Sam McDaniel

Biography

Sam McDaniel was an American actor whose screen and television credits numbered more than 210 between 1929 and 1950. Born in Wichita, Kansas, he grew up in Denver. He was cast almost entirely in servant roles: butlers, valets, porters and doormen. In 1931 he found work in Los Angeles and was heard on the KNX radio program The Optimistic Doughnut Hour. His film roles included Doc, a ship's cook, in the Oscar-winning Captains Courageous (1937), and Deacon in the Humphrey Bogart film All Through the Night (1942). He appeared as Spiffingham the Butler in Heavenly Daze (1948), a Three Stooges film, and played an uncredited train waiter in The Egg and I (1947) and its followup Ma and Pa Kettle (1949). On television he had supporting roles on The Amos 'n' Andy Show (1951 to 1953) and was the only African American to appear on I Love Lucy, in the 1955 episode The Great Train Robbery. He died in 1962.

76years old at death

Born January 28, 1886Wichita
Died September 24, 1962Woodland Hills
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Samuel Rufus McDaniel (birth name)Also credited as Samuel McDaniel

Movie Career

Films: 15
Career span: 30 years1929 to 1959

Genres

Drama67%, 10 films
Romance47%, 7 films
Comedy33%, 5 films
Mystery20%, 3 films
Adventure13%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
McDaniel appeared as "Sam the Porter" in the 1955 episode "The Great Train Robbery," and no other African-American ever appeared on I Love Lucy.

Sam McDaniel movies on Netflix

A Hole in the Head1959IMDb rating 6.2as Andy
Flamingo Road1949IMDb rating 7.1as Boatright
Without Reservations1946IMDb rating 6.4as Train Waiter
Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3as Charlie
Son of Dracula1943IMDb rating 6.0as Andy
The Ghost and the Guest1943IMDb rating 4.6as Harmony Jones
The Great Lie1941IMDb rating 7.1as Jefferson Washington
Too Many Husbands1940IMDb rating 6.5as Porter
Four's a Crowd1938IMDb rating 6.3as H. Louis Brown
Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9as 'Doc'
Charlie Chan's Courage1934IMDb rating 7.0as Porter
Here Comes the Navy1934IMDb rating 6.2as Washroom Attendant
Employees' Entrance1933IMDb rating 7.2as Janitor at Hotel Balken
A Free Soul1931IMDb rating 6.6as Casino Valet
Hallelujah1929IMDb rating 6.7as Adam

Best known for

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

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Captains Courageous1937 Adventure, Drama, Familyas 'Doc'
IMDb rating 7.912K votes
Flamingo Road1949 Drama, Romanceas Boatright
IMDb rating 7.14.2K votes
Double Indemnity1944as Charlie
IMDb rating 8.3183K votes
The Ghost and the Guest1943as Harmony Jones
IMDb rating 4.6383 votes
The Great Lie1941as Jefferson Washington
IMDb rating 7.14.8K votes
Too Many Husbands1940as Porter
IMDb rating 6.52.0K votes
A Hole in the Head1959as Andy
IMDb rating 6.23.3K votes
Employees' Entrance1933as Janitor at Hotel Balken
IMDb rating 7.21.9K votes

Most often with

Michael Curtiz directed two of these films. George Irving appears in three 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.

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George Irving

Edward G. Robinson

Fred MacMurray

Lionel Barrymore

Melvyn Douglas

Thurston HallMichael CurtizDirector, 2 films

Films together

George Irving3 films together, 1931 to 1943
George Irving's page
- Son of Dracula1943IMDb rating 6.0McDaniel as AndyIrving as Colonel Caldwell
- Here Comes the Navy1934IMDb rating 6.2McDaniel as Washroom AttendantIrving as Admiral
- A Free Soul1931IMDb rating 6.6McDaniel as Casino ValetIrving as Defense Attorney Johnson
Edward G. Robinson2 films together, 1944 to 1959
Edward G. Robinson's page
- A Hole in the Head1959IMDb rating 6.2McDaniel as AndyRobinson as Mario Manetta
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3McDaniel as CharlieRobinson as Barton Keyes
Fred MacMurray2 films together, 1940 to 1944
Fred MacMurray's page
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3McDaniel as CharlieMacMurray as Walter Neff
- Too Many Husbands1940IMDb rating 6.5McDaniel as PorterMacMurray as Bill Cardew
Lionel Barrymore2 films together, 1931 to 1937
Lionel Barrymore's page
- Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9McDaniel as 'Doc'Barrymore as Disko
- A Free Soul1931IMDb rating 6.6McDaniel as Casino ValetBarrymore as Stephen Ashe
Melvyn Douglas2 films together, 1937 to 1940
Melvyn Douglas's page
- Too Many Husbands1940IMDb rating 6.5McDaniel as PorterDouglas as Henry Lowndes
- Captains Courageous1937IMDb rating 7.9McDaniel as 'Doc'Douglas as Mr. Cheyne
Thurston Hall2 films together, 1941 to 1946
Thurston Hall's page
- Without Reservations1946IMDb rating 6.4McDaniel as Train WaiterHall as Henry Baldwin
- The Great Lie1941IMDb rating 7.1McDaniel as Jefferson WashingtonHall as Oscar Worthington James
Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films, 1938 to 1949
All films by Michael Curtiz
- Flamingo Road1949IMDb rating 7.1McDaniel as Boatright
- Four's a Crowd1938IMDb rating 6.3McDaniel as H. Louis Brown
Also two films together4 more actors
- Francis FordCharlie Chan's Courage (1934) and A Free Soul (1931)
- Melville CooperToo Many Husbands (1940) and Four's a Crowd (1938)
- Robert DudleySon of Dracula (1943) and The Ghost and the Guest (1943)
- Alice WhiteFlamingo Road (1949) and Employees' Entrance (1933)
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.

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