Tuesday 28 August 2012

Gene O'Donnell

Born: 28 February 1911, Iowa, USA
Died: 22 November 1992, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Steve, a Henderson goon (uncredited)

Gene O'Donnell is on the left, with Wheeler Oakman.














Donald Kerr

Born: 5 August 1891, Eagle Grove, Iowa, USA
Died: 25 January 1977, Los Angeles, California, USA

A superior bit part actor, who was often given dialogue, Donald Kerr made over 450 film and television appearances in his career.

The Road to Ruin (1934) as Drunk shooting dice



















The Pace That Kills (1935) as Drunk at Nightclub (uncredited)

Donald Kerr tries to chat up Sheila Bromley at the expense of Dean Benton.


















Taming the Wild (1936) as Jimmy Taylor, reporter



















Four Daughters (1938) as Sam

On the left is Eddie Acuff. The credits say that Donald Kerr played Earl, but it is Eddie Acuff who is called Earl in the dialogue.


















Convict's Code (1939) as Barfly (uncredited)

Hal Price is behind the bar in the smoke.

















Slightly Honorable (1939) as Photographer (uncredited)

Donald Kerr is on the far right, nearest to us. Pat O'Brien and Douglas Fowley are in the middle of the picture.

















Millionaires in Prison (1940) as Prison library clerk (uncredited)

With Lee Tracy.

















Kitty Foyle (1940) as Taxi driver (uncredited)

Donald Kerr is on the right, with Dennis Morgan and Ginger Rogers.
















Mexican Spitfire's Baby (1941) as John, the chauffeur (uncredited)

Kerr is in the chauffeur's hat on the left behind Charles 'Buddy' Rogers.

















So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Sailor (uncredited)

With Roger Pryor.

















The Big Street (1942) as Pete the Passer (uncredited)

Donald Kerr is in the white hat.

















Two Weeks to Live (1943) as Plato's Owner (uncredited)

On the left is Jack Rice.


















Killer Dill (1947) as Reporter on the Telephone (uncredited)

Donald Kerr is nearest to us.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hannah Lee: An American Primitive (1953) as Blackjack Dealer (uncredited)
 
Donald Kerr is looking at Joanne Dru. Macdonald Carey is on the left.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) as Bobby Clark (uncredited)

Donald Kerr is on the far left in the fur coat. Ethel Merman is in the centre of the picture. Isabelle Dwan is in the white dress.











Irving Mitchell

Born: 18 March 1891, Portland, Oregon, USA
Died: 3 August 1969, Hollywood, California, USA

Small time character actor, often given speaking parts.

Citizen Kane (1941) as Dr. Corey (uncredited)

Irving Mitchell stands over the seated Orson Welles. Renee Godfrey is in the background. Dorothy Comingore is in bed.
















So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Rex Crenshaw (uncredited)

Irving Mitchell is crouching, with Roger Pryor.










Monday 27 August 2012

Wheeler Oakman

Born: 21 February 1890, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Died: 19 March 1949, Van Nuys, California, USA

A silent screen actor whose career survived the transition to the talkies. Wheeler mostly portrayed villains or their henchman in westerns and crime dramas.

Mickey (1918) as Herbert Thornhill



















Death in the Air (1936) as Lt. Douglas Thompson




















So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Blackie Hale, Henderson's triggerman (uncredited)

Wheeler Oakman, facing camera, his hand reaching for a gun, as usual. The actor behind him is Gene O'Donnell.
















Three of a Kind (1944) as Oliver

With Helen Gilbert.














Jack Chefe

Born: 1 April 1894, Kiev, Ukraine
Died: 1 December 1975, Los Angeles, California, USA

A character actor and bit part player in over 300 films. Played a lot of waiters.

Taming the Wild (1936) as Headwaiter (uncredited)

Jack Chefe is on the right, with Rod La Rocque.

















Winterset (1936) as Shirley's Dance Partner (uncredited)

Jack Chefe is the man on the left. The lady on the right is Barbara Pepper.

















Honeymoon Deferred (1940) as Hotel Employee (uncredited)

Jack Chefe is behind Edmund Lowe. Margaret Lindsay looks shocked.

















So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Waiter

The man in black.

















I Accuse My Parents (1944) as Headwaiter (uncredited)

Robert Lowell is following Jack Chefe.

















Career Girl (1944) as Pierre, headwaiter (uncredited)

With Frances Langford and Edward Norris

















The Falcon's Adventure (1946) as Headwaiter (uncredited)

















Killer Dill (1947) as Speakeasy headwaiter (uncredited)
 
Jack Chefe is on the left, with Stuart Erwin and Milburn Stone.















In a Lonely Place (1950) as Bartender (uncredited)


Perry Mason: The Case of the Drowning Duck (1957) (Season 1, Episode 4) as Court clerk (uncredited)

Jack Chefe helps Nolan Leary down the steps.










Fred Kelsey

Born: 20 August 1884, Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Died: 2 September 1961, Hollywood, California, USA
 
A character actor who graced the screens in films starring Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges, among many others. He eventually made over 200 film appearances. 
 
Crazy Like a Fox (1926) as Sleeping Train Passenger with Badge (uncredited)
 
With Charley Chase on the left.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930) as Chief of Detectives
 


















Quiet Please! (1933) as Train conductor




















Danger Ahead (1935) as Detective O'Brien



















Private Number (1936) as Detective in Ellen's Apartment (uncredited)

In the studio system this could have one of several bit parts Fred shot in a day. Nothing really to do but stand there between Monroe Owsley on the left and John Miljan.. 















Tell No Tales (1939) as Police officer at school (uncredited)
 
Fred Kelsey is in between Charles D. Brown and Lee Phelps.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Crime by Night (1944) as Dad Martin (uncredited)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Flamingo Road (1949) as Train Conductor (uncredited)
 
Difficult to see much of Fred with all this steam.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mesa of Lost Women (1953) as Bartender
 
Harmon Stevens is in the hat.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



Frank Austin

Born: 9 October 1877, Mound City, Missouri, USA
Died: 13 May 1954, Los Angeles, California, USA

A character in many major films from Laurel and Hardy to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).

The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case (1930) as Butler

'You're wanted on the phone'

















Bad Girl (1931) as Upstairs Tenement Neighbour (uncredited)

Frank Austin walks between Sally Eilers and James Dunn.

Lew Davis

Born: 16 July 1884, Buffalo, New York, USA
Died: 13 January 1948, Inglewood, California, USA

A bit part actor, mainly uncredited, who appeared in over 100 films. Lew's greatest claim to fame was appearing in nearly 30 Three Stooges shorts.
 
Dizzy Doctors (1937) as Small Car Driver (uncredited)
 
With Curly Howard in a Three Stooges comedy short.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and Carry (1937) as Con Man (uncredited)
 
Lew Davis, on the left, confers with Nick Copeland in a Three Stooges comedy short.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Cigarette counter man (uncredited)
 
Uncredited background role for Lew, with no lines of dialogue. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A Hit with a Miss (1945) as Ring Announcer (uncredited)
 
A Shemp Howard comedy short.
















Bride and Gloom (1947) as Realtor (uncredited)

Lew is on the left, with Dick Curtis and Christine McIntyre in a Shemp Howard comedy short.












George DeNormand

Born: 22 September 1903, New York City, New York, USA
Died: 23 December 1976, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
A stunt man and bit part actor of over 400 film and television appearances.
 
So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Boxing referee
 
DeNormand was also a stunt man in this movie.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Falcon in Danger (1943) as Policeman at Morley's (uncredited)
 
Art Dupuis is on the left and Felix Basch is on the right.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

George Eldredge

Born: 10 September 1898, San Francisco, California, USA
Died: 12 March 1977, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
Special Agent K-7 (1936) as Ames, District Attorney
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) as Jake, Mickey O'Banion's trainer
 
George Eldredge is on the right, with Bud McTaggart.

















The Living Ghost (1942) as Tony Weldon (Credited as George Eldridge)



















Perry Mason: The Case of the Nervous Accomplice (1957) (Season 1, Episode 3) as Fenton Thompson

George Eldredge is on the right, with Sam Flint.














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