Donald Meek

Donald Meek

from the trailer for A Woman's Face (1941)
Born (1878-07-14)14 July 1878
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Died 18 November 1946(1946-11-18) (aged 68)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1923–1946
Spouse(s) Belle Walken

Donald Meek (14 July 1878 – 18 November 1946) was a Scottish character actor.[1] He was well known for his often nervous and fearful supporting roles.

Life and career

Donald Meek first worked as a stage actor and later became a film actor, starring in several movies including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Little Miss Broadway, and State Fair. Before becoming an actor, he fought in the Spanish–American War in the United States Army and contracted yellow fever which caused him to lose his hair. He was cast as timid, worried characters in many of his films, and is perhaps best known for his roles as Mr. Poppins in Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You and as whiskey salesman Samuel Peacock in John Ford's Stagecoach.

From 1931 through 1932 Meek was featured as criminologist Dr. Crabtree, in a series of twelve Warner Brothers two-reel short subjects written by S. S. Van Dine.

Death

Donald Meek died of leukemia on Monday, 18 November 1946 in Los Angeles, California,[2] while playing the role of Mr. Twiddle in William A. Wellman's socially-themed comedy Magic Town with Jimmy Stewart and Jane Wyman,[3] which premiered on October 7, 1947,[4] just under a year after Meek's death. A prolific film actor in over 100 Hollywood movies during its Golden Age, he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Originally buried in California, his body was later moved to Fairmount Cemetery mausoleum in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Partial filmography

References

  1. Obituary Variety, November 20, 1946, page 70.
  2. Donald Meek dies in Hollywood
  3. http://www.moviefanfare.com/donald-meek-meek-by-name-meek-mostly-on-the-screen/
  4. http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=25262
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