Walter Catlett

Walter Leland Catlett (February 4, 1889 – November 14, 1960) was an American actor and comedian. He was famous for playing excitable, meddlesome, temperamental, and officious blowhards.

Career Catlett was born on February 4, 1889, in San Francisco, California. with a detour for a while to opera, before breaking into acting.

He debuted on stage in 1906 and made his first Broadway appearance in either The Prince of Pilsen (1910 or 1911 ) or So Long Letty (1916). His first film appearance was in 1912, but then he went back to the stage and did not return to films until 1929. He performed in operettas and musicals, including The Ziegfeld Follies of 1917, the original production of the Jerome Kern musical Sally (1920) and the Gershwins' Lady, Be Good (1924). In the last, he introduced the song "Oh, Lady Be Good!" His antics in the musical Baby Bunting in London in 1922 had King George V laughing "uproariously".

Catlett made a handful of silent film appearances, but his film career did not catch on until the advent of talking pictures allowed moviegoers to experience his full comic repertoire. He starred in a number of 'two-reelers', mostly in the 1930s, some as a comedy duo with Eugene Pallette, for RKO; most were for RKO, but six were for Columbia between 1934 and 1940.

Three of his better remembered roles were perhaps as the theatre manager driven to distraction by James Cagney's character in Yankee Doodle Dandy, the local constable who throws the entire cast in jail and winds up there himself in the Howard Hawks classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby, and as Morrow, the drunken poet in the restaurant who "knows when [he's] been a skunk" and takes Longfellow Deeds on a "bender" in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. He was also widely reported to have been Katharine Hepburn's comedy coach while filming Bringing Up Baby. The New York Times film critic Mordaunt Hall wrote that "This clever comedian runs away with the acting laurels" in Big City Blues (1932). He played John Barsad in the 1935 David O. Selznick production of A Tale of Two Cities, starring Ronald Colman. He also provided the uncredited voice of J. Worthington Foulfellow (a.k.a. Honest John) the Fox, the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1940 animated film Pinocchio. In the 1950s, he appeared in films like Here Comes the Groom, Friendly Persuasion, and Beau James.

For his contributions to the film industry, Catlett was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960, with a motion pictures star located at 1713 Vine Street.

Death Catlett died of a stroke on November 14, 1960, at the age of 71, in Woodland Hills, California. He was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California.

Filmography

Second Youth (1924) as John McNab Summer Bachelors (1926) as Bachelor No. 1 The Music Master (1927) as Medicine Show Barker Why Leave Home? (1929) as Elmer Married in Hollywood (1929) as Joe Glitner Happy Days (1929) as End Man - Minstrel Show Let's Go Places (1930) as Rex Wardell The Big Party (1930) as Mr. Goldfarb The Golden Calf (1930) as Master of Ceremonies The Florodora Girl (1930) as De Boer The Front Page (1931) as Murphy Honeymoon Trio (1931 short) as The Nuisance One Quiet Night (1931 short) Platinum Blonde (1931) as Bingy Maker of Men (1931) as McNeil Cock of the Air (1932) as Col. Wallace Sky Devils (1932) as Master of Ceremonies - Canteen Show (uncredited) The Expert (1932) as Al It's Tough to Be Famous (1932) as Joseph Craig 'Joe' Chapin Back Street (1932) as Bakeless Okay, America! (1932) as City Editor aka 'Lucille' Big City Blues (1932) as Cousin 'Gibby' Gibboney Rain (1932) as Quartermaster Bates The Sport Parade (1932) as 'Shifty' Morrison Rockabye (1932) as Jimmy Dunn Olsen's Big Moment (1933) as Robert Brewster III Private Jones (1933) as Spivey Private Wives (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Walter Hunting Trouble (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Walter Caliente Love (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Harrison Dream Stuff (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Cousin Walter Road Queen (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Walter Knox Daddy Knows Best (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Mr. Boyce Husbands' Reunion (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Walter The Big Fibber (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler, as Walter Moore Meet The Champ (1933) Eugene Pallette and Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Sailors Beware (1933) Eugene Pallette and Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Smitty One Awful Night (1933) Eugene Pallette and Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself So This Is Harris (1933, Oscar winner for Best Short Subject) Phil Harris three-reeler co-starring Walter Catlett as himself Mama Loves Papa (1933) as Tom Walker Arizona to Broadway (1933) as Ned Flynn Only Yesterday (1933) as Barnes (uncredited) Gold Nuggets (1933) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Elmer Steps Out (1934. Columbia) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Elmer Get Along Little Hubby (1934, Columbia) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Elmer Tuttle The New Dealers (1934) Eugene Pallette and Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself News Hounds (1934) Eugene Pallette and Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Making the Rounds (1934) Eugene Pallette and Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself The Fuller Gush Man (1934) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Harry Judson Old Maid's Mistake (1934) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Unknown Blonde (1934) as Publicity Man The Captain Hates the Sea (1934) as Joe Silvers Lightning Strikes Twice (1934) as Gus Every Night at Eight (1935) as Master of Ceremonies The Affair of Susan (1935) as Gilbert In the Sweet Bye and Bye (1935) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Elmer A Tale of Two Cities (1935) as Barsad Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) as Morrow, the Poet We Went to College (1936) as Senator Budger Follow Your Heart (1936) as Joe Sheldon Cain and Mabel (1936) as Jake Sherman Four Days' Wonder (1936) as Duffy Banjo on My Knee (1936) as Warfield Scott Sing Me a Love Song (1936) as Mr. Sprague (uncredited) I Loved a Soldier (1936) Fibbing Fibbers (1936, Columbia) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Upper Cutlets (1936, aka Uppercutlets) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself On the Avenue (1937) as Jake Dibble Love Is News (1937) as Eddie Johnson Wake Up and Live (1937) as Gus Avery Love Under Fire (1937) as Tip Conway Varsity Show (1937) as Professor Sylvester Biddle Danger – Love at Work (1937) as Uncle Alan Every Day's a Holiday (1937) as Nifty Bailey Come Up Riches (1937) Bringing Up Baby (1938) as Slocum Zaza (1938) as Marlardot Going Places (1938) as Franklin Dexter Exile Express (1939) as Gus Kid Nightingale (1939) as Skip Davis Static in the Attic (1939, Columbia) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Pinocchio (1940) as Honest John Worthington Foulfellow (uncredited voice) Half a Sinner (1940) as Station Attendant Pop Always Pays (1940) as Tommy Lane Comin' Round the Mountain (1940) as W.P.A. Clerk Spring Parade (1940) as Headwaiter The Quarterback (1940) as Tom Li'l Abner (1940) as Barber You're Next! (1940) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Slocum Alex In Wonderland (1940) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as Fred Blondes and Blunders (1940) Walter Catlett two-reeler; as himself Remedy for Riches (1940) as Clem Honeymoon for Three (1941) as Waiter The Wild Man of Borneo (1941) as 'Doc' Skelby You're the One (1941) as Program Director Horror Island (1941) as Sergeant McGoon Million Dollar Baby (1941) as Mr. Simpson Hello, Sucker (1941) as G. Remington 'Max' Conway Bad Men of Missouri (1941) as Mr. Pettibone Manpower (1941) as Sidney Whipple Unfinished Business (1941) as Billy Ross Sing Another Chorus (1941) as Theodore Gateson It Started with Eve (1941) as Doctor Harvey Steel Against the Sky (1941) as Professor Rupert Sampson Wild Bill Hickok Rides (1942) as Sylvester W. Twigg Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) as Walter My Gal Sal (1942) as Col. Truckee Syncopation (1942) as Spelvin Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) as Theatre Manager Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) as Jasper Give Out, Sisters (1942) as Gribble Between Us Girls (1942) as Desk Sergeant Heart of the Golden West (1942) as Colonel Silas Popen How's About It (1943) as Whipple They Got Me Covered (1943) as Hotel Manager Hit Parade of 1943 (1943) as J. MacClellan Davis Cowboy in Manhattan (1943) as Ace Robbins Get Going (1943) as Horace Doblem The West Side Kid (1943) as Ramsey Fensel Fired Wife (1943) as Judge Allen His Butler's Sister (1943) as Mortimer Kalb Up in Arms (1944) as Major Brock Hat Check Honey (1944) as Tim Martel Her Primitive Man (1944) as Hotel Clerk Lady, Let's Dance (1944) as Timber Applegate Pardon My Rhythm (1944) as O'Bannion Ghost Catchers (1944) as Colonel Breckinridge Marshall Three Is a Family (1944) as Barney Meeker My Gal Loves Music (1944) as Dr. Bilbo Hi, Beautiful (1944) as Gerald Bisbee Lake Placid Serenade (1944) as Carlton Webb The Man Who Walked Alone (1945) as Wiggins I Love a Bandleader (1945) as B. Templeton James Riverboat Rhythm (1946) as Colonel Jeffrey "Smitty" Witherspoon Slightly Scandalous (1946) as Mr. Wright I'll Be Yours (1947) as Mr. Buckingham Are You with It? (1948) as Jason (Pop) Carter Mr. Reckless (1948) as Joel Hawkins The Boy with Green Hair (1948) as The King Henry, the Rainmaker (1949) as Mayor Colton Leave It to Henry (1949) as Mayor Colton Look for the Silver Lining (1949) as himself Dancing in the Dark (1949) as Joe Brooks The Inspector General (1949) as Colonel Castine Father Makes Good (1950) as Mayor George Colton Father's Wild Game (1950) as Mayor George Colton Father Takes the Air (1951) as Mayor George Colton Here Comes the Groom (1951) as Mr. McGonigle Honeychile (1951) as Al Moore Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956) as Colonel Plug (archive footage) Friendly Persuasion (1956) as Professor Quigley The Gay Nineties (1956) Beau James (1957) as Gov. Alfred E. "Al" Smith

Broadway stage credits So Long Letty (1916–1917) Ziegfeld Follies of 1917 (1917) Follow the Girl (1918) Sally (1920–1922, 1923) Dear Sir (1924) Lady, Be Good (1924–1925) Lucky (1927) Treasure Girl (1928)