Douglas Wood

left to right: Charles Harbury, Kate Lester, Wood, Mrs. Fiske in Mrs Bumpstead-Leigh 1911. Douglas Wood (October 31, 1880 – January 13, 1966) was an American actor of stage and screen during the first six decades of the 20th century. During the course of his career, Wood appeared in dozens of Broadway productions, and well over 100 films. Towards the end of his career, he also made several guest appearances on television. Wood died in 1966.

Early years His mother, Ida Jeffreys, was a stage actress.

Career

Early career on Broadway Wood made his Broadway acting debut in the revival of a pair of plays being produced at the Garden Theatre: Cyrano de Bergerac and Beau Brummell. Over the next thirty years he appeared in dozens of plays on The Great White Way. He was in the original production of Du Barry, written, directed, and produced by David Belasco, which had a successful run in 1901–02. After appearing in several plays with short runs, he was in another successful play from 1904 to 1905, The College Widow, written by George Ade and directed by George Marion again at the Garden Theatre. In 1910 he appeared in the role of Marc Antony in a repertory production of Julius Caesar at the Garden. In 1913 he began a successful run of The Family Cupboard, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Owen Davis, which ran until 1915. He starred in the musical Maytime, produced by Lee and J.J. Shubert, and written by Rida Johnson Young, who also wrote the words to music composed by Sigmund Romberg. The show ran for almost 500 performances at five theaters from 1917 to 1918. He followed this with another Young hit, Little Old New York, which ran during 1920 and 1921 at Plymouth Theatre. Other hits Wood appeared in included: Give and Take (1923), written by Aaron Hoffman; the 1924 John Henry Mears' production, Sweet Seventeen; the 1927 musical, Bye, Bye, Bonnie, which was also notable as the first Broadway role for Ruby Keeler; and The Good Fairy (1931–32), produced and directed by Gilbert Miller, and performed in the theater named after Miller's father, which also starred Helen Hayes. After another successful run in the musical-comedy Take a Chance at the Apollo Theatre which ran from 1932 to 1933, and starred Ethel Merman, Wood took a 25-year hiatus from the Broadway stage,

Broadway performances

(Per Internet Broadway Database) The following year he originated the role in talking pictures of Wopsle in Stuart Walker's 1934 production of Great Expectations. Over the next 20 years he appeared in over 125 films, mostly in smaller and supporting roles. Other notable films in which he appeared include: Two Against the World (1936), starring Humphrey Bogart; the Abbott and Costello vehicle, Buck Privates (1941); Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), starring Robert Montgomery, Evelyn Keyes, and Claude Rains; Howard Hawk's 1941 classic, Sergeant York, starring Gary Cooper; and The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944), starring Fredric March.

Late career and death During the 1950s, Wood appeared in a handful of pictures, mostly B-films. In 1958 Wood returned to the Broadway stage with a supporting role in Jane Eyre, it was his final acting performance. Wood died on January 13, 1966, in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

(Per AFI database)

The Fountain (1934) as de Greve (film debut) Bottoms Up (1934) as John Baldwin College Rhythm (1934) as George Collins, Second Tramp (uncredited) The Trumpet Blows (1934) as Senor Ramirez Great Expectations (1934) as Wopsle The President Vanishes (1934) as Roger Grant A Night at the Ritz (1935) as Board of Directors' Chairman (uncredited) The Wedding Night (1935) as Leland Heywood (uncredited) Dangerous (1935) as Elmont Special Agent (1935) as Federal Judge (uncredited) Love in Bloom (1935) as Rector (uncredited) Spring Tonic (1935) as Mr. Ingalls College Scandal (1935) as Dean Traynor The Great Impersonation (1935) as Lord Allison (uncredited) The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936) as Gen. Thomas Ewing Great Guy (1936) as Mayor Hearts in Bondage (1936) as Commodore David G. Farragut Pigskin Parade (1936) as Prof. Dutton (uncredited) Mariners of the Sky/Navy Born (1936) as Mr. Strickland Two in a Crowd (1936) as Banker Ralston Dracula's Daughter (1936) as Dr. Townsend (uncredited) Wedding Present (1936) as Willett Parole! (1936) as Parole Board Chairman (uncredited) Two Against the World (1936) as Malcolm Sims This Is My Affair (1937) as Henry Maxwell On the Avenue (1937) as Mr. Trivet Guns of the Pecos (1937) as Texas Governor West of Shanghai (1937) as Myron Galt (uncredited) Born Reckless (1937) as Mayor (uncredited) Dangerously Yours (1937) as Walter Chandler Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937) as Selim Submarine D-1 (1937) as Admiral on Battleship (uncredited) Maytime (1937) as Massilon (uncredited) Over the Goal (1937) as Dr. Marshall - Carlton President Mannequin (1937) as Rogers (uncredited) Married Before Breakfast (1937) The Beloved Brat (1938) as Mr. Butler (uncredited) Gold Is Where You Find It (1938) as Judge H.B. Clayburn (uncredited) Kentucky (1938) as Race Track Patron (uncredited) Three Loves Has Nancy (1938) as Mr. Hanson (uncredited) Sergeant Murphy (1938) as Major General Truson (uncredited) I Am the Law (1938) as District Attorney Bert Berry Eternally Yours (1939) Juarez (1939) as Mr. Hartman (uncredited) They All Come Out (1939) as First Doctor (uncredited) 20,000 Men a Year (1939) as Crandall Off the Record (1939) as J.W. It Could Happen to You (1939) as Alumni Member (uncredited) East Side of Heaven (1939) as Fisher (uncredited) Waterloo Bridge (1940) as Vicar at Estate Dance (uncredited) Babies for Sale (1940) as Dr. Aleshire The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) as Judge D.R. Rowan (uncredited) Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940) as Speidler Teddy the Rough Rider (1940, Short) as President William McKinley (uncredited) Private Affairs (1940) as Mr. Stanley The Man Who Wouldn't Talk (1940) as Walker Boom Town as Oil Man at New York Meeting (uncredited) Blossoms in the Dust (1941) as President of Texas Senate (uncredited) Buck Privates (1941) as Randolph Parker II (uncredited) Glamour Boy (1941) as Psychiatrist (uncredited) H. M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) as Mr. Bullard Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) as Board Member (uncredited) Honky Tonk (1941) as Gov. Wilson In the Navy (1941) as Admiral (uncredited) Million Dollar Baby (1941) as Mr. Barlow, Attorney (uncredited) She Knew All the Answers (1941) as Minor Role (uncredited) Love Crazy (1941) as Sanity Hearing Doctor (uncredited) Sergeant York (1941) as Major Hylan (uncredited) Small Town Deb (1942) as Eustace R. Richards Blondie's Blessed Event (1942) Murder in the Big House (1942) as Bill Burgen Parachute Nurse (1942) as Maj. Devon They All Kissed the Bride (1942) as Hoover (uncredited) We Were Dancing (1942) as Colonel Sandys (uncredited) Stand by for Action (1942) as Sen. Masterman (uncredited) Crazy House (1943) as Studio Bidder (uncredited) The Good Fellows (1943) as John Drayton Hers to Hold (1943) as Peter Cartwright It's a Great Life (1943) as Insurance Physician (uncredited) The More the Merrier (1943) as Senator in Taxi (uncredited) Never a Dull Moment (1943) as Commodore Barclay She's for Me (1943) as Milbourne What a Woman! (1943) as Dean Alfred B. Shaeffer The Amazing Mrs. Holliday (1943) as Chairman (uncredited) I'm from Arkansas (1944) as Governor of Arkansas Meet Miss Bobby Socks (1944) as Principal Whitaker (uncredited) They Live in Fear (1944) as John Elwood (uncredited) Phantom Lady (1944) as Show Backer (uncredited) The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) as William Dean Howells (uncredited) The Big Show-Off (1945) as Dr. Dinwiddle Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion (1945) as Alexander Harmon (uncredited) Eadie Was a Lady (1945) as Dean Flint (uncredited) Patrick the Great (1945) as Sir Orville Armstrong (uncredited) The Stork Club (1945) as Dr. Marston (uncredited) One Way to Love (1946) as Dignified Man (uncredited) Because of Him (1946) as Samual Hapgood Cinderella Jones (1946) as Professor Seabright (uncredited) Do You Love Me (1946) as Dr. Dunfee (uncredited) Dragonwyck (1946) as Mayor Curtis (uncredited) The Missing Lady (1946) as Alfred Kester (uncredited) Night Editor (1946) as Bank Manager (uncredited) Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) as Charles Hamilton (uncredited) Blondie's Big Moment (1947) as Theodore Payson (uncredited) The Fabulous Texan (1947) as Hamilton (uncredited) Fun on a Weekend (1947) as John Durand - Hotel Manager (uncredited) Her Husband's Affairs (1947) as Tappel (uncredited) It Had to Be You (1947) as Mr. Kimberly (uncredited) Little Miss Broadway (1947) as Richard Nichols Sr. My Wild Irish Rose (1947) as Rawson - Three Tycoons Two Blondes and a Redhead (1947) as Judge Abbott Welcome Stranger (1947) as Principal Tilson (uncredited) The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947) as University President I Surrender Dear (1948) as R.H. Collins The Judge Steps Out (1948) as Cabot Royce Winthrop (uncredited) An Old-Fashioned Girl (1949) as Mr. Shaw Adventure in Baltimore (1949) as Coates - Art Contest Director (uncredited) Shamrock Hill (1949) as Judge Mayer Streets of San Francisco (1949) as Mayor Bollen (uncredited) Border Outlaws (1950) as Rancher Kimball Harriet Craig (1950) as Mr. Norwood (uncredited) The Long Ranger (1950–1951, TV) as Ed Simpson/Cyrus Wilson The Petty Girl (1950) as Prof. Stratton (uncredited) Rhubarb (1951) as Mr. Carroll - Board Member (uncredited) Cattle Queen (1951) as Judge Whipple, Bartender Francis Covers the Big Town (1953) as Dr. Glosser (uncredited) Topper (1953–1954, TV) as Sudbury/Judge No Man's Land (1955) as Philip Grant That Certain Feeling (1956) as Senator (final film) (uncredited)