JM
J. Farrell MacDonald
Actor, Director
Born June 5, 1875Died August 2, 1952 (77 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 1986 | Laurel & Hardy (TV Series) · as Judge (1986) |
| 1971 | The American West of John Ford · as Actor 'the Iron Horse' |
| 1951 | Elopement · as Mr. Simpson |
| 1951 | Superman and the Mole-Men · as Pop Shannon |
| 1951 | Golden Girl · as Husband |
| 1951 | Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell · as Mr. Kroeger |
| 1951 | Here Comes the Groom · as Husband On Airplane |
| 1951 | The Range Rider (TV Series) · as Joe Harris |
| 1950 | Woman on the Run · as Cap, The Retired Ferryboat Captain |
| 1950 | Hostile Country · as Mr. Lane (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Mother Didn't Tell Me · as Train Conductor |
| 1950 | The Daltons' Women · as Alvin |
| 1950 | When Willie Comes Marching Home · as Gilby - Pharmacist (uncredited) |
| 1950 | Dakota Lil · as Ellis |
| 1949 | Fighting Man of the Plains · as Joe Partridge |
| 1949 | The Dalton Gang · as Judge Price |
| 1949 | Sand · as Telegraph Operator |
| 1949 | You're My Everything · as Doorman (uncredited) |
| 1949 | The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend · as Sheriff Sweetser |
| 1948 | Whispering Smith · as Bill Baggs |
| 1948 | Unfaithfully Yours · as Stage Doorman |
| 1948 | The Walls of Jericho · as Bailiff (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Belle Starr's Daughter · as Doc Benson |
| 1948 | When My Baby Smiles at Me · as Doorman |
| 1948 | Fury at Furnace Creek · as Pops Murphy (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Sitting Pretty · as Cop (uncredited) |
| 1948 | Panhandle · as Doc Cooper |
| 1948 | If You Knew Susie · as Police Sergeant (uncredited) |
| 1947 | Thunder in the Valley · as Mcpherson - Innkeeper |
| 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) |
| 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 | Behind Green Lights · as O'malley - Morgue Attendant |
| 1945 | Pardon My Past · as Policeman |
| 1945 | |
| 1945 | Woman Who Came Back · as Sheriff |
| 1945 | Fallen Angel · as Bank Guard (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Johnny Angel · as Capt. Angel |
| 1945 | Nob Hill · as Cabby With Katie |
| 1945 | The Dolly Sisters · as Opera Stage Doorman |
| 1945 | Hangover Square · as Street Vendor (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Circumstantial Evidence · as Jury Foreman |
| 1945 | A Tree Grows in Brooklyn · as Mr. Carney The Junkman (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Irish Eyes Are Smiling · as Stage Doorman |
| 1944 | Greenwich Village · as O'shea, Policeman |
| 1944 | Shadow of Suspicion · as Police Captain Mike Dolan |
| 1944 | The Great Moment · as The Priest |
| 1944 | Follow the Leader · as Clancy, Policeman |
| 1944 | Ladies of Washington · as Night Watchman |
| 1944 | Pin Up Girl · as Train Conductor |
| 1944 | Texas Masquerade · as John Martindale |
| 1943 | True to Life · as Man (uncredited) |
| 1943 | The Miracle of Morgan's Creek · as Sheriff (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Tiger Fangs · as Geoffrey Maccardle |
| 1943 | Clancy Street Boys · as Police Sgt. Hanagan |
| 1943 | The Ape Man · as Captain O'brien |
| 1942 | The McGuerins from Brooklyn · as Cop |
| 1942 | The Living Ghost · as Police Lt. 'pete' Peterson |
| 1942 | The Palm Beach Story · as Officer O'donnell (uncredited) |
| 1942 | Bowery at Midnight · as Capt. Mitchell |
| 1942 | Phantom Killer · as Police Captain |
| 1942 | One Thrilling Night · as Police Sergeant Haggerty |
| 1942 | Reap the Wild Wind · as Port Captain |
| 1942 | Captains of the Clouds · as Dr. Neville (from Churchtown) |
| 1942 | Wild Bill Hickok Rides · as Henry Hathaway |
| 1942 | Private Snuffy Smith · as Gen. Rosewater |
| 1941 | Law of the Timber · as Adams |
| 1941 | Sullivan's Travels · as Desk Sergeant |
| 1941 | Riders of the Timberline · as Jim Kerrigan |
| 1941 | Broadway Limited · as Mulcahey |
| 1941 | Meet John Doe · as 'sourpuss' |
| 1941 | The Great Lie · as Dr. Ferguson |
| 1941 | In Old Cheyenne · as Tim Casey |
| 1940 | Untamed · as Dr. Billar |
| 1940 | Pony Express Days · as Nevada Jim |
| 1940 | Stagecoach War · as Jeff Chapman |
| 1940 | The Last Alarm · as Jim Hadley |
| 1940 | Prairie Law · as Sheriff Jim Austin |
| 1940 | I Take This Oath · as Insp. Tim Ryan |
| 1940 | The Light of Western Stars · as Bill Stillwell |
| 1940 | Dark Command · as Dave |
| 1940 | Knights of the Range · as Cappy |
| 1939 | The Housekeeper's Daughter · as Captain |
| 1939 | Full Confession · as Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited) |
| 1939 | They Shall Have Music · as Police Chief (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Coast Guard · as Capt. Hansen (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Conspiracy · as Captain Of The Falcon |
| 1939 | Susannah of the Mounties · as Pat O'hannegan |
| 1939 | Zenobia · as Judge |
| 1939 | East Side of Heaven · as Doorman (uncredited) |
| 1939 | The Lone Ranger Rides Again · as Craig Dolan |
| 1938 | Little Orphan Annie · as 'pop' Corrigan |
| 1938 | Submarine Patrol · as Cwo 'sails' Quincannon |
| 1938 | Come on, Rangers! · as Colonel Forbes |
| 1938 | Gang Bullets · as Chief Reardon |
| 1938 | There Goes My Heart · as Officer |
| 1938 | The Crowd Roars · as Father Patrick Ryan |
| 1938 | Barefoot Boy · as Warden |
| 1938 | White Banners · as Dr. Thompson |
| 1937 | Courage of the West · as Buck Saunders |
| 1937 | The Game That Kills · as Joe Holland |
| 1937 | My Dear Miss Aldrich · as 'doc' Howe |
| 1937 | Slave Ship · as Proprietor |
| 1937 | |
| 1937 | Flying Fists · as Bill 'one-Punch' Fagin |
| 1937 | Slim · as Pop |
| 1937 | Parnell · as Irish Laborer (uncredited) |
| 1937 | The Hit Parade · as Sgt. O'hara |
| 1937 | Silent Barriers · as Major Rogers |
| 1937 | Maid of Salem · as Captain Of Ship |
| 1936 | Show Boat · as Windy Maclaine |
| 1936 | Florida Special · as Captain Timothy Harrigan |
| 1936 | Exclusive Story · as Michael Devlin |
| 1935 | Riffraff · as 'brains' |
| 1935 | Hitch Hike Lady · as Judge Hale |
| 1935 | Waterfront Lady · as Capt. O'brien |
| 1935 | The Irish in Us · as Capt. Jackson |
| 1935 | Danger Ahead · as Harry Cromwell |
| 1935 | Front Page Woman · as Hallohan |
| 1935 | Shadows of the Orient · as Inspector Sullivan |
| 1935 | The Arizonian · as Marshal Andy Jordan |
| 1935 | The Healer · as Applejack |
| 1935 | Our Little Girl · as Hobo |
| 1935 | Let 'em Have It · as Mr. Keefer |
| 1935 | Star of Midnight · as Inspector Doremus |
| 1935 | The Whole Town's Talking · as Prison Warden (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Northern Frontier · as Inspector |
| 1935 | Square Shooter · as Sheriff |
| 1935 | The Best Man Wins · as Captain--Harbor Patrol |
| 1935 | Maybe It's Love · as The Cop |
| 1934 | Romance in Manhattan · as Murphy |
| 1934 | The Cat's-Paw · as Shigley |
| 1934 | Burn 'Em Up Barnes · as Train Engineer [chs. 7-8] |
| 1934 | Once to Every Woman · as John Flannigan |
| 1934 | The Crosby Case · as The Doorman--Mike Costello |
| 1934 | Man of Two Worlds · as Michael |
| 1933 | Murder on the Campus · as Police Capt. Ed Kyne |
| 1933 | Myrt and Marge · as Grady |
| 1933 | The Power and the Glory · as Mulligan |
| 1933 | I Loved a Woman · as Shuster |
| 1933 | Laughing at Life · as Prison Warden |
| 1933 | Peg o' My Heart · as Patrick Shamus 'pat' O'connell |
| 1933 | The Working Man · as Henry 'hank' Davis |
| 1932 | Stranger in Town · as Scout |
| 1932 | No Man of Her Own · as 'dickie' Collins |
| 1932 | Me and My Gal · as Pop Riley |
| 1932 | Men Are Such Fools · as Prison Warden Randolph |
| 1932 | Heritage of the Desert · as Adam Naab |
| 1932 | 70,000 Witnesses · as State Coach |
| 1932 | Hearts of Humanity · as Tom O'hara |
| 1932 | The Phantom Express · as D.j. 'smokey' Nolan |
| 1932 | The Thirteenth Guest · as Captain Ryan |
| 1932 | The Hurricane Express · as Jim Baker |
| 1932 | Madame Racketeer · as John Adams |
| 1932 | Week-End Marriage · as Mr. Davis |
| 1932 | The Strange Love of Molly Louvain · as Police Sgt. J.b. Antrim (uncredited) |
| 1932 | Scandal for Sale · as Treadway |
| 1932 | Probation · as George Holman |
| 1932 | Hotel Continental · as Detective Martin |
| 1932 | Discarded Lovers · as Sommers |
| 1931 | The Spirit of Notre Dame · as The Coach |
| 1931 | The Brat · as Timson, The Butler |
| 1931 | The Squaw Man · as Big Bill |
| 1931 | |
| 1931 | Sporting Blood · as Macguire |
| 1931 | The Maltese Falcon · as Det. Sgt. Tom Polhaus |
| 1931 | Too Young to Marry · as Rev. Stump |
| 1931 | The Millionaire · as Dan Lewis |
| 1931 | The Stolen Jools · as Policeman |
| 1931 | The Painted Desert · as Jeff Cameron |
| 1931 | The Easiest Way · as Ben Murdock |
| 1931 | Under Eighteen · as Pop Evans |
| 1930 | Other Men's Women · as Peg-Leg |
| 1930 | The Truth About Youth · as Colonel Graham |
| 1930 | River's End · as O'toole |
| 1930 | Song o' My Heart · as Rafferty |
| 1930 | Men Without Women · as Costello |
| 1929 | Happy Days · as Train Conductor |
| 1929 | Strong Boy · as Angus Mcgregor |
| 1928 | In Old Arizona · as Stage Passenger (uncredited) |
| 1928 | Riley the Cop · as James 'aloysius' Riley |
| 1928 | Abie's Irish Rose · as Patrick Murphy |
| 1928 | Bringing Up Father · as Jiggs |
| 1928 | The Cohens and the Kellys in Paris · as Patrick Kelly |
| 1927 | |
| 1927 | East Side, West Side · as Pug Malone |
| 1927 | Paid to Love · as Peter Roberts |
| 1927 | The Cradle Snatchers · as George Martin |
| 1926 | 3 Bad Men · as Mike Costigan |
| 1926 | The Shamrock Handicap · as Con O'shea |
| 1925 | Thank You · as Andy |
| 1925 | The Fighting Heart · as Jerry |
| 1925 | Kentucky Pride · as Donavan |
| 1925 | Lightnin' · as Lemuel Townsend |
| 1924 | The Iron Horse · as Corporal Casey |
| 1924 | The Signal Tower · as Pete |
| 1924 | Mademoiselle Midnight · as Duc De Moing (prologue) |
| 1923 | Drifting · as Murphy |
| 1923 | Racing Hearts · as Silas Martin |
| 1922 | The Young Rajah · as Amhad Beg - Prime Minister |
| 1922 | Manslaughter · as (uncredited) |
| 1922 | Sky High · as Jim Frazer (as J. Farrel Macdonald) |
| 1921 | Action · as Mormon Peters |
| 1921 | The Freeze-Out · as Bobtail Mcguire |
| 1920 | Hitchin' Posts · as Joe Alabam (as J. Farrell Mcdonald) |
| 1919 | Marked Men · as Tom Placer Mcgraw |
| 1919 | |
| 1919 | Riders of Vengeance · as Buell |
| 1919 | A Fight for Love · as The Priest |
| 1919 | Roped · as Butler |
| 1915 | Rags · as Paul Ferguson (as Joseph Farrell Macdonald) |
| 1914 | From Father to Son · as Cast |
| 1914 | For the Freedom of Cuba · as Gen. Cuyler |
| 1914 | The Gambler's Oath · as The Mexican |
| 1913 | The Dread Inheritance · as Cast |
| 1913 | Back to Primitive · as Cast |