Douglas Walton (actor)

Douglas Walton (born John Douglas Duder; October 17, 1909 – November 15, 1961) was a Canadian-born American actor who worked in American films during the 1930s and 1940s. He appeared in 60 films between 1931 and 1950.

Douglas Walton
Canadian-born actor Douglas Walton - publicity still
Publicity Still of Douglas Walton, 1939
Born
John Douglas Duder

(1909-10-17)October 17, 1909
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DiedNovember 15, 1961(1961-11-15) (aged 52)
New York City, U.S.
Nationality
OccupationActor
Years active1931–1950
Spouses
Florence M. Barnett
(m. 1934, divorced)
Vee W. Roberts
(m. 1943, divorced)
Huguette Suzanne Marie Philomene Boudet
(m. 1950)

Life and career

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Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on October 17, 1909, Walton began his acting career in the theatres of Chicago and New York City. Tall, blond and elegant, Walton played many aristocratic, intellectual or sophisticated English or European men in films such as The Count of Monte Cristo in 1934; Bride of Frankenstein (1935), in which Walton memorably played the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in the film's prologue; the Clark Gable version of Mutiny on the Bounty (1935); and director John Ford's Mary of Scotland (1936) starring Katharine Hepburn, in which Walton gave his perhaps best performance as the effeminate and cowardly "Lord Darnley".[1][2] Ford directed Walton in The Lost Patrol (1934) and The Long Voyage Home (1940, starring John Wayne) as well. Walton also acted in Bad Lands, the 1939 Western remake of Ford's The Lost Patrol, directed by Lew Landers.

In 1939, Walton returned to New York to appear on Broadway in the comedy Billy Draws a Horse.[3]

In the 1940s, Walton's parts were secondary characters or even uncredited roles in B-movies, or sometimes in high-profile films such as King Vidor's Northwest Passage (1940), starring Spencer Tracy, and The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945).[1] One sizable role was "Percival Priceless" in Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1947).[2] His final film was Three Came Home (1950).[4]

Walton retired in 1950 and died eleven years later, on November 17, 1961, from a heart attack, at age 52.[1]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1931 Body and Soul Uncredited
1931 Always Goodbye Party Gossip Uncredited
1931 Over the Hill Stephen
1931 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Blond Student Uncredited
1932 Scarface Cesca's Boyfriend Uncredited
1933 Cavalcade Soldier Friend of Joe Uncredited
1933 The Secret of Madame Blanche Leonard Junior
1933 Looking Forward Willie Benton
1934 Madame Spy Karl
1934 The Lost Patrol Pearson
1934 Murder in Trinidad Gregory Bronson
1934 Shock Gilroy Hayworth
1934 The Count of Monte Cristo Albert
1934 Charlie Chan in London Hugh Gray
1935 Captain Hurricane Jimmy Howell
1935 Bride of Frankenstein Percy Bysshe Shelley
1935 The Dark Angel Roulston Uncredited
1935 Mutiny on the Bounty Stewart
1935 Hitch Hike Lady Alfred Bosworth Blake Uncredited
1936 The Garden Murder Case Floyd Garden
1936 I Conquer the Sea! Leonard Ashley
1936 Mary of Scotland Lord Darnley
1936 Thank You, Jeeves! Edward McDermott
1936 Camille Henri Uncredited
1937 Damaged Goods George Dupont
1937 Flight from Glory Garth Hilton
1937 Nation Aflame Tommy Franklin
1937 Wallaby Jim of the Islands Norman Brooks
1938 Storm Over Bengal Terry
1939 Pacific Liner Engineering Officer Bates Uncredited
1939 The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle Student Pilot
1939 The Sun Never Sets Carpenter
1939 Bad Lands Bob Mulford
1939 Raffles Bunny Manders
1940 Northwest Passage Lieutenant Avery
1940 Too Many Girls Beverly Waverly
1940 The Long Voyage Home Second Mate
1940 The Letter Well Wisher Uncredited
1941 Singapore Woman Roy Bennett
1941 One Night in Lisbon Frank Uncredited
1941 Hurry, Charlie, Hurry Michael Prescott
1942 Jesse James, Jr. Archie McDonald
1942 Desperate Journey British Officer Playing Dice Uncredited
1944 Murder, My Sweet Lindsay Marriott
1945 Bring On the Girls Edgar Uncredited
1945 The Picture of Dorian Gray Allen Campbell
1945 Kitty Philip Uncredited
1946 Our Hearts Were Growing Up Terence Marlowe Uncredited
1946 Cloak and Dagger British Pilot Uncredited
1946 Dick Tracy vs. Cueball Percival Priceless
1947 High Conquest Hugo Bunning as a Young man
1947 High Tide Clinton Vaughn
1947 Green Dolphin Street Sir Charles Maloney Uncredited
1947 Forever Amber Fop Uncredited
1948 Hills of Home Minister Uncredited
1948 Command Decision Englishman on Loudspeaker Voice, Uncredited
1948 Trouble Preferred Slippy Patterson, Pickpocket Uncredited
1949 The Secret of St. Ives Allan St. Ives
1949 Calamity Jane and Sam Bass Bookmaker Uncredited
1950 Three Came Home Australian POW Uncredited, (final film role)

References

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Bibliography

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  • Curtis, James (1998). James Whale: A New World of Gods and Monsters. Boston, Faber and Faber. ISBN 0-571-19285-8.
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