Minnie Thompson was the second wife of Glenn Strange, an American actor known for his role in several Western films. He played Sam Noonan in the CBS series Gunsmoke. Minnie married Glenn in 1937 and lived together until he died in 1973. They had a daughter named Janine Laraine Strange during their time together.
Personal Life
Minnie Thompson Strange was born on December 31, 1911, in Brooklyn, New York, United States. After the death of her husband, Minnie Thompson Strange did not remarry but rather spent time with his daughter and grandchild. She was living with her death Janine when she died of natural causes in 2004 at Klamath Falls. Minnie was 93 at the time of her death.
Her Husband
Minnie Thompson’s husband started his acting career in the 1930s; he appeared in several films which were never credited. He had a minor role in The Hurricane Express. Glenn appeared as a sheriff or a gang member in most movies he participated. In the 1930s, he participated in many films, including Arizona Days, The Devil’s Saddle Legion, and Trouble in Texas, where he played Middleton Sheriff.
Minnie’s husband appeared in The Lone Ranger, where he played the villain Butch Cavendish. Glenn also appeared in some episodes of The Adventures of Kit Carson as Jim Wade and The Cisco Kid as Blake. He had a minor role in The Restless Gun. Glenn made a guest appearance in The Range Rider.
Minnie’s husband appeared in some episodes of Gunsmoke, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, and The Rifleman.
Minnie’s Husband as Frankenstein’s Monster
Given his height and facial features, it was easy for Glenn Strange to land the role of Frankenstein’s Monster in the horror film House of Frankenstein. Minnie Thompson’s husband was 6 ft 5 tall and weighed over 200 pounds. Glenn was noticed by Jack Pierce, a makeup artist who felt he would be a perfect fit for the role.
Actor Boris Karloff coached Minnie Thompson’s husband for the role. While shooting the film, Glenn lay in cold mud for hours; he got a chill and could not walk well for some time. In the movie Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Minnie’s husband appears as Frankenstein’s monster again.
For his role as Frankenstein’s monster in three films, Glenn Strange gained more popularity and appeared in several other movies. While talking to his fans, Glenn removed his mask to reveal his identity, but on removing it, his face was another mask, given his facial features. A year later, Minnie’s husband portrayed a monster in Master Minds.
In the 1950s and 1960s, many companies often used Glenn’s image on paraphernalia, games, and toys. He had become an iconic figure, and in 1969, a magazine mistakenly put his picture in Boris Karloff’s obituary.
Death and Burial of Minnie’s Husband
On September 20, 1973, Minnie Thompson’s husband succumbed to lung cancer in Los Angeles. Eddie Dean, a singer Glenn had worked with on several songs, performed at his burial ceremony. Minnie’s husband’s body rests at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood.
