Francis McDonald

Francis McDonald (August 22, 1891 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor whose career spanned 52 years.

Early years Born on August 22, 1891, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, McDonald was the son of John Francis McDonald and Catherine Ashlue McDonald. He was educated at St. Xavier College in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Stage and film McDonald's started acting professionally in stock theater with the Forepaugh Stock Company in Cincinnati. Following eight months with it, he worked one season with a stock company in Seattle, after which he performed for three seasons with a troupe in San Diego and Honolulu. He concluded his tenure in stock theater as juvenile leading man with the American Stock Company in Spokane, Washington.

McDonald was one of Cecil B. DeMille's favorite character actors. DeMille gave him credited supporting roles in six of his films: The Plainsman (1936), The Buccaneer (1938), Union Pacific (1939), North West Mounted Police (1940), Samson and Delilah (1949), and The Ten Commandments (1956).

Television McDonald performed in over two dozen television series during the 1950s and early 1960s, including six episodes of The Roy Rogers Show, five episodes of Lone Ranger, and four episodes each of Broken Arrow, Sugarfoot, and Perry Mason. Among his four Perry Mason roles were his portrayals of Captain Noble in the episode "The Case of the Crooked Candle" (1957) and of Salty Sims in "The Case of the Petulant Partner" (1959). He played the town savant Liveryman in "Wanted: Dead or Alive" S2 E10 "Reckless" which aired 11/6/1959. He also portrayed "Winkler" in a 1960 episode of Bat Masterson.

Personal life and death McDonald married actress Mae Busch on December 12, 1915. They divorced on November 24, 1923. He died on September 18, 1968, and was buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California.

Filmography He also appeared as Sam MacGuffin in "The Muleskinner" (S04,E20, undated in end credits).1958 Tombstone Territory Winnie Joe Westerby 1 episode Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Jeb Coleman 1 episode Trackdown Milo 1 episode1959 Lawman Chief Red Horse 1 episode Mr. Lucky Old Fisherman 1 episode Maverick Pop Talmadge 1 episode Perry Mason Salty Sims Season 2 Episode 25 "The Case of the Petulant Partner"1960 Cheyenne Sitting Bull 1 episode Wichita Town Medicine Chief 1 episode Law of the Plainsman Watkins 1 episode Shotgun Slade Bonanza Jake 1 episode Bat Masterson Winkler 1 episode1961 The Deputy Roy Wilkins 1 episode The Untouchables Sully MacGuyver 1 episode 1962 Laramie Gimp 1 episode 1963 The Virginian Saul Weintraub Episode "Echo of Another Day" (credited as Francis J. McDonald)1964 The Virginian Storekeeper 1 episode Perry Mason Peg-Leg Jasper 1 episode