Known For
Acting
Known Credits
123
Gender
Male
Birthday
July 13, 1878 (147 years old)
Place of Birth
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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.
| 1984 | Going Hollywood: The '30sas (archive footage) | |
| 1976 | Bob Hope's World of Comedyas Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage) | |
| 1947 | Magic Townas Mr. Twiddle | |
| 1947 | The Fabulous Joeas Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer | |
| 1946 | Affairs of Geraldineas Casper Millhouse | |
| 1946 | Janie Gets Marriedas Harley P. Stowers | |
| 1946 | Colonel Effingham's Raidas Doc Buden | |
| 1946 | Because of Himas Martin | |
| 1945 | State Fairas Hippenstahl | |
| 1944 | The Thin Man Goes Homeas Willie Crump | |
| 1944 | Barbary Coast Gentas Bradford Bellamy I | |
| 1944 | Maisie Goes to Renoas Parsons | |
| 1944 | Bathing Beautyas Chester Klazenfrantz | |
| 1944 | Two Girls and a Sailoras Mr. Nizby | |
| 1944 | Rationingas Wilfred Ball | |
| 1943 | Lost Angelas Professor Catty | |
| 1943 | Du Barry Was a Ladyas Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul | |
| 1943 | Air Raid Wardensas Eustace Middling | |
| 1943 | Keeper of the Flameas Mr Arbuthnot | |
| 1943 | They Got Me Coveredas Little Old Man | |
| 1942 | Seven Sweetheartsas Reverend Howgan, the Minister | |
| 1942 | The Omaha Trailas Engineer Jonah McCleod | |
| 1942 | Maisie Gets Her Manas Mr. Stickwell | |
| 1942 | Tortilla Flatas Paul D. Cummings | |
| 1941 | Babes on Broadwayas Mr. Stone | |
| 1941 | Rise and Shineas Professor Philip Murray | |
| 1941 | The Feminine Touchas Captain Makepeace Liveright | |
| 1941 | A Woman's Faceas Herman Rundvik | |
| 1941 | Barnacle Billas "Pop" Cavendish | |
| 1941 | Blonde Inspirationas 'Dusty' King | |
| 1941 | Come Live with Meas Joe Darsie | |
| 1941 | The Wild Man of Borneoas Professor Charles W. Birdo | |
| 1940 | Hullabalooas Mr. Clyde Perkins | |
| 1940 | Third Finger, Left Handas Mr. Flandrin | |
| 1940 | Sky Murderas Bartholomew | |
| 1940 | The Return of Frank Jamesas McCoy | |
| 1940 | Phantom Raidersas Bartholomew | |
| 1940 | Turnaboutas Henry, the Valet | |
| 1940 | Star Dustas Sam Wellman | |
| 1940 | The Ghost Comes Homeas Mortimer Hopkins, Sr. | |
| 1940 | Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bulletas Mittelmeyer | |
| 1940 | The Man from Dakotaas Mr. Vestry | |
| 1940 | My Little Chickadeeas Amos Budge | |
| 1940 | Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!as Adelbert Thistlebottom | |
| 1939 | Nick Carter, Master Detectiveas Bartholomew, the bee man | |
| 1939 | The Housekeeper's Daughteras Editor Wilson | |
| 1939 | Hollywood Cavalcadeas Lyle P. Stout | |
| 1939 | Blondie Takes a Vacationas Jonathan N. Gillis | |
| 1939 | Young Mr. Lincolnas Prosecutor John Felder | |
| 1939 | Stagecoachas Samuel Peacock | |
| 1939 | Jesse Jamesas McCoy | |
| 1938 | Hold That Co-edas Dean Thatcher | |
| 1938 | You Can't Take It with Youas Poppins | |
| 1938 | Little Miss Broadwayas Willoughby Wendling | |
| 1938 | Having Wonderful Timeas P.U. Rogers | |
| 1938 | Goodbye Broadwayas Iradius P. Oglethorpe | |
| 1938 | The Adventures of Tom Sawyeras Sunday School Superintendent | |
| 1938 | Double Dangeras Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson | |
| 1937 | You're a Sweetheartas Conway Jeeters | |
| 1937 | Breakfast for Twoas Justice of the Peace | |
| 1937 | Double Weddingas Judge Blynn (uncredited) | |
| 1937 | Make a Wishas Joseph | |
| 1937 | Artists & Modelsas Dr. Zimmer | |
| 1937 | The Toast of New Yorkas Daniel Drew | |
| 1937 | Three Legionnairesas Uriah S. Grant | |
| 1937 | Parnellas Nicholas Daniel Murphy | |
| 1937 | Behind The Headlinesas Potter | |
| 1937 | Maid of Salemas Ezra Cheeves | |
| 1936 | Pennies from Heavenas Gramp Smith | |
| 1936 | Love on the Runas Caretaker | |
| 1936 | Two in a Crowdas Bennett | |
| 1936 | Old Hutchas Mr. Gunnison | |
| 1936 | Three Married Menas Mr. Frisbee | |
| 1936 | One Rainy Afternoonas Judge | |
| 1936 | And So They Were Marriedas Hotel Manager | |
| 1936 | Everybody's Old Manas Finney | |
| 1935 | Captain Bloodas Dr. Whacker | |
| 1935 | The Bride Comes Homeas The Judge | |
| 1935 | Kind Ladyas Mr. Foster | |
| 1935 | Peter Ibbetsonas Mr. Slade | |
| 1935 | Happiness C.O.D.as Thomas Sherridan | |
| 1935 | Barbary Coastas Sawbuck McTavish | |
| 1935 | She Couldn't Take Itas Uncle Wyndersham | |
| 1935 | The Return Of Peter Grimmas Mayor Everett Bartholomew | |
| 1935 | China Seasas Chess Player (uncredited) | |
| 1935 | Old Man Rhythmas Paul Parker | |
| 1935 | Village Taleas Charlie | |
| 1935 | The Informeras Peter Mulligan | |
| 1935 | Mark of the Vampireas Dr. Doskil | |
| 1935 | Baby Face Harringtonas Skinner | |
| 1935 | The Whole Town's Talkingas Hoyt | |
| 1935 | Society Doctoras Moxley | |
| 1935 | The Gilded Lilyas Hankerson | |
| 1935 | Biography of a Bachelor Girlas Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store | |
| 1934 | Romance in Manhattanas Minister | |
| 1934 | The Merry Widowas Valet | |
| 1934 | The Captain Hates the Seaas Josephus Bushmills | |
| 1934 | Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patchas Mr. Wiggs | |
| 1934 | What Every Woman Knowsas Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited) | |
| 1934 | The Defense Restsas Fogg | |
| 1934 | Murder at the Vanitiesas Dr. Saunders | |
| 1934 | The Last Gentlemanas Judd Barr, Cabot's son | |
| 1934 | Bedsideas Dr. George Wiley | |
| 1934 | Hi, Nellie!as Durkin | |
| 1933 | College Coachas Spencer Trask | |
| 1933 | Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!as Luther Bowen | |
| 1932 | The Trans-Atlantic Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist | |
| 1932 | The Crane Poison Caseas Dr. Amos Crabtree | |
| 1932 | The Side Show Mysteryas Dr. Amos Crabtree | |
| 1932 | Murder in the Pullmanas Dr. Amos Crabtree | |
| 1932 | The Cole Caseas Dr. Crabtree | |
| 1932 | The Skull Murder Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree | |
| 1932 | Waywardas Hotel Clerk (uncredited) | |
| 1932 | The Studio Murder Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree | |
| 1932 | The Symphony Murder Mysteryas Dr. Crabtree | |
| 1931 | The Week End Mysteryas Dr. Amos Crabtree | |
| 1931 | The Wall Street Mysteryas Doctor Crabtree | |
| 1931 | The Clyde Mysteryas Dr. Amos Crabtree | |
| 1931 | Personal Maidas Pa Ryan | |
| 1931 | The Girl Habitas Jonesy | |
| 1930 | The Love Kissas William | |
| 1929 | The Hole in the Wallas Goofy | |
| 1923 | Six Cylinder Loveas Richard Burton |