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==Career==
==Career==
[[File:J Farrell MacDonald.jpg|right|thumb|Publicity photograph of J. Farrell MacDonald]]
[[File:J Farrell MacDonald.jpg|right|thumb|Publicity photograph of J. Farrell MacDonald]]
Early in his career, MacDonald was a singer in [[minstrel show]]s, and he toured the United States extensively for two years with stage productions. He made his first [[silent film]] in 1911, a dramatic short entitled ''The Scarlett Letter'' made by [[Carl Laemmle]]'s [[Independent Moving Pictures|Independent Moving Pictures Company]] (IMP), the forerunner of [[Universal Studios|Universal Pictures]],.<ref name=amgbio>Erickson, Hal [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:44144~T1 Biography (Allmovie)]</ref> He continued to act in numerous films each year from that time on, and by 1912 he was directing them as well. The first film he directed was ''The Worth of a Man'', another dramatic short, again for IMP, and he was to direct 43 more films until his last in 1917, ''[[Over the Fence (1917 film)|Over the Fence]]'', which he co-directed with [[Harold Lloyd]]. MacDonald had crossed paths with Lloyd several years earlier, when Lloyd was an extra and MacDonald had given him much-needed work – and he did the same with [[Hal Roach]], both of whom appearing in small roles in ''[[The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914 film)|The Patchwork Girl of Oz]]'', which MacDonald directed in 1914. When Roach set up his own studio, with Lloyd as his principal attraction, he hired MacDonald to direct.<ref name=amgbio />
Early in his career, MacDonald was a singer in [[minstrel show]]s, and he toured the United States extensively for two years with stage productions. He made his first [[silent film]] in 1911, a dramatic short entitled ''The Scarlett Letter'' made by [[Carl Laemmle]]'s [[Independent Moving Pictures|Independent Moving Pictures Company]] (IMP), the forerunner of [[Universal Pictures]],.<ref name=amgbio>Erickson, Hal [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:44144~T1 Biography (Allmovie)]</ref> He continued to act in numerous films each year from that time on, and by 1912 he was directing them as well. The first film he directed was ''[[The Worth of a Man]]'', another dramatic short, again for IMP, and he was to direct 43 more films until his last in 1917, ''[[Over the Fence (1917 film)|Over the Fence]]'', which he co-directed with [[Harold Lloyd]]. MacDonald had crossed paths with Lloyd several years earlier, when Lloyd was an extra and MacDonald had given him much-needed work – and he did the same with [[Hal Roach]], both of whom appearing in small roles in ''[[The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914 film)|The Patchwork Girl of Oz]]'', which MacDonald directed in 1914. When Roach set up his own studio, with Lloyd as his principal attraction, he hired MacDonald to direct.<ref name=amgbio />


By 1918, MacDonald, who was to become one of the most beloved character men in Hollywood,<ref name=amgbio /> had given up directing and was acting full-time, predominantly in Westerns and Irish comedies. He first worked under director [[John Ford]] in 1919's ''[[A Fight for Love]]'' and was to make three more with the director that same year. In all, Ford would use MacDonald on twenty-five films between 1919 and 1950, during the silent era notably in ''[[The Iron Horse (film)|The Iron Horse]]'' (1924), ''[[3 Bad Men]]'' (1926) and ''[[Riley the Cop]]'' (1927).<ref name=amgbio />
By 1918, MacDonald, who was to become one of the most beloved character men in Hollywood,<ref name=amgbio /> had given up directing and was acting full-time, predominantly in Westerns and Irish comedies. He first worked under director [[John Ford]] in 1919's ''[[A Fight for Love]]'' and was to make three more with the director that same year. In all, Ford would use MacDonald on twenty-five films between 1919 and 1950, during the silent era notably in ''[[The Iron Horse (film)|The Iron Horse]]'' (1924), ''[[3 Bad Men]]'' (1926) and ''[[Riley the Cop]]'' (1927).<ref name=amgbio />


[[File:Tiger Fangs (1943) film still 01.jpg|thumb|right|Movie still for ''[[Tiger Fangs]]'' (1943), J. Farrell MacDonald (left), [[Arno Frey]] (center), [[Frank Buck (animal collector)|Frank Buck]] (right)]]
[[File:Tiger Fangs (1943) film still 01.jpg|thumb|right|Movie still for ''[[Tiger Fangs]]'' (1943), J. Farrell MacDonald (left), [[Arno Frey]] (center), [[Frank Buck (animal collector)|Frank Buck]] (right)]]
With a voice that matched his personality, MacDonald made the transition to [[synchronized sound|sound films]] easily, with no noticeable drop in his acting output – if anything, it went up. In 1931, for instance, MacDonald appeared in 14 films – among them the first version of ''[[The Maltese Falcon (1931 film)|The Maltese Falcon]]'', in which he played "Detective Tom Polhaus" – and in 22 of them in 1932. Although he played laborers, policemen, military men and priests, among many other characters, his roles were usually a cut above a "bit part". His characters usually had names, and he was most often credited for his performances. A highlight of this period was his performance as the hobo "Mr. Tramp" in ''[[Our Little Girl]]'' with [[Shirley Temple]] (1935); he also had large comedic roles in [[Alexander Hall]]'s ''[[Madame Racketeer]]'' (1932) with [[Alison Skipworth]] and [[Richard Bennett (actor)|Richard Bennett]] as well as [[Raoul Walsh]]'s ''[[Me and My Gal]]'' (1932) with [[Spencer Tracy]] and Richard Bennett's daughter [[Joan Bennett]].
With a voice that matched his personality, MacDonald made the transition to [[synchronized sound|sound films]] easily, with no noticeable drop in his acting output – if anything, it went up. In 1931, for instance, MacDonald appeared in 14 films – among them the first version of ''[[The Maltese Falcon (1931 film)|The Maltese Falcon]]'', in which he played "Detective Tom Polhaus" – and in 22 of them in 1932. Although he played laborers, policemen, military men and priests, among many other characters, his roles were usually a cut above a "bit part". His characters usually had names, and he was most often credited for his performances. A highlight of this period was his performance as the hobo "Mr. Tramp" in ''[[Our Little Girl]]'' with [[Shirley Temple]] (1935); he also had large comedic roles in [[Alexander Hall]]'s ''[[Madame Racketeer]]'' (1932) with [[Alison Skipworth]] and [[Richard Bennett (actor)|Richard Bennett]] as well as [[Raoul Walsh]]'s ''[[Me and My Gal]]'' (1932) with [[Spencer Tracy]] and Richard Bennett's daughter [[Joan Bennett]].


In the 1940s, MacDonald was part of [[Preston Sturges]]' unofficial [[Preston Sturges Unofficial Stock Company Actors|"stock company" of character actors]], appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. MacDonald appeared in ''[[Sullivan's Travels]]'', ''[[The Palm Beach Story]]'', ''[[The Miracle of Morgan's Creek]]'', ''[[The Great Moment (1944 film)|The Great Moment]]'', ''[[The Sin of Harold Diddlebock]]'', ''[[Unfaithfully Yours (1948 film)|Unfaithfully Yours]]'' and ''[[The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend]]'', Sturges' last American film. Earlier, MacDonald had also appeared in ''[[The Power and the Glory (1933 film)|The Power and the Glory]]'' starring Spencer Tracy, which Sturges wrote. His work on Sturges' films was generally uncredited, which was more often the case as his career went on – although the quality of his work was undiminished. He was notable in 1946 in John Ford's ''[[My Darling Clementine]]'' in which he played "Mac," the bartender in the town saloon.<ref name=amgbio /> MacDonald also had uncredited roles in ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'' and ''[[Here Comes the Groom]]''.
In the 1940s, MacDonald was part of [[Preston Sturges]]' unofficial [[Preston Sturges Unofficial Stock Company Actors|"stock company" of character actors]], appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. MacDonald appeared in ''[[Sullivan's Travels]]'', ''[[The Palm Beach Story]]'', ''[[The Miracle of Morgan's Creek]]'', ''[[The Great Moment (1944 film)|The Great Moment]]'', ''[[The Sin of Harold Diddlebock]]'', ''[[Unfaithfully Yours (1948 film)|Unfaithfully Yours]]'' and ''[[The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend]]'', Sturges' last American film. Earlier, MacDonald had also appeared in ''[[The Power and the Glory (1933 film)|The Power and the Glory]]'' starring Spencer Tracy, which Sturges wrote. His work on Sturges' films was generally uncredited, which was more often the case as his career went on – although the quality of his work was undiminished. He was notable in 1946 in John Ford's ''[[My Darling Clementine]]'' in which he played "Mac," the bartender in the town saloon.<ref name=amgbio /> MacDonald also had uncredited roles in ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'' and ''[[Here Comes the Groom (1951 film)|Here Comes the Groom]]''.


MacDonald made his last film in 1951, a comedy called ''[[Elopement (film)|Elopement]]''. His few television appearances also occurred in that same year.
MacDonald made his last film in 1951, a comedy called ''[[Elopement (film)|Elopement]]''. His few television appearances also occurred in that same year.


==Death==
==Death==
MacDonald died in Hollywood on August 2, 1952, at the age of 77. He was married to actress Edith Bostwick<ref name=bd/> until her death in 1943, and they had a daughter, Lorna. His grave is located at [[Chapel of the Pines Crematory]].
MacDonald died in Hollywood on August 2, 1952, at the age of 77. He was married to actress Edith Bostwick<ref name=bd/> until her death in 1943, and they had a daughter, Lorna. His grave is located at [[Chapel of the Pines Crematory]].{{Citation needed |date=August 2023}}


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
Line 66: Line 66:
* ''A Charge to Keep'' (1919) – Officer Hennessey
* ''A Charge to Keep'' (1919) – Officer Hennessey
* ''[[Riders of Vengeance]]'' (1919) – Buell
* ''[[Riders of Vengeance]]'' (1919) – Buell
* ''Trixie from Broadway'' (1919) – Slim Hayes
* ''[[Trixie from Broadway]]'' (1919) – Slim Hayes
* ''[[A Sporting Chance (1919 Pathe film)|A Sporting Chance]]'' (1919) – Luther Ripley aka Kennedy
* ''[[A Sporting Chance (1919 Pathe film)|A Sporting Chance]]'' (1919) – Luther Ripley aka Kennedy
* ''[[The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1919 film)|The Outcasts of Poker Flat]]'' (1919)
* ''[[The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1919 film)|The Outcasts of Poker Flat]]'' (1919)
Line 77: Line 77:
*''[[Desperate Youth]]'' (1921) – 'Mendocino' Bill
*''[[Desperate Youth]]'' (1921) – 'Mendocino' Bill
* ''[[The Wallop]]'' (1921) – Neuces River
* ''[[The Wallop]]'' (1921) – Neuces River
* ''Little Miss Hawkshaw'' (1921) – Inspector Hahn
* ''[[Little Miss Hawkshaw]]'' (1921) – Inspector Hahn
* ''[[Action (1921 film)|Action]]'' (1921) – Mormon Peters
* ''[[Action (1921 film)|Action]]'' (1921) – Mormon Peters
* ''[[Bucking the Line]]'' (1921) – Dave Kinsey
* ''[[Bucking the Line]]'' (1921) – Dave Kinsey
Line 89: Line 89:
* ''[[The Bonded Woman]]'' (1922) – Captain Gaskell
* ''[[The Bonded Woman]]'' (1922) – Captain Gaskell
* ''[[The Ghost Breaker (1922 film)|The Ghost Breaker]]'' (1922) – Sam Marcum
* ''[[The Ghost Breaker (1922 film)|The Ghost Breaker]]'' (1922) – Sam Marcum
* ''Manslaughter'' (1922) – (uncredited)
* ''[[Manslaughter (1922 film)|Manslaughter]]'' (1922) – (uncredited)
* ''[[The Young Rajah]]'' (1922) – Amhad Beg – Prime Minister
* ''[[The Young Rajah]]'' (1922) – Amhad Beg – Prime Minister
* ''[[While Paris Sleeps]]'' (1923) – George Morier
* ''[[While Paris Sleeps]]'' (1923) – George Morier
Line 105: Line 105:
* ''[[Gerald Cranston's Lady]]'' (1924) – Rennie
* ''[[Gerald Cranston's Lady]]'' (1924) – Rennie
* ''[[Those Who Dare]]'' (1924)
* ''[[Those Who Dare]]'' (1924)
* ''The Brass Bowl'' (1924) – Hickey
* ''[[The Brass Bowl]]'' (1924) – Hickey
* ''[[Let Women Alone]]'' (1925) – Commodore John Gordon
* ''[[Let Women Alone]]'' (1925) – Commodore John Gordon
* ''[[The Scarlet Honeymoon]]'' (1925) – Joshua Thorpe
* ''[[The Scarlet Honeymoon]]'' (1925) – Joshua Thorpe
Line 164: Line 164:
* ''[[The Squaw Man (1931 film)|The Squaw Man]]'' (1931) – Big Bill
* ''[[The Squaw Man (1931 film)|The Squaw Man]]'' (1931) – Big Bill
* ''[[The Spirit of Notre Dame]]'' (1931) – Coach
* ''[[The Spirit of Notre Dame]]'' (1931) – Coach
* ''[[Touchdown (film)|Touchdown]]'' (1931) – Pop Stewart
* ''[[Touchdown (1931 film)|Touchdown]]'' (1931) – Pop Stewart
* ''[[Under Eighteen]]'' (1931) – Pop Evans
* ''[[Under Eighteen]]'' (1931) – Pop Evans
* ''[[Discarded Lovers]]'' (1932) – Chief Sommers
* ''[[Discarded Lovers]]'' (1932) – Chief Sommers
Line 178: Line 178:
* ''[[The Hurricane Express]]'' (1932) – Jim Baker
* ''[[The Hurricane Express]]'' (1932) – Jim Baker
* ''[[The Thirteenth Guest]]'' (1932) – Police Capt. Ryan
* ''[[The Thirteenth Guest]]'' (1932) – Police Capt. Ryan
* ''[[The Phantom Express]]'' (1932) – D.J. 'Smokey' Nolan
* ''[[The Phantom Express (1932 film)|The Phantom Express]]'' (1932) – D.J. 'Smokey' Nolan
* ''[[Hearts of Humanity (1932 film)|Hearts of Humanity]]'' (1932) – Tom O'Hara
* ''[[Hearts of Humanity (1932 film)|Hearts of Humanity]]'' (1932) – Tom O'Hara
* ''[[70,000 Witnesses]]'' (1932) – State Coach
* ''[[70,000 Witnesses]]'' (1932) – State Coach
Line 222: Line 222:
* ''[[The Farmer Takes a Wife (film)|The Farmer Takes a Wife]]'' (1935) – (uncredited)
* ''[[The Farmer Takes a Wife (film)|The Farmer Takes a Wife]]'' (1935) – (uncredited)
* ''[[Waterfront Lady]]'' (1935) – Capt. O'Brien
* ''[[Waterfront Lady]]'' (1935) – Capt. O'Brien
* ''[[Stormy (film)|Stormy]]'' (1935) – Trinidad Dorn
* ''[[Stormy (1935 film)|Stormy]]'' (1935) – Trinidad Dorn
* ''[[Fighting Youth]]'' (1935) – Coach Parker
* ''[[Fighting Youth]]'' (1935) – Coach Parker
* ''[[Hitch Hike Lady]]'' (1935) – Judge Hale
* ''[[Hitch Hike Lady]]'' (1935) – Judge Hale
Line 250: Line 250:
* ''[[Barefoot Boy (film)|Barefoot Boy]]'' (1938) – Warden
* ''[[Barefoot Boy (film)|Barefoot Boy]]'' (1938) – Warden
* ''[[The Crowd Roars (1938 film)|The Crowd Roars]]'' (1938) – Father Ryan
* ''[[The Crowd Roars (1938 film)|The Crowd Roars]]'' (1938) – Father Ryan
* ''The Last Express'' (1938) – William Barton
* ''[[The Last Express (film)|The Last Express]]'' (1938) – William Barton
* ''[[There Goes My Heart (film)|There Goes My Heart]]'' (1938) – Officer
* ''[[There Goes My Heart (film)|There Goes My Heart]]'' (1938) – Officer
* ''[[Submarine Patrol]]'' (1938) – CWO 'Sails' Quincannon
* ''[[Submarine Patrol]]'' (1938) – CWO 'Sails' Quincannon
Line 266: Line 266:
* ''[[Full Confession]]'' (1939) – Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited)
* ''[[Full Confession]]'' (1939) – Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited)
* ''[[The Housekeeper's Daughter]]'' (1939) – Police Captain (uncredited)
* ''[[The Housekeeper's Daughter]]'' (1939) – Police Captain (uncredited)
* ''The Gentleman from Arizona'' (1939) – Wild Bill Coburn
* ''[[The Gentleman from Arizona]]'' (1939) – Wild Bill Coburn
* ''[[Knights of the Range]]'' (1940) – Cappy
* ''[[Knights of the Range]]'' (1940) – Cappy
* ''[[Dark Command]]'' (1940) – Dave
* ''[[Dark Command]]'' (1940) – Dave
Line 354: Line 354:
* ''[[Woman on the Run]]'' (1950) – Sea Captain
* ''[[Woman on the Run]]'' (1950) – Sea Captain
* ''[[Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell]]'' (1951) – Mr. Kroeger (uncredited)
* ''[[Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell]]'' (1951) – Mr. Kroeger (uncredited)
* ''[[Here Comes the Groom]]'' (1951) – Husband on Airplane (uncredited)
* ''[[Here Comes the Groom (1951 film)|Here Comes the Groom]]'' (1951) – Husband on Airplane (uncredited)
* ''[[Golden Girl (1951 film)|Golden Girl]]'' (1951) – Husband (uncredited)
* ''[[Golden Girl (1951 film)|Golden Girl]]'' (1951) – Husband (uncredited)
* ''[[Superman and the Mole Men]]'' (1951) – Pop Shannon
* ''[[Superman and the Mole Men]]'' (1951) – Pop Shannon
Line 380: Line 380:
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory]]
[[Category:Burials at Chapel of the Pines Crematory]]
[[Category:Male actors from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Male actors from Waterbury, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Actors from Waterbury, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]
[[Category:Film directors from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Film directors from Connecticut]]

Latest revision as of 15:52, 28 November 2024

J. Farrell MacDonald
J. Farrell Macdonald in The Last Alarm (1940)
Born
Joseph Farrell MacDonald

(1875-06-06)June 6, 1875
Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedAugust 2, 1952(1952-08-02) (aged 77)
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Other namesJ.F. Mcdonald
EducationYale University (B.A.)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film director
  • singer
Years active1911–1951
Spouse(s)Edith Bostwick
(m. 19??; died 1943)

John Farrell MacDonald (June 6, 1875 – August 2, 1952) was an American character actor and director. He played supporting roles and occasional leads. He appeared in over 325 films over a four-decade career from 1911 to 1951, and directed forty-four silent films from 1912 to 1917.

MacDonald was the principal director of L. Frank Baum's Oz Film Manufacturing Company, and he can frequently be seen in the films of Frank Capra, Preston Sturges and, especially, John Ford.

Early years

[edit]

MacDonald was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. George A. Katchme's A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses gives his date of birth as April 14, 1875.[1] He was sometimes billed as Joseph Farrell MacDonald, J.F. Mcdonald and Joseph Farrell Macdonald as well as other variations.

MacDonald graduated from Yale University with a B.A. degree in 1903 and played football while he was there.[1]

Career

[edit]
Publicity photograph of J. Farrell MacDonald

Early in his career, MacDonald was a singer in minstrel shows, and he toured the United States extensively for two years with stage productions. He made his first silent film in 1911, a dramatic short entitled The Scarlett Letter made by Carl Laemmle's Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP), the forerunner of Universal Pictures,.[2] He continued to act in numerous films each year from that time on, and by 1912 he was directing them as well. The first film he directed was The Worth of a Man, another dramatic short, again for IMP, and he was to direct 43 more films until his last in 1917, Over the Fence, which he co-directed with Harold Lloyd. MacDonald had crossed paths with Lloyd several years earlier, when Lloyd was an extra and MacDonald had given him much-needed work – and he did the same with Hal Roach, both of whom appearing in small roles in The Patchwork Girl of Oz, which MacDonald directed in 1914. When Roach set up his own studio, with Lloyd as his principal attraction, he hired MacDonald to direct.[2]

By 1918, MacDonald, who was to become one of the most beloved character men in Hollywood,[2] had given up directing and was acting full-time, predominantly in Westerns and Irish comedies. He first worked under director John Ford in 1919's A Fight for Love and was to make three more with the director that same year. In all, Ford would use MacDonald on twenty-five films between 1919 and 1950, during the silent era notably in The Iron Horse (1924), 3 Bad Men (1926) and Riley the Cop (1927).[2]

Movie still for Tiger Fangs (1943), J. Farrell MacDonald (left), Arno Frey (center), Frank Buck (right)

With a voice that matched his personality, MacDonald made the transition to sound films easily, with no noticeable drop in his acting output – if anything, it went up. In 1931, for instance, MacDonald appeared in 14 films – among them the first version of The Maltese Falcon, in which he played "Detective Tom Polhaus" – and in 22 of them in 1932. Although he played laborers, policemen, military men and priests, among many other characters, his roles were usually a cut above a "bit part". His characters usually had names, and he was most often credited for his performances. A highlight of this period was his performance as the hobo "Mr. Tramp" in Our Little Girl with Shirley Temple (1935); he also had large comedic roles in Alexander Hall's Madame Racketeer (1932) with Alison Skipworth and Richard Bennett as well as Raoul Walsh's Me and My Gal (1932) with Spencer Tracy and Richard Bennett's daughter Joan Bennett.

In the 1940s, MacDonald was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. MacDonald appeared in Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, The Great Moment, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock, Unfaithfully Yours and The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend, Sturges' last American film. Earlier, MacDonald had also appeared in The Power and the Glory starring Spencer Tracy, which Sturges wrote. His work on Sturges' films was generally uncredited, which was more often the case as his career went on – although the quality of his work was undiminished. He was notable in 1946 in John Ford's My Darling Clementine in which he played "Mac," the bartender in the town saloon.[2] MacDonald also had uncredited roles in It's a Wonderful Life and Here Comes the Groom.

MacDonald made his last film in 1951, a comedy called Elopement. His few television appearances also occurred in that same year.

Death

[edit]

MacDonald died in Hollywood on August 2, 1952, at the age of 77. He was married to actress Edith Bostwick[1] until her death in 1943, and they had a daughter, Lorna. His grave is located at Chapel of the Pines Crematory.[citation needed]

Filmography

[edit]

Silent

[edit]

Sound

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Katchmer, George A. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 223. ISBN 9780786446933. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e Erickson, Hal Biography (Allmovie)
[edit]
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