Kenneth MacDonald (American actor)

Kenneth MacDonald (born Kenneth Dollins; September 8, 1901 – May 5, 1972)[2] was an American film actor. Born in Portland, Indiana, MacDonald made more than 220 film and television appearances between 1931 and 1972. His name is sometimes seen as Kenneth McDonald;[3] his later roles sometimes credited him as Kenneth R. MacDonald.

For the English actor, see Kenneth MacDonald (English actor).
Kenneth MacDonald
MacDonald in The Phantom (1943)
Born
Kenneth Dollins

(1901-09-08)September 8, 1901
Portland, Indiana, U.S.
DiedMay 5, 1972(1972-05-05) (aged 70)
Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Years active1931–1972
SpouseLaMee Nave MacDonald (1930–1972) (his death) (3 children)[1]

Career

MacDonald began his career as a stage actor. In 1923 he appeared in his first feature film, Slow as Lightning.[3] He came to Hollywood in the early 1930s, where he played small roles in low-budget, independent productions.

In 1939 Kenneth MacDonald was signed by Columbia Pictures for the studio's Charles Starrett westerns. MacDonald perfected a cool, debonair demeanor, which usually masked an evil side as a con man, outlaw, or thief. His speaking voice was rich and well modulated, often being gentle and ominous at the same time, in the Boris Karloff manner. Also, like Karloff, he seldom raised his voice, making his characters both dominant and dangerous. This quality made MacDonald an effective villain in Columbia's adventure serials like Mandrake the Magician, The Phantom, and Black Arrow. He was also adept at playing sympathetic roles, usually as calm authority figures (police official, prison psychiatrist, judge, etc.).

Actors in Columbia's stock company almost always worked in the studio's two-reel comedy shorts as well as features and serials, but Kenneth MacDonald did not join the short-subject fraternity until 1945, when he appeared opposite comedy stars Gus Schilling and Richard Lane. He is probably best known today for his work with The Three Stooges.

MacDonald developed a flair for comedy, and he made memorable appearances in comedy shorts starring The Three Stooges including Monkey Businessmen, Hold That Lion!, Crime on Their Hands, Punchy Cowpunchers, and Loose Loot. Beginning in 1953, the comedy in the Columbia shorts became even more physical under producer-director Jules White, and MacDonald obligingly got plastered with pies, fruit, and other missiles. He also returned to Columbia's serial unit, which was then filming low-budget remakes of his older serials using much of the original footage; MacDonald appeared in new scenes to match his old ones. He left the Columbia shorts department in 1955, but still appeared occasionally in feature films; he played a member of the court martial board in The Caine Mutiny (1954), and had a bit role as Jerry Lewis's father in The Ladies' Man (1961).

Television

MacDonald began working in television in 1949, in The Lone Ranger (episode eight; he would return to the series in episode 173, 1955). From 1951 to 1953 MacDonald was a frequent guest star, mostly as a sheriff, in the syndicated television series, The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones. He appeared six times as Colonel Parker in the ABC western series Colt .45. In 1960 MacDonald appeared as Duggan on the TV western Laramie in the episode titled "Duel at Parkinson Town.".[4] He also appeared in a number of episodes of the TV western Bat Masterson with Gene Barry (MacDonald appeared with Dyan Cannon in "The Price of Paradise" in 1961.)

MacDonald's most prolific work in television was in 32 episodes of CBS's Perry Mason. He played the recurring role of a judge (sometimes named Carter, sometimes named Hartley, other times unnamed) between 1957 and 1966.

Death

MacDonald died of brain and lung cancer at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California[5] at the age of 70.[6] He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.[2]

Partial filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1949-1955The Lone RangerDeputy Zack/Sheriff Mason4 episodes
1954-1955The Cisco KidMarshal/Frank Guthrie5 episodes
1954Captain MidnightJohn SawyerS1.E5, "Death Below Zero"
1955Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the UniverseDispersal Station Superintendent3 episodes
1955The Adventures of Rin-Tin-TinAgentS1.E24, "The Guilty One"
1956CrossroadsDoctor EdwardsS2.E2, "Circus Priest"
1956My Friend FlickaBradyS1.E36, "The Foundlings"
1956Steve Donovan, Western MarshalChief MarshalS1.E23, "Stone River"
1956Broken ArrowLowrie3 episodes
1956-1958Navy LogAdmiral/Captain3 episodes
1956-1960CheyenneIndian Agent Clum/Sheriff Gaffey3 episodes
1957The Gray GhostJudge AdvocateS1.E7, "The Brothers"
1957Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreJury ForemanS1.E23, "There Were Four"
1957-1958Colt .45Col. Parker5 episodes
1957-1966Perry MasonJudge Carter/Hartley32 episodes
1958Wanted Dead or AliveSheriffS1.E17, "Drop to Drink"
1958-1961SugarfootSheriff/Mayor/Mr. Smith4 episodes
1958-1961BroncoSheriff/Sheriff Elliot3 episodes
1959The Restless GunRuss CantrellS2.E29, "One on the House"
1959MaverickSheriffS3.E15, "A Cure for Johnny Rain"
1959The Rough RidersOliver WentworthS1.E17, "Wilderness Trace"
1959Frontier DoctorSheriff QuinnS1.E29, "Danger Valley"
1959The TexanEd GroverS1.E23, "The Marshal of Yellow Jacket"
1959-1961Bat MastersonSam Jansen/Tack Colby2 episodes
1959-1961The DeputySheriff/Charlie2 episodes
1959-1961RawhideTownsman/Morgan Shaw/Bartender3 episodes
1959-1960LaramieCaptain Reeves/Zeke/Duggan4 episodes
1960CheckmateElmerS1.E1, "Death Runs Wild"
1960BonanzaSheriffS1.E18, "A House Divided"
1960The Man from BlackhawkJessS1.E27, "The Search for Cope Borden"
1960-1962Wagon TrainGeneral Collins/Wagon Train Member2 episodes
1961The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpHoward StaceyS6.E20, "Casey and the Clowns"
1961GunslingerSheriff Ed HarknessS1.E12, "New Savannah"
1961AngelMr. NicksS1.E15, "Happy Marriage"
1962Going My WayCaptainS1.E12, "A Dog for Father Fitz"
1962Surfside 6Major CrotonS2.E24, "The Green Beret"
1962RipcordDr. PageS1.E19, "Double Drop"
1962Frontier CircusCanfieldS1.E22, "The Good Fight"
1963Wide CountryDoctor (uncredited)S1.E18, "Speckle Bird"
1963-1964The Travels of Jaimie McPheetersArmy Captain/Miner2 episodes
1963-1964Temple HoustonJury Foreman/Election Officer2 episodes
1964Voyage to the Bottom of the SeaSurgeonS1.E13, "The Blizzard Makers"
196477 Sunset StripPolice Chief (uncredited)S6.E15, "Lovers' Lane"
1964Valentine's DayPrincipal Melvin R. RobertsS1.E8, "The Old School Tie"
1965Daniel BooneHamer2 episodes
1966This Is the LifeunknownS6.E33, "Man Adrift"
1969Then Came BronsonThe BankerS1.E7, "The 3:13 Arrives at Noon"
1969Judd, for the DefenseJudge WaylanS2.E24, "Visitation"
1972The F.B.I.DavisS7.E22, "The Test"

References
  1. "Kenneth MacDonald".
  2. Wilson, Scott (2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. p. 464. ISBN 9781476625997. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  3. Katchmer, George A. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 246. ISBN 9780786446933. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  4. "Duel At Parkinson Town". Laramie. Season 2. Episode 12. December 13, 1960. NBC.
  5. Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. McFarland. p. 198. ISBN 9780786477623. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  6. Okuda, Ted; Watz, Edward (1998) [1986]. The Columbia Comedy Shorts. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 0-89950-181-8.
  7. Blottner, Gene (2011). "The Wildcat of Tucson". Wild Bill Elliott: A Complete Filmography. McFarland & Company. pp. 150–151. ISBN 9780786480258. Retrieved 2017-10-09. Bill Elliott's presence, with a matching performance by Kenneth MacDonald, brings this western saga satisfactorily to the screen. [...] An interesting subplot has heroine Evelyn Young momentarily switching her affection from Stanley Brown to his brother, Eliott. Lambert Hillyer's direction is first rate.
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