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.
Spec O'Donnell | |
|---|---|
_lobby_card.jpg) Lobby card for The Country Kid (1923) with O'Donnell in back | |
| Born | April 9, 1911 Fresno, California, United States |
| Died | October 14, 1986 (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1923–1978 |
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
editO'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
editIn 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
editO'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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