J. Farrell MacDonald was an American actor who is best known for his roles in Sunrise (1927), My Darling Clementine (1946), and The Great Lie (1941).
Personal and Family Life
Born on April 14, 1875, in Waterbury, Connecticut, J. Farrell MacDonald got a degree from Yale University in 1903. He was married to Edith Bostwick, and they were together until her death in 1943. MacDonald also studied law and worked on a government geological survey in several western regions of the United States.
Career
MacDonald began his career as a singer in minstrel shows and then moved on to acting in films, where he often played stern characters, particularly in westerns. He worked closely with director John Ford and was noted for his performances in many classic films during his career from 1915 to 1951. In addition to acting, he was the principal director at L. Frank Baum’s Oz Film Manufacturing Company.
Death and Legacy
J. Farrell MacDonald passed away on August 2, 1952, in Hollywood, California. His long career spanned several decades and included hundreds of films, making him a recognizable figure in early American cinema. His contributions to the film industry, particularly in the western genre, have left a lasting impact.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans | 1927-11-04 | The Photographer |
| My Darling Clementine | 1946-10-17 | Mac the barman |
| The Great Lie | 1941 | Character not specified |
| It’s a Wonderful Life | 1946-12-20 | Man Whose Grandfather Planted Tree (uncredited) |
| 3 Bad Men | 1926-08-28 | Mike Costigan |
| Captains of the Clouds | 1942-02-12 | Dr. Neville (from Churchtown) |
| Woman on the Run | 1950-11-10 | Cap, the Retired Ferryboat Captain |
| Superman and the Mole-Men | 1951-11-23 | Pop Shannon |
| Riders of the Timberline | 1941-09-17 | Jim Kerrigan |
| Fury at Furnace Creek | 1948-04-30 | Pops Murphy (uncredited) |
| Zenobia | 1939-04-21 | Judge |