Douglass Dumbrille (1926)

Douglass Dumbrille was a prolific Canadian-born character actor whose career carried him from the legitimate stage to Broadway and eventually into more than 200 motion pictures during Hollywood’s Golden Age. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1889, Dumbrille initially worked as a bank clerk before leaving banking to pursue acting. After gaining experience with stock and touring companies, he made his Broadway debut in 1924 as Banquo in Macbeth. Over the next several years, he appeared regularly on the New York stage before establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s most dependable character actors.

Dumbrille joined the resident company at Elitch Theatre in 1926, becoming part of an exceptionally distinguished ensemble that also included future stars Fredric March, Beulah Bondi, Florence Eldridge and Cora Witherspoon. That summer, Elitch presented a demanding twelve-play repertory ranging from Ferenc Molnár’s The Swan and George Kelly’s Craig’s Wife to Liliom, Icebound and Hell-Bent fer Heaven.

Dumbrille returned to Elitch for the 1927 season, again sharing the company with Fredric March and appearing alongside Flora Sheffield, May Buckley, Lea Penman, Moffat Johnston and Raymond Walburn.

The surviving account of the 1927 season provides a particularly vivid picture of Dumbrille at work. In George S. Kaufman’s The Butter and Egg Man, he played theatrical producer Jack McClure, one of the men who convince Fredric March’s inexperienced Peter Jones to invest in a Broadway production. Dumbrille took a leading role in Willard Mack’s The Dove as the wealthy Mexican Don José Tostado, opposite Lea Penman and March; contemporary accounts described the elaborate production as one of the highlights of the season. He also appeared as the threatening village moneylender in Sure Fire and as one of the professional escorts in the comedy Loose Ankles. These performances demonstrate the versatility and commanding character work that would soon become Dumbrille’s trademark on screen.

By the early 1930s, Dumbrille had moved increasingly into motion pictures, where his resonant voice, imposing presence and polished manner made him especially effective as authority figures and villains. He appeared opposite many of Hollywood’s greatest stars and worked for directors including Frank Capra and Cecil B. DeMille. His memorable films included I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, the Marx Brothers comedy A Day at the Races, The Buccaneer, Julius Caesar and The Ten Commandments. Although frequently cast as crooked businessmen, politicians, sheriffs and other antagonists, Dumbrille displayed a gift for comedy as well as drama. His extraordinary body of work ultimately encompassed more than 200 films, making the two summers he spent on the Elitch stage an important chapter in the career of one of Hollywood’s most recognizable character actors.

Seasons at the Theatre

1926
1927

Productions/Roles:

1927 – The Butter and Egg Man — Jack McClure, one of the theatrical producers who persuades Peter Jones (Fredric March) to invest in their production.
1927 – The Dove — Don José Tostado, the wealthy Mexican who pursues Delores Romero; Dumbrille and Lea Penman were identified as the production’s leads, with Fredric March in a supporting role.
1927 – Sure Fire — Village moneylender/skinflint who threatens to foreclose on the home at the center of the story.
1927 – Loose Ankles — One of a group of professional escorts/dancers, alongside Fredric March, Moffat Johnston and Mackenzie Ward.

Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:

Broadway career (1924–1932) — Dumbrille’s Broadway credits included Banquo in Macbeth (1924), The Call of Life (1925), Michael in Princess Flavia (1925), Athos in The Three Musketeers (1928), Chinese O’Neill (1929), Joseph (1930), Princess Charming (1930), As You Desire Me (1931) and Child of Manhattan (1932).
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) — Appeared in the landmark Paul Muni prison drama, one of six films in Dumbrille’s career that received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture.
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) — Appeared in the Gary Cooper adventure epic, another Best Picture nominee and one of the major productions of Dumbrille’s early Hollywood career.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) — Played John Cedar, the scheming attorney opposing Gary Cooper’s Longfellow Deeds in Frank Capra’s celebrated comedy-drama.
A Day at the Races (1937) — Played the villainous Morgan opposite the Marx Brothers, Allan Jones and Maureen O’Sullivan. The role exemplified Dumbrille’s particular talent for playing imposing antagonists in comedy.
The Buccaneer (1938) — Appeared in Cecil B. DeMille’s historical epic alongside Fredric March, with whom Dumbrille had previously shared the stage at Elitch Theatre. Dumbrille later appeared in the 1958 remake as the Collector of the Port.
The Three Musketeers (1939) — Played Athos in Allan Dwan’s film adaptation, revisiting the character he had played in the successful 1928 Broadway musical production.
Julius Caesar (1953) — Appeared as Lepidus in the acclaimed MGM Shakespeare adaptation starring Marlon Brando, James Mason and John Gielgud; the film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The Ten Commandments (1956) — Portrayed Jannes, the Egyptian priest and magician, in Cecil B. DeMille’s monumental Biblical epic. The film was nominated for Best Picture and became one of the most enduring productions with which Dumbrille was associated.
More than 200 motion-picture roles — Across more than three decades in Hollywood, Dumbrille became one of the era’s busiest character actors. He was particularly known for authoritative and villainous characters and also used that screen persona to comic effect opposite performers including the Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello and the Bowery Boys.

Elitch Theatre Connections:

1933 — Baby Face (Film) — George Brent (HET 1929) and Donald Cook (HET 1930). Dumbrille played Brody, Brent played Courtland Trenholm, and Cook played Ned Stevens in the same film. IMDb
1934 — Stamboul Quest (Film) — Myrna Loy (HET 1967) and George Brent (HET 1929). Loy starred as Annemarie/Fräulein Doktor, Brent as Douglas Beall, and Dumbrille appeared as the General. AFI Catalog
1934 — Broadway Bill (Film) — Myrna Loy (HET 1967) and Raymond Walburn (HET 1927). Dumbrille played Eddie Morgan, Loy played Alice Higgins, and Walburn played Colonel Pettigrew. Moviefone
1935 — Love Me Forever (Film) — Spring Byington (HET 1906). Byington played Clara Fields and Dumbrille played Miller in the same film. AFI Catalog
1935 — The Calling of Dan Matthews (Film) — Donald Cook (HET 1930). Dumbrille played Jeff Hardy and Cook played Frank Blair. Wikipedia
1936 — You May Be Next! (Film) — Ann Sothern (HET 1968). Sothern starred as Fay Stevens opposite Dumbrille’s Beau Gardner. AFI Catalog
1936 — The Witness Chair (Film) — Walter Abel (HET 1975). Abel played James Trent and Dumbrille played Stanley Whittaker. IMDb
1936 — Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Film) — Raymond Walburn (HET 1927). Dumbrille played attorney John Cedar and Walburn played Walter. IMDb
1937 — A Day at the Races (Film) — Allan Jones (HET 1979) and Maureen O’Sullivan (HET 1972). Jones played Gil Stewart, O’Sullivan played Judy Standish, and Dumbrille played the villainous Morgan in the Marx Brothers comedy. IMDb
1937 — The Firefly (Film) — Allan Jones (HET 1979). Jones played Don Diego/Captain André François and Dumbrille played the Marquis de Melito. IMDb
1938 — The Buccaneer (Film) — Fredric March (HET 1926), Spring Byington (HET 1906), and Beulah Bondi (HET 1925). March starred as Jean Lafitte, Byington played Dolley Madison, Bondi played Aunt Charlotte, and Dumbrille played Governor William C. C. Claiborne. Dumbrille and March had previously been fellow members of the Elitch company. AFI Catalog
1939 — Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (Film) — Cesar Romero (HET 1964). Romero played Rhadini and Dumbrille played Stewart Salisbury/Thomas Gregory. IMDb
1939 — Thunder Afloat (Film) — Addison Richards (HET 1962). Dumbrille played the District Commander and Richards played Admiral Ross. AFI Catalog
1939 — Slightly Honorable (Film) — Pat O’Brien (HET 1980), Eve Arden (HET 1965), Ernest Truex (HET 1903), and Addison Richards (HET 1962). O’Brien starred as John Webb, Arden played Miss Ater, Truex played P. Hemingway Collins, Richards played Inspector Fromm, and Dumbrille played George Taylor. TVGuide.com
1940 — Michael Shayne: Private Detective (Film) — Walter Abel (HET 1975). Abel played Elliott Thomas and Dumbrille played Benny Gordon. IMDb
1941 — Ellery Queen and the Perfect Crime (Film) — Spring Byington (HET 1906). Byington played Carlotta Emerson and Dumbrille played John Mathews. TVGuide.com
1946 — The Cat Creeps (Film) — Rose Hobart (HET 1938). Dumbrille played Tom McGalvey and Hobart played Connie Palmer. AFI Catalog
1947 — Christmas Eve (Film) — George Brent (HET 1929). Brent played Michael Brooks and Dumbrille played Dr. Bunyan. IMDb
1949 — Tell It to the Judge (Film) — Robert Cummings (HET 1968) and Gig Young (HET 1973). Cummings played Peter Webb, Young played Alexander Darvac, and Dumbrille played George Ellerby. IMDb
1950 — Riding High (Film) — Raymond Walburn (HET 1927). Walburn reprised his Broadway Bill role as Pettigrew while Dumbrille likewise returned, this time with his character renamed Eddie Howard. Thus Dumbrille and Walburn made both the 1934 original and its 1950 remake together. AFI Catalog
1952 — Sky Full of Moon (Film) — Jan Sterling (HET 1939). Sterling starred as Dixie Delmar and Dumbrille appeared as the rodeo official. AFI Catalog
1954 — The Ford Television Theatre: “The Fugitives” (TV episode) — Raymond Burr (HET 1944). This is a same-episode connection: Burr played Red Lefwick and Dumbrille played J. B. Creston. IMDb
1955 — Passport to Danger: “Budapest” (TV episode) — Cesar Romero (HET 1964). This is a same-episode connection: Romero starred as Steve McQuinn and Dumbrille guest-starred as Bernard. IMDb
1955–1957 — Crossroads (TV series) — Donald Woods (HET 1933), Pat O’Brien (HET 1980), and Vincent Price (HET 1979). Dumbrille, Woods, O’Brien, and Price all made multiple appearances in this religious anthology series. These are same-series connections, generally in different anthology episodes, rather than evidence that all four shared an episode. TVGuide.com
1956 — The Ten Commandments (Film) — Edward G. Robinson (HET 1921) and Vincent Price (HET 1979). Robinson played Dathan, Price played Baka, and Dumbrille played the Egyptian priest/magician Jannes in Cecil B. DeMille’s epic. BBFC
1959–1960 — Grand Jury (TV series) — Addison Richards (HET 1962). Dumbrille was a recurring cast member as Thomas Grant, appearing in roughly 29 episodes, while Richards recurred as Fullerton. This is a recurring-series connection rather than a single isolated guest appearance. TVGuide.com
1959–1961 — The DuPont Show with June Allyson (TV anthology series) — June Allyson (HET 1966) and Ernest Truex (HET 1903). Dumbrille appeared in the anthology as a warden; Allyson was the program’s host/star, while Truex appeared elsewhere in the series. The Truex connection is therefore same series, different episode, rather than a verified shared episode. IMDb
1962 — 77 Sunset Strip: “The Odds on Odette” (TV episode) — Edd Byrnes (HET 1968). This is a same-episode connection: Byrnes appeared as series regular Kookie and Dumbrille guest-starred as Phillipson. Plex.tv Mala Powers (HET 1962) also appeared elsewhere on 77 Sunset Strip, making her a verified same-series/different-episode connection with Dumbrille. FMDB
1964 — Perry Mason: “The Case of the Latent Lover” (TV episode) — Raymond Burr (HET 1944). Same episode: Burr starred as Perry Mason and Dumbrille played Judge Robert Alder. IMDb
1965 — Perry Mason: “The Case of the Duplicate Case” (TV episode) — Raymond Burr (HET 1944). Same episode again: Burr played Perry Mason and Dumbrille appeared as the presiding judge. IMDb