From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the television series Bonanza (1959–1972), which was only one of dozens of sheriffs on television and in movies that he played during his long and prolific career stretching from 1937 to 1970. He appeared in pictures such as Western Jamboree (1938) with Gene Autry, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) with Fredric March and Myrna Loy, The Black Arrow (1948), Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole (1951) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) with Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster. Teal was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A saxophone player, he worked his way through the University of California, Los Angeles as a bandleader before becoming an actor. His longest-running role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee, a law-enforcing sheriff on Bonanza. Teal was one of the most senior members of the crew having a permanent role. He had also played a sheriff in the Billy Wilder film Ace in the Hole (1951). Teal co-starred in numerous TV westerns throughout his career: he appeared five times on Cheyenne, four times on The Lone Ranger, on The Alaskans, three times in different roles on another long-running western series, Wagon Train, on NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo, on the ABC western series Broken Arrow, five times on the ABC western comedy Maverick, on the CBS western series The Texan, the NBC western series The Californians, twice on Colt .45, once on Wanted: Dead or Alive, and as "Sheriff Clay" for a single 1960 episode of the NBC western series Riverboat, and four times on a western series about the rodeo titled Wide Country. After more than 15 years performing in films and in early television, Teal secured a recurring role as a police officer in the 1953–1955 ABC sitcom with a variety-show theme, Where's Raymond?, later renamed The Ray Bolger Show. In 1955, Teal appeared as McCanles, a ruthless cattle baron in the episode "Julesburg" of the ABC/Warner Bros. Western series, Cheyenne. Altogether, Teal appeared five times on Cheyenne. He later appeared in a guest-starring role in another ABC/WB Western series, The Alaskans. From 1957 to 1962, Teal was cast three times in different roles on the Western series, Wagon Train. He also appeared in a number of episodes of Bat Masterson, an episode of The Rifleman and later in Green Acres. In 1957, Teal played a lawman, Captain McNelly, in the episode "Sam Bass" of NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo. Teal was cast as Fenster in "The Bounty Hunters" (1957) on the ABC Western series, Broken Arrow. In 1958, Teal guest-starred "No Tears for the Dead" on the CBS Western series, The Texan. He also later appeared in the CBS sitcom, Dennis the Menace. In 1960, Teal was cast as Sheriff Roy Coffee in Bonanza, a role he played until 1972, appearing in 98 episodes, occasionally as the lead character. He also portrayed judge/dentist/shoe repairman H.G. Cogswell in Bat Masterson starring Gene Barry. He died of undisclosed causes on April 2, 1976, at age 74 in Santa Monica, California. CLR
201 movies · 59 shows
The Hanged Man
1974·4.5
Hacksaw
1971·6.6
Chisum
1970·6.7
The Liberation of L.B. Jones
1970·6.0
Gallegher: The Mystery of Edward Sims
1968·9.0
Gallegher Goes West
1966·0.0
Taggart
1965·5.5
Bullet for a Badman
1964·6.3
Bristle Face
1964·8.0
Cattle King
1963·6.3
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961·8.0
One-Eyed Jacks
1961·6.8
Posse from Hell
1961·6.2
Inherit the Wind
1960·7.7
Home from the Hill
1960·6.9
Girl on the Run
1958·7.0
Gunman's Walk
1958·6.7
Saddle the Wind
1958·6.7
The Tall Stranger
1957·6.5
Decision at Sundown
1957·6.3
The Wayward Girl
1957·8.0
Band of Angels
1957·6.3
The Oklahoman
1957·5.8
The Guns of Fort Petticoat
1957·6.3
The Phantom Stagecoach
1957·7.5
Utah Blaine
1957·6.6
The Blessed Midnight
1956·5.0
The Young Guns
1956·7.2
The Burning Hills
1956·6.1
The Indian Fighter
1955·6.4
The Desperate Hours
1955·7.0
Apache Ambush
1955·6.3
Run for Cover
1955·6.8
The Man from Bitter Ridge
1955·5.9
Rage at Dawn
1955·6.2
Rogue Cop
1954·5.7
About Mrs. Leslie
1954·7.4
Lucky Me
1954·6.8
The Command
1954·6.4
The Wild One
1953·6.6
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap
1953·6.6
Hangman's Knot
1952·6.6
Montana Belle
1952·6.3
Cattle Town
1952·7.6
Carrie
1952·6.4
The Turning Point
1952·6.3
Jumping Jacks
1952·6.5
The Lion and the Horse
1952·5.9
The Captive City
1952·6.1
Flaming Feather
1952·6.2
The Wild North
1952·6.9
Distant Drums
1951·6.3
Warpath
1951·6.0
Tomorrow Is Another Day
1951·6.5
The Secret of Convict Lake
1951·6.6
Fort Worth
1951·7.1
Ace in the Hole
1951·7.8
Along the Great Divide
1951·7.4
Home Town Story
1951·4.9
The Redhead and the Cowboy
1951·5.4
Where Danger Lives
1950·6.4
Southside 1-1000
1950·6.0
When You're Smiling
1950·9.0
The Men
1950·7.0
The Petty Girl
1950·4.3
No Way Out
1950·6.9
Edge of Doom
1950·6.1
Convicted
1950·6.2
Our Very Own
1950·5.9
Winchester '73
1950·7.3
The Asphalt Jungle
1950·7.5
Harbor of Missing Men
1950·6.3
Quicksand
1950·6.1
The Kid from Texas
1950·5.5
Gun Crazy
1950·7.4
Ambush
1950·5.4
Davy Crockett, Indian Scout
1950·5.2
Oh, You Beautiful Doll
1949·5.5
Rusty's Birthday
1949·7.0
Once More, My Darling
1949·6.5
Mr. Soft Touch
1949·6.8
Kazan
1949·7.0
It Happens Every Spring
1949·6.6
Streets of Laredo
1949·6.0
Bad Boy
1949·7.0
Hello Out There
1949·5.5
One Sunday Afternoon
1948·7.0
Joan of Arc
1948·6.2
Whispering Smith
1948·6.7
The Countess of Monte Cristo
1948·7.0
Road House
1948·6.7
Walk a Crooked Mile
1948·6.2
The Man from Colorado
1948·6.8
Daredevils of the Clouds
1948·6.5
Hazard
1948·8.0
I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes
1948·5.6
Raw Deal
1948·6.7
Fury at Furnace Creek
1948·6.3
The Miracle of the Bells
1948·6.2
The Black Arrow
1948·5.5
Tenth Avenue Angel
1948·6.5
Black Bart
1948·4.9
High Wall
1947·6.4
Roses Are Red
1947·5.7
Driftwood
1947·6.8
Desert Fury
1947·5.9
Michigan Kid
1947·8.0
Deep Valley
1947·5.6
Brute Force
1947·7.3
Cheyenne
1947·7.0
The Peanut Man
1947·7.0
The Long Night
1947·5.8
Ramrod
1947·6.5
The Sea of Grass
1947·6.1
My Favorite Brunette
1947·6.6
Undercover Maisie
1947·8.0
Dead Reckoning
1946·6.8
The Best Years of Our Lives
1946·7.7
Till the Clouds Roll By
1946·5.8
The Strange Woman
1946·6.2
Decoy
1946·5.9
The Missing Lady
1946·4.8
Canyon Passage
1946·6.7
Strange Voyage
1946·6.5
Deadline for Murder
1946·9.0
Dangerous Business
1946·9.0
Blonde Alibi
1946·4.8
The Bandit of Sherwood Forest
1946·5.3
The Harvey Girls
1946·6.6
Adventure
1945·6.4
Captain Kidd
1945·6.3
A Gun in His Hand
1945·6.1
Anchors Aweigh
1945·6.8
Along Came Jones
1945·5.8
Back to Bataan
1945·6.1
The Clock
1945·7.1
Circumstantial Evidence
1945·5.2
Sudan
1945·6.4
Keep Your Powder Dry
1945·6.1
Main Street After Dark
1945·4.5
Hollywood Canteen
1944·7.3
Nothing But Trouble
1944·6.3
The Princess and the Pirate
1944·6.9
The Missing Juror
1944·6.3
Strange Affair
1944·6.2
Cry of the Werewolf
1944·4.8
The Soul of a Monster
1944·5.5
Maisie Goes to Reno
1944·6.6
Secret Command
1944·6.6
U-Boat Prisoner
1944·7.3
Bathing Beauty
1944·5.9
Main Street Today
1944·6.3
None Shall Escape
1944·6.5
Madame Curie
1943·7.2
Whistling in Brooklyn
1943·7.0
The Chance of a Lifetime
1943·6.7
Dangerous Blondes
1943·6.3
Thousands Cheer
1943·6.4
Ode to Victory
1943·4.8
Crime Doctor
1943·6.4
Prairie Chickens
1943·8.0
She Has What It Takes
1943·9.0
Slightly Dangerous
1943·6.0
Northwest Rangers
1942·6.3
Overland Mail
1942·10.0
Secret Enemies
1942·5.8
Apache Trail
1942·7.0
Calling Dr. Gillespie
1942·7.0
Escape from Crime
1942·5.5
Fingers at the Window
1942·5.7
Nazi Agent
1942·6.6
Woman of the Year
1942·6.9
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
1942·5.5
The Bugle Sounds
1942·6.8
Don Winslow of the Navy
1942·10.0
Shadow of the Thin Man
1941·7.0
They Died with Their Boots On
1941·6.7
Honky Tonk
1941·6.4
Sergeant York
1941·7.2
Billy the Kid
1941·5.3
Ziegfeld Girl
1941·6.7
Outlaws of the Panhandle
1941·7.5
Kitty Foyle
1940·6.6
A Volta do Besouro Verde
1940·6.8
Trail of the Vigilantes
1940·10.0
Pony Post
1940·8.0
American Spoken Here
1940·9.0
Third Finger, Left Hand
1940·7.0
Prairie Schooners
1940·8.0
Melody Ranch
1940·6.2
I Love You Again
1940·7.2
Adventures of Red Ryder
1940·6.7
New Moon
1940·6.9
Florian
1940·4.5
Viva Cisco Kid
1940·6.4
Strange Cargo
1940·7.0
Northwest Passage
1940·6.6
Star Reporter
1939·3.9
Western Jamboree
1938·7.0
Give Me a Sailor
1938·6.1
Radio Patrol
1937·10.0