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Kenneth MacDonald

Kenneth MacDonald

14 movies on Netflix

Biography

Kenneth MacDonald was an American film actor who began on the stage and made his first feature, Slow as Lightning, in 1923. Born in Portland, Indiana, he arrived in Hollywood in the early 1930s and took small parts in low-budget independent films. Columbia Pictures signed him in 1939 for its Charles Starrett westerns, and he became known for a cool, debonair manner that often hid a crooked nature, whether he played a swindler, bandit, or thief. He also took sympathetic authority roles. In Columbia serials including The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, and Black Arrow, he was an effective villain. He was probably best known for The Three Stooges shorts, among them Loose Loot, Hold That Lion!, Monkey Businessmen, Punchy Cowpunchers, and Crime on Their Hands. On television, he was a frequent guest star as a sheriff on The Range Rider from 1951 to 1953 and played a recurring judge in 32 episodes of Perry Mason between 1957 and 1966.

70years old at death

Born September 8, 1901Portland
Died May 5, 1972Los Angeles
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22

Movie Career

Films: 14
Career span: 36 years1931 to 1967

Genres

Crime36%, 5 films
Romance29%, 4 films
Western29%, 4 films
Adventure21%, 3 films
Drama21%, 3 films

First and latest

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Big break
In 1939, Columbia Pictures signed MacDonald for its Charles Starrett westerns. There he perfected a cool, debonair manner that typically concealed a villainous side, whether as a thief, an outlaw or a con man.

Kenneth MacDonald movies on Netflix

40 Guns to Apache Pass1967IMDb rating 5.8as Harry Malone
Fantastic Voyage1966IMDb rating 6.8as Henry - Heart Monitoring
The Errand Boy1961IMDb rating 6.4as Mr. Fumble
Three Violent People1956IMDb rating 6.3as Croupier
Captain Lightfoot1955IMDb rating 6.1as Desmond
Distant Drums1951IMDb rating 6.3as General's Staff Officer
My Forbidden Past1951IMDb rating 6.2as Police Sergeant
The Sword of Monte Cristo1951IMDb rating 5.1as Chamberlain
Belle Starr's Daughter1948IMDb rating 5.8as Uncle Jim Davis
The Power of the Whistler1945IMDb rating 6.3as John Crawford
The Devil Commands1941IMDb rating 6.1as Sheriff Ed Willis
Before I Hang1940IMDb rating 6.1as Anson, Prison Guard
Island of Doomed Men1940IMDb rating 5.8as Doctor Rosener
Safe in Hell1931IMDb rating 6.9as Wireless Operator

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

The Devil Commands1941 Horror, Sci-Fias Sheriff Ed Willis
IMDb rating 6.11.8K votes
Island of Doomed Men1940 Crime, Drama, Thrilleras Doctor Rosener
IMDb rating 5.8778 votes
40 Guns to Apache Pass1967as Harry Malone
IMDb rating 5.81.3K votes
Before I Hang1940as Anson, Prison Guard
IMDb rating 6.11.7K votes
Distant Drums1951as General's Staff Officer
IMDb rating 6.32.7K votes
The Errand Boy1961as Mr. Fumble
IMDb rating 6.42.4K votes
Captain Lightfoot1955as Desmond
IMDb rating 6.1990 votes
Fantastic Voyage1966as Henry - Heart Monitoring
IMDb rating 6.823K votes

Most often with

Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Bruce Bennett

Richard Fiske

Boris Karloff

Ernie Adams

Clarence Muse

Films together

Bruce Bennett3 films together, 1940 to 1956
Bruce Bennett's page
- Three Violent People1956IMDb rating 6.3MacDonald as CroupierBennett as Commissioner Harrison
- Before I Hang1940IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Anson, Prison GuardBennett as Dr. Paul Ames
- Island of Doomed Men1940IMDb rating 5.8MacDonald as Doctor RosenerBennett as Hazen - Guard
Richard Fiske3 films together, 1940 to 1941
Richard Fiske's page
- The Devil Commands1941IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Sheriff Ed WillisFiske as Dr. Richard Sayles
- Before I Hang1940IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Anson, Prison GuardFiske as Mandish
- Island of Doomed Men1940IMDb rating 5.8MacDonald as Doctor RosenerFiske as Hale
Boris Karloff2 films together, 1940 to 1941
Boris Karloff's page
- The Devil Commands1941IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Sheriff Ed WillisKarloff as Dr. Julian Blair
- Before I Hang1940IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Anson, Prison GuardKarloff as Dr. John Garth
Ernie Adams2 films together, 1940 to 1941
Ernie Adams's page
- The Devil Commands1941IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Sheriff Ed WillisAdams as Elam
- Before I Hang1940IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Anson, Prison GuardAdams as Sam - Hospital Prison Orderly
Don Beddoe2 films together, 1940
Don Beddoe's page
- Before I Hang1940IMDb rating 6.1MacDonald as Anson, Prison GuardBeddoe as Capt. McGraw
- Island of Doomed Men1940IMDb rating 5.8MacDonald as Doctor RosenerBeddoe as Brand
Clarence Muse2 films together, 1931 to 1951
Clarence Muse's page
- My Forbidden Past1951IMDb rating 6.2MacDonald as Police SergeantMuse as Pompey
- Safe in Hell1931IMDb rating 6.9MacDonald as Wireless OperatorMuse as Newcastle
Also two films together6 more actors
- Trevor BardetteThe Sword of Monte Cristo (1951) and Island of Doomed Men (1940)
- Charles MiddletonIsland of Doomed Men (1940) and Safe in Hell (1931)
- Chris-Pin MartinBelle Starr's Daughter (1948) and Safe in Hell (1931)
- Janis CarterMy Forbidden Past (1951) and The Power of the Whistler (1945)
- George MontgomeryThe Sword of Monte Cristo (1951) and Belle Starr's Daughter (1948)
- Nina Mae McKinneyThe Power of the Whistler (1945) and Safe in Hell (1931)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.