Donald Meek
Known for Acting · 123 credits
- Born
- 1878-07-13
- Died
- 1946-11-18
- Place of birth
- Glasgow, Scotland, UK
- Also known as
- Thomas Donald Meek
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.
Known For
Movies (123)
Stagecoach
1939
as Samuel Peacock
China Seas
1935
as Chess Player (uncredited)
You Can't Take It with You
1938
as Poppins
Jesse James
1939
as McCoy
The Return of Frank James
1940
as McCoy
The Informer
1935
as Peter Mulligan
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
1938
as Sunday School Superintendent
A Woman's Face
1941
as Herman Rundvik
Bathing Beauty
1944
as Chester Klazenfrantz
Society Doctor
1935
as Moxley
Young Mr. Lincoln
1939
as Prosecutor John Felder
Captain Blood
1935
as Dr. Whacker
Tortilla Flat
1942
as Paul D. Cummings
Magic Town
1947
as Mr. Twiddle
Barbary Coast
1935
as Sawbuck McTavish
Hi, Nellie!
1934
as Durkin
The Whole Town's Talking
1935
as Hoyt
Mark of the Vampire
1935
as Dr. Doskil
My Little Chickadee
1940
as Amos Budge
Parnell
1937
as Nicholas Daniel Murphy
State Fair
1945
as Hippenstahl
The Thin Man Goes Home
1944
as Willie Crump
Double Wedding
1937
as Judge Blynn (uncredited)
Artists & Models
1937
as Dr. Zimmer
Peter Ibbetson
1935
as Mr. Slade
The Gilded Lily
1935
as Hankerson
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as (archive footage)
Star Dust
1940
as Sam Wellman
The Merry Widow
1934
as Valet
Du Barry Was a Lady
1943
as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
Village Tale
1935
as Charlie
They Got Me Covered
1943
as Little Old Man
Colonel Effingham's Raid
1946
as Doc Buden
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
1940
as Mittelmeyer
The Toast of New York
1937
as Daniel Drew
Turnabout
1940
as Henry, the Valet
The Wild Man of Borneo
1941
as Professor Charles W. Birdo
Keeper of the Flame
1943
as Mr Arbuthnot
Blonde Inspiration
1941
as 'Dusty' King
Come Live with Me
1941
as Joe Darsie
Little Miss Broadway
1938
as Willoughby Wendling
Having Wonderful Time
1938
as P.U. Rogers
Murder at the Vanities
1934
as Dr. Saunders
College Coach
1933
as Spencer Trask
The Housekeeper's Daughter
1939
as Editor Wilson
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
as Lyle P. Stout
The Captain Hates the Sea
1934
as Josephus Bushmills
Phantom Raiders
1940
as Bartholomew
Two Girls and a Sailor
1944
as Mr. Nizby
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
Blondie Takes a Vacation
1939
as Jonathan N. Gillis
Lost Angel
1943
as Professor Catty
Maisie Gets Her Man
1942
as Mr. Stickwell
Third Finger, Left Hand
1940
as Mr. Flandrin
Old Man Rhythm
1935
as Paul Parker
Nick Carter, Master Detective
1939
as Bartholomew, the bee man
Bedside
1934
as Dr. George Wiley
The Feminine Touch
1941
as Captain Makepeace Liveright
Make a Wish
1937
as Joseph
Love on the Run
1936
as Caretaker
Sky Murder
1940
as Bartholomew
Kind Lady
1935
as Mr. Foster
Rise and Shine
1941
as Professor Philip Murray
Rationing
1944
as Wilfred Ball
She Couldn't Take It
1935
as Uncle Wyndersham
Two in a Crowd
1936
as Bennett
What Every Woman Knows
1934
as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
Babes on Broadway
1941
as Mr. Stone
The Defense Rests
1934
as Fogg
Air Raid Wardens
1943
as Eustace Middling
Hullabaloo
1940
as Mr. Clyde Perkins
Pennies from Heaven
1936
as Gramp Smith
Everybody's Old Man
1936
as Finney
Breakfast for Two
1937
as Justice of the Peace
Maid of Salem
1937
as Ezra Cheeves
The Ghost Comes Home
1940
as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
1935
as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
Happiness C.O.D.
1935
as Thomas Sherridan
Baby Face Harrington
1935
as Skinner
Behind The Headlines
1937
as Potter
Six Cylinder Love
1923
as Richard Burton
Maisie Goes to Reno
1944
as Parsons
Three Married Men
1936
as Mr. Frisbee
Hold That Co-ed
1938
as Dean Thatcher
Seven Sweethearts
1942
as Reverend Howgan, the Minister
Barnacle Bill
1941
as "Pop" Cavendish
Double Danger
1938
as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
You're a Sweetheart
1937
as Conway Jeeters
Barbary Coast Gent
1944
as Bradford Bellamy I
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
1933
as Luther Bowen
Romance in Manhattan
1935
as Minister
The Last Gentleman
1934
as Judd Barr, Cabot's son
Because of Him
1946
as Martin
The Bride Comes Home
1935
as The Judge
Three Legionnaires
1937
as Uriah S. Grant
The Fabulous Joe
1947
as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
One Rainy Afternoon
1936
as Judge
Goodbye Broadway
1938
as Iradius P. Oglethorpe
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
The Omaha Trail
1942
as Engineer Jonah McCleod
Personal Maid
1931
as Pa Ryan
Affairs of Geraldine
1946
as Casper Millhouse
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1934
as Mr. Wiggs
The Hole in the Wall
1929
as Goofy
Wayward
1932
as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
The Man from Dakota
1940
as Mr. Vestry
The Skull Murder Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
The Cole Case
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
1940
as Adelbert Thistlebottom
The Return Of Peter Grimm
1935
as Mayor Everett Bartholomew
The Studio Murder Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
And So They Were Married
1936
as Hotel Manager
The Week End Mystery
1931
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Symphony Murder Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
The Girl Habit
1931
as Jonesy
Old Hutch
1936
as Mr. Gunnison
Janie Gets Married
1946
as Harley P. Stowers
The Side Show Mystery
1932
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
Murder in the Pullman
1932
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Crane Poison Case
1932
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
About Donald Meek
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 empl… With 123 credits spanning from 1923 to 1984, Donald Meek has appeared in 123 films and 0 TV shows.
Fans searching for Donald Meek movies, Donald Meek filmography, or the latest projects starring Donald Meek can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Donald Meek Movies
- Stagecoach (1939) — as Samuel Peacock
- China Seas (1935) — as Chess Player (uncredited)
- You Can't Take It with You (1938) — as Poppins
- Jesse James (1939) — as McCoy
- The Return of Frank James (1940) — as McCoy
Where to Watch Donald Meek Films
Most Donald Meek movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Donald Meek, check our movies catalogue and browse page.