Donald Meek

Donald Meek

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1878-07-14
Deathday: 1946-11-18 (68 years old)

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Biography

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.

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Filmography

all 120

Movies 120

(archive footage)
Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)

Movie
Mr. Twiddle
Magic Town

Magic Town (1947)

Movie
Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
The Fabulous Joe

The Fabulous Joe (1947)

Movie
Casper Millhouse
Affairs of Geraldine

Affairs of Geraldine (1946)

Movie
Harley P. Stowers
Janie Gets Married

Janie Gets Married (1946)

Movie
Doc Buden
Colonel Effingham's Raid

Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946)

Movie
Martin
Because of Him

Because of Him (1946)

Movie
Hippenstahl
State Fair

State Fair (1945)

Movie
Willie Crump
The Thin Man Goes Home

The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)

Movie
5.52
Bradford Bellamy I
Barbary Coast Gent

Barbary Coast Gent (1944)

Movie
Parsons
Maisie Goes to Reno

Maisie Goes to Reno (1944)

Movie
Chester Klazenfrantz
Bathing Beauty

Bathing Beauty (1944)

Movie
Mr. Nizby
Two Girls and a Sailor

Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)

Movie
Wilfred Ball
Rationing

Rationing (1944)

Movie
Professor Catty
Lost Angel

Lost Angel (1943)

Movie
Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
Du Barry was a Lady

Du Barry was a Lady (1943)

Movie
Eustace Middling
Air Raid Wardens

Air Raid Wardens (1943)

Movie
7
Mr Arbuthnot
Keeper of the Flame

Keeper of the Flame (1943)

Movie
Little Old Man
They Got Me Covered

They Got Me Covered (1943)

Movie
Reverend Howgan, the Minister
Seven Sweethearts

Seven Sweethearts (1942)

Movie
Engineer Jonah McCleod
The Omaha Trail

The Omaha Trail (1942)

Movie
Mr. Stickwell
Maisie Gets Her Man

Maisie Gets Her Man (1942)

Movie
Paul D. Cummings
Tortilla Flat

Tortilla Flat (1942)

Movie
Mr. Stone
Babes on Broadway

Babes on Broadway (1941)

Movie
Professor Philip Murray
Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine (1941)

Movie
Captain Makepeace Liveright
The Feminine Touch

The Feminine Touch (1941)

Movie
Herman Rundvik
A Woman's Face

A Woman's Face (1941)

Movie
1
'Pop' Cavendish
Barnacle Bill

Barnacle Bill (1941)

Movie
'Dusty' King
Blonde Inspiration

Blonde Inspiration (1941)

Movie
Joe Darsie
Come Live with Me

Come Live with Me (1941)

Movie
Professor Birdo
The Wild Man of Borneo

The Wild Man of Borneo (1941)

Movie
Mr. Clyde Perkins
Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo (1940)

Movie
Mr. Flandrin
Third Finger, Left Hand

Third Finger, Left Hand (1940)

Movie
Bartholomew
Sky Murder

Sky Murder (1940)

Movie
McCoy
The Return of Frank James

The Return of Frank James (1940)

Movie
Bartholomew
Phantom Raiders

Phantom Raiders (1940)

Movie
Henry - the Valet
Turnabout

Turnabout (1940)

Movie
Sam Wellman
Star Dust

Star Dust (1940)

Movie
Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
The Ghost Comes Home

The Ghost Comes Home (1940)

Movie
Mittelmeyer
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)

Movie
Mr. Vestry
The Man from Dakota

The Man from Dakota (1940)

Movie
Amos Budge
My Little Chickadee

My Little Chickadee (1940)

Movie
Adelbert Thistlebottom
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!

Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love! (1940)

Movie
Bartholomew, the bee man
Nick Carter, Master Detective

Nick Carter, Master Detective (1939)

Movie
Editor Wilson
The Housekeeper's Daughter

The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939)

Movie
Lyle P. Stout
Hollywood Cavalcade

Hollywood Cavalcade (1939)

Movie
Jonathan N. Gillis
Blondie Takes a Vacation

Blondie Takes a Vacation (1939)

Movie
Prosecutor John Felder
Young Mr. Lincoln

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

Movie
6
Samuel Peacock
Stagecoach

Stagecoach (1939)

Movie
4.33
McCoy
Jesse James

Jesse James (1939)

Movie
Dean Thatcher
Hold That Co-ed

Hold That Co-ed (1938)

Movie
Mr. Poppins
You Can't Take It with You

You Can't Take It with You (1938)

Movie
6
Willoughby Wendling
Little Miss Broadway

Little Miss Broadway (1938)

Movie
P.U. Rogers
Having Wonderful Time

Having Wonderful Time (1938)

Movie
Iradius P. Oglethorpe
Goodbye Broadway

Goodbye Broadway (1938)

Movie
Sunday School Superintendent
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)

Movie
Gordon Ainsley aka Henry Robinson
Double Danger

Double Danger (1938)

Movie
Conway Jeeters
You're a Sweetheart

You're a Sweetheart (1937)

Movie
Justice of the Peace
Breakfast for Two

Breakfast for Two (1937)

Movie
Judge Blynn (uncredited)
Double Wedding

Double Wedding (1937)

Movie
Joseph
Make a Wish

Make a Wish (1937)

Movie
Dr. Zimmer
Artists & Models

Artists & Models (1937)

Movie
Daniel Drew
The Toast of New York

The Toast of New York (1937)

Movie
Uriah S. Grant
Three Legionnaires

Three Legionnaires (1937)

Movie
Nicholas Daniel Murphy
Parnell

Parnell (1937)

Movie
Potter
Behind The Headlines

Behind The Headlines (1937)

Movie
Ezra Cheeves
Maid of Salem

Maid of Salem (1937)

Movie
Gramp Smith
Pennies from Heaven

Pennies from Heaven (1936)

Movie
Caretaker
Love on the Run

Love on the Run (1936)

Movie
Bennett
Two in a Crowd

Two in a Crowd (1936)

Movie
Mr. Gunnison
Old Hutch

Old Hutch (1936)

Movie
Mr. Frisbee
Three Married Men

Three Married Men (1936)

Movie
Judge
One Rainy Afternoon

One Rainy Afternoon (1936)

Movie
Hotel Manager
And So They Were Married

And So They Were Married (1936)

Movie
Dr. Whacker
Captain Blood

Captain Blood (1935)

Movie
6
The Judge
The Bride Comes Home

The Bride Comes Home (1935)

Movie
Mr. Foster
Kind Lady

Kind Lady (1935)

Movie
Mr. Slade
Peter Ibbetson

Peter Ibbetson (1935)

Movie
Thomas Sherridan
Happiness C.O.D.

Happiness C.O.D. (1935)

Movie
Sawbuck McTavish
Barbary Coast

Barbary Coast (1935)

Movie
Uncle Wyndersham
She Couldn't Take It

She Couldn't Take It (1935)

Movie
Mayor Everett Bartholomew
The Return Of Peter Grimm

The Return Of Peter Grimm (1935)

Movie
Chess Player (uncredited)
China Seas

China Seas (1935)

Movie
Paul Parker
Old Man Rhythm

Old Man Rhythm (1935)

Movie
Charlie
Village Tale

Village Tale (1935)

Movie
Peter Mulligan
The Informer

The Informer (1935)

Movie
6
Dr. Doskil
Mark of the Vampire

Mark of the Vampire (1935)

Movie
6
Seriah Skinner
Baby Face Harrington

Baby Face Harrington (1935)

Movie
Hoyt
The Whole Town's Talking

The Whole Town's Talking (1935)

Movie
Moxley
Society Doctor

Society Doctor (1935)

Movie
Hankerson
The Gilded Lily

The Gilded Lily (1935)

Movie
Minister
Romance in Manhattan

Romance in Manhattan (1935)

Movie
Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
Biography of a Bachelor Girl

Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935)

Movie
Josephus Bushmills
The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea (1934)

Movie
Valet
The Merry Widow

The Merry Widow (1934)

Movie
Mr. Wiggs
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934)

Movie
Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
What Every Woman Knows

What Every Woman Knows (1934)

Movie
Fogg
The Defense Rests

The Defense Rests (1934)

Movie
Dr. Saunders
Murder at the Vanities

Murder at the Vanities (1934)

Movie
Judd Barr, Cabot's son
The Last Gentleman

The Last Gentleman (1934)

Movie
Dr. George Wiley
Bedside

Bedside (1934)

Movie
Durkin
Hi, Nellie!

Hi, Nellie! (1934)

Movie
Spencer Trask
College Coach

College Coach (1933)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery

The Trans-Atlantic Mystery (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree
The Crane Poison Case

The Crane Poison Case (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree
The Side Show Mystery

The Side Show Mystery (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
Murder in the Pullman

Murder in the Pullman (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree
The Cole Case

The Cole Case (1932)

Movie
Father
The Babbling Book

The Babbling Book (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree
The Skull Murder Mystery

The Skull Murder Mystery (1932)

Movie
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Wayward

Wayward (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree
The Studio Murder Mystery

The Studio Murder Mystery (1932)

Movie
Dr. Crabtree
The Symphony Murder Mystery

The Symphony Murder Mystery (1932)

Movie
Doctor Crabtree
The Week End Mystery

The Week End Mystery (1931)

Movie
Doctor Crabtree
The Wall Street Mystery

The Wall Street Mystery (1931)

Movie
Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Clyde Mystery

The Clyde Mystery (1931)

Movie
Pa Ryan
Personal Maid

Personal Maid (1931)

Movie
Jonesy
The Girl Habit

The Girl Habit (1931)

Movie
Goofy
The Hole in the Wall

The Hole in the Wall (1929)

Movie
Richard Burton
Six Cylinder Love

Six Cylinder Love (1923)

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.68
Based on 217 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1923
1935
1937
1935
1984
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Donald MeekDonald MeekDonald Meek

Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1878-07-14

Deathday
1946-11-18 (68 years old)

Birth Place
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Citizenships
United Kingdom, United States of America

Also Known As
Thomas Donald Meek

Awards
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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Larry Steers worked together with Donald Meek in:
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