Name
Douglass Dumbrille
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1889-10-12
Deathday
1974-04-02 (85 years old)
Place of Birth
Hamilton, Canada
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.
In 1913, the East Coast film industry was flourishing and that year he appeared in the film What Eighty Million Women Want, but it would be another 11 years before he appeared on screen again.
In 1924, he made his Broadway debut and worked off and on in the theatre for several years while supplementing his income by selling such products as car accessories, tea, insurance, real estate, and books.
During the Great Depression, Dumbrille moved to the West Coast of the U.S., where he specialized in playing secondary character roles alongside the great stars of the day. His physical appearance and suave voice equipped him for roles as slick politician, corrupt businessman, crooked sheriff, or unscrupulous lawyer.
He was highly regarded by the studios and was sought out by Cecil B. DeMille, Frank Capra, Hal Roach and other prominent Hollywood filmmakers. A friend of fellow Canadian-born director Allan Dwan, Dumbrille played Athos in Dwan’s 1939 adaptation of The Three Musketeers.
Dumbrille had roles in more than 200 motion pictures and, with the advent of television, made numerous appearances in the 1950s and 1960s. He had the ability to project a balance of menace and pomposity in roles as the "heavy" in comedy films, such as those of the Marx Brothers or Abbott and Costello.
Known For
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The growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Bru...
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In 18th-century France, a young man masquerades as an actor to avenge his friend's murder....
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A deported gangster trains an Italian convict to take over his operations in the U.S....
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In this early film adaptation of the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, young Jim Ha...
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A World War I veteran’s dreams of becoming a master architect evaporate in the cold ligh...
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Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life. When a relative...
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New York City tenement dwelling neighbors Blondie and Lottie are longtime best friends. Wh...
- 1932 Blondie of the Follies as Murchenson
- 1958 The Buccaneer as Collector of the Port
- 1953 Julius Caesar as Lepidus
- 1952 Son of Paleface as Sheriff McIntyre
- 1956 The Ten Commandments as Jannes
- 1941 Road to Zanzibar as Slave Trader
- 1936 The Princess Comes Across as Lorel
- 1937 A Day at the Races as Morgan
- 1936 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as John Cedar
- 1955 Allen in Movieland as Self- Lawyer
- 1939 Charlie Chan at Treasure Island as Stewart Salsbury, alias Thomas Gregory
- 1939 City in Darkness as B. Petroff (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1941 The Big Store as Mr. Grover
- 1933 Baby Face as Brody
- 1954 World for Ransom as Insp. McCollum
- 1946 Road to Utopia as Ace Larson
- 1933 The Rustler's Roundup as Bill Brett (as Douglas Dunbrile)
- 1942 Castle in the Desert as Paul Manderley
- 1950 The Savage Horde as Col. Price
- 1949 Riders of the Whistling Pines as Henry Mitchell
- 1943 Du Barry Was a Lady as Willie / Duc de Rigor
- 1933 Lady Killer as Spade
- 1937 The Firefly as Marquis de Melito
- 1935 Crime and Punishment as Grilov
- 1935 Naughty Marietta as Prince de Namours de la Bonfain, Marietta's Uncle
- 1935 The Lives of a Bengal Lancer as Mohammed Khan
- 1933 Elmer, the Great as Stillman (uncredited)
- 1945 The Frozen Ghost as Inspector Brant
- 1935 Unknown Woman as Phil Gardner
- 1950 Buccaneer's Girl as Capt. Martos
- 1941 Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime as John Matthews
- 1944 Forty Thieves as Tad Hammond
- 1943 False Colors as Mark Foster
- 1944 Lumberjack as Daniel J. Keefer
- 1946 Under Nevada Skies as Courtney
- 1955 A Life at Stake as Gus Hillman
- 1937 The Emperor's Candlesticks as Mr. Korum, a Conspirator
- 1946 Spook Busters as Dr. Coslow
- 1953 Plunder of the Sun as Consul
- 1935 Peter Ibbetson as Colonel Forsythe
- 1934 Broadway Bill as Eddie Morgan
- 1934 Harold Teen as H.H. Snatcher (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1939 Mr. Moto in Danger Island as Comdr. La Costa
- 1947 Christmas Eve as Dr. Bunyan
- 1946 The Catman of Paris as Henry Borchard
- 1942 A Gentleman After Dark as Enzo Calibra
- 1939 Thunder Afloat as District Commander
- 1933 I Loved a Woman as U.S. Attorney Brandt (uncredited)
- 1939 Tell No Tales as Matt Cooper
- 1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town as Prince Musah
- 1933 Laughter in Hell as Ed Perkins
- 1956 Shake, Rattle and Rock! as Eustace Fentwick III
- 1940 Michael Shayne: Private Detective as Benny Gordon (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1941 Murder Among Friends as Carter Stevenson
- 1939 The Three Musketeers as Athos (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1939 Slightly Honorable as George Taylor
- 1950 Riding High as Eddie Howard
- 1936 The Music Goes 'Round as Bishop
- 1952 Apache War Smoke as Maj. Dekker
- 1945 A Medal for Benny as General
- 1955 Jupiter's Darling as Scipio
- 1950 The Kangaroo Kid as Vincent Moller
- 1938 The Buccaneer as Governor William C.C. Claiborne
- 1947 It's a Joke, Son! as Big Dan Healey
- 1952 Sky Full of Moon as Rodeo Official
- 1933 Hard to Handle as District Attorney (uncredited)
- 1938 Kentucky as John Dillon - 1861
- 1946 Night in Paradise as High Priest
- 1938 Fast Company as Arnold Stamper (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1938 Stolen Heaven as Klingman
- 1936 You May Be Next! as Beau Gardner
- 1935 The Public Menace as Mario Tonelli
- 1949 The Lone Wolf and His Lady as John J. Murdock
- 1948 Last of the Wild Horses as Charlie Cooper
- 1934 Journal of a Crime as Cartier (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1933 The World Changes as Buffalo Bill Cody
- 1935 Air Hawks as Victor Arnold
- 1947 The Fabulous Texan as Luke Roland
- 1952 Scaramouche as Assembly President
- 1932 The Pride of the Legion as McMahon
- 1945 Pardon My Past as Uncle Wills
- 1949 Alimony as Burton Crail
- 1931 The Door Knocker as Gangster
- 1942 Ten Gentlemen from West Point as Gen. William Henry Harrison
- 1944 Gypsy Wildcat as Baron Tovar
- 1945 Jungle Queen as Lang
- 1940 South of Pago Pago as Williams
- 1931 His Woman as Alisandroe
- 1952 Rapture as W.C. Hutton
- 1938 The Mysterious Rider as Pecos Bill aka Ben Wade
- 1941 Washington Melodrama as District Attorney Donnelly
- 1949 Dynamite as Hank Gibbons
- 1936 M'Liss as Lou Ellis
- 1935 The Lone Wolf Returns as Morphew
- 1934 Operator 13 as General Stuart
- 1933 The Working Man as Lawyer Hammersmith (uncredited)
- 1963 Johnny Cool as Corrupt City Council Member
- 1944 Jungle Woman as District Attorney
- 1934 Treasure Island as Pirate of the Spanish Main
- 1937 Woman in Distress as Jerome Culver
- 1934 Fog Over Frisco as Joshua Mayard
- 1941 Ride 'Em Cowboy as Jake Rainwater
- 1934 Hi, Nellie! as Harvey Dawes
- 1940 Virginia City as Maj. Drewery
- 1933 King of the Jungle as Ed Peters
- 1954 The Lawless Rider as Marshal Brady (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1942 I Married an Angel as Baron Szigethy
- 1947 Blonde Savage as Mark Harper
- 1936 The Witness Chair as Stanley Whittaker
- 1939 Rovin' Tumbleweeds as Stephen Holloway
- 1933 The Man Who Dared as Judge Collier
- 1933 Smoke Lightning as Sam Edson
- 1933 Female as George Mumford
- 1944 Uncertain Glory as Police Commissioner LaFarge
- 1951 A Millionaire for Christy as J.C. Thompson
- 1934 The Secret Bride as Breeden
- 1936 Counterfeit Lady as August Marino
- 1936 End of the Trail as Bill Mason
- 1938 Sharpshooters as Count Maxim
- 1932 I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang as District Attorney (uncredited)
- 1938 Storm Over Bengal as Ramin Khan
- 1953 Captain John Smith and Pocahontas as Powhatan (as Douglas Dumbrille)
- 1935 Love Me Forever as Miller
- 1962 Air Patrol as Millard Nolan
- 1935 The Calling of Dan Matthews as Jeff Hardy
- 1939 Captain Fury as Preston
- 1950 Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in the Foreign Legion as Sheik Hamud El Khalid
- 1941 The Roundup as Capt. Bob Lane
- 1942 King of the Mounties as Harper
- 1945 The Daltons Ride Again as Sheriff Hoskins
- 1945 Flame of the West as Marshal Tom Nightlander
- 1956 Jungle Safari as Lang
- 1933 Heroes for Sale as Chief Engineer Jim (uncredited)
- 1947 Dishonored Lady as District Attorney O'Brien
- 1944 Lost in a Harem as Nimativ
- 1947 Dragnet as Frank Farrington
- 2003 Complicated Women as Self (archive footage)
- 1942 Stand by for Action as Capt. Ludlow
- 1946 The Cat Creeps as Tom McGalvey
- 1949 Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch as Captain Lance
- 1932 That's My Boy as Coach "Daisy" Adams
- 1933 The Way to Love as Agent Chapusard
- 1949 Tell It to the Judge as George Ellerby
- 1932 The Wiser Sex as Chauffeur - aka The Wop
- 1947 Beyond Our Own as E.W. Osborne
- 1938 Crime Takes a Holiday as J.J. Grant
- 1932 The Symphony Murder Mystery as Giuseppe Benito
- 1956 Mobs, Inc. as Leland Cameron James
- 1946 Monsieur Beaucaire as George Washington
- 1960 High Time as Judge Carter (uncredited)
- 1933 The Big Brain as Dan Thomas
- 1913 What 80 Million Women Want as District Attorney(uncredited)
- 1955 Life of Vernon Hathaway as Red Beecham
- 1949 Rapture as W.C. Hutton
- 1959 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis ( 1 episode )
- 1958 77 Sunset Strip ( 1 episode )
- 1966 Batman ( 1 episode ) as The Doctor
- 1962 The Beverly Hillbillies ( 1 episode )
- 1957 Perry Mason ( 1 episode ) as Judge Robert Adler
- 1951 Hallmark Hall of Fame ( 1 episode ) as Governor Spriggs
- 1959 The Twilight Zone ( 1 episode ) as Mr. Halpert
- 1960 Bringing Up Buddy ( 1 episode )
- 1952 China Smith ( 8 episodes )
- 1955 The Millionaire ( 1 episode ) as B.G. Greenwise
- 1955 Matinee Theater ( 1 episode )
- 1958 Bat Masterson ( 1 episode ) as Gen. Taylor Millard
- 1951 Racket Squad ( 3 episodes )
- 1956 Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers ( 1 episode )
- 1952 Cavalcade of America ( 1 episode ) as Lord Rawdon
- 1952 Dangerous Assignment ( 1 episode )
- 1959 The DuPont Show with June Allyson ( 1 episode ) as Warden
- 1953 Letter to Loretta ( 1 episode ) as George Haviland
- 1956 Hey, Jeannie! ( 1 episode ) as Gen. Hardwicke
- 1950 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ( 1 episode ) as Mr. Arthur J. Cahill
- 1952 The Ford Television Theatre ( 1 episode ) as J.B. Creston
- 1963 Petticoat Junction ( 1 episode ) as Dave La Salle
- 1950 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ( 2 episodes ) as Judge Strickland
- 1957 Perry Mason ( 1 episode ) as Judge
- 1951 Hallmark Hall of Fame ( 1 episode ) as Governor William Claiborne
- 1950 Lux Video Theatre ( 1 episode ) as Whitfield
- 1955 Screen Director's Playhouse ( 1 episode ) as Red Beecham
- 1959 The Untouchables ( 1 episode ) as Judge Ben Harlow
- 1953 The Life Of Riley ( 1 episode )
- 1953 The Life Of Riley ( 3 episodes ) as Cunningham
- 1954 Public Defender ( 1 episode ) as Frank Hackman
- 1952 The Ford Television Theatre ( 1 episode )
- 1954 Studio 57 ( 1 episode ) as Goldy
- 1959 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis ( 1 episode ) as Prof. Brinkerhoff, Esq.
- 1955 Crossroads ( 1 episode )
