his second wife, Nona Lorraine. Pennick joined the U.S. Marine Corps serving in China and World War I. In the 1920s he worked as a horse wrangler on various film productions before he was noticed by filmmaker John Ford. He soon began working as an actor, as well as a military technical adviser.

He re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy in September 1941, at the age of 45. He was promoted to chief warrant officer (chief photographer) in December 1942. He served in the Field Photographic Unit for the Office of Strategic Services under the command of Ford where he helped to drill and train new recruits in the unit. Pennick was awarded the Silver Star medal for action in North Africa. He died in Manhattan Beach, California at the age of 68.