Wallace MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Wallace Archibald MacDonald (5 May 1891, Mulgrave, Nova Scotia
, Canada
- 30 October 1978, Santa Barbara
California
) was an Canadian
silent film
actor
, and film producer
.
Macdonald started as a messenger boy with the Dominion Steel Company in Sydney, Nova Scotia
. He later worked up to teller with the Royal Bank in Sydney before the bank transferred him to Vancouver, British Columbia. From there, he moved to California where he acted on the stage before making inroads into Hollywood.
MacDonald initially began as an actor in films in 1914
and starred in almost 120 motion pictures between then and 1932. He had notable roles in such films as Youth's Endearing Charm
in 1916
working with Mary Miles Minter
and Harry von Meter
.
Late in World War I he returned briefly to Nova Scotia to enlist in the 10th Canadian Siege Battery where he assisted in recruiting for the Canadian Army.
With the advent of sound, MacDonald's acting career diminished, and most of roles between 1927 and 1932 went uncredited. He retired from acting in 1932 to concentrate on script writing. However, by 1937 he had recognized the potential of film production. It is in his role of producer that MacDonald is now probably best remembered. He produced well over 100 films between 1937 and 1959.
He died in 1978.
Sometimes he is mistaken as a brother of actor Francis McDonald
. Though both resembled one another and were born in 1891, they were born three months apart and spelled their surnames differently.
Mulgrave, Nova Scotia
Mulgrave is a small town on the Strait of Canso in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada; immediately across from the town of Port Hawkesbury. As of 2006 the population was 879....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- 30 October 1978, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) was an Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
.
Macdonald started as a messenger boy with the Dominion Steel Company in Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
. He later worked up to teller with the Royal Bank in Sydney before the bank transferred him to Vancouver, British Columbia. From there, he moved to California where he acted on the stage before making inroads into Hollywood.
MacDonald initially began as an actor in films in 1914
1914 in film
The year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.-Events:*The 3,300-seat Mark Strand Theatre opens in New York City....
and starred in almost 120 motion pictures between then and 1932. He had notable roles in such films as Youth's Endearing Charm
Youth's Endearing Charm
Youth's Endearing Charm is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by William C. Dowlan. The film stars Mary Miles Minter, Wallace McDonald and Harry von Meter. The script for the film was adapted by J...
in 1916
1916 in film
The year 1916 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 17 - release of A Daughter of the Gods, the first US production with a million dollar budget, with the first nude scene by a major star....
working with Mary Miles Minter
Mary Miles Minter
Mary Miles Minter was an American film actress of the silent film era.-Early life and rise to stardom:Born Juliet Reilly in Shreveport, Louisiana, Minter was the daughter of Broadway actress Charlotte Shelby...
and Harry von Meter
Harry von Meter
Harry von Meter was an American silent film actor. He was signed by the Thanhouser Company based in New York City in 1912, moving to American Film Studios a year or two later, and starred in about 200 films until 1929. He is perhaps most famous for starring in The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Mons...
.
Late in World War I he returned briefly to Nova Scotia to enlist in the 10th Canadian Siege Battery where he assisted in recruiting for the Canadian Army.
With the advent of sound, MacDonald's acting career diminished, and most of roles between 1927 and 1932 went uncredited. He retired from acting in 1932 to concentrate on script writing. However, by 1937 he had recognized the potential of film production. It is in his role of producer that MacDonald is now probably best remembered. He produced well over 100 films between 1937 and 1959.
He died in 1978.
Sometimes he is mistaken as a brother of actor Francis McDonald
Francis McDonald
Francis McDonald was an American actor whose career spanned 52 years. Although never really a headlining actor, he made 41 film and television appearances between 1913 and 1965, appearing in films such as The Temptress in 1926 with Greta Garbo...
. Though both resembled one another and were born in 1891, they were born three months apart and spelled their surnames differently.
As actor
- The Face on the Bar Room FloorThe Face on the Bar Room Floor (1914 film)The Face on the Bar Room Floor is a short film written and directed by Charles Chaplin in 1914. Chaplin stars in this film, loosely based on the poem of the same name by Hugh Antoine d'Arcy.-Synopsis:...
(19141914 in filmThe year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.-Events:*The 3,300-seat Mark Strand Theatre opens in New York City....
short) - Dough and DynamiteDough and DynamiteDough and Dynamite is a 1914 American comedy silent film made by Keystone Studios starring Charlie Chaplin.- Plot :The story involves Chaplin and Chester Conklin working as waiters at a restaurant where the cooks go on strike...
(1914 short) - Tillie's Punctured RomanceTillie's Punctured Romance (1914 film)Tillie's Punctured Romance is the first feature-length comedy film from Keystone Film Company and the Christie Film Company, produced in 1914. A silent film directed by Mack Sennett, the film stars Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin, and the Keystone Cops...
(1914) - The Day of FaithThe Day of FaithThe Day of Faith is a 1923 drama film directed by Tod Browning.-Cast:* Eleanor Boardman - Jane Maynard* Tyrone Power, Sr. - Michael Anstell * Raymond Griffith - Tom Barnett* Wallace MacDonald - John Anstell...
(19231923 in film-Events:*April 15 - Lee De Forest demonstrates the Phonofilm sound-on-film system at the Rivoli Theater in New York with a series of short musical films featuring vaudeville performers.-Top grossing films :-Films released in 1923:U.S.A...
) - MaytimeMaytime (1923 film)Maytime is a 1923 American silent romantic drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Ethel Shannon, Harrison Ford and William Norris. The film also features one of Clara Bow's earliest cinema roles...
(1923) - Thy Name Is WomanThy Name Is WomanThy Name Is Woman is a 1924 silent comedy film directed by Fred Niblo.-Cast:* Ramon Novarro - Juan Ricardo* Barbara La Marr - Guerita* William V. Mong - Pedro the Fox * Wallace MacDonald - Capt. Rodrigo de Castelar...
(19241924 in film-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) - The Sea HawkThe Sea Hawk (1924 film)The Sea Hawk is a 1924 silent movie about an English noble sold into slavery who escapes and turns himself into a pirate king. Directed by Frank Lloyd, the screen adaptation was written by J. G...
(1924) - Lightnin'Lightnin'Lightnin' is a 1925 comedy film directed by John Ford. It was based on a successful play that played 1,291 performances starting in 1918 at the Gaiety Theatre...
(19251925 in film-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
) - The Bar-C MysteryThe Bar-C MysteryThe Bar-C Mystery is a 1926 Western film serial directed by Robert F. Hill. It is now considered to be lost.-Cast:* Dorothy Phillips - Jane Cortelyou* Wallace MacDonald - Nevada* Ethel Clayton - Mrs...
(19261926 in film-Events:*August - Warner Brothers debuts the first Vitaphone film, Don Juan. The Vitaphone system used multiple 33⅓ rpm disc records developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to play back audio synchronized with film....
) - Fighting with Buffalo BillFighting with Buffalo BillFighting With Buffalo Bill is a 1926 Western film serial directed by Ray Taylor. The film is now considered to be lost.-Cast:* Wallace MacDonald - Ned Wheeler* Elsa Benham - Doris Carberry* Edmund Cobb - Buffalo Bill Cody* Robert Homans - Caleb Crosby...
(1926) - Whispering Smith RidesWhispering Smith RidesWhispering Smith Rides is a 1927 Western film serial directed by Ray Taylor. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Wallace MacDonald - Whispering Smith* Rose Blossom* J. P. McGowan* Clark Comstock* Henry Hebert* Merrill McCormick Whispering Smith Rides is a 1927 Western film serial directed by...
(19271927 in film-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
) - BlockadeBlockade (1928 film)-Cast:* Anna Q. Nilsson as Bess* Wallace MacDonald as Vincent* James Bradbury Sr. as Gwynn* Walter McGrail as Hayden...
(1928) - Darkened RoomsDarkened RoomsDarkened Rooms is a 1929 American mystery film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Evelyn Brent.- Cast :* Evelyn Brent as Ellen* Neil Hamilton as Emory Jago* Doris Hill as Joyce Clayton* David Newell as Billy* Gale Henry as Madame Silvara...
(1929) - Hit the DeckHit the Deck (1930 film)Hit the Deck is a 1930 musical film directed by Luther Reed, starred Jack Oakie, and featured Technicolor sequences. It was based on the musical Hit the Deck. It was one of the most expensive productions of RKO Radio Pictures up to that time, and one of the most expensive productions of 1930. This...
(19301930 in film-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
) - Madam SatanMadam SatanMadam Satan is a dramatic pre-Code musical film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille for MGM, one of the few DeMille made for the Culver City studio...
(1930) - The Drums of JeopardyThe Drums of Jeopardy (1931 film)The Drums of Jeopardy is a 1931 American film directed by George B. Seitz.The name "Boris Karlov" was used from MacGrath's book and for the 1922 Broadway play, but by 1923 with actor Boris Karloff using the similar sounding variation, the film version renamed the character, played by Wallace Beery,...
(19311931 in film-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
) - The Pagan LadyThe Pagan LadyThe Pagan Lady is a 1931 American drama film directed by John Francis Dillon and starring Evelyn Brent.- Cast :* Evelyn Brent as Dorothy 'Dot' Hunter* Conrad Nagel as Ernest Todd* Charles Bickford as Dingo Mike* Roland Young as Dr...
(1931)
As producer
- The Man with Nine LivesThe Man with Nine Lives (film)The Man with Nine Lives is a 1940 mystery film directed by Nick Grinde and starring Boris Karloff.-Cast:* Boris Karloff - Dr. Leon Kravaal* Roger Pryor - Dr. Tim Mason* Jo Ann Sayers - Judith Blair* Stanley Brown - Bob Adams...
(19401940 in filmThe year 1940 in film involved some significant events, including the premieres of the Walt Disney classics Pinocchio and Fantasia.-Events:*February 7 - Walt Disney's animated film Pinocchio is released....
) (uncredited) - Before I HangBefore I HangBefore I Hang is a 1940 American science fiction, horror film released by Columbia Pictures, starring Boris Karloff. The film was directed by Nick Grinde , and was one of several films Karloff starred in contract with Columbia.-Plot:Dr...
(1940) (uncredited) - The Devil CommandsThe Devil CommandsThe Devil Commands is a 1941 horror film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Boris Karloff. The working title of the film was The Devil Said No. In it, a man obsessed with contacting his dead wife falls in with a sinister phony medium. The Devil Commands is one of the many films from the...
(19411941 in filmThe year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
) - Counter-EspionageCounter-Espionage-Cast:* Warren William as Michael Lanyard* Eric Blore as Jamison* Hillary Brooke as Pamela Hart* Thurston Hall as Insp. Crane* Fred Kelsey as Detective Wesley Dickens* Forrest Tucker as Anton Schugg* Matthew Boulton as Inspector J...
(1942) - Man in the DarkMan in the DarkMan in the Dark is a film noir drama 3-D film starring Edmund O'Brien, Audrey Totter and Ted de Corsia released in 1953. It is a remake of the 1936 Ralph Bellamy vehicle The Man who Lived Twice.It was the first Columbia Pictures film released in 3-D....
(19531953 in filmThe year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
)