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.
Acted in 115
1980s
- 1984
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1940s
- 1947
Magic Town
Mr. Twiddle
The Fabulous Joe
Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
- 1946
Affairs of Geraldine
Casper Millhouse
Janie Gets Married
Harley P. Stowers
Colonel Effingham's Raid
Doc Buden
Because of Him
Martin
- 1945
State Fair
Hippenstahl
- 1944
Barbary Coast Gent
Bradford Bellamy I
Maisie Goes to Reno
Parsons
Two Girls and a Sailor
Mr. Nizby
Rationing
Wilfred Ball
- 1943
Lost Angel
Professor Catty
Air Raid Wardens
Eustace Middling
- 1942
Seven Sweethearts
Reverend Howgan, the Minister
The Omaha Trail
Engineer Jonah McCleod
Maisie Gets Her Man
Mr. Stickwell
Tortilla Flat
Paul D. Cummings
- 1941
Babes on Broadway
Mr. Stone
Rise and Shine
Professor Philip Murray
The Feminine Touch
Captain Makepeace Liveright
Barnacle Bill
"Pop" Cavendish
Blonde Inspiration
'Dusty' King
Come Live with Me
Joe Darsie
The Wild Man of Borneo
Professor Charles W. Birdo
- 1940
Hullabaloo
Mr. Clyde Perkins
Third Finger, Left Hand
Mr. Flandrin
Sky Murder
Bartholomew
Phantom Raiders
Bartholomew
Turnabout
Henry, the Valet
Star Dust
Sam Wellman
The Ghost Comes Home
Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
Mittelmeyer
The Man from Dakota
Mr. Vestry
My Little Chickadee
Amos Budge
1930s
- 1939
Nick Carter, Master Detective
Bartholomew, the bee man
The Housekeeper's Daughter
Editor Wilson
Hollywood Cavalcade
Lyle P. Stout
Blondie Takes a Vacation
Jonathan N. Gillis
- 1938
Hold That Co-ed
Dean Thatcher
Having Wonderful Time
P.U. Rogers
Goodbye Broadway
Iradius P. Oglethorpe
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Sunday School Superintendent
Double Danger
Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
- 1937
You're a Sweetheart
Conway Jeeters
Breakfast for Two
Justice of the Peace
Artists & Models
Dr. Zimmer
The Toast of New York
Daniel Drew
Parnell
Nicholas Daniel Murphy
Behind The Headlines
Potter
Maid of Salem
Ezra Cheeves
- 1936
Pennies from Heaven
Gramp Smith
Love on the Run
Caretaker
Two in a Crowd
Bennett
Old Hutch
Mr. Gunnison
Three Married Men
Mr. Frisbee
One Rainy Afternoon
Judge
And So They Were Married
Hotel Manager
Everybody's Old Man
Finney
- 1935
Captain Blood
Dr. Whacker
The Bride Comes Home
The Judge
Kind Lady
Mr. Foster
Happiness C.O.D.
Thomas Sherridan
She Couldn't Take It
Uncle Wyndersham
The Return Of Peter Grimm
Mayor Everett Bartholomew
Old Man Rhythm
Paul Parker
Village Tale
Charlie
Baby Face Harrington
Skinner
The Whole Town's Talking
Hoyt
The Gilded Lily
Hankerson
Biography of a Bachelor Girl
Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
- 1934
Romance in Manhattan
Minister
The Captain Hates the Sea
Josephus Bushmills
The Merry Widow
Valet
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Mr. Wiggs
What Every Woman Knows
Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
The Defense Rests
Fogg
Murder at the Vanities
Dr. Saunders
The Last Gentleman
Judd Barr, Cabot's son
Bedside
Dr. George Wiley
Hi, Nellie!
Durkin
- 1933
College Coach
Spencer Trask
Love, Honor and Oh, Baby!
Luther Bowen
- 1932
The Trans-Atlantic Mystery
Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
Murder in the Pullman
Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Skull Murder Mystery
Dr. Crabtree
Wayward
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
The Studio Murder Mystery
Dr. Crabtree
The Symphony Murder Mystery
Dr. Crabtree
- 1931
The Week End Mystery
Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Wall Street Mystery
Doctor Crabtree
Personal Maid
Pa Ryan
The Girl Habit
Jonesy
1920s
- 1929
The Hole in the Wall
Goofy
- 1923
Six Cylinder Love
Richard Burton