Acting · Glasgow, Scotland, UK · Born July 13, 1878
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.
MovieGoing Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as (archive footage)
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
as Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)
MovieMagic Town
1947
as Mr. Twiddle
MovieThe Fabulous Joe
1947
as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer
MovieAffairs of Geraldine
1946
as Casper Millhouse
MovieJanie Gets Married
1946
as Harley P. Stowers
MovieColonel Effingham's Raid
1946
as Doc Buden
MovieBecause of Him
1946
as Martin
MovieState Fair
1945
as Hippenstahl
MovieThe Thin Man Goes Home
1944
as Willie Crump
MovieBarbary Coast Gent
1944
as Bradford Bellamy I
MovieMaisie Goes to Reno
1944
as Parsons
MovieBathing Beauty
1944
as Chester Klazenfrantz
MovieTwo Girls and a Sailor
1944
as Mr. Nizby
MovieRationing
1944
as Wilfred Ball
MovieLost Angel
1943
as Professor Catty
MovieDu Barry Was a Lady
1943
as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul
MovieAir Raid Wardens
1943
as Eustace Middling
MovieKeeper of the Flame
1943
as Mr Arbuthnot
MovieThey Got Me Covered
1943
as Little Old Man
MovieSeven Sweethearts
1942
as Reverend Howgan, the Minister
MovieThe Omaha Trail
1942
as Engineer Jonah McCleod
MovieMaisie Gets Her Man
1942
as Mr. Stickwell
MovieTortilla Flat
1942
as Paul D. Cummings
MovieBabes on Broadway
1941
as Mr. Stone
MovieRise and Shine
1941
as Professor Philip Murray
MovieThe Feminine Touch
1941
as Captain Makepeace Liveright
MovieA Woman's Face
1941
as Herman Rundvik
MovieBarnacle Bill
1941
as "Pop" Cavendish
MovieBlonde Inspiration
1941
as 'Dusty' King
MovieCome Live with Me
1941
as Joe Darsie
MovieThe Wild Man of Borneo
1941
as Professor Charles W. Birdo
MovieHullabaloo
1940
as Mr. Clyde Perkins
MovieThird Finger, Left Hand
1940
as Mr. Flandrin
MovieSky Murder
1940
as Bartholomew
MovieThe Return of Frank James
1940
as McCoy
MoviePhantom Raiders
1940
as Bartholomew
MovieTurnabout
1940
as Henry, the Valet
MovieStar Dust
1940
as Sam Wellman
MovieThe Ghost Comes Home
1940
as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.
MovieDr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
1940
as Mittelmeyer
MovieThe Man from Dakota
1940
as Mr. Vestry
MovieMy Little Chickadee
1940
as Amos Budge
Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
1940
as Adelbert Thistlebottom
MovieNick Carter, Master Detective
1939
as Bartholomew, the bee man
MovieThe Housekeeper's Daughter
1939
as Editor Wilson
MovieHollywood Cavalcade
1939
as Lyle P. Stout
MovieBlondie Takes a Vacation
1939
as Jonathan N. Gillis
MovieYoung Mr. Lincoln
1939
as Prosecutor John Felder
MovieStagecoach
1939
as Samuel Peacock
MovieJesse James
1939
as McCoy
MovieHold That Co-ed
1938
as Dean Thatcher
MovieYou Can't Take It with You
1938
as Poppins
MovieLittle Miss Broadway
1938
as Willoughby Wendling
MovieHaving Wonderful Time
1938
as P.U. Rogers
MovieGoodbye Broadway
1938
as Iradius P. Oglethorpe
MovieThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer
1938
as Sunday School Superintendent
MovieDouble Danger
1938
as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson
MovieYou're a Sweetheart
1937
as Conway Jeeters
MovieBreakfast for Two
1937
as Justice of the Peace
MovieDouble Wedding
1937
as Judge Blynn (uncredited)
MovieMake a Wish
1937
as Joseph
MovieArtists & Models
1937
as Dr. Zimmer
MovieThe Toast of New York
1937
as Daniel Drew
Three Legionnaires
1937
as Uriah S. Grant
MovieParnell
1937
as Nicholas Daniel Murphy
MovieBehind The Headlines
1937
as Potter
MovieMaid of Salem
1937
as Ezra Cheeves
MoviePennies from Heaven
1936
as Gramp Smith
MovieLove on the Run
1936
as Caretaker
MovieTwo in a Crowd
1936
as Bennett
MovieOld Hutch
1936
as Mr. Gunnison
MovieThree Married Men
1936
as Mr. Frisbee
MovieOne Rainy Afternoon
1936
as Judge
MovieAnd So They Were Married
1936
as Hotel Manager
MovieEverybody's Old Man
1936
as Finney
MovieCaptain Blood
1935
as Dr. Whacker
MovieThe Bride Comes Home
1935
as The Judge
MovieKind Lady
1935
as Mr. Foster
MoviePeter Ibbetson
1935
as Mr. Slade
MovieHappiness C.O.D.
1935
as Thomas Sherridan
MovieBarbary Coast
1935
as Sawbuck McTavish
MovieShe Couldn't Take It
1935
as Uncle Wyndersham
MovieThe Return Of Peter Grimm
1935
as Mayor Everett Bartholomew
MovieChina Seas
1935
as Chess Player (uncredited)
MovieOld Man Rhythm
1935
as Paul Parker
MovieVillage Tale
1935
as Charlie
MovieThe Informer
1935
as Peter Mulligan
MovieMark of the Vampire
1935
as Dr. Doskil
MovieBaby Face Harrington
1935
as Skinner
MovieThe Whole Town's Talking
1935
as Hoyt
MovieThe Gilded Lily
1935
as Hankerson
MovieSociety Doctor
1935
as Moxley
MovieBiography of a Bachelor Girl
1935
as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store
MovieRomance in Manhattan
1934
as Minister
MovieThe Captain Hates the Sea
1934
as Josephus Bushmills
MovieThe Merry Widow
1934
as Valet
MovieMrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
1934
as Mr. Wiggs
MovieWhat Every Woman Knows
1934
as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)
MovieThe Defense Rests
1934
as Fogg
MovieMurder at the Vanities
1934
as Dr. Saunders
MovieThe Last Gentleman
1934
as Judd Barr, Cabot's son
MovieBedside
1934
as Dr. George Wiley
MovieHi, Nellie!
1934
as Durkin
MovieCollege Coach
1933
as Spencer Trask
MovieLove, Honor and Oh, Baby!
1933
as Luther Bowen
MovieThe Trans-Atlantic Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist
The Crane Poison Case
1932
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Side Show Mystery
1932
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
MovieMurder in the Pullman
1932
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
The Cole Case
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
MovieThe Skull Murder Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
MovieWayward
1932
as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
MovieThe Studio Murder Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
MovieThe Symphony Murder Mystery
1932
as Dr. Crabtree
MovieThe Week End Mystery
1931
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
MovieThe Wall Street Mystery
1931
as Doctor Crabtree
The Clyde Mystery
1931
as Dr. Amos Crabtree
MoviePersonal Maid
1931
as Pa Ryan
MovieThe Girl Habit
1931
as Jonesy
The Love Kiss
1930
as William
MovieThe Hole in the Wall
1929
as Goofy
MovieSix Cylinder Love
1923
as Richard Burton
