J. Farrell MacDonald
Biography
J. Farrell MacDonald was an American character actor and director who appeared in more than 325 films during a career that ran from 1911 to 1951, and who directed forty-four silent films. Born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and a Yale graduate, he started out as a minstrel show singer and toured in stage productions before his first silent short in 1911. From 1912 he also directed, and he served as the main director for L. Frank Baum's Oz Film Manufacturing Company. By 1918 he had given up directing to act full time, becoming a familiar supporting player in westerns and comedies. He worked often for John Ford, including The Iron Horse (1925) and 3 Bad Men (1926), and later joined Preston Sturges' stock company, appearing in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944). He was notable as the bartender Mac in Ford's My Darling Clementine (1946), made his last film in 1951, and died in 1952.
77years old at death
- Born Waterbury
- Died Hollywood
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Also credited as J. Farrell McDonald and John Farrell MacDonald
Movie Career
- Films
- 37
- Career span
- 26 years1925 to 1951
Genres
Share
Did you know?!
Behind the camera
MacDonald directed L. Frank Baum's Oz Film Manufacturing Company as its principal director. He also appeared often in movies by Frank Capra, Preston Sturges and, especially, John Ford.
First role
In 1911 MacDonald appeared in his first silent film, a dramatic short titled The Scarlett Letter, which Carl Laemmle's Independent Moving Pictures Company produced; that company later became Universal Pictures.
Behind the camera
By 1912 MacDonald was directing films as well as acting in them. His first was The Worth of a Man, a dramatic short for IMP, and he directed 43 more, the last in 1917, Over the Fence, with Harold Lloyd.
A change of course
MacDonald began his career singing in minstrel shows. He also spent two years touring the United States with stage productions.
Early training
MacDonald earned a B.A. from Yale University in 1903, and while he was a student there he also played football.
J. Farrell MacDonald movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
John Ford directed four of these films, Raoul Walsh three and Michael Curtiz two. George O'Brien appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
George O'Brien's page
Bess Flowers's page
Wallace Ford's page
Stanley Andrews's page
Hank Bell's page
Clem Bevans's page
All films by John Ford
All films by Raoul Walsh
Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films, 1935 to 1942
All films by Michael Curtiz
Also three films together3 more actors
- Al BridgeThe Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944), Dark Command (1940) and Murder on the Campus (1933)
- George BrentThe Great Lie (1941), Front Page Woman (1935) and The Iron Horse (1925)
- Henry HallThe Ape Man (1943), Prairie Law (1940) and Murder on the Campus (1933)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What J. Farrell MacDonald's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$16.1 million
8 of the 37 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 37 films: 8 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 28 figure not found.
- 8Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 28Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$3.4M21.2% of the total
- 2$3.0M18.6% of the total
- 3$2.8M17.0% of the total
- 4$2.0M12.4% of the total
- 5$1.8M11.1% of the total
- 6$1.6M10.1% of the total
- 7$831K5.2% of the total
- 8$689K4.3% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.