Paul Kelly (1899-1956) was an American actor whose film career began as a child in vaudeville and spanned over forty years. He became famous for his roles as a “tough guy,” often playing complex or ambiguous characters in B movies and film noir.

He played gangsters, cops, military men, and authority figures, often with a dark side or a gray morality. Among his best-known films are *The Shanghai Gesture* (1941) and, above all, the important noir *Crossfire* (1947), where he gave one of his most intense performances. Despite a forced break in his career, he returned successfully, cementing his reputation as a reliable character actor with a gritty presence.