Donald Meek

Donald Meek

Acting
Born 1878-07-13 - Died 1946-11-18Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Biography

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.

Movies (123)

A Woman's Face
6.8

A Woman's Face

1941Movie6.8
Stagecoach
7.6

Stagecoach

1939Movie7.6
Mark of the Vampire
6.2

Mark of the Vampire

1935Movie6.2
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
6.8

Biography of a Bachelor Girl

1935Movie6.8
Bathing Beauty
5.9

Bathing Beauty

1944Movie5.9
You Can't Take It with You
7.5

You Can't Take It with You

1938Movie7.5
Young Mr. Lincoln
7.2

Young Mr. Lincoln

1939Movie7.2
What Every Woman Knows
7.6

What Every Woman Knows

1934Movie7.6
Captain Blood
7.2

Captain Blood

1935Movie7.2
Bob Hope's World of Comedy

Bob Hope's World of Comedy

1976Movie
One Rainy Afternoon
5.0

One Rainy Afternoon

1936Movie5.0
The Informer
6.8

The Informer

1935Movie6.8
Come Live with Me
6.8

Come Live with Me

1941Movie6.8
Jesse James
6.5

Jesse James

1939Movie6.5
Air Raid Wardens
7.1

Air Raid Wardens

1943Movie7.1
Hi, Nellie!
6.7

Hi, Nellie!

1934Movie6.7
Tortilla Flat
5.8

Tortilla Flat

1942Movie5.8
The Merry Widow
6.7

The Merry Widow

1934Movie6.7
Peter Ibbetson
7.0

Peter Ibbetson

1935Movie7.0
China Seas
6.3

China Seas

1935Movie6.3
Nick Carter, Master Detective
6.0

Nick Carter, Master Detective

1939Movie6.0
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
6.5

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet

1940Movie6.5
Magic Town
6.7

Magic Town

1947Movie6.7
Lost Angel
8.0

Lost Angel

1943Movie8.0
The Return of Frank James
6.3

The Return of Frank James

1940Movie6.3
The Fabulous Joe
5.5

The Fabulous Joe

1947Movie5.5
Babes on Broadway
6.6

Babes on Broadway

1941Movie6.6
Little Miss Broadway
6.5

Little Miss Broadway

1938Movie6.5
Blonde Inspiration
5.8

Blonde Inspiration

1941Movie5.8
They Got Me Covered
6.2

They Got Me Covered

1943Movie6.2
State Fair
6.6

State Fair

1945Movie6.6
Third Finger, Left Hand
7.0

Third Finger, Left Hand

1940Movie7.0
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
6.6

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

1938Movie6.6
The Whole Town's Talking
6.9

The Whole Town's Talking

1935Movie6.9
Seven Sweethearts
6.3

Seven Sweethearts

1942Movie6.3
Barbary Coast Gent
5.5

Barbary Coast Gent

1944Movie5.5
Phantom Raiders
6.1

Phantom Raiders

1940Movie6.1
The Wild Man of Borneo
6.7

The Wild Man of Borneo

1941Movie6.7
The Gilded Lily
6.7

The Gilded Lily

1935Movie6.7
Parnell
4.6

Parnell

1937Movie4.6
She Couldn't Take It
5.3

She Couldn't Take It

1935Movie5.3
Society Doctor
7.3

Society Doctor

1935Movie7.3
The Feminine Touch
5.1

The Feminine Touch

1941Movie5.1
Going Hollywood: The '30s
9.0

Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984Movie9.0
Turnabout
6.0

Turnabout

1940Movie6.0
Maisie Goes to Reno
6.6

Maisie Goes to Reno

1944Movie6.6
The Thin Man Goes Home
7.1

The Thin Man Goes Home

1944Movie7.1
Kind Lady
6.8

Kind Lady

1935Movie6.8
Maid of Salem
6.2

Maid of Salem

1937Movie6.2
Barbary Coast
6.4

Barbary Coast

1935Movie6.4
Maisie Gets Her Man
6.7

Maisie Gets Her Man

1942Movie6.7
Two Girls and a Sailor
5.8

Two Girls and a Sailor

1944Movie5.8
Keeper of the Flame
6.6

Keeper of the Flame

1943Movie6.6
The Omaha Trail
7.0

The Omaha Trail

1942Movie7.0
Du Barry Was a Lady
6.5

Du Barry Was a Lady

1943Movie6.5
Breakfast for Two
5.9

Breakfast for Two

1937Movie5.9
The Defense Rests
7.1

The Defense Rests

1934Movie7.1
Pennies from Heaven
7.2

Pennies from Heaven

1936Movie7.2
Double Wedding
6.4

Double Wedding

1937Movie6.4
Hollywood Cavalcade
6.2

Hollywood Cavalcade

1939Movie6.2
College Coach
4.6

College Coach

1933Movie4.6
Bedside
5.6

Bedside

1934Movie5.6
And So They Were Married
6.4

And So They Were Married

1936Movie6.4
Happiness C.O.D.
7.5

Happiness C.O.D.

1935Movie7.5
Village Tale
7.3

Village Tale

1935Movie7.3
The Toast of New York
6.2

The Toast of New York

1937Movie6.2
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
6.0

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

1934Movie6.0
Romance in Manhattan
7.8

Romance in Manhattan

1934Movie7.8
Two in a Crowd
8.0

Two in a Crowd

1936Movie8.0
Baby Face Harrington
5.4

Baby Face Harrington

1935Movie5.4
The Housekeeper's Daughter
4.6

The Housekeeper's Daughter

1939Movie4.6
Old Man Rhythm
7.0

Old Man Rhythm

1935Movie7.0
The Last Gentleman
5.0

The Last Gentleman

1934Movie5.0
My Little Chickadee
6.4

My Little Chickadee

1940Movie6.4
Wayward
6.3

Wayward

1932Movie6.3
The Hole in the Wall
5.4

The Hole in the Wall

1929Movie5.4
Murder at the Vanities
5.6

Murder at the Vanities

1934Movie5.6
The Bride Comes Home
5.1

The Bride Comes Home

1935Movie5.1
Hullabaloo
6.5

Hullabaloo

1940Movie6.5
Everybody's Old Man
8.0

Everybody's Old Man

1936Movie8.0
Double Danger
7.3

Double Danger

1938Movie7.3
The Girl Habit
8.0

The Girl Habit

1931Movie8.0
Love on the Run
6.5

Love on the Run

1936Movie6.5
Make a Wish
5.8

Make a Wish

1937Movie5.8
The Ghost Comes Home
5.7

The Ghost Comes Home

1940Movie5.7
Having Wonderful Time
4.9

Having Wonderful Time

1938Movie4.9
The Captain Hates the Sea
6.4

The Captain Hates the Sea

1934Movie6.4
Old Hutch
10.0

Old Hutch

1936Movie10.0
Sky Murder
6.8

Sky Murder

1940Movie6.8
Colonel Effingham's Raid
6.0

Colonel Effingham's Raid

1946Movie6.0
Because of Him
6.3

Because of Him

1946Movie6.3
Personal Maid
6.5

Personal Maid

1931Movie6.5
Blondie Takes a Vacation
6.3

Blondie Takes a Vacation

1939Movie6.3
Star Dust
5.7

Star Dust

1940Movie5.7
You're a Sweetheart
4.6

You're a Sweetheart

1937Movie4.6
Three Married Men
8.0

Three Married Men

1936Movie8.0
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
8.0

Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!

1933Movie8.0
Rise and Shine
7.3

Rise and Shine

1941Movie7.3
Hold That Co-ed
6.7

Hold That Co-ed

1938Movie6.7
Six Cylinder Love
10.0

Six Cylinder Love

1923Movie10.0
The Week End Mystery
9.0

The Week End Mystery

1931Movie9.0
Barnacle Bill
7.8

Barnacle Bill

1941Movie7.8
Artists & Models
6.3

Artists & Models

1937Movie6.3
Rationing
4.0

Rationing

1944Movie4.0
Janie Gets Married
7.3

Janie Gets Married

1946Movie7.3
Goodbye Broadway
10.0

Goodbye Broadway

1938Movie10.0
Behind The Headlines
6.6

Behind The Headlines

1937Movie6.6
Three Legionnaires
8.0

Three Legionnaires

1937Movie8.0
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
6.5

Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!

1940Movie6.5
Affairs of Geraldine
7.0

Affairs of Geraldine

1946Movie7.0
The Skull Murder Mystery
5.8

The Skull Murder Mystery

1932Movie5.8
The Return Of Peter Grimm
6.0

The Return Of Peter Grimm

1935Movie6.0
The Cole Case
9.0

The Cole Case

1932Movie9.0
The Studio Murder Mystery
7.5

The Studio Murder Mystery

1932Movie7.5
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
5.4

The Trans-Atlantic Mystery

1932Movie5.4
The Clyde Mystery
9.0

The Clyde Mystery

1931Movie9.0
The Love Kiss
7.0

The Love Kiss

1930Movie7.0
The Symphony Murder Mystery
6.7

The Symphony Murder Mystery

1932Movie6.7
The Man from Dakota
5.8

The Man from Dakota

1940Movie5.8
Murder in the Pullman
7.0

Murder in the Pullman

1932Movie7.0
The Wall Street Mystery
6.2

The Wall Street Mystery

1931Movie6.2
The Crane Poison Case
7.0

The Crane Poison Case

1932Movie7.0
The Side Show Mystery
9.0

The Side Show Mystery

1932Movie9.0