J. Farrell MacDonald
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.
Filmography
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
as Self (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
as Self (archive footage)
Superman and the Mole Men
as Pop Shannon
Superman and the Mole Men
as Pop Shannon
Here Comes the Groom
as Husband on Airplane (uncredited)
Here Comes the Groom
as Husband on Airplane (uncredited)
Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell
as Mr. Kroeger
Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell
as Mr. Kroeger
Woman on the Run
as Cap, the Retired Ferryboat Captain
Woman on the Run
as Cap, the Retired Ferryboat Captain
Hostile Country
as Mr. Lane (uncredited)
Hostile Country
as Mr. Lane (uncredited)
The Daltons' Women
as Alvin
The Daltons' Women
as Alvin
When Willie Comes Marching Home
as Gilby - Pharmacist (uncredited)
When Willie Comes Marching Home
as Gilby - Pharmacist (uncredited)
Dakota Lil
as Ellis
Dakota Lil
as Ellis
The Dalton Gang
as Judge Price
The Dalton Gang
as Judge Price
You're My Everything
as Doorman (uncredited)
You're My Everything
as Doorman (uncredited)
Streets of San Francisco
as Pop Lockhart
Streets of San Francisco
as Pop Lockhart
Trouble Preferred
as Apartment House Manager (uncredited)
Trouble Preferred
as Apartment House Manager (uncredited)
Whispering Smith
as Bill Baggs
Whispering Smith
as Bill Baggs
Shep Comes Home
as Sheriff Cap Weatherby
Shep Comes Home
as Sheriff Cap Weatherby
The Walls of Jericho
as Bailiff (uncredited)
The Walls of Jericho
as Bailiff (uncredited)
Belle Starr's Daughter
as Doc Benson
Belle Starr's Daughter
as Doc Benson
Fury at Furnace Creek
as Pops Murphy (uncredited)
Fury at Furnace Creek
as Pops Murphy (uncredited)
Sitting Pretty
as Cop (uncredited)
Sitting Pretty
as Cop (uncredited)
Panhandle
as Doc Cooper
Panhandle
as Doc Cooper
If You Knew Susie
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
If You Knew Susie
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Thunder in the Valley
as McPherson - Innkeeper
Thunder in the Valley
as McPherson - Innkeeper
Christmas Eve
as Policeman (uncredited)
Christmas Eve
as Policeman (uncredited)
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
as Mac (uncredited)
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
as Mac (uncredited)
Keeper of the Bees
as Postmaster
Keeper of the Bees
as Postmaster
Web of Danger
as Scotty MacKronish - Bus Driver
Web of Danger
as Scotty MacKronish - Bus Driver
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
It's a Wonderful Life
as Man Whose Grandfather Planted Tree (uncredited)
It's a Wonderful Life
as Man Whose Grandfather Planted Tree (uncredited)
Goodbye, Weeds
as Gardener
Goodbye, Weeds
as Gardener
My Darling Clementine
as Mac the barman
My Darling Clementine
as Mac the barman
Smoky
as Jim
Smoky
as Jim
Joe Palooka, Champ
as Long-Count Bowman
Joe Palooka, Champ
as Long-Count Bowman
Pillow of Death
Pillow of Death
Johnny Angel
as Capt. Angel
Johnny Angel
as Capt. Angel
Circumstantial Evidence
as Jury Foreman
Circumstantial Evidence
as Jury Foreman
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
as Mr. Carney The Junkman (uncredited)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
as Mr. Carney The Junkman (uncredited)
Hangover Square
as Street Vendor (uncredited)
Hangover Square
as Street Vendor (uncredited)
Greenwich Village
as O'Shea, policeman
Greenwich Village
as O'Shea, policeman
The Great Moment
as The Priest
The Great Moment
as The Priest
Texas Masquerade
as John Martindale
Texas Masquerade
as John Martindale
True to Life
as Man (uncredited)
True to Life
as Man (uncredited)
Tiger Fangs
as Geoffrey MacCardle
Tiger Fangs
as Geoffrey MacCardle
The Ape Man
as Captain O'Brien
The Ape Man
as Captain O'Brien
Harrigan's Kid
as Frank (uncredited)
Harrigan's Kid
as Frank (uncredited)
The McGuerins from Brooklyn
as Cop
The McGuerins from Brooklyn
as Cop
Bowery at Midnight
as Capt. Mitchell
Bowery at Midnight
as Capt. Mitchell
Phantom Killer
as Police Captain
Phantom Killer
as Police Captain
The Palm Beach Story
as Officer O'Donnell (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
as Officer O'Donnell (uncredited)
The Living Ghost
as Police Lt. 'Pete' Peterson
The Living Ghost
as Police Lt. 'Pete' Peterson
One Thrilling Night
as Police Sergeant Haggerty
One Thrilling Night
as Police Sergeant Haggerty
Reap the Wild Wind
as Port Captain
Reap the Wild Wind
as Port Captain
Captains of the Clouds
as Dr. Neville
Captains of the Clouds
as Dr. Neville
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
as Henry Hathaway
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
as Henry Hathaway
Private Snuffy Smith
as Gen. Rosewater
Private Snuffy Smith
as Gen. Rosewater
Law of the Timber
as Adams
Law of the Timber
as Adams
Riders of the Timberline
as Jim Kerrigan
Riders of the Timberline
as Jim Kerrigan
Broadway Limited
as Mulcahey
Broadway Limited
as Mulcahey
In Old Cheyenne
as Tim Casey
In Old Cheyenne
as Tim Casey
Meet John Doe
as 'Sourpuss'
Meet John Doe
as 'Sourpuss'
Friendly Neighbors
as Sheiff Potts
Friendly Neighbors
as Sheiff Potts
Untamed
as Dr. Billar
Untamed
as Dr. Billar
Pony Express Days
as Nevada Jim
Pony Express Days
as Nevada Jim
Stagecoach War
as Jeff Chapman
Stagecoach War
as Jeff Chapman
The Last Alarm
as Jim Hadley
The Last Alarm
as Jim Hadley
Prairie Law
as Sheriff Jim Austin
Prairie Law
as Sheriff Jim Austin
I Take This Oath
as Insp. Tim Ryan
I Take This Oath
as Insp. Tim Ryan
Knights of the Range
as Cappy
Knights of the Range
as Cappy
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Captain
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Captain
Full Confession
as Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Full Confession
as Joe, Police Sergeant (uncredited)
They Shall Have Music
as Police Chief (uncredited)
They Shall Have Music
as Police Chief (uncredited)
Conspiracy
as Captain of the Falcon
Conspiracy
as Captain of the Falcon
Mickey the Kid
as Sheriff J.J. Willoughby
Mickey the Kid
as Sheriff J.J. Willoughby
Susannah of the Mounties
as Pat O'Hannegan
Susannah of the Mounties
as Pat O'Hannegan
Zenobia
as Judge
Zenobia
as Judge
East Side of Heaven
as Doorman (uncredited)
East Side of Heaven
as Doorman (uncredited)
Little Orphan Annie
as 'Pop' Corrigan
Little Orphan Annie
as 'Pop' Corrigan
Gang Bullets
as Chief Reardon
Gang Bullets
as Chief Reardon
The Last Express
as William Barton (Detective Agency Head)
The Last Express
as William Barton (Detective Agency Head)
There Goes My Heart
as Officer
There Goes My Heart
as Officer
The Crowd Roars
as Father Patrick Ryan
The Crowd Roars
as Father Patrick Ryan
Numbered Woman
as Capt. Mike Ryan
Numbered Woman
as Capt. Mike Ryan
Extortion
as Coach Pearson
Extortion
as Coach Pearson
My Old Kentucky Home
as Mayor Jim Hopkins
My Old Kentucky Home
as Mayor Jim Hopkins
Courage of the West
as Buck Saunders
Courage of the West
as Buck Saunders
My Dear Miss Aldrich
as 'Doc' Howe
My Dear Miss Aldrich
as 'Doc' Howe
Topper
as Policeman
Topper
as Policeman
Roaring Timber
as Andrew MacKinley
Roaring Timber
as Andrew MacKinley
Flying Fists
as Bill 'One-Punch' Fagin
Flying Fists
as Bill 'One-Punch' Fagin
Slave Ship
as Proprietor
Slave Ship
as Proprietor
Parnell
as Irish Laborer
Parnell
as Irish Laborer
Parnell
as Irish Laborer
Parnell
as Irish Laborer
Maid of Salem
as Captain of Ship
Maid of Salem
as Captain of Ship
Mysterious Crossing
as Police Chief Bullock
Mysterious Crossing
as Police Chief Bullock
Show Boat
as Windy MacLaine
Show Boat
as Windy MacLaine
Florida Special
as Harrigan
Florida Special
as Harrigan
Exclusive Story
as Michael Devlin
Exclusive Story
as Michael Devlin
Hitch Hike Lady
as Judge Hale
Hitch Hike Lady
as Judge Hale
Stormy
as Trinidad Dorn
Stormy
as Trinidad Dorn
Waterfront Lady
as Capt. O'Brien
Waterfront Lady
as Capt. O'Brien
Star of Midnight
as Inspector Doremus
Star of Midnight
as Inspector Doremus
Once to Every Woman
as Flannigan
Once to Every Woman
as Flannigan
The Crime Doctor
as Kemp
The Crime Doctor
as Kemp
Under Secret Orders
as John Burke
Under Secret Orders
as John Burke
The Racing Strain
as Mr. Martin
The Racing Strain
as Mr. Martin
Week-End Marriage
as Mr. Davis
Week-End Marriage
as Mr. Davis
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
as Police Sgt. J.B. Antrim (uncredited)
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain
as Police Sgt. J.B. Antrim (uncredited)
Probation
as George Holman
Probation
as George Holman
Under Eighteen
as Pop Evans
Under Eighteen
as Pop Evans
Too Young to Marry
as Rev. Stump
Too Young to Marry
as Rev. Stump
The Millionaire
as Dan Lewis
The Millionaire
as Dan Lewis
Song o' My Heart
as Rafferty
Song o' My Heart
as Rafferty
Happy Days
as Train Conductor
Happy Days
as Train Conductor
The Iron Horse
as Corporal Casey
The Iron Horse
as Corporal Casey
The Lucky Horseshoe
as Mack
The Lucky Horseshoe
as Mack
Lightnin'
as Lemuel Townsend
Lightnin'
as Lemuel Townsend
Mademoiselle Midnight
as Duc de Moing (Prologue)
Mademoiselle Midnight
as Duc de Moing (Prologue)
Racing Hearts
as Silas Martin
Racing Hearts
as Silas Martin
Manslaughter
as (uncredited)
Manslaughter
as (uncredited)
The Bonded Woman
as Captain Gaskell
The Bonded Woman
as Captain Gaskell
Over the Border
as Peter Galbraith
Over the Border
as Peter Galbraith
The Wallop
as Neuces River
The Wallop
as Neuces River
The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter
The Dream
as Secondary Role (uncredited)
The Dream
as Secondary Role (uncredited)