Olin Howland

Actor · 1886–1959 · Denver, Colorado, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Olin Ross Howland (February 10, 1886 – September 20, 1959) was an American film and theatre actor. Howland was born in Denver, Colorado, to Joby A. Howland, one of the youngest enlisted participants in the Civil War, and Mary C. Bunting. His older sister was the famous stage actress Jobyna Howland. From 1909 to 1927, Howland appeared on Broadway in musicals, occasionally performing in silent films. The musicals include Leave It to Jane (1917), Two Little Girls in Blue (1921) and Wildflower (1923). He was in the film Janice Meredith (1924) with Marion Davies. With the advent of sound films, his theatre background proved an asset, and he concentrated mostly on films thereafter, appearing in nearly two hundred movies between 1918 and 1958. Howland often played eccentric and rural roles in Hollywood. His parts were often small and uncredited, and he never got a leading role. He was a personal favorite of David O. Selznick, who cast him in his movies Nothing Sacred (1937) as a strange luggage man, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938, as the teacher Mr. Dobbins) and Gone with the Wind (1939) as a carpetbagger businessman. He also played in numerous westerns from Republic Pictures, including the John Wayne films In Old California (1942) and Angel and the Badman (1947). As a young man, Howland learned to fly at the Wright Flying School and soloed on a Wright Model B. This lent special sentiment in his scenes with James Stewart in the film The Spirit of St. Louis (1957), as Stewart was also a pilot in real life. The Spirit of St. Louis and Them (1954),where he played a drunken old man, and The Blob (1958) were his last films. He also played in telelevision shows during the 1950s. In 1958 and 1959, he was cast as Charley Perkins in five episodes of ABC's sitcom The Real McCoys, starring Walter Brennan. Howland never married and had no children. He worked until his death in Hollywood, California, at the age of 73.

Acted in 156

1980s

1987
Creepy Classics
Old Man - (archive footage)

1950s

1958
The Blob
The Old Man
63
1957
Bombers B-52
Joe (uncredited)
The Real McCoys
TV · 6 Seasons · Comedy
71
The Spirit of St. Louis
Surplus Dealer (uncredited)
73
The Storm Rider
Will Collins
1956
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
TV · 2 Seasons · Western
1955
The McConnell Story
Sam
1954
A Star Is Born
Charley (uncredited)
82
Them!
Jensen
76
1953
So This Is Love
Mailman
1952
Mr. & Mrs. North
TV · 2 Seasons · Comedy · Crime
Hopalong Cassidy
TV · 2 Seasons · Western
69
The Fabulous Senorita
Justice of the Peace
1951
I Love Lucy
Mr. Skinner · 1 episode
83
Fighting Coast Guard
Desk Clerk (as Olin Howlin)
Santa Fe
Dan Dugan
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Sheriff, Pete Walters, Bartender · 1 episode
Charlie's Haunt
Storyteller on Bench
Never a Dull Moment
Hunter (uncredited)
A Ticket to Tomahawk
Movie · Comedy · Western
61
Rock Island Trail
Saloonkeeper
Father Makes Good
Milo Williams
The Nevadan
Rusty (uncredited)
62

1940s

1949
Mr. Soft Touch
Skinny Santa Claus (Uncredited)
Leave It to Henry
Milo Williams
Hellfire
Bartender (uncredited)
Grand Canyon
Windy
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Sam - Connecticut Postman (uncredited)
62
Little Women
Mr. Davis - Schoolteacher (uncredited)
71
Bad Men of Tombstone
Store Proprietor (as Olin Howlin)
1948
Last of the Wild Horses
Remedy Williams
The Paleface
Jonathan Sloane, undertaker
74
Station West
Cook
65
Relentless
Veterinarian (uncredited)
The Dude Goes West
Finnegan
The Return of the Whistler
Jeff Anderson
1947
I Walk Alone
Ed the Watchman (uncredited)
65
Living in a Big Way
Gardener
Easy Come, Easy Go
Gas Man
Angel and the Badman
Bradley
68
Apache Rose
Alkali
1946
Crime Doctor's Man Hunt
Marcus Le Blaine
Home Sweet Homicide
Luke
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
Newspaper Clerk (uncredited)
80
1945
Dakota
Devlin's Driver
Fallen Angel
Joe Ellis (uncredited)
73
Sing Your Way Home
Steward (uncredited)
Senorita from the West
Justice of Peace
Captain Eddie
Census Taker
Santa Fe Saddlemates
Dead Eye
Sheriff of Cimarron
Pinky Snyder
Her Lucky Night
Prince de la Mour
Grissly's Millions
Andrews
She Gets Her Man
Hank (uncredited)
1944
Can't Help Singing
Bigelow (as Olin Howlin)
I'll Be Seeing You
Train Vendor (uncredited)
The Town Went Wild
Bit Part
Nothing But Trouble
Painter's Foreman (uncredited)
In the Meantime, Darling
Moorehousse
Sing, Neighbor, Sing
Joe the Barber
Man from Frisco
Eben Whelock
Bermuda Mystery
Gas Station Owner
Twilight on the Prairie
Jed (as Olin Howlin)
1943
The Falcon and the Co-Eds
Goodwillie, Bluecliff Driver
The Good Fellows
Reynolds
The Sky's the Limit
Driver (uncredited)
63
Dixie
Mr. Deveraux
A Stranger in Town
Homer Todds
The Falcon Strikes Back
Sheriff (uncredited)
1942
Ridin' Down the Canyon
Jailer
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Trullers
Secrets of the Underground
Oscar Mayberry
You Can't Escape Forever
Cemetery Organist (uncredited)
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
Jacob Diezel
Ten Gentlemen from West Point
Carpenter (uncredited)
Henry and Dizzy
Frank Stevens
In Old California
Undetermined Minor Role
60
Almost Married
Bright
Dr. Broadway
Professor
Home in Wyomin'
Sunrise (as Olin Howlin)
The Man Who Wouldn't Die
Jonathan Meek
This Gun for Hire
Blair Fletcher
Blondie's Blessed Event
Office Worker (uncredited)
1941
Two-Faced Woman
Frank (uncredited)
54
You're in the Army Now
Farmer
Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring
Dr. Williams
One Foot in Heaven
Train Station Master (uncredited)
Buy Me That Town
Constable Sam Smedley (as Olin Howlin)
Belle Starr
Jasper Trench
58
The Shepherd of the Hills
Corky
68
1940
Chad Hanna
Cisco Tridd
Just a Cute Kid
Dr. Clump
Young People
Station Master
Comin' Round the Mountain
Pa Blower
The Doctor Takes a Wife
Clerk at Lakewood Lodge (uncredited)
Young Tom Edison
Telegrapher (Indian Attack)