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Harlan Briggs

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
73

Gender
Male

Birthday
August 16, 1879 (146 years old)

Place of Birth
Blissfield, Michigan, USA

Harlan Briggs

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harlan Briggs (August 17, 1879 – January 26, 1952) was an American actor and vaudeville performer who was active from the 1930s until his death in 1952. During the course of his career he appeared on Broadway, in over 100 films, as well as appearing on television once towards the end of his career.

Briggs was born in Blissfield, Michigan. Although he was a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, he chose to go into acting rather than pursue a career in law.

His acting career began in vaudeville at around the beginning of the 20th century. He would make his Broadway debut in 1926, in the drama Up the Line. He worked steadily on Broadway through 1935. On August 6, 1929 he began a successful run in the featured role of G. A. Appleby in It's a Wise Child at the Belasco Theatre. In 1934 he had another featured role in the successful play Dodsworth, as Tubby Pearson. The show opened at the Shubert Theatre on February 24, 1934 and ran for 147 performances, starring Walter Huston as Samuel Dodsworth. After a six-week hiatus, the show reopened at the Shubert on August 20 and ran for an additional 168 performances. When Samuel Goldwyn bought the rights to the play, Briggs was one of two of the original Broadway cast to reprise their roles in the film, the other being Huston in the title role.

Briggs would focus on his film career for the remainder of the 1930s, before returning to Broadway in the 1940s, combining both stage and screen performances during that decade. The most successful of his Broadway appearances in the 1940s was as Constable Small in Ramshackle Inn, which featured ZaSu Pitts in her Broadway debut. The Story of Mary Surratt, in which Briggs appeared in 1947, was Briggs' 400th play.

Beginning with Dodsworth, Briggs worked consistently in films over the next 16 years, until his death in 1952, appearing in over 100 films. His most famous role was as Dr. Stall in the 1940 comedy classic The Bank Dick, starring W.C. Fields. Other notable films in which he appeared include After the Thin Man (1936), Stella Dallas (1937), Having Wonderful Time (1938), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), My Little Chickadee (1940), Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), State Fair (1945), Night and Day (1946), Little Women (1949), Goodbye, My Fancy (1951), and Carrie (1952). The last film on which Briggs worked was The Sea Hornet, which was in production in April and May 1951, and released later that year.

On January 26, 1952, Briggs died in Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital from complications resulting from a heart attack. His death occurred almost half a year prior to the release of Carrie.

Briggs married actress Viola Scott on July 3, 1914. They had four sons.

Known For

Acting

1952Carrieas Joe Brant
1951The Sea Hornetas Watchman
1949Little Womenas Old Crony at Grace's Store (uncredited)
1947A Double Lifeas Oscar Bernard
1947Cynthiaas J.M. Dingle, Napoleon Hardware
1947Danger Streetas Darnstein
1947Spoilers of the Northas Salty
1947Humoresqueas Toy Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
1946Magnificent Dollas Quinn (uncredited)
1946Personality Kidas Mr. Howard
1946Canyon Passageas Dr. Balance (uncredited)
1946My Pal Triggeras Dr. Bentley
1946Mysterious Intruderas Mr. Brown
1945Conflictas Pawnbroker #2 (uncredited)
1942There's One Born Every Minuteas Luke Simpson
1942The Remarkable Andrewas Sheriff Clem Watkins
1942The Vanishing Virginianas Mr. Rogard
1941Among the Livingas Judge
1941Paris Callingas French Inn Proprietor
1941One Foot in Heavenas Mac MacFarland (uncredited)
1940Jennieas Mr. Veitch
1940The Bank Dickas Doctor Stall
1940I Love You Againas Mayor Carver (uncredited)
1940Lucky Partnersas Mayor (uncredited)
1940Brother Orchidas Thomas A. Bailey - Acme Paving (uncredited)
1940Edison, the Manas Bisbee
1940Charlie Chan's Murder Cruiseas San Francisco Coroner
1940Abe Lincoln in Illinoisas Denton Offut
1940Young as You Feelas Dr. Kinsley
1940My Little Chickadeeas Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
1940The Man Who Wouldn't Talkas Foreman in Jury
1939Bad Little Angelas Lem Dodd, Man in Jim's Office (uncredited)
1939Mr. Smith Goes to Washingtonas Mr. Edwards (uncredited)
1939Fifth Avenue Girlas Stanton (uncredited)
1939Flight at Midnightas 'Pop' Hussey
1939The Man They Could Not Hangas Defense Attorney Parker (uncredited)
1939Frontier Marshalas Editor
1939Blondie Takes a Vacationas Mr. Holden
1939Maisieas Deputy Sheriff Cal Hoskins
1939Tell No Talesas Davie Bryant
1939Calling Dr. Kildareas James Galt
1939Cafe Societyas Justice of the Peace
1939Made for Each Otheras Judge (uncredited)
1939The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnas Mr. Rucker (uncredited)
1939Boy Troubleas Mr. Pike
1939The Mysterious Miss Xas Charlie Graham
1938Opening Dayas Mr. Garnish
1938A Man to Rememberas Homer Ramsey
1938Meet the Girlsas Ship's Captain
1938Sing, You Sinnersas Customer at Gas Station (uncredited)
1938The Missing Guestas Frank Kendall - Editor
1938Having Wonderful Timeas Mr. Shaw
1938One Wild Nightas Mayor
1938You and Meas Thomas McTavish (uncredited)
1938Reckless Livingas 'Colonel' Harris
1938A Yank at Oxfordas Printer (uncredited)
1937Quick Moneyas Thorndyke Barnsdale
1937Beg, Borrow or Stealas Mr. Virgil Miller
1937Live, Love and Learnas Justice of The Peace
1937That’s My Storyas Sheriff Allen
1937Trouble at Midnightas Sheriff
1937Behind the Mikeas Sheriff
1937Exclusiveas Springer
1937Stella Dallasas Mr. Beamer (uncredited)
1937Easy Livingas Magazine Office Manager
1937Riding on Airas Mr. Harrison
1937Marked Womanas Sad Man in Nightclub (uncredited)
1937A Family Affairas Oscar Stubbins
1936Happy Go Luckyas U.S. Consul E.R. Brown
1936Mad Holidayas Mr. Kinney
1936Dodsworthas Tubby Pearson
1933Kissing Timeas David Sullivan (uncredited)
1933Seasoned Greetingsas Ben Jones (uncredited)

Production