Douglas Haig (actor)
Encyclopedia
Douglas Haig was an American child actor
appearing in film
s in the 1920s and 1930s. His career began at age two in silent film
s and (unlike many silent film actors) continued into sound film
s ("talkies"). From 1928 onward he appeared in at least 14 films. As a small child he was placid and pleasant-looking. In a scholarly review of Attorney for the Defense
, a 1932 sound film, his performance is described as very annoying. The high point of Haig's career as a film actor came in 1935, with a starring role in Man's Best Friend.
Haig appeared in both feature film
s and shorts with numerous emerging stars of Hollywood. The Family Group (1928) was a short featuring Charley Chase
. Sins of the Fathers (1928) starred Emil Jannings
and included ZaSu Pitts
. This silent film has been lost
; only excerpts survive in the UCLA Film and Television Archives. Betrayal (1929) was a silent film with talking sequences, synchronized music and sound effects. The cast included Emil Jannings and Gary Cooper
. Welcome Danger (1929) was produced by and starred Harold Lloyd
. High Gear featured James Murray
and Joan Marsh
. John Wayne
(an extra) appears in That's My Boy.
In Man's Best Friend (1935) Haig starred in the lead role of Jed Strong, a boy who has a fine dog and an abusive father who wants to kill the dog. Also appearing in the film were Frank Brownlee
, Mary McLaren, and Patricia Chapman. In 1986, TV Guide
described this film as a simple, unpretentious story of a little mountain boy and his pet police dog.
Although some early films in which Haig appeared have been lost, the later film survive and of those a few have been released on DVD. These include Man's Best Friend (together with The Secret Code) and High Gear.
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
appearing in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s in the 1920s and 1930s. His career began at age two in silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
s and (unlike many silent film actors) continued into sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
s ("talkies"). From 1928 onward he appeared in at least 14 films. As a small child he was placid and pleasant-looking. In a scholarly review of Attorney for the Defense
Attorney for the Defense
Attorney for the Defense is a 1932 American drama film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Evelyn Brent.- Cast :* Edmund Lowe as William J. Burton* Evelyn Brent as Val Lorraine* Constance Cummings as Ruth Barry* Don Dillaway as Paul Wallace...
, a 1932 sound film, his performance is described as very annoying. The high point of Haig's career as a film actor came in 1935, with a starring role in Man's Best Friend.
Haig appeared in both feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s and shorts with numerous emerging stars of Hollywood. The Family Group (1928) was a short featuring Charley Chase
Charley Chase
Charley Chase was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies...
. Sins of the Fathers (1928) starred Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
and included ZaSu Pitts
ZaSu Pitts
ZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children...
. This silent film has been lost
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
; only excerpts survive in the UCLA Film and Television Archives. Betrayal (1929) was a silent film with talking sequences, synchronized music and sound effects. The cast included Emil Jannings and Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
. Welcome Danger (1929) was produced by and starred Harold Lloyd
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
. High Gear featured James Murray
James Murray (actor)
James Murray was an American movie actor.-Background:Born in The Bronx, New York, James Murray went to Hollywood in the 1920s to try to succeed as an actor. After several years of work, mostly as an extra, with little hope of a starring role, he was "discovered" by director King Vidor, who saw...
and Joan Marsh
Joan Marsh
Joan Marsh was an American film actress.Marsh was the daughter of Charles Rosher. She made her first film appearance as an infant in the Universal Pictures film Hearts Aflame , billed as Dorothy Rosher...
. John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
(an extra) appears in That's My Boy.
In Man's Best Friend (1935) Haig starred in the lead role of Jed Strong, a boy who has a fine dog and an abusive father who wants to kill the dog. Also appearing in the film were Frank Brownlee
Frank Brownlee
Frank Brownlee was an American film actor. He appeared in 114 films between 1911 and 1943.He was born in Dallas, Texas and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Sold for Marriage...
, Mary McLaren, and Patricia Chapman. In 1986, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
described this film as a simple, unpretentious story of a little mountain boy and his pet police dog.
Although some early films in which Haig appeared have been lost, the later film survive and of those a few have been released on DVD. These include Man's Best Friend (together with The Secret Code) and High Gear.
Filmography
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woman-Wise | 1937 | Oscar | uncredited |
| Man's Best Friend Man's Best Friend (1935 film) Man's Best Friend is a 1935 feature film about the adventures of a boy and his dog Lightning. The film stars Douglas Haig, an American child actor of the 1920's and 30's; Lightning, a grandson of Strongheart; Frank Brownlee; and Mary McLaren.... |
1935 | Jed Strong | |
| High Gear High Gear (1933 film) High Gear is a 1933 American film directed by Leigh Jason. The film is also known as The Big Thrill in the United Kingdom.- Plot summary :... |
1933 | Percy | |
| Call Her Savage Call Her Savage Call Her Savage is a Pre-Code drama film directed by John Francis Dillon and starring Clara Bow as a wild young woman who rebels against the man she believes to be her father... |
1932 | Pete as a boy | uncredited |
| That's My Boy That's My Boy (1932 film) That's My Boy is a 1932 film that stars Richard Cromwell and Dorothy Jordan. It features John Wayne in an uncredited role as a football player.-Cast:* Richard Cromwell - Tommy Jefferson Scott* Dorothy Jordan - Dorothy Whitney* Mae Marsh - Mom Scott... |
1932 | Tommy as a young boy | |
| Attorney for the Defense Attorney for the Defense Attorney for the Defense is a 1932 American drama film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Evelyn Brent.- Cast :* Edmund Lowe as William J. Burton* Evelyn Brent as Val Lorraine* Constance Cummings as Ruth Barry* Don Dillaway as Paul Wallace... |
1932 | Paul Wallace as a boy | |
| 1931 | Billy | See The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid The Cisco Kid refers to a character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in the collection Heart of the West... |
|
| 1931 | Seryoska | ||
| Caught Short | 1930 | Johnny | |
| Welcome Danger Welcome Danger Welcome Danger is a Comedy film directed by Clyde Bruckman and starring Harold Lloyd in his first talkie. Harold plays a student who helps the San Francisco police investigate a crime wave in that city's Chinatown district.-Cast:*Harold Lloyd... |
1929 | Buddy Lee or Roy | uncredited |
| Betrayal Betrayal (1929 film) Betrayal is a 1929 drama film produced for Famous Players-Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the last silent film directed by Lewis Milestone, the last silent performance by Gary Cooper, the last silent performance by Germany's Emil Jannings, and the only onscreen pairing of... |
1929 | Peter | |
| Baby's Birthday | 1929 | uncredited | |
| Sins of the Fathers | 1928 | Tom as a child | |
| 1928 |