Donald Meek
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 13, 1878
- Died
- November 18, 1946 (aged 68)
- Birthplace
- Glasgow, Scotland, UK
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Movie · as (archive footage)
Magic Town
Movie · as Mr. Twiddle
The Fabulous Joe
Movie · as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
Janie Gets Married
Movie · as Harley P. Stowers
Affairs of Geraldine
Movie · as Casper Millhouse
Because of Him
Movie · as Martin
Colonel Effingham's Raid
Movie · as Doc Buden
State Fair
Movie · as Hippenstahl
The Thin Man Goes Home
Movie · as Willie Crump
Bathing Beauty
Movie · as Chester Klazenfrantz
Two Girls and a Sailor
Movie · as Mr. Nizby
Rationing
Movie · as Wilfred Ball
Barbary Coast Gent
Movie · as Bradford Bellamy I
Maisie Goes to Reno
Movie · as Parsons
Keeper of the Flame
Movie · as Mr Arbuthnot
Du Barry Was a Lady
Movie · as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
Air Raid Wardens
Movie · as Eustace Middling
Lost Angel
Movie · as Professor Catty
They Got Me Covered
Movie · as Little Old Man
Tortilla Flat
Movie · as Paul D. Cummings
Maisie Gets Her Man
Movie · as Mr. Stickwell
The Omaha Trail
Movie · as Engineer Jonah McCleod
Seven Sweethearts
Movie · as Reverend Howgan, the Minister
Come Live with Me
Movie · as Joe Darsie
A Woman's Face
Movie · as Herman Rundvik
The Feminine Touch
Movie · as Captain Makepeace Liveright
The Wild Man of Borneo
Movie · as Professor Charles W. Birdo
Barnacle Bill
Movie · as "Pop" Cavendish
Blonde Inspiration
Movie · as 'Dusty' King
Babes on Broadway
Movie · as Mr. Stone
Rise and Shine
Movie · as Professor Philip Murray
My Little Chickadee
Movie · as Amos Budge
The Return of Frank James
Movie · as McCoy
Phantom Raiders
Movie · as Bartholomew
Sky Murder
Movie · as Bartholomew
Third Finger, Left Hand
Movie · as Mr. Flandrin
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
Movie · as Mittelmeyer
The Ghost Comes Home
Movie · as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
Turnabout
Movie · as Henry, the Valet
The Man from Dakota
Movie · as Mr. Vestry
Star Dust
Movie · as Sam Wellman
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
Movie · as Adelbert Thistlebottom
Hullabaloo
Movie · as Mr. Clyde Perkins
Stagecoach
Movie · as Samuel Peacock
Blondie Takes a Vacation
Movie · as Jonathan N. Gillis
Jesse James
Movie · as McCoy
Young Mr. Lincoln
Movie · as Prosecutor John Felder
Nick Carter, Master Detective
Movie · as Bartholomew, the bee man
Hollywood Cavalcade
Movie · as Lyle P. Stout
The Housekeeper's Daughter
Movie · as Editor Wilson
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Movie · as Sunday School Superintendent
You Can't Take It with You
Movie · as Poppins
Having Wonderful Time
Movie · as P.U. Rogers
Double Danger
Movie · as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
Goodbye Broadway
Movie · as Iradius P. Oglethorpe
Hold That Co-ed
Movie · as Dean Thatcher
Little Miss Broadway
Movie · as Willoughby Wendling
The Toast of New York
Movie · as Daniel Drew
Breakfast for Two
Movie · as Justice of the Peace
Make a Wish
Movie · as Joseph
Behind The Headlines
Movie · as Potter
Parnell
Movie · as Nicholas Daniel Murphy
Three Legionnaires
Movie · as Uriah S. Grant
Artists & Models
Movie · as Dr. Zimmer
Maid of Salem
Movie · as Ezra Cheeves
You're a Sweetheart
Movie · as Conway Jeeters
Double Wedding
Movie · as Judge Blynn (uncredited)
And So They Were Married
Movie · as Hotel Manager
One Rainy Afternoon
Movie · as Judge
Pennies from Heaven
Movie · as Gramp Smith
Three Married Men
Movie · as Mr. Frisbee
Love on the Run
Movie · as Caretaker
Old Hutch
Movie · as Mr. Gunnison
Two in a Crowd
Movie · as Bennett
Everybody's Old Man
Movie · as Finney
Mark of the Vampire
Movie · as Dr. Doskil
Captain Blood
Movie · as Dr. Whacker
The Whole Town's Talking
Movie · as Hoyt
Peter Ibbetson
Movie · as Mr. Slade
The Return Of Peter Grimm
Movie · as Mayor Everett Bartholomew
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
Movie · as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
Happiness C.O.D.
Movie · as Thomas Sherridan
She Couldn't Take It
Movie · as Uncle Wyndersham
Village Tale
Movie · as Charlie
The Gilded Lily
Movie · as Hankerson
The Bride Comes Home
Movie · as The Judge
Baby Face Harrington
Movie · as Skinner
Barbary Coast
Movie · as Sawbuck McTavish
Kind Lady
Movie · as Mr. Foster
Society Doctor
Movie · as Moxley
Old Man Rhythm
Movie · as Paul Parker
China Seas
Movie · as Chess Player (uncredited)
The Informer
Movie · as Peter Mulligan
Murder at the Vanities
Movie · as Dr. Saunders
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Movie · as Mr. Wiggs
Bedside
Movie · as Dr. George Wiley
The Last Gentleman
Movie · as Judd Barr, Cabot's son
Romance in Manhattan
Movie · as Minister
Hi, Nellie!
Movie · as Durkin
The Defense Rests
Movie · as Fogg
The Captain Hates the Sea
Movie · as Josephus Bushmills
The Merry Widow
Movie · as Valet
What Every Woman Knows
Movie · as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
College Coach
Movie · as Spencer Trask
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
Movie · as Luther Bowen
The Crane Poison Case
Movie · as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Side Show Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Studio Murder Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Crabtree
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
Wayward
Movie · as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
The Skull Murder Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Crabtree
The Cole Case
Movie · as Dr. Crabtree
Murder in the Pullman
Movie · as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Symphony Murder Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Crabtree
The Clyde Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Wall Street Mystery
Movie · as Doctor Crabtree
Personal Maid
Movie · as Pa Ryan
The Week End Mystery
Movie · as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Girl Habit
Movie · as Jonesy
The Love Kiss
Movie · as William
The Hole in the Wall
Movie · as Goofy
Six Cylinder Love
Movie · as Richard Burton