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Kenneth MacDonald (American actor)

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For the English actor, see Kenneth MacDonald (English actor).
Kenneth MacDonald
MacDonald in The Phantom (1943)
Born
Kenneth Dollins

(1901-09-08)September 8, 1901
Portland, Indiana, U.S.
DiedMay 5, 1972(1972-05-05) (aged 70)
Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Years active1931–1972
SpouseLaMee Nave MacDonald (1930–1972) (his death) (3 children)[1]

Kenneth MacDonald (born Kenneth Dollins; September 8, 1901 – May 5, 1972)[2] was an American film actor. Born in Portland, Indiana, MacDonald made more than 220 film and television appearances between 1931 and 1972. His name is sometimes seen as Kenneth McDonald;[3] his later roles sometimes credited him as Kenneth R. MacDonald.

Career

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MacDonald began his career as a stage actor. In 1923 he appeared in his first feature film, Slow as Lightning.[3] He came to Hollywood in the early 1930s, where he played small roles in low-budget, independent productions.

In 1939 Kenneth MacDonald was signed by Columbia Pictures for the studio's Charles Starrett westerns. MacDonald perfected a cool, debonair demeanor, which usually masked an evil side as a con man, outlaw, or thief. His speaking voice was rich and well modulated, often being gentle and ominous at the same time, in the Boris Karloff manner. Also, like Karloff, he seldom raised his voice, making his characters both dominant and dangerous. This quality made MacDonald an effective villain in Columbia's adventure serials like Mandrake the Magician, The Phantom, and Black Arrow. He was also adept at playing sympathetic roles, usually as calm authority figures (police official, prison psychiatrist, judge, etc.).

Actors in Columbia's stock company almost always worked in the studio's two-reel comedy shorts as well as features and serials, but Kenneth MacDonald did not join the short-subject fraternity until 1945, when he appeared opposite comedy stars Gus Schilling and Richard Lane. He is probably best known today for his work with The Three Stooges.

MacDonald developed a flair for comedy, and he made memorable appearances in comedy shorts starring The Three Stooges including Monkey Businessmen, Hold That Lion!, Crime on Their Hands, Punchy Cowpunchers, and Loose Loot. Beginning in 1953, the comedy in the Columbia shorts became even more physical under producer-director Jules White, and MacDonald obligingly got plastered with pies, fruit, and other missiles. He also returned to Columbia's serial unit, which was then filming low-budget remakes of his older serials using much of the original footage; MacDonald appeared in new scenes to match his old ones. He left the Columbia shorts department in 1955, but still appeared occasionally in feature films; he played a member of the court martial board in The Caine Mutiny (1954), and had a bit role as Jerry Lewis's father in The Ladies' Man (1961).

Television

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MacDonald began working in television in 1949, in The Lone Ranger (episode eight; he would return to the series in episode 173, 1955). From 1951 to 1953 MacDonald was a frequent guest star, mostly as a sheriff, in the syndicated television series, The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones. He appeared six times as Colonel Parker in the ABC western series Colt .45. In 1960 MacDonald appeared as Duggan on the TV western Laramie in the episode titled "Duel at Parkinson Town.".[4] He also appeared in a number of episodes of the TV western Bat Masterson with Gene Barry (MacDonald appeared with Dyan Cannon in "The Price of Paradise" in 1961.)

MacDonald's most prolific work in television was in 32 episodes of CBS's Perry Mason. He played the recurring role of a judge (sometimes named Carter, sometimes named Hartley, other times unnamed) between 1957 and 1966.

Death

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MacDonald died of brain and lung cancer at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California[5] at the age of 70.[6] He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.[2]

Partial filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1949-1955 The Lone Ranger Deputy Zack/Sheriff Mason 4 episodes
1954-1955 The Cisco Kid Marshal/Frank Guthrie 5 episodes
1954 Captain Midnight John Sawyer S1.E5, "Death Below Zero"
1955 Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe Dispersal Station Superintendent 3 episodes
1955 The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin Agent S1.E24, "The Guilty One"
1956 Crossroads Doctor Edwards S2.E2, "Circus Priest"
1956 My Friend Flicka Brady S1.E36, "The Foundlings"
1956 Steve Donovan, Western Marshal Chief Marshal S1.E23, "Stone River"
1956 Broken Arrow Lowrie 3 episodes
1956-1958 Navy Log Admiral/Captain 3 episodes
1956-1960 Cheyenne Indian Agent Clum/Sheriff Gaffey 3 episodes
1957 The Gray Ghost Judge Advocate S1.E7, "The Brothers"
1957 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Jury Foreman S1.E23, "There Were Four"
1957-1958 Colt .45 Col. Parker 5 episodes
1957-1966 Perry Mason Judge Carter/Hartley 32 episodes
1958 Wanted Dead or Alive Sheriff S1.E17, "Drop to Drink"
1958-1961 Sugarfoot Sheriff/Mayor/Mr. Smith 4 episodes
1958-1961 Bronco Sheriff/Sheriff Elliot 3 episodes
1959 The Restless Gun Russ Cantrell S2.E29, "One on the House"
1959 Maverick Sheriff S3.E15, "A Cure for Johnny Rain"
1959 The Rough Riders Oliver Wentworth S1.E17, "Wilderness Trace"
1959 Frontier Doctor Sheriff Quinn S1.E29, "Danger Valley"
1959 The Texan Ed Grover S1.E23, "The Marshal of Yellow Jacket"
1959-1961 Bat Masterson Sam Jansen/Tack Colby 2 episodes
1959-1961 The Deputy Sheriff/Charlie 2 episodes
1959-1961 Rawhide Townsman/Morgan Shaw/Bartender 3 episodes
1959-1960 Laramie Captain Reeves/Zeke/Duggan 4 episodes
1960 Checkmate Elmer S1.E1, "Death Runs Wild"
1960 Bonanza Sheriff S1.E18, "A House Divided"
1960 The Man from Blackhawk Jess S1.E27, "The Search for Cope Borden"
1960-1962 Wagon Train General Collins/Wagon Train Member 2 episodes
1961 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Howard Stacey S6.E20, "Casey and the Clowns"
1961 Gunslinger Sheriff Ed Harkness S1.E12, "New Savannah"
1961 Angel Mr. Nicks S1.E15, "Happy Marriage"
1962 Going My Way Captain S1.E12, "A Dog for Father Fitz"
1962 Surfside 6 Major Croton S2.E24, "The Green Beret"
1962 Ripcord Dr. Page S1.E19, "Double Drop"
1962 Frontier Circus Canfield S1.E22, "The Good Fight"
1963 Wide Country Doctor (uncredited) S1.E18, "Speckle Bird"
1963-1964 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters Army Captain/Miner 2 episodes
1963-1964 Temple Houston Jury Foreman/Election Officer 2 episodes
1964 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Surgeon S1.E13, "The Blizzard Makers"
1964 77 Sunset Strip Police Chief (uncredited) S6.E15, "Lovers' Lane"
1964 Valentine's Day Principal Melvin R. Roberts S1.E8, "The Old School Tie"
1965 Daniel Boone Hamer 2 episodes
1966 This Is the Life unknown S6.E33, "Man Adrift"
1969 Then Came Bronson The Banker S1.E7, "The 3:13 Arrives at Noon"
1969 Judd, for the Defense Judge Waylan S2.E24, "Visitation"
1972 The F.B.I. Davis S7.E22, "The Test"

References

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  1. ^ "Kenneth MacDonald".
  2. ^ a b Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. p. 464. ISBN 9781476625997. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b Katchmer, George A. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 246. ISBN 9780786446933. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Duel At Parkinson Town". Laramie. Season 2. Episode 12. December 13, 1960. NBC.
  5. ^ Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. p. 198. ISBN 9780786477623. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  6. ^ Okuda, Ted; Watz, Edward (1998) [1986]. The Columbia Comedy Shorts. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 0-89950-181-8.
  7. ^ Blottner, Gene (2011). "The Wildcat of Tucson". Wild Bill Elliott: A Complete Filmography. McFarland & Company. pp. 150–151. ISBN 9780786480258. Retrieved 2017-10-09. Bill Elliott's presence, with a matching performance by Kenneth MacDonald, brings this western saga satisfactorily to the screen. [...] An interesting subplot has heroine Evelyn Young momentarily switching her affection from Stanley Brown to his brother, Eliott. Lambert Hillyer's direction is first rate.
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