J. Farrell MacDonald
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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 41-year 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 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,. 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. By 1918, MacDonald, who was to become one of the most beloved character men in Hollywood, 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. In all, Ford would use MacDonald on twenty-five films between 1919 and 1950. 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). 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, which Sturges wrote. His work on Sturges' films was generally uncredited. He was notable in 1946 in John Ford's My Darling Clementine in which he played "Mac," the bartender in the town saloon. MacDonald also had uncredited roles in It's a Wonderful Life and Here Comes The Groom.
Known For
Credits
- 1997 · Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line as Self (archive footage)
- 1951 · Superman and the Mole-Men as Pop Shannon
- 1951 · Here Comes the Groom as Husband on Airplane
- 1951 · Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell as Mr. Kroeger
- 1950 · Woman on the Run as Cap, the Retired Ferryboat Captain
- 1950 · Hostile Country as Mr. Lane (uncredited)
- 1950 · The Daltons' Women as Alvin
- 1950 · When Willie Comes Marching Home as Gilby - Pharmacist (uncredited)
- 1950 · Dakota Lil as Ellis
- 1949 · The Dalton Gang as Judge Price
- 1949 · You're My Everything as Doorman (uncredited)
- 1949 · Streets of San Francisco as Pop Lockhart
- 1948 · Trouble Preferred as Apartment House Manager (uncredited)
- 1948 · Whispering Smith as Bill Baggs
- 1948 · Shep Comes Home as Sheriff Cap Weatherby
- 1948 · The Walls of Jericho as Bailiff (uncredited)
- 1948 · Belle Starr's Daughter as Doc Benson
- 1948 · Fury at Furnace Creek as Pops Murphy (uncredited)
- 1948 · Sitting Pretty as Cop (uncredited)
- 1948 · Panhandle as Doc Cooper
- 1948 · If You Knew Susie as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
- 1947 · Thunder in the Valley as McPherson - Innkeeper
- 1947 · Christmas Eve as Policeman (uncredited)
- 1947 · The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer as Mac, Bailiff (uncredited)
- 1947 · Keeper of the Bees as Postmaster
- 1947 · Web of Danger as Scotty MacKronish - Bus Driver
- 1947 · The Sin of Harold Diddlebock as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
- 1946 · It's a Wonderful Life as Man Whose Grandfather Planted Tree (uncredited)
- 1946 · Goodbye, Weeds as Gardener
- 1946 · My Darling Clementine as Mac the barman
- 1946 · Smoky as Jim, the Cook
- 1946 · Joe Palooka, Champ as Long-Count Bowman
- 1945 · Pillow of Death as
- 1945 · Fallen Angel as Bank Guard (uncredited)
- 1945 · Johnny Angel as Capt. Angel
- 1945 · Circumstantial Evidence as Jury Foreman
- 1945 · A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as Mr. Carney The Junkman (uncredited)
- 1945 · Hangover Square as Street Vendor (uncredited)
- 1944 · Greenwich Village as O'Shea, policeman
- 1944 · The Great Moment as The Priest
- 1944 · Texas Masquerade as John Martindale
- 1943 · True to Life as Man (uncredited)
- 1943 · The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek as Sheriff (uncredited)
- 1943 · Tiger Fangs as Geoffrey MacCardle
- 1943 · The Ape Man as Captain O'Brien
- 1943 · Harrigan's Kid as Frank (uncredited)
- 1942 · The McGuerins from Brooklyn as Cop
- 1942 · Bowery at Midnight as Capt. Mitchell
- 1942 · Phantom Killer as Police Captain
- 1942 · The Palm Beach Story as Officer O'Donnell (uncredited)
- 1942 · The Living Ghost as Police Lt. 'Pete' Peterson
- 1942 · One Thrilling Night as Police Sergeant Haggerty
- 1942 · Reap the Wild Wind as Port Captain
- 1942 · Captains of the Clouds as Dr. Neville (from Churchtown)
- 1942 · Wild Bill Hickok Rides as Henry Hathaway
- 1942 · Private Snuffy Smith as Gen. Rosewater
- 1941 · Law of the Timber as Adams
- 1941 · Riders of the Timberline as Jim Kerrigan
- 1941 · Broadway Limited as Mulcahey
- 1941 · The Great Lie as Dr. Ferguson
- 1941 · In Old Cheyenne as Tim Casey
- 1941 · Meet John Doe as 'Sourpuss'
- 1940 · Friendly Neighbors as Sheiff Potts
- 1940 · Untamed as Dr. Billar
- 1940 · Pony Express Days as Nevada Jim
- 1940 · Stagecoach War as Jeff Chapman
- 1940 · The Last Alarm as Jim Hadley
- 1940 · Prairie Law as Sheriff Jim Austin
- 1940 · I Take This Oath as Insp. Tim Ryan
- 1940 · Light of Western Stars as Bill Stillwell
- 1940 · Dark Command as Dave
- 1940 · Knights of the Range as Cappy
- 1939 · The Gentleman from Arizona as Wild Bill Coburn
- 1939 · The Housekeeper's Daughter as Captain
- 1939 · Full Confession as Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited)
- 1939 · They Shall Have Music as Police Chief (uncredited)
- 1939 · Coast Guard as Capt. Hansen (uncredited)
- 1939 · Conspiracy as Captain of the Falcon
- 1939 · Mickey the Kid as Sheriff J.J. Willoughby
- 1939 · Susannah of the Mounties as Pat O'Hannegan
- 1939 · Zenobia as Judge
- 1939 · East Side of Heaven as Doorman (uncredited)
- 1939 · The Lone Ranger Rides Again as Craig Dolan
- 1938 · Little Orphan Annie as 'Pop' Corrigan
- 1938 · Submarine Patrol as CWO 'Sails' Quincannon
- 1938 · Come On, Rangers as Colonel Forbes
- 1938 · Gang Bullets as Chief Reardon
- 1938 · The Last Express as William Barton (Detective Agency Head)
- 1938 · There Goes My Heart as Officer
- 1938 · The Crowd Roars as Father Patrick Ryan
- 1938 · Barefoot Boy as Warden
- 1938 · White Banners as Dr. Thompson
- 1938 · Numbered Woman as Capt. Ryan
- 1938 · Extortion as Coach Pearson
- 1938 · State Police as Charlie Wheeler
- 1938 · My Old Kentucky Home as Mayor Jim Hopkins
- 1937 · Courage of the West as Buck Saunders
- 1937 · County Fair as Calvin Williams
- 1937 · The Game That Kills as Joe Holland
- 1937 · My Dear Miss Aldrich as 'Doc' Howe
- 1937 · Topper as Policeman
- 1937 · Roaring Timber as Andrew MacKinley
- 1937 · Flying Fists as Bill 'One-Punch' Fagin
- 1937 · Slim as Pop
- 1937 · Slave Ship as Proprietor
- 1937 · Parnell as Irish Laborer (uncredited)
- 1937 · The Hit Parade as Sgt. O'Hara
- 1937 · Maid of Salem as Captain of Ship
- 1937 · The Great Barrier as Major Rogers
- 1936 · Mysterious Crossing as Police Chief Bullock
- 1936 · Show Boat as Windy MacLaine
- 1936 · Florida Special as Captain Timothy Harrigan
- 1936 · Exclusive Story as Michael Devlin
- 1936 · Riffraff as 'Brains'
- 1935 · Hitch Hike Lady as Judge Hale
- 1935 · Fighting Youth as Coach Parker
- 1935 · Stormy as Trinidad Dorn
- 1935 · Waterfront Lady as Capt. O'Brien
- 1935 · Danger Ahead as Harry Cromwell
- 1935 · The Irish in Us as Capt. Jackson
- 1935 · Front Page Woman as Hallohan
- 1935 · Shadows of the Orient as Inspector Sullivan
- 1935 · The Arizonian as Marshal Andy Jordan
- 1935 · The Healer as Applejack
- 1935 · Let 'em Have It as Mr. Keefer
- 1935 · Swellhead as Umpire
- 1935 · Star of Midnight as Inspector Doremus
- 1935 · The Whole Town's Talking as Prison Warden (uncredited)
- 1935 · Northern Frontier as Inspector
- 1935 · Square Shooter as Sheriff
- 1935 · The Best Man Wins as Captain--Harbor Patrol
- 1935 · Maybe It's Love as The Cop
- 1935 · Romance in Manhattan as Murphy
- 1935 · Our Little Girl as Hobo
- 1934 · Beggar's Holiday as Pop Malloy
- 1934 · Once to Every Woman as John Flannigan
- 1934 · The Crime Doctor as Kemp
- 1934 · The Crosby Case as The Doorman--Mike Costello
- 1934 · Man of Two Worlds as Michael
- 1933 · Murder on the Campus as Police Capt. Ed Kyne
- 1933 · Under Secret Orders as John Burke
- 1933 · Myrt and Marge as Grady
- 1933 · The Power and the Glory as Mulligan
- 1933 · I Loved a Woman as Shuster
- 1933 · How to Break 90 #6: Fine Points as Himself
- 1933 · Laughing at Life as Prison Warden
- 1933 · Peg o' My Heart as Patrick Shamus 'Pat' O'Connell
- 1933 · The Working Man as Henry 'Hank' Davis
- 1933 · The Vanishing Frontier as Waco
- 1933 · The Iron Master as J.C. Stillman
- 1932 · No Man of Her Own as 'Dickie' Collins
- 1932 · The Racing Strain as Mr. Martin
- 1932 · Me and My Gal as Pop Riley
- 1932 · Men Are Such Fools as Prison Warden Randolph
- 1932 · The Pride of the Legion as Chief Scott
- 1932 · Heritage of the Desert as Adam Naab
- 1932 · This Sporting Age as Jerry O'Day
- 1932 · 70,000 Witnesses as State Coach
- 1932 · Hearts of Humanity as Tom O'Hara
- 1932 · The Phantom Express as D.J. 'Smokey' Nolan
- 1932 · The Thirteenth Guest as Captain Ryan
- 1932 · The Hurricane Express as Jim Baker
- 1932 · Madame Racketeer as John Adams
- 1932 · Week-End Marriage as Mr. Davis
- 1932 · The Strange Love of Molly Louvain as Police Sgt. J.B. Antrim (uncredited)
- 1932 · Scandal for Sale as Treadway
- 1932 · Probation as George Holman
- 1932 · Steady Company as Hogan
- 1932 · Hotel Continental as Detective Martin
- 1932 · Discarded Lovers as Sommers
- 1932 · Under Eighteen as Pop Evans
- 1931 · Touchdown! as Pop Stewart
- 1931 · The Spirit of Notre Dame as The Coach
- 1931 · The Brat as Timson, the butler
- 1931 · How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 9: 'The Driver' as
- 1931 · Sporting Blood as MacGuire
- 1931 · Stranger in Town as Scout
- 1931 · The Squaw Man as Big Bill
- 1931 · The Maltese Falcon as Det. Sgt. Tom Polhaus
- 1931 · Too Young to Marry as Rev. Stump
- 1931 · The Millionaire as Dan Lewis
- 1931 · The Stolen Jools as Policeman
- 1931 · Woman Hungry as Buzzard
- 1931 · The Easiest Way as Ben Murdock
- 1931 · The Painted Desert as Jeff Cameron
- 1931 · Other Men's Women as Peg-Leg
- 1930 · The Truth About Youth as Colonel Graham
- 1930 · River's End as O'Toole
- 1930 · The Girl of the Golden West as Sonora Slim
- 1930 · Song o' My Heart as Rafferty
- 1930 · Men Without Women as Costello
- 1929 · South Sea Rose as Hackett
- 1929 · The Painted Angel as Pa Hudler
- 1929 · Happy Days as Train Conductor
- 1929 · Masquerade as Joe Hickey
- 1929 · Masked Emotions as Will Whitten
- 1929 · Strong Boy as Angus McGregor
- 1928 · In Old Arizona as Stage Passenger (uncredited)
- 1928 · Riley the Cop as James 'Aloysius' Riley
- 1928 · 4 Devils as The Clown
- 1928 · None But the Brave as John Craig
- 1928 · Abie's Irish Rose as Patrick Murphy
- 1928 · Bringing Up Father as Jiggs
- 1928 · The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris as Patrick Kelly
- 1927 · Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans as The Photographer
- 1927 · East Side, West Side as Pug Malone
- 1927 · Paid to Love as Peter Roberts
- 1927 · Cradle Snatchers as George Martin
- 1927 · Ankles Preferred as McGuire
- 1926 · Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl as Sloan
- 1926 · The Country Beyond as Sgt. Cassidy
- 1926 · The Family Upstairs as Joe Heller
- 1926 · 3 Bad Men as Mike Costigan
- 1926 · A Trip to Chinatown as Benjamin Strong
- 1926 · The Shamrock Handicap as Con O'Shea
- 1926 · The Dixie Merchant as Jean Paul Fippany
- 1926 · The First Year as Mr. Barstow
- 1925 · The Fighting Heart as Jerry
- 1925 · Thank You as Andy
- 1925 · Kentucky Pride as Donavan
- 1925 · The Lucky Horseshoe as Mack
- 1925 · Lightnin' as Lemuel Townsend
- 1925 · Let Women Alone as Commodore John Gordon
- 1924 · Those Who Dare as
- 1924 · The Brass Bowl as Hickey
- 1924 · The Iron Horse as Corporal Casey
- 1924 · The Signal Tower as Pete
- 1924 · Western Luck as 'Chuck' Campbell
- 1924 · Mademoiselle Midnight as Duc de Moing (Prologue)
- 1923 · The Age of Desire as Dan Reagan
- 1923 · Drifting as Murphy
- 1923 · Racing Hearts as Silas Martin
- 1923 · Quicksands as Col. Patterson
- 1923 · While Paris Sleeps as
- 1922 · The Young Rajah as Amhad Beg - Prime Minister
- 1922 · Manslaughter as (uncredited)
- 1922 · The Ghost Breaker as Sam Marcum
- 1922 · The Bonded Woman as Captain Gaskell
- 1922 · Over the Border as Peter Galbraith
- 1922 · Come on Over as Michael Morahan
- 1922 · Sky High as Jim Frazer (as J. Farrel MacDonald)
- 1921 · Trailin' as Joseph Piotto
- 1921 · Riding with Death as Sheriff Pat Garrity
- 1921 · Action as Mormon Peters
- 1921 · The Wallop as Neuces River
- 1921 · Desperate Youth as
- 1921 · The Freeze-Out as Bobtail McGuire
- 1920 · Hitchin' Posts as Joe Alabam (as J. Farrell McDonald)
- 1920 · The Path She Chose as Father
- 1920 · Bullet Proof as Jim Boone
- 1919 · Marked Men as Tom Placer McGraw
- 1919 · The Outcasts of Poker Flat as
- 1919 · A Sporting Chance as Luther Ripley aka Kennedy
- 1919 · Riders of Vengeance as Buell
- 1919 · A Fight For Love as The Priest
- 1919 · Roped as Butler
- 1918 · $5,000 Reward as Norcross
- 1915 · Rags as Paul Ferguson (as Joseph Farrell MacDonald)
- 1913 · The Calling of Louis Mona as
- 1912 · A Timely Repentance as Louis Nordell
- 1911 · 'Tween Two Loves as Farmer Howard
- 1911 · The Lighthouse Keeper as The Lighthouse Keeper
- 1911 · The Scarlet Letter as
- 1911 · The Dream as Secondary Role (uncredited)