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Donald Meek

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
123

Gender
Male

Birthday
July 13, 1878 (147 years old)

Place of Birth
Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Donald Meek

Biography

Thomas Donald Meek (14 July 1878 – 18 November 1946) was a Scottish-American actor. He first performed publicly at the age of eight and began appearing on Broadway in 1903. Meek is perhaps best known for his roles in the films You Can't Take It with You (1938) and Stagecoach (1939). He posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

Meek was born in Glasgow to Matthew and Annie Meek. In the 1890s, the Meek family emigrated to Canada and then to the United States. By 1900, they were living in Philadelphia where Meek was employed as a dry goods salesman, according to the United States census of that year with Meek later working on stage.

After years on the stage, Meek became a film actor, appearing memorably 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 12 Warner Brothers two-reel short subjects written by S.S. Van Dine. Meek and Isabella "Belle" Walken married in Boston in a Methodist church on January 3, 1909. By this marriage, the American-born Belle Meek lost her United States citizenship by taking her husband's British nationality. Donald Meek died of leukaemia on 18 November 1946 in Los Angeles, while filming the role of Mr. Twiddle in Magic Town. A prolific film actor in over 100 Hollywood movies during its Golden Age, he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was entombed in the Fairmount Mausoleum at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

Known For

Acting

1984Going Hollywood: The '30sas (archive footage)
1976Bob Hope's World of Comedyas Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
1947Magic Townas Mr. Twiddle
1947The Fabulous Joeas Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
1946Affairs of Geraldineas Casper Millhouse
1946Janie Gets Marriedas Harley P. Stowers
1946Colonel Effingham's Raidas Doc Buden
1946Because of Himas Martin
1945State Fairas Hippenstahl
1944The Thin Man Goes Homeas Willie Crump
1944Barbary Coast Gentas Bradford Bellamy I
1944Maisie Goes to Renoas Parsons
1944Bathing Beautyas Chester Klazenfrantz
1944Two Girls and a Sailoras Mr. Nizby
1944Rationingas Wilfred Ball
1943Lost Angelas Professor Catty
1943Du Barry Was a Ladyas Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
1943Air Raid Wardensas Eustace Middling
1943Keeper of the Flameas Mr Arbuthnot
1943They Got Me Coveredas Little Old Man
1942Seven Sweetheartsas Reverend Howgan, the Minister
1942The Omaha Trailas Engineer Jonah McCleod
1942Maisie Gets Her Manas Mr. Stickwell
1942Tortilla Flatas Paul D. Cummings
1941Babes on Broadwayas Mr. Stone
1941Rise and Shineas Professor Philip Murray
1941The Feminine Touchas Captain Makepeace Liveright
1941A Woman's Faceas Herman Rundvik
1941Barnacle Billas "Pop" Cavendish
1941Blonde Inspirationas 'Dusty' King
1941Come Live with Meas Joe Darsie
1941The Wild Man of Borneoas Professor Charles W. Birdo
1940Hullabalooas Mr. Clyde Perkins
1940Third Finger, Left Handas Mr. Flandrin
1940Sky Murderas Bartholomew
1940The Return of Frank Jamesas McCoy
1940Phantom Raidersas Bartholomew
1940Turnaboutas Henry, the Valet
1940Star Dustas Sam Wellman
1940The Ghost Comes Homeas Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
1940Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bulletas Mittelmeyer
1940The Man from Dakotaas Mr. Vestry
1940My Little Chickadeeas Amos Budge
1940Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!as Adelbert Thistlebottom
1939Nick Carter, Master Detectiveas Bartholomew, the bee man
1939The Housekeeper's Daughteras Editor Wilson
1939Hollywood Cavalcadeas Lyle P. Stout
1939Blondie Takes a Vacationas Jonathan N. Gillis
1939Young Mr. Lincolnas Prosecutor John Felder
1939Stagecoachas Samuel Peacock
1939Jesse Jamesas McCoy
1938Hold That Co-edas Dean Thatcher
1938You Can't Take It with Youas Poppins
1938Little Miss Broadwayas Willoughby Wendling
1938Having Wonderful Timeas P.U. Rogers
1938Goodbye Broadwayas Iradius P. Oglethorpe
1938The Adventures of Tom Sawyeras Sunday School Superintendent
1938Double Dangeras Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
1937You're a Sweetheartas Conway Jeeters
1937Breakfast for Twoas Justice of the Peace
1937Double Weddingas Judge Blynn (uncredited)
1937Make a Wishas Joseph
1937Artists & Modelsas Dr. Zimmer
1937The Toast of New Yorkas Daniel Drew
1937Three Legionnairesas Uriah S. Grant
1937Parnellas Nicholas Daniel Murphy
1937Behind The Headlinesas Potter
1937Maid of Salemas Ezra Cheeves
1936Pennies from Heavenas Gramp Smith
1936Love on the Runas Caretaker
1936Two in a Crowdas Bennett
1936Old Hutchas Mr. Gunnison
1936Three Married Menas Mr. Frisbee
1936One Rainy Afternoonas Judge
1936And So They Were Marriedas Hotel Manager
1936Everybody's Old Manas Finney
1935Captain Bloodas Dr. Whacker
1935The Bride Comes Homeas The Judge
1935Kind Ladyas Mr. Foster
1935Peter Ibbetsonas Mr. Slade
1935Happiness C.O.D.as Thomas Sherridan
1935Barbary Coastas Sawbuck McTavish
1935She Couldn't Take Itas Uncle Wyndersham
1935The Return Of Peter Grimmas Mayor Everett Bartholomew
1935China Seasas Chess Player (uncredited)
1935Old Man Rhythmas Paul Parker
1935Village Taleas Charlie
1935The Informeras Peter Mulligan
1935Mark of the Vampireas Dr. Doskil
1935Baby Face Harringtonas Skinner
1935The Whole Town's Talkingas Hoyt
1935Society Doctoras Moxley
1935The Gilded Lilyas Hankerson
1935Biography of a Bachelor Girlas Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
1934Romance in Manhattanas Minister
1934The Merry Widowas Valet
1934The Captain Hates the Seaas Josephus Bushmills
1934Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patchas Mr. Wiggs
1934What Every Woman Knowsas Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
1934The Defense Restsas Fogg
1934Murder at the Vanitiesas Dr. Saunders
1934The Last Gentlemanas Judd Barr, Cabot's son
1934Bedsideas Dr. George Wiley
1934Hi, Nellie!as Durkin
1933College Coachas Spencer Trask
1933Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!as Luther Bowen
1932The Trans-Atlantic Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
1932The Crane Poison Caseas Dr. Amos Crabtree
1932The Side Show Mysteryas Dr. Amos Crabtree
1932Murder in the Pullmanas Dr. Amos Crabtree
1932The Cole Caseas Dr. Crabtree
1932The Skull Murder Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree
1932Waywardas Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
1932The Studio Murder Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree
1932The Symphony Murder Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree
1931The Week End Mysteryas Dr. Amos Crabtree
1931The Wall Street Mysteryas Doctor Crabtree
1931The Clyde Mysteryas Dr. Amos Crabtree
1931Personal Maidas Pa Ryan
1931The Girl Habitas Jonesy
1930The Love Kissas William
1929The Hole in the Wallas Goofy
1923Six Cylinder Loveas Richard Burton

Production