J. Farrell MacDonald
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1875-06-05
Day of Death
1952-08-02 (77 years old)
Place of Birth
Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
J. Farrell MacDonald
Biography
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
Acting
(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 (uncredited)
(1951)
Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell
as Mr. Kroeger
(1950)
Woman on the Run
as Cap, the Retired Ferryboat Captain
(1950)
Dakota Lil
as Ellis
(1950)
When Willie Comes Marching Home
as Gilby - Pharmacist (uncredited)
(1950)
Hostile Country
as Mr. Lane (uncredited)
(1950)
The Daltons' Women
as Alvin
(1949)
The Dalton Gang
as Judge Price
(1949)
You're My Everything
as Doorman (uncredited)
(1949)
Streets of San Francisco
as Pop Lockhart
(1948)
Panhandle
as Doc Cooper
(1948)
Sitting Pretty
as Cop (uncredited)
(1948)
Fury at Furnace Creek
as Pops Murphy (uncredited)
(1948)
Whispering Smith
as Bill Baggs
(1948)
If You Knew Susie
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
(1948)
The Walls of Jericho
as Bailiff (uncredited)
(1948)
Trouble Preferred
as Apartment House Manager (uncredited)
(1948)
Belle Starr's Daughter
as Doc Benson
(1948)
Shep Comes Home
as Sheriff Cap Weatherby
(1947)
Christmas Eve
as Policeman (uncredited)
(1947)
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
as Mac, Bailiff (uncredited)
(1947)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
(1947)
Web of Danger
as Scotty MacKronish - Bus Driver
(1947)
Thunder in the Valley
as McPherson - Innkeeper
(1947)
Keeper of the Bees
as Postmaster
(1946)
It's a Wonderful Life
as Man Whose Grandfather Planted Tree (uncredited)
(1946)
My Darling Clementine
as Mac the barman
(1946)
Smoky
as Jim, the Cook
(1946)
Joe Palooka, Champ
as Long-Count Bowman
(1946)
Goodbye, Weeds
as Gardener
(1945)
Fallen Angel
as Bank Guard (uncredited)
(1945)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
as Mr. Carney The Junkman (uncredited)
(1945)
Hangover Square
as Street Vendor (uncredited)
(1945)
(1945)
Circumstantial Evidence
as Jury Foreman
(1945)
Johnny Angel
as Capt. Angel
(1944)
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
as Sheriff (uncredited)
(1944)
The Great Moment
as The Priest
(1944)
Greenwich Village
as O'Shea, policeman
(1944)
Texas Masquerade
as John Martindale
(1943)
True to Life
as Man (uncredited)
(1943)
The Ape Man
as Captain O'Brien
(1943)
Tiger Fangs
as Geoffrey MacCardle
(1943)
Harrigan's Kid
as Frank (uncredited)
(1942)
Bowery at Midnight
as Capt. Mitchell
(1942)
The Living Ghost
as Police Lt. 'Pete' Peterson
(1942)
Reap the Wild Wind
as Port Captain
(1942)
The Palm Beach Story
as Officer O'Donnell (uncredited)
(1942)
(1942)
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
as Henry Hathaway
(1942)
Phantom Killer
as Police Captain
(1942)
One Thrilling Night
as Police Sergeant Haggerty
(1942)
Captains of the Clouds
as Dr. Neville (from Churchtown)
(1942)
Private Snuffy Smith
as Gen. Rosewater
(1941)
Meet John Doe
as 'Sourpuss'
(1941)
The Great Lie
as Dr. Ferguson
(1941)
Broadway Limited
as Mulcahey
(1941)
Riders of the Timberline
as Jim Kerrigan
(1941)
Law of the Timber
as Adams
(1941)
In Old Cheyenne
as Tim Casey
(1940)
Dark Command
as Dave
(1940)
Prairie Law
as Sheriff Jim Austin
(1940)
Pony Express Days
as Nevada Jim
(1940)
The Last Alarm
as Jim Hadley
(1940)
Light of Western Stars
as Bill Stillwell
(1940)
Stagecoach War
as Jeff Chapman
(1940)
Untamed
as Dr. Billar
(1940)
I Take This Oath
as Insp. Tim Ryan
(1940)
Friendly Neighbors
as Sheiff Potts
(1940)
Knights of the Range
as Cappy
(1939)
Coast Guard
as Capt. Hansen (uncredited)
(1939)
Conspiracy
as Captain of the Falcon
(1939)
Zenobia
as Judge
(1939)
They Shall Have Music
as Police Chief (uncredited)
(1939)
Susannah of the Mounties
as Pat O'Hannegan
(1939)
Full Confession
as Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited)
(1939)
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Captain
(1939)
East Side of Heaven
as Doorman (uncredited)
(1939)
The Lone Ranger Rides Again
as Craig Dolan
(1939)
The Gentleman from Arizona
as Wild Bill Coburn
(1939)
Mickey the Kid
as Sheriff J.J. Willoughby
(1938)
There Goes My Heart
as Officer
(1938)
Submarine Patrol
as CWO 'Sails' Quincannon
(1938)
White Banners
as Dr. Thompson
(1938)
My Old Kentucky Home
as Mayor Jim Hopkins
(1938)
Little Orphan Annie
as 'Pop' Corrigan
(1938)
Barefoot Boy
as Warden
(1938)
Gang Bullets
as Chief Reardon
(1938)
Numbered Woman
as Capt. Ryan
(1938)
The Crowd Roars
as Father Patrick Ryan
(1938)
The Last Express
as William Barton (Detective Agency Head)
(1938)
Come On, Rangers
as Colonel Forbes
(1938)
Extortion
as Coach Pearson
(1938)
State Police
as Charlie Wheeler
(1937)
Topper
as Policeman
(1937)
Maid of Salem
as Captain of Ship
(1937)
The Hit Parade
as Sgt. O'Hara
(1937)
The Game That Kills
as Joe Holland
(1937)
Slave Ship
as Proprietor
(1937)
Slim
as Pop
(1937)
Parnell
as Irish Laborer (uncredited)
(1937)
Parnell
as Irish Laborer
(1937)
My Dear Miss Aldrich
as 'Doc' Howe
(1937)
County Fair
as Calvin Williams
(1937)
The Great Barrier
as Major Rogers
(1937)
Courage of the West
as Buck Saunders
(1937)
Roaring Timber
as Andrew MacKinley
(1937)
Flying Fists
as Bill 'One-Punch' Fagin
(1936)
Show Boat
as Windy MacLaine
(1936)
Exclusive Story
as Michael Devlin
(1936)
Florida Special
as Harrigan
(1936)
Riffraff
as 'Brains'
(1936)
Mysterious Crossing
as Police Chief Bullock
(1935)
The Whole Town's Talking
as Prison Warden (uncredited)
(1935)
Romance in Manhattan
as Murphy
(1935)
The Irish in Us
as Capt. Jackson
(1935)
Front Page Woman
as Hallohan
(1935)
Swellhead
as Umpire
(1935)
Star of Midnight
as Inspector Doremus
(1935)
Our Little Girl
as Hobo
(1935)
The Arizonian
as Marshal Andy Jordan
(1935)
The Best Man Wins
as Captain--Harbor Patrol
(1935)
Maybe It's Love
as The Cop
(1935)
Waterfront Lady
as Capt. O'Brien
(1935)
Northern Frontier
as Inspector
(1935)
Let 'em Have It
as Mr. Keefer
(1935)
Danger Ahead
as Harry Cromwell
(1935)
Hitch Hike Lady
as Judge Hale
(1935)
Square Shooter
as Sheriff
(1935)
The Healer
as Applejack
(1935)
Fighting Youth
as Coach Parker
(1935)
Stormy
as Trinidad Dorn
(1935)
Shadows of the Orient
as Inspector Sullivan
(1934)
The Crime Doctor
as Kemp
(1934)
The Crosby Case
as The Doorman--Mike Costello
(1934)
Man of Two Worlds
as Michael
(1934)
Once to Every Woman
as Flannigan
(1934)
Beggar's Holiday
as Pop Malloy
(1933)
The Working Man
as Henry 'Hank' Davis
(1933)
Peg o' My Heart
as Patrick Shamus 'Pat' O'Connell
(1933)
The Power and the Glory
as Mulligan
(1933)
Myrt and Marge
as Grady
(1933)
I Loved a Woman
as Shuster
(1933)
Murder on the Campus
as Police Capt. Ed Kyne
(1933)
Under Secret Orders
as John Burke
(1933)
Laughing at Life
as Prison Warden
(1933)
The Vanishing Frontier
as Waco
(1933)
The Iron Master
as J.C. Stillman
(1933)
How to Break 90 #6: Fine Points
as Himself
(1932)
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
as Police Sgt. J.B. Antrim (uncredited)
(1932)
Probation
as George Holman
(1932)
The Hurricane Express
as Jim Baker
(1932)
Me and My Gal
as Pop Riley
(1932)
The Thirteenth Guest
as Captain Ryan
(1932)
Week-End Marriage
as Mr. Davis
(1932)
No Man of Her Own
as "Dickie" Collins
(1932)
Heritage of the Desert
as Adam Naab
(1932)
Men Are Such Fools
as Prison Warden Randolph
(1932)
The Racing Strain
as Mr. Martin
(1932)
Hearts of Humanity
as Tom O'Hara
(1932)
Scandal for Sale
as Treadway
(1932)
Under Eighteen
as Pop Evans
(1932)
The Phantom Express
as D.J. 'Smokey' Nolan
(1932)
Discarded Lovers
as Sommers
(1932)
70,000 Witnesses
as State Coach
(1932)
Hotel Continental
as Detective Martin
(1932)
The Pride of the Legion
as Chief Scott
(1932)
Madame Racketeer
as John Adams
(1932)
This Sporting Age
as Jerry O'Day
(1932)
Steady Company
as Hogan
(1931)
The Painted Desert
as Jeff Cameron
(1931)
The Spirit of Notre Dame
as The Coach
(1931)
The Squaw Man
as Big Bill
(1931)
The Stolen Jools
as Policeman
(1931)
The Maltese Falcon
as Det. Sgt. Tom Polhaus
(1931)
Other Men's Women
as Peg-Leg
(1931)
The Easiest Way
as Ben Murdock
(1931)
Sporting Blood
as MacGuire
(1931)
The Brat
as Timson, the butler
(1931)
Too Young to Marry
as Rev. Stump
(1931)
Woman Hungry
as Buzzard
(1931)
The Millionaire
as Dan Lewis
(1931)
Touchdown!
as Pop Stewart
(1931)
Stranger in Town
as Scout
(1931)
(1930)
Men Without Women
as Costello
(1930)
River's End
as O'Toole
(1930)
Song o' My Heart
as Rafferty
(1930)
The Truth About Youth
as Colonel Graham
(1930)
The Girl of the Golden West
as Sonora Slim
(1929)
Strong Boy
as Angus McGregor
(1929)
Happy Days
as Train Conductor
(1929)
The Painted Angel
as Pa Hudler
(1929)
South Sea Rose
as Hackett
(1929)
Masquerade
as Joe Hickey
(1929)
Masked Emotions
as Will Whitten
(1928)
In Old Arizona
as Stage Passenger (uncredited)
(1928)
The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris
as Patrick Kelly
(1928)
4 Devils
as The Clown
(1928)
Bringing Up Father
as Jiggs
(1928)
Riley the Cop
as James 'Aloysius' Riley
(1928)
None But the Brave
as John Craig
(1928)
Abie's Irish Rose
as Patrick Murphy
(1927)
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
as The Photographer
(1927)
Ankles Preferred
as McGuire
(1927)
Paid to Love
as Peter Roberts
(1927)
Cradle Snatchers
as George Martin
(1927)
East Side, West Side
as Pug Malone
(1926)
Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl
as Sloan
(1926)
The Shamrock Handicap
as Con O'Shea
(1926)
3 Bad Men
as Mike Costigan
(1926)
The Country Beyond
as Sgt. Cassidy
(1926)
The Dixie Merchant
as Jean Paul Fippany
(1926)
The First Year
as Mr. Barstow
(1926)
A Trip to Chinatown
as Benjamin Strong
(1926)
The Family Upstairs
as Joe Heller
(1925)
The Iron Horse
as Corporal Casey
(1925)
Kentucky Pride
as Donavan
(1925)
Lightnin'
as Lemuel Townsend
(1925)
The Fighting Heart
as Jerry
(1925)
Thank You
as Andy
(1925)
Let Women Alone
as Commodore John Gordon
(1925)
The Lucky Horseshoe
as Mack
(1924)
(1924)
Mademoiselle Midnight
as Duc de Moing (Prologue)
(1924)
The Signal Tower
as Pete
(1924)
The Brass Bowl
as Hickey
(1924)
Western Luck
as 'Chuck' Campbell
(1923)
Drifting
as Murphy
(1923)
Racing Hearts
as Silas Martin
(1923)
The Age of Desire
as Dan Reagan
(1923)
Quicksands
as Col. Patterson
(1923)
(1922)
Come on Over
as Michael Morahan
(1922)
Sky High
as Jim Frazer (as J. Farrel MacDonald)
(1922)
Over the Border
as Peter Galbraith
(1922)
Manslaughter
as (uncredited)
(1922)
The Young Rajah
as Amhad Beg - Prime Minister
(1922)
The Bonded Woman
as Captain Gaskell
(1922)
The Ghost Breaker
as Sam Marcum
(1922)
The Bachelor Daddy
as Joe Pelton
(1921)
The Wallop
as Neuces River
(1921)
The Freeze-Out
as Bobtail McGuire
(1921)
Trailin'
as Joseph Piotto
(1921)
Action
as Mormon Peters
(1921)
(1921)
Riding with Death
as Sheriff Pat Garrity
(1920)
Bullet Proof
as Jim Boone
(1920)
The Path She Chose
as Father
(1920)
Hitchin' Posts
as Joe Alabam (as J. Farrell McDonald)
(1919)
Riders of Vengeance
as Buell
(1919)
(1919)
Roped
as Butler
(1919)
A Fight For Love
as The Priest
(1919)
Marked Men
as Tom Placer McGraw
(1919)
A Sporting Chance
as Luther Ripley aka Kennedy
(1919)
This Hero Stuff
as Softnose Smith
(1918)
$5,000 Reward
as Norcross
(1918)
Fair Enough
as Chief of Police Morgan
(1915)
Rags
as Paul Ferguson (as Joseph Farrell MacDonald)
(1913)
(1912)
A Timely Repentance
as Louis Nordell
(1911)
'Tween Two Loves
as Farmer Howard
(1911)
(1911)
The Lighthouse Keeper
as The Lighthouse Keeper
(1911)
The Dream
as Secondary Role (uncredited)
(1910)
The Time-Lock Safe
as Office Worker
Crew
(1917)
Over the Fence
Director
(1915)
Lonesome Luke, Social Gangster
Director
(1914)
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
Director
(1914)
The Magic Cloak of Oz
Director
(1914)
His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz
Director
(1914)
Samson
Director
(1914)
The Backslider
Director
(1913)
Rory o' the Bogs
Director