Acting
Donald Meek
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.
Filmography
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Film · 1984
Magic Town
Film · 1947
The Fabulous Joe
Film · 1947
Janie Gets Married
Film · 1946
Affairs of Geraldine
Film · 1946
Because of Him
Film · 1946
Colonel Effingham's Raid
Film · 1946
State Fair
Film · 1945
The Thin Man Goes Home
Film · 1944
Bathing Beauty
Film · 1944
Two Girls and a Sailor
Film · 1944
Rationing
Film · 1944
Barbary Coast Gent
Film · 1944
Maisie Goes to Reno
Film · 1944
Keeper of the Flame
Film · 1943
Du Barry Was a Lady
Film · 1943
Air Raid Wardens
Film · 1943
Lost Angel
Film · 1943
They Got Me Covered
Film · 1943
Tortilla Flat
Film · 1942
Maisie Gets Her Man
Film · 1942
The Omaha Trail
Film · 1942
Seven Sweethearts
Film · 1942
Come Live with Me
Film · 1941
A Woman's Face
Film · 1941
The Feminine Touch
Film · 1941
The Wild Man of Borneo
Film · 1941
Barnacle Bill
Film · 1941
Blonde Inspiration
Film · 1941
Babes on Broadway
Film · 1941
Rise and Shine
Film · 1941
My Little Chickadee
Film · 1940
The Return of Frank James
Film · 1940
Sky Murder
Film · 1940
Phantom Raiders
Film · 1940
Third Finger, Left Hand
Film · 1940
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
Film · 1940
The Ghost Comes Home
Film · 1940
Turnabout
Film · 1940
The Man from Dakota
Film · 1940
Star Dust
Film · 1940
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
Film · 1940
Hullabaloo
Film · 1940
Stagecoach
Film · 1939
Blondie Takes a Vacation
Film · 1939
Jesse James
Film · 1939
Young Mr. Lincoln
Film · 1939
Nick Carter, Master Detective
Film · 1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
Film · 1939
The Housekeeper's Daughter
Film · 1939
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Film · 1938
You Can't Take It with You
Film · 1938
Having Wonderful Time
Film · 1938
Double Danger
Film · 1938
Goodbye Broadway
Film · 1938
Hold That Co-ed
Film · 1938
Little Miss Broadway
Film · 1938
The Toast of New York
Film · 1937
Breakfast for Two
Film · 1937
Make a Wish
Film · 1937
Behind The Headlines
Film · 1937
Parnell
Film · 1937
Three Legionnaires
Film · 1937
Artists & Models
Film · 1937
Maid of Salem
Film · 1937
You're a Sweetheart
Film · 1937
Double Wedding
Film · 1937
And So They Were Married
Film · 1936
One Rainy Afternoon
Film · 1936
Pennies from Heaven
Film · 1936
Three Married Men
Film · 1936
Love on the Run
Film · 1936
Old Hutch
Film · 1936
Two in a Crowd
Film · 1936
Everybody's Old Man
Film · 1936
Mark of the Vampire
Film · 1935
Captain Blood
Film · 1935
The Whole Town's Talking
Film · 1935
Peter Ibbetson
Film · 1935
The Return Of Peter Grimm
Film · 1935
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
Film · 1935
Happiness C.O.D.
Film · 1935
She Couldn't Take It
Film · 1935
Village Tale
Film · 1935
The Gilded Lily
Film · 1935
The Bride Comes Home
Film · 1935
Baby Face Harrington
Film · 1935
Barbary Coast
Film · 1935
Kind Lady
Film · 1935
Society Doctor
Film · 1935
Old Man Rhythm
Film · 1935
China Seas
Film · 1935
The Informer
Film · 1935
Murder at the Vanities
Film · 1934
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Film · 1934
Bedside
Film · 1934
The Last Gentleman
Film · 1934
Romance in Manhattan
Film · 1934
Hi, Nellie!
Film · 1934
The Defense Rests
Film · 1934
The Captain Hates the Sea
Film · 1934
The Merry Widow
Film · 1934
What Every Woman Knows
Film · 1934
College Coach
Film · 1933
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
Film · 1933
The Side Show Mystery
Film · 1932
The Crane Poison Case
Film · 1932
The Studio Murder Mystery
Film · 1932
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
Film · 1932
Wayward
Film · 1932
The Skull Murder Mystery
Film · 1932
The Cole Case
Film · 1932
Murder in the Pullman
Film · 1932
The Symphony Murder Mystery
Film · 1932
The Clyde Mystery
Film · 1931
The Wall Street Mystery
Film · 1931
Personal Maid
Film · 1931
The Week End Mystery
Film · 1931
The Girl Habit
Film · 1931
The Love Kiss
Film · 1930
The Hole in the Wall
Film · 1929
Six Cylinder Love
Film · 1923