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Donald Meek

Donald Meek

Known For Acting
Birthday Jul 13, 1878
Died Nov 18, 1946 (68)
Birthplace Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Popularity 4 (history)
Updated Aug 09, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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

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Filmography

Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984

as (archive footage)

The Fabulous Joe

The Fabulous Joe

1947

as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer

Magic Town

Magic Town

1947

as Mr. Twiddle

Affairs of Geraldine

Affairs of Geraldine

1946

as Casper Millhouse

Colonel Effingham's Raid

Colonel Effingham's Raid

1946

as Doc Buden

Because of Him

Because of Him

1946

as Martin

Janie Gets Married

Janie Gets Married

1946

as Harley P. Stowers

State Fair

State Fair

1945

as Hippenstahl

Rationing

Rationing

1944

as Wilfred Ball

The Thin Man Goes Home

The Thin Man Goes Home

1944

as Willie Crump

Barbary Coast Gent

Barbary Coast Gent

1944

as Bradford Bellamy I

Two Girls and a Sailor

Two Girls and a Sailor

1944

as Mr. Nizby

Maisie Goes to Reno

Maisie Goes to Reno

1944

as Parsons

Bathing Beauty

Bathing Beauty

1944

as Chester Klazenfrantz

Lost Angel

Lost Angel

1943

as Professor Catty

Air Raid Wardens

Air Raid Wardens

1943

as Eustace Middling

Du Barry was a Lady

Du Barry was a Lady

1943

as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul

They Got Me Covered

They Got Me Covered

1943

as Little Old Man

Keeper of the Flame

Keeper of the Flame

1943

as Mr Arbuthnot

Maisie Gets Her Man

Maisie Gets Her Man

1942

as Mr. Stickwell

The Omaha Trail

The Omaha Trail

1942

as Engineer Jonah McCleod

Tortilla Flat

Tortilla Flat

1942

as Paul D. Cummings

Seven Sweethearts

Seven Sweethearts

1942

as Reverend Howgan, the Minister

The Wild Man of Borneo

The Wild Man of Borneo

1941

as Professor Charles W. Birdo

Barnacle Bill

Barnacle Bill

1941

as "Pop" Cavendish

Come Live with Me

Come Live with Me

1941

as Joe Darsie

Blonde Inspiration

Blonde Inspiration

1941

as 'Dusty' King

The Feminine Touch

The Feminine Touch

1941

as Captain Makepeace Liveright

Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine

1941

as Professor Philip Murray

Babes on Broadway

Babes on Broadway

1941

as Mr. Stone

A Woman's Face

A Woman's Face

1941

as Herman Rundvik

Phantom Raiders

Phantom Raiders

1940

as Bartholomew

Sky Murder

Sky Murder

1940

as Bartholomew

The Man from Dakota

The Man from Dakota

1940

as Mr. Vestry

Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!

Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!

1940

as Adelbert Thistlebottom

The Ghost Comes Home

The Ghost Comes Home

1940

as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.

Turnabout

Turnabout

1940

as Henry - the Valet

Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo

1940

as Mr. Clyde Perkins

Third Finger, Left Hand

Third Finger, Left Hand

1940

as Mr. Flandrin

My Little Chickadee

My Little Chickadee

1940

as Amos Budge

Star Dust

Star Dust

1940

as Sam Wellman

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet

1940

as Mittelmeyer

Nick Carter, Master Detective

Nick Carter, Master Detective

1939

as Bartholomew, the bee man

Blondie Takes a Vacation

Blondie Takes a Vacation

1939

as Jonathan N. Gillis

The Housekeeper's Daughter

The Housekeeper's Daughter

1939

as Editor Wilson

Stagecoach

Stagecoach

1939

as Samuel Peacock

Hollywood Cavalcade

Hollywood Cavalcade

1939

as Lyle P. Stout

Young Mr. Lincoln

Young Mr. Lincoln

1939

as Prosecutor John Felder

Jesse James

Jesse James

1939

as McCoy

Double Danger

Double Danger

1938

as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson

Hold That Co-ed

Hold That Co-ed

1938

as Dean Thatcher

Goodbye Broadway

Goodbye Broadway

1938

as Iradius P. Oglethorpe

You Can't Take It with You

You Can't Take It with You

1938

as Mr. Poppins

Having Wonderful Time

Having Wonderful Time

1938

as P.U. Rogers

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

1938

as Sunday School Superintendent

Little Miss Broadway

Little Miss Broadway

1938

as Willoughby Wendling

Make a Wish

Make a Wish

1937

as Joseph

Behind The Headlines

Behind The Headlines

1937

as Potter

Three Legionnaires

Three Legionnaires

1937

as Uriah S. Grant

The Toast of New York

The Toast of New York

1937

as Daniel Drew

Breakfast for Two

Breakfast for Two

1937

as Justice of the Peace

Parnell

Parnell

1937

as Nicholas Daniel Murphy

You're a Sweetheart

You're a Sweetheart

1937

as Conway Jeeters

Maid of Salem

Maid of Salem

1937

as Ezra Cheeves

Artists & Models

Artists & Models

1937

as Dr. Zimmer

Double Wedding

Double Wedding

1937

as Judge Blynn (uncredited)

And So They Were Married

And So They Were Married

1936

as Hotel Manager

Pennies from Heaven

Pennies from Heaven

1936

as Gramp Smith

Old Hutch

Old Hutch

1936

as Mr. Gunnison

Two in a Crowd

Two in a Crowd

1936

as Bennett

Love on the Run

Love on the Run

1936

as Caretaker

Three Married Men

Three Married Men

1936

as Mr. Frisbee

One Rainy Afternoon

One Rainy Afternoon

1936

as Judge

Happiness C.O.D.

Happiness C.O.D.

1935

as Thomas Sherridan

The Return Of Peter Grimm

The Return Of Peter Grimm

1935

as Mayor Everett Bartholomew

The Bride Comes Home

The Bride Comes Home

1935

as The Judge

Baby Face Harrington

Baby Face Harrington

1935

as Seriah Skinner

The Gilded Lily

The Gilded Lily

1935

as Hankerson

Mark of the Vampire

Mark of the Vampire

1935

as Dr. Doskil

Village Tale

Village Tale

1935

as Charlie

Romance in Manhattan

Romance in Manhattan

1935

as Minister

Biography of a Bachelor Girl

Biography of a Bachelor Girl

1935

as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store

She Couldn't Take It

She Couldn't Take It

1935

as Uncle Wyndersham

Old Man Rhythm

Old Man Rhythm

1935

as Paul Parker

Captain Blood

Captain Blood

1935

as Dr. Whacker

Barbary Coast

Barbary Coast

1935

as Sawbuck McTavish

Peter Ibbetson

Peter Ibbetson

1935

as Mr. Slade

The Informer

The Informer

1935

as Peter Mulligan

Society Doctor

Society Doctor

1935

as Moxley

Kind Lady

Kind Lady

1935

as Mr. Foster

China Seas

China Seas

1935

as Chess Player (uncredited)

Bedside

Bedside

1934

as Dr. George Wiley

The Merry Widow

The Merry Widow

1934

as Valet

What Every Woman Knows

What Every Woman Knows

1934

as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)

The Last Gentleman

The Last Gentleman

1934

as Judd Barr, Cabot's son

The Defense Rests

The Defense Rests

1934

as Fogg

Murder at the Vanities

Murder at the Vanities

1934

as Dr. Saunders

Hi, Nellie!

Hi, Nellie!

1934

as Durkin

The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea

1934

as Josephus Bushmills

College Coach

College Coach

1933

as Spencer Trask

Murder in the Pullman

Murder in the Pullman

1932

as Dr. Amos Crabtree

The Side Show Mystery

The Side Show Mystery

1932

as Dr. Amos Crabtree

The Studio Murder Mystery

The Studio Murder Mystery

1932

as Dr. Crabtree

The Skull Murder Mystery

The Skull Murder Mystery

1932

as Dr. Crabtree

The Crane Poison Case

The Crane Poison Case

1932

as Dr. Amos Crabtree

The Symphony Murder Mystery

The Symphony Murder Mystery

1932

as Dr. Crabtree

The Trans-Atlantic Mystery

The Trans-Atlantic Mystery

1932

as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist

The Cole Case

The Cole Case

1932

as Dr. Crabtree

Wayward

Wayward

1932

as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

The Clyde Mystery

The Clyde Mystery

1931

as Dr. Amos Crabtree

The Wall Street Mystery

The Wall Street Mystery

1931

as Doctor Crabtree

The Week End Mystery

The Week End Mystery

1931

as Dr. Amos Crabtree

The Girl Habit

The Girl Habit

1931

as Jonesy

Personal Maid

Personal Maid

1931

as Pa Ryan

The Hole in the Wall

The Hole in the Wall

1929

as Goofy

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Organization Category Movie
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Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 5 8 2
2024 7 11 16 6
2024 8 11 17 4
2024 9 5 11 1
2024 10 5 15 2
2024 11 2 6 1
2024 12 3 5 2
2025 1 6 14 1
2025 2 3 5 1
2025 3 2 4 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 0 0
2025 8 2 6 0

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