07/13/1878
Glasgow, Scotland, UK:
Thomas Donald Meek (14. Juli 1878 – 18. November 1946) war ein schottisch-amerikanischer Schauspieler. Er stand bereits mit acht Jahren zum ersten Mal öffentlich auf der Bühne und gab 1903 sein Broadway-Debüt. Meek ist vor allem für seine Rollen in den Filmen „You Can't Take It with You“ (1938) und „Stagecoach“ (1939) bekannt. 1960 wurde ihm posthum ein Stern auf dem Hollywood Walk of Fame verliehen. Meek wurde in Glasgow als Sohn von Matthew und Annie Meek geboren. In den 1890er Jahren wanderte die Familie Meek zunächst nach Kanada und später in die Vereinigten Staaten aus. Um 1900 lebte die Familie in Philadelphia, wo Meek laut US-Volkszählung als Verkäufer von Kurzwaren arbeitete und später auch als Schauspieler tätig war. Nach Jahren auf der Bühne wurde Meek Filmschauspieler und wirkte in Filmen wie „Die Abenteuer des Tom Sawyer“, „Little Miss Broadway“ und „State Fair“ mit. Bevor er Schauspieler wurde, kämpfte er im Spanisch-Amerikanischen Krieg in der US-Armee und erkrankte an Gelbfieber, was zu Haarausfall führte. In vielen seiner Filme verkörperte er ängstliche, besorgte Charaktere und ist wohl am bekanntesten für seine Rollen als Mr. Poppins in Frank Capras „You Can't Take It With You“ und als Whiskeyhändler Samuel Peacock in John Fords „Stagecoach“. Von 1931 bis 1932 spielte Meek den Kriminologen Dr. Crabtree in einer Reihe von zwölf Kurzfilmen (jeweils zwei Akte) von Warner Brothers, geschrieben von S.S. Van Dine. Meek und Isabella „Belle“ Walken heirateten am 3. Januar 1909 in einer methodistischen Kirche in Boston. Durch diese Heirat verlor die in Amerika geborene Belle Meek ihre US-amerikanische Staatsbürgerschaft und nahm die britische Staatsbürgerschaft ihres Mannes an. Donald Meek starb am 18. November 1946 in Los Angeles an Leukämie, während er die Rolle des Mr. Twiddle in „Magic Town“ drehte. Der vielbeschäftigte Filmschauspieler wirkte in über 100 Hollywood-Filmen des Goldenen Zeitalters mit und erhielt posthum einen Stern auf dem Hollywood Walk of Fame. Er wurde im Fairmount Mausoleum auf dem Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado, beigesetzt.
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Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984) as (archive footage) |
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Bob Hope's World of Comedy (1976) as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage) |
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Magic Town (1947) as Mr. Twiddle |
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The Fabulous Joe (1947) as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer |
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Affairs of Geraldine (1946) as Casper Millhouse |
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Janie Gets Married (1946) as Harley P. Stowers |
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Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946) as Doc Buden |
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Because of Him (1946) as Martin |
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State Fair (1945) as Hippenstahl |
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The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) as Willie Crump |
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Barbary Coast Gent (1944) as Bradford Bellamy I |
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Maisie Goes to Reno (1944) as Parsons |
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Bathing Beauty (1944) as Chester Klazenfrantz |
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Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) as Mr. Nizby |
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Rationing (1944) as Wilfred Ball |
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Lost Angel (1943) as Professor Catty |
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Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul |
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Air Raid Wardens (1943) as Eustace Middling |
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Keeper of the Flame (1943) as Mr Arbuthnot |
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They Got Me Covered (1943) as Little Old Man |
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Seven Sweethearts (1942) as Reverend Howgan, the Minister |
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The Omaha Trail (1942) as Engineer Jonah McCleod |
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Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) as Mr. Stickwell |
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Tortilla Flat (1942) as Paul D. Cummings |
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Babes on Broadway (1941) as Mr. Stone |
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Rise and Shine (1941) as Professor Philip Murray |
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The Feminine Touch (1941) as Captain Makepeace Liveright |
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A Woman's Face (1941) as Herman Rundvik |
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Barnacle Bill (1941) as "Pop" Cavendish |
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Blonde Inspiration (1941) as 'Dusty' King |
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Come Live with Me (1941) as Joe Darsie |
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The Wild Man of Borneo (1941) as Professor Charles W. Birdo |
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Hullabaloo (1940) as Mr. Clyde Perkins |
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Third Finger, Left Hand (1940) as Mr. Flandrin |
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Sky Murder (1940) as Bartholomew |
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The Return of Frank James (1940) as McCoy |
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Phantom Raiders (1940) as Bartholomew |
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Turnabout (1940) as Henry, the Valet |
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Star Dust (1940) as Sam Wellman |
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The Ghost Comes Home (1940) as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr. |
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Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940) as Mittelmeyer |
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The Man from Dakota (1940) as Mr. Vestry |
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My Little Chickadee (1940) as Amos Budge |
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Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love! (1940) as Adelbert Thistlebottom |
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Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939) as Bartholomew, the bee man |
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The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) as Editor Wilson |
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Hollywood Cavalcade (1939) as Lyle P. Stout |
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Blondie Takes a Vacation (1939) as Jonathan N. Gillis |
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Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) as Prosecutor John Felder |
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Stagecoach (1939) as Samuel Peacock |
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Jesse James (1939) as McCoy |
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Hold That Co-ed (1938) as Dean Thatcher |
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You Can't Take It with You (1938) as Mr. Poppins |
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Little Miss Broadway (1938) as Willoughby Wendling |
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Having Wonderful Time (1938) as P.U. Rogers |
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Goodbye Broadway (1938) as Iradius P. Oglethorpe |
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) as Sunday School Superintendent |
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Double Danger (1938) as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson |
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You're a Sweetheart (1937) as Conway Jeeters |
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Breakfast for Two (1937) as Justice of the Peace |
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Double Wedding (1937) as Judge Blynn (uncredited) |
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Make a Wish (1937) as Joseph |
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Artists & Models (1937) as Dr. Zimmer |
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The Toast of New York (1937) as Daniel Drew |
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Three Legionnaires (1937) as Uriah S. Grant |
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Parnell (1937) as Nicholas Daniel Murphy |
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Behind The Headlines (1937) as Potter |
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Maid of Salem (1937) as Ezra Cheeves |
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Pennies from Heaven (1936) as Gramp Smith |
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Love on the Run (1936) as Caretaker |
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Two in a Crowd (1936) as Bennett |
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Old Hutch (1936) as Mr. Gunnison |
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Three Married Men (1936) as Mr. Frisbee |
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One Rainy Afternoon (1936) as Judge |
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And So They Were Married (1936) as Hotel Manager |
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Everybody's Old Man (1936) as Finney |
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Captain Blood (1935) as Dr. Whacker |
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The Bride Comes Home (1935) as The Judge |
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Kind Lady (1935) as Mr. Foster |
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Peter Ibbetson (1935) as Mr. Slade |
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Happiness C.O.D. (1935) as Thomas Sherridan |
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Barbary Coast (1935) as Sawbuck McTavish |
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She Couldn't Take It (1935) as Uncle Wyndersham |
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The Return Of Peter Grimm (1935) as Mayor Everett Bartholomew |
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China Seas (1935) as Chess Player (uncredited) |
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Old Man Rhythm (1935) as Paul Parker |
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Village Tale (1935) as Charlie |
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The Informer (1935) as Peter Mulligan |
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Mark of the Vampire (1935) as Dr. Doskil |
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Baby Face Harrington (1935) as Skinner |
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The Whole Town's Talking (1935) as Hoyt |
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Society Doctor (1935) as Moxley |
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The Gilded Lily (1935) as Hankerson |
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Romance in Manhattan (1935) as Minister |
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Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935) as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store |
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The Merry Widow (1934) as Valet |
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The Captain Hates the Sea (1934) as Josephus Bushmills |
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Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934) as Mr. Wiggs |
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What Every Woman Knows (1934) as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited) |
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The Defense Rests (1934) as Fogg |
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Murder at the Vanities (1934) as Dr. Saunders |
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The Last Gentleman (1934) as Judd Barr, Cabot's son |
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Bedside (1934) as Dr. George Wiley |
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Hi, Nellie! (1934) as Durkin |
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College Coach (1933) as Spencer Trask |
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Love, Honor and Oh, Baby! (1933) as Luther Bowen |
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The Trans-Atlantic Mystery (1932) as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist |
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The Crane Poison Case (1932) as Dr. Amos Crabtree |
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The Side Show Mystery (1932) as Dr. Amos Crabtree |
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Murder in the Pullman (1932) as Dr. Amos Crabtree |
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The Cole Case (1932) as Dr. Crabtree |
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The Skull Murder Mystery (1932) as Dr. Crabtree |
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Wayward (1932) as Hotel Clerk (uncredited) |
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The Studio Murder Mystery (1932) as Dr. Crabtree |
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The Symphony Murder Mystery (1932) as Dr. Crabtree |
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The Week End Mystery (1931) as Dr. Amos Crabtree |
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The Wall Street Mystery (1931) as Doctor Crabtree |
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The Clyde Mystery (1931) as Dr. Amos Crabtree |
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Personal Maid (1931) as Pa Ryan |
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The Girl Habit (1931) as Jonesy |
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The Love Kiss (1930) as William |
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The Hole in the Wall (1929) as Goofy |
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Six Cylinder Love (1923) as Richard Burton |