Donald Meek
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.
Filmography
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
Magic Town
as Mr. Twiddle
Magic Town
as Mr. Twiddle
The Fabulous Joe
as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
The Fabulous Joe
as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
Affairs of Geraldine
as Casper Millhouse
Affairs of Geraldine
as Casper Millhouse
Janie Gets Married
as Harley P. Stowers
Janie Gets Married
as Harley P. Stowers
Colonel Effingham's Raid
as Doc Buden
Colonel Effingham's Raid
as Doc Buden
Because of Him
as Martin
Because of Him
as Martin
State Fair
as Hippenstahl
State Fair
as Hippenstahl
The Thin Man Goes Home
as Willie Crump
The Thin Man Goes Home
as Willie Crump
Barbary Coast Gent
as Bradford Bellamy I
Barbary Coast Gent
as Bradford Bellamy I
Maisie Goes to Reno
as Parsons
Maisie Goes to Reno
as Parsons
Bathing Beauty
as Chester Klazenfrantz
Bathing Beauty
as Chester Klazenfrantz
Two Girls and a Sailor
as Mr. Nizby
Two Girls and a Sailor
as Mr. Nizby
Rationing
as Wilfred Ball
Rationing
as Wilfred Ball
Lost Angel
as Professor Catty
Lost Angel
as Professor Catty
Du Barry Was a Lady
as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
Du Barry Was a Lady
as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
Air Raid Wardens
as Eustace Middling
Air Raid Wardens
as Eustace Middling
Keeper of the Flame
as Mr Arbuthnot
Keeper of the Flame
as Mr Arbuthnot
They Got Me Covered
as Little Old Man
They Got Me Covered
as Little Old Man
Seven Sweethearts
as Reverend Howgan, the Minister
Seven Sweethearts
as Reverend Howgan, the Minister
The Omaha Trail
as Engineer Jonah McCleod
The Omaha Trail
as Engineer Jonah McCleod
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Mr. Stickwell
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Mr. Stickwell
Tortilla Flat
as Paul D. Cummings
Tortilla Flat
as Paul D. Cummings
Babes on Broadway
as Mr. Stone
Babes on Broadway
as Mr. Stone
Rise and Shine
as Professor Philip Murray
Rise and Shine
as Professor Philip Murray
The Feminine Touch
as Captain Makepeace Liveright
The Feminine Touch
as Captain Makepeace Liveright
A Woman's Face
as Herman Rundvik
A Woman's Face
as Herman Rundvik
Barnacle Bill
as "Pop" Cavendish
Barnacle Bill
as "Pop" Cavendish
Blonde Inspiration
as 'Dusty' King
Blonde Inspiration
as 'Dusty' King
Come Live with Me
as Joe Darsie
Come Live with Me
as Joe Darsie
The Wild Man of Borneo
as Professor Charles W. Birdo
The Wild Man of Borneo
as Professor Charles W. Birdo
Hullabaloo
as Mr. Clyde Perkins
Hullabaloo
as Mr. Clyde Perkins
Third Finger, Left Hand
as Mr. Flandrin
Third Finger, Left Hand
as Mr. Flandrin
Sky Murder
as Bartholomew
Sky Murder
as Bartholomew
The Return of Frank James
as McCoy
The Return of Frank James
as McCoy
Phantom Raiders
as Bartholomew
Phantom Raiders
as Bartholomew
Turnabout
as Henry, the Valet
Turnabout
as Henry, the Valet
Star Dust
as Sam Wellman
Star Dust
as Sam Wellman
The Ghost Comes Home
as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
The Ghost Comes Home
as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
as Mittelmeyer
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
as Mittelmeyer
The Man from Dakota
as Mr. Vestry
The Man from Dakota
as Mr. Vestry
My Little Chickadee
as Amos Budge
My Little Chickadee
as Amos Budge
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
as Adelbert Thistlebottom
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
as Adelbert Thistlebottom
Nick Carter, Master Detective
as Bartholomew, the bee man
Nick Carter, Master Detective
as Bartholomew, the bee man
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Editor Wilson
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Editor Wilson
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Lyle P. Stout
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Lyle P. Stout
Blondie Takes a Vacation
as Jonathan N. Gillis
Blondie Takes a Vacation
as Jonathan N. Gillis
Young Mr. Lincoln
as Prosecutor John Felder
Young Mr. Lincoln
as Prosecutor John Felder
Stagecoach
as Samuel Peacock
Stagecoach
as Samuel Peacock
Jesse James
as McCoy
Jesse James
as McCoy
Hold That Co-ed
as Dean Thatcher
Hold That Co-ed
as Dean Thatcher
You Can't Take It with You
as Poppins
You Can't Take It with You
as Poppins
Little Miss Broadway
as Willoughby Wendling
Little Miss Broadway
as Willoughby Wendling
Having Wonderful Time
as P.U. Rogers
Having Wonderful Time
as P.U. Rogers
Goodbye Broadway
as Iradius P. Oglethorpe
Goodbye Broadway
as Iradius P. Oglethorpe
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
as Sunday School Superintendent
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
as Sunday School Superintendent
Double Danger
as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
Double Danger
as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
You're a Sweetheart
as Conway Jeeters
You're a Sweetheart
as Conway Jeeters
Breakfast for Two
as Justice of the Peace
Breakfast for Two
as Justice of the Peace
Double Wedding
as Judge Blynn (uncredited)
Double Wedding
as Judge Blynn (uncredited)
Make a Wish
as Joseph
Make a Wish
as Joseph
Artists & Models
as Dr. Zimmer
Artists & Models
as Dr. Zimmer
The Toast of New York
as Daniel Drew
The Toast of New York
as Daniel Drew
Three Legionnaires
as Uriah S. Grant
Three Legionnaires
as Uriah S. Grant
Parnell
as Nicholas Daniel Murphy
Parnell
as Nicholas Daniel Murphy
Behind The Headlines
as Potter
Behind The Headlines
as Potter
Maid of Salem
as Ezra Cheeves
Maid of Salem
as Ezra Cheeves
Pennies from Heaven
as Gramp Smith
Pennies from Heaven
as Gramp Smith
Love on the Run
as Caretaker
Love on the Run
as Caretaker
Two in a Crowd
as Bennett
Two in a Crowd
as Bennett
Old Hutch
as Mr. Gunnison
Old Hutch
as Mr. Gunnison
Three Married Men
as Mr. Frisbee
Three Married Men
as Mr. Frisbee
One Rainy Afternoon
as Judge
One Rainy Afternoon
as Judge
And So They Were Married
as Hotel Manager
And So They Were Married
as Hotel Manager
Everybody's Old Man
as Finney
Everybody's Old Man
as Finney
Captain Blood
as Dr. Whacker
Captain Blood
as Dr. Whacker
The Bride Comes Home
as The Judge
The Bride Comes Home
as The Judge
Kind Lady
as Mr. Foster
Kind Lady
as Mr. Foster
Peter Ibbetson
as Mr. Slade
Peter Ibbetson
as Mr. Slade
Happiness C.O.D.
as Thomas Sherridan
Happiness C.O.D.
as Thomas Sherridan
Barbary Coast
as Sawbuck McTavish
Barbary Coast
as Sawbuck McTavish
She Couldn't Take It
as Uncle Wyndersham
She Couldn't Take It
as Uncle Wyndersham
The Return Of Peter Grimm
as Mayor Everett Bartholomew
The Return Of Peter Grimm
as Mayor Everett Bartholomew
China Seas
as Chess Player (uncredited)
China Seas
as Chess Player (uncredited)
Old Man Rhythm
as Paul Parker
Old Man Rhythm
as Paul Parker
Village Tale
as Charlie
Village Tale
as Charlie
The Informer
as Peter Mulligan
The Informer
as Peter Mulligan
Mark of the Vampire
as Dr. Doskil
Mark of the Vampire
as Dr. Doskil
Baby Face Harrington
as Skinner
Baby Face Harrington
as Skinner
The Whole Town's Talking
as Hoyt
The Whole Town's Talking
as Hoyt
The Gilded Lily
as Hankerson
The Gilded Lily
as Hankerson
Society Doctor
as Moxley
Society Doctor
as Moxley
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
Romance in Manhattan
as Minister
Romance in Manhattan
as Minister
The Captain Hates the Sea
as Josephus Bushmills
The Captain Hates the Sea
as Josephus Bushmills
The Merry Widow
as Valet
The Merry Widow
as Valet
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
as Mr. Wiggs
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
as Mr. Wiggs
What Every Woman Knows
as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
What Every Woman Knows
as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
The Defense Rests
as Fogg
The Defense Rests
as Fogg
Murder at the Vanities
as Dr. Saunders
Murder at the Vanities
as Dr. Saunders
The Last Gentleman
as Judd Barr, Cabot's son
The Last Gentleman
as Judd Barr, Cabot's son
Bedside
as Dr. George Wiley
Bedside
as Dr. George Wiley
Hi, Nellie!
as Durkin
Hi, Nellie!
as Durkin
College Coach
as Spencer Trask
College Coach
as Spencer Trask
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
as Luther Bowen
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
as Luther Bowen
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
The Crane Poison Case
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Crane Poison Case
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Side Show Mystery
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Side Show Mystery
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
Murder in the Pullman
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
Murder in the Pullman
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Cole Case
as Dr. Crabtree
The Cole Case
as Dr. Crabtree
The Skull Murder Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree
The Skull Murder Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree
Wayward
as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Wayward
as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
The Studio Murder Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree
The Studio Murder Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree
The Symphony Murder Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree
The Symphony Murder Mystery
as Dr. Crabtree
The Week End Mystery
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Week End Mystery
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Wall Street Mystery
as Doctor Crabtree
The Wall Street Mystery
as Doctor Crabtree
The Clyde Mystery
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Clyde Mystery
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
Personal Maid
as Pa Ryan
Personal Maid
as Pa Ryan
The Girl Habit
as Jonesy
The Girl Habit
as Jonesy
The Love Kiss
as William
The Love Kiss
as William
The Hole in the Wall
as Goofy
The Hole in the Wall
as Goofy
Six Cylinder Love
as Richard Burton
Six Cylinder Love
as Richard Burton