Spec O'Donnell
Spec O'Donnell | |
---|---|
![]() Lobby card for The Country Kid (1923) with O'Donnell in back | |
Born | Fresno, California, United States | April 9, 1911
Died | October 14, 1986 Los Angeles, California, United States | (aged 75)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1923–1978 |
Walter D. "Spec" O'Donnell (April 9, 1911 – October 14, 1986) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 190 films between 1923 and 1978.
He worked frequently for producer Hal Roach, often appearing in silent comedies as the bratty son of Max Davidson or Charley Chase. His sound-era roles were mostly uncredited bits, often as bellhops, newsboys, and pages; he was playing adolescent roles well into his twenties. He has the unusual distinction of playing the same role (a newsboy) in both an original film and its remake: Princess O'Hara and It Ain't Hay.
Early life
[edit]O'Donnell was born in Madera, California.[1] His father, John O'Donnell, was a lumber mill labourer originally from Maryland.[2]: 100–101 His mother and older siblings (Jack and Minnie) were born in California.[2]: 101
Career
[edit]In February 1924, O'Donnell signed with Julius and Abe Stern's Century Film Corporation.[3]
In 1924, O'Donnell starred in Walt Disney's Alice Comedies.[2]: 78 The first of these was Alice's Spooky Adventure, where he features as one of several children playing baseball in a field.[2]: 100 The film also starred Virginia Davis (as Alice) and Leon Holmes, with whom O'Donnell featured alongside in Alice the Peacemaker during the same year.[2]: 100, 110 He also had parts in Alice Gets in Dutch and Alice is Stage Struck, which was released the following year.[2]: 111, 124
Personal life
[edit]O'Donnell died in 1986 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.
Selected filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1923 | Little Johnny Jones | Freckle-faced Little Boy | ||
1923 | The Barefoot Boy | Schoolboy | ||
1923 | The Country Kid | Joe Applegate | [4] | |
1923 | The Darling of New York | Willie | [5] | |
1923 | Main Street | [6] | ||
1924 | The Foolish Virgin | Little Boy | [7] | |
1924 | Don't Fall | Spec | Short | [8] |
1924 | Speed Boys | Spec | Short | [9] |
1924 | Paging Money | Short | [10] | |
1924 | The Racing Kid | Short | [11] | |
1924 | Delivering the Goods | Spec | Short | [12] |
1924 | Alice's Spooky Adventure | Freckled Boy | uncredited; Short | [2]: 100 |
1924 | Alice the Peacemaker | Freckle-Faced Newsboy | [2]: 110 | |
1924 | Alice Gets in Dutch | Short | [2]: 111 | |
1925 | Alice Is Stage Struck | [2]: 124 | ||
1925 | Tomorrow's Love | [13] | ||
1925 | The Devil's Cargo | Jimmy | [14] | |
1925 | The Dressmaker from Paris | Jim | [15] | |
1925 | Little Annie Rooney | Abie | [16] | |
1925 | The Price of Success | Jimmy Moran | ||
1926 | Sparrows | Ambrose | [17] | |
1926 | Private Izzy Murphy | The Monahan Kid | [18] | |
1926 | Hard Boiled | Eddie Blix | ||
1926 | Old Ironsides | Cabin Boy | uncredited | |
1926 | Don Key | Office Boy | Also known as Don Key (Son of Burro) | [19] |
1927 | Why Girls Say No | Maxie Whisselberg | [20] | |
1927 | Don't Tell Everything | Asher Ginsberg | ||
1927 | Casey at the Bat | Spec | ||
1927 | Special Delivery | Office Boy | uncredited | |
1927 | Call of the Cuckoo | Love's Greatest Mistake | ||
1928 | Pass the Gravy | Ignatz | ||
1928 | A Pair of Tights | The Kid | ||
1928 | Vamping Venus | Western Union Boy / Mercury | ||
1928 | Hot News | Spec | ||
1928 | Danger Street | Sammy | ||
1929 | In the Headlines | Johnny | ||
1929 | The Sophomore | Joe's Nephew | ||
1930 | The Grand Parade | Call Boy | ||
1930 | Big Money | Elevator Boy | ||
1930 | Two Plus Fours | Spec | Short | |
1932 | The Big Broadcast | Office Boy | uncredited | |
1934 | Broadway Bill | Higgins Flunky | uncredited | |
1934 | David Harum | Tim | uncredited | [21] |
1936 | Cain and Mabel | Autograph Hound | uncredited | |
1937 | Blonde Trouble | Fred's Friend | ||
1937 | Here's Flash Casey | Billy | uncredited | |
1938 | Angels with Dirty Faces | Pool Room Youth | uncredited | |
1938 | Accidents Will Happen | 'Specs' Carter | [22] | |
1943 | Crazy House | Bellhop | uncredited | |
1946 | The Kid from Brooklyn | Arena Callboy | uncredited | |
1951 | Footlight Varieties | Contestant | uncredited | |
1952 | Pat and Mike | Hick's Caddy | uncredited | |
1959 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Club Member (uncredited) | Season 5 Episode 12: "Specialty of the House" | |
1978 | Convoy | 18 Wheel Eddie | [23] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Buddy Messinger and Spec O'Donnell Leave Century Studio for Vacation". Universal Weekly. 19 (18): 37. June 14, 1924.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Susanin, Timothy S. (2011). Walt Before Mickey: Disney's Early Years, 1919-1928. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-60473-961-9. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ "Century Signs Two". Moving Picture World. 66 (6): 499. February 9, 1924.
- ^ ""The Country Kid" Well Under Way". Moving Picture World. 63 (3): 239. July 21, 1923.
- ^ ""The Darling of New York"". Moving Picture World. 65 (1): 50. November 3, 1923.
- ^ "Three Warner Features Shown Consecutively for Three Weeks". Moving Picture World. 63 (1): 67. July 7, 1923.
- ^ ""Foolish Virgin" Here". Moving Picture World. 69 (6): 442. August 9, 1924.
- ^ "Century Schedule". Moving Picture World. 72 (2): 155. November 8, 1924.
- ^ "Century Comedy Release". Moving Picture World. 72 (2): 164. November 8, 1924.
- ^ "Five for July". Moving Picture World. 68 (8): 706. June 21, 1924.
- ^ "Centuries for April". Moving Picture World. 67 (6): 465. April 5, 1924.
- ^ "Luddy's Second Features Century's Dog-Star, "Pal"". Universal Weekly. April 26, 1924.
- ^ "Finishes "Tomorrow's Love"". Moving Picture World. 71 (6): 558. December 6, 1924.
- ^ ""The Devil's Cargo"". Moving Picture World. 72 (8): 786. February 21, 1925.
- ^ ""The Dressmaker from Paris"". Moving Picture World. 73 (4): 353. March 28, 1925.
- ^ ""Little Annie Rooney"". Moving Picture World. 76 (9): 717. October 31, 1925.
- ^ "Mary Pickford's Next Picture "Sparrows" Completed". Moving Picture World. 79 (1): 30. March 6, 1926.
- ^ "Jack Warner Speeding Project". Motion Picture News. 34 (4): 303. July 24, 1924.
- ^ ""Don Key"". Moving Picture World. 80 (4): 327. May 22, 1926.
- ^ "Pathe's Feb. 20 Line-Up". Motion Picture News. 35 (7): 581. February 18, 1927.
- ^ ""David Harum"". Kinematograph Weekly. January 18, 1934. p. 18.
- ^ "Fake Accidents Exposé". Kinematograph Weekly. February 17, 1938. p. 6.
- ^ Dukore, Bernard F. (1999). Sam Peckinpah's Feature Films. University of Illinois Press. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-252-06802-7. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
External links
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