Francis McDonald (August 22, 1891 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor whose career spanned 52 years.
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.
By 1913 McDonald began to perform in the rapidly expanding film industry, initially working for Marion Leonard's Monopole Company in Hollywood. He was cast in over 280 films between 1913 and 1965, including The Temptress in 1926 with Greta Garbo. After he was designated "Hollywood's Prettiest Man," McDonald sought a tougher image by shaving his mustache and seeking roles of villains.
McDonald was one of Cecil B. DeMille's favorite character actors.[citation needed] 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).
Known For
The Ten Commandments
(1956)
Simon
Samson and Delilah
(1949)
Story Teller
Notorious
(1946)
Man (uncredited)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
(1916)
Extra (uncredited)
The Sea Hawk
(1940)
Kroner
Bad Day at Black Rock
(1955)
Tall - White-haired Cafe Lounger (uncredited)
Robin and the 7 Hoods
(1964)
Old Man at Robbo's Club
Duel in the Sun
(1946)
Gambler (uncredited)
Rancho Notorious
(1952)
Harbin
Blood and Sand
(1941)
Manolo's Friend (uncredited)
Battling Butler
(1926)
Alfred 'Battling' Butler
The Sea Wolf
(1941)
Svenson
Morocco
(1930)
Sergeant Tatoche
North West Mounted Police
(1940)
Louis Riel
The Stranger Wore a Gun
(1953)
Frank
Idiot's Delight
(1939)
Flight Captain
Full Filmography
Acting
Carmen
(1913)
Don Jose
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
(1916)
Extra (uncredited)
The Devil at His Elbow
(1916)
Andrew Sealey (as Frank McDonald)
Mr. Dolan of New York
(1917)
'Spider' Flynn (as Francis MacDonald)
The Gates of Doom
(1917)
Jang Sattib
The Love Doctor
(1917)
Hildreth
Black Orchids
(1917)
George Renoir / Ivan De Maupin
Perils of the Secret Service
(1917)
(Episode #3)
The Voice on the Wire
(1917)
'Red' Warren
The Gun Woman
(1918)
The Gent
The Ghost Flower
(1918)
Toton
(1919)
Pierre
The Courageous Coward
(1919)
Tom Kirby (as Francis J. McDonald)
Love's Prisoner
(1919)
Party Guest (uncredited)
Prudence on Broadway
(1919)
Grayson Mills
The Confession
(1920)
Tom Bartlett
Nomads of the North
(1920)
Buck McDougall
Puppets of Fate
(1921)
The Call of the North
(1921)
Achille Picard
The Golden Snare
(1921)
Pierre Thoreau
Trooper O'Neill
(1922)
Pierre
Captain Fly-by-Night
(1922)
Second Stranger
The Woman Conquers
(1922)
Lawatha, Indian Guide
Monte Cristo
(1922)
Benedetto
Trilby
(1923)
Geko
The Buster
(1923)
Swing
Going Up
(1923)
Jules Gaillard
Mary of the Movies
(1923)
James Seiler
The Arizona Express
(1924)
Victor Johnson
So This Is Marriage?
(1924)
Smith
The Hunted Woman
(1925)
Joe De Bar
Go Straight!
(1925)
The Dove
My Lady of Whims
(1925)
Rolf
Satan in Sables
(1925)
Emile
Bobbed Hair
(1925)
Pooch
The Temptress
(1926)
Timoteo
The Desert's Toll
(1926)
Frank Darwin
Battling Butler
(1926)
Alfred 'Battling' Butler
Puppets
(1926)
Bruno
The Palace of Pleasure
(1926)
The Yankee Señor
(1926)
Juan Gutiérrez
Life in Hollywood No. 4
(1927)
The Notorious Lady
(1927)
Manuela Silvera
Outlaws of Red River
(1927)
Ben Tanner
A Girl in Every Port
(1928)
Circus Manager
The Legion of the Condemned
(1928)
Gonzolo Vasquez
The Drag Net
(1928)
Sniper Dawson
The Valley of Hell
(1928)
Creighton Steele
Girl Overboard
(1929)
Francisco
The Carnation Kid
(1929)
The Carnation Kid
Burning Up
(1930)
'Bullet' McGhan
Dangerous Paradise
(1930)
Ricardo
The Runaway Bride
(1930)
Barney Black
Safety in Numbers
(1930)
Phil Kemptom
Morocco
(1930)
Sergeant Tatoche
The Gang Buster
(1931)
Pete Caltek
The Lawyer's Secret
(1931)
The Weasel
In Line of Duty
(1931)
Jacques Dupres
Trailing the Killer
(1932)
Pierre LaPlant (as Francis MacDonald)
The Woman from Monte Carlo
(1932)
Karkuff
Honor of the Mounted
(1932)
Jean La Train
70,000 Witnesses
(1932)
Dominic Silvera (uncredited)
Hidden Valley
(1932)
Frank Gavin
Texas Buddies
(1932)
Blake
Broadway Bad
(1933)
Charley Davis
Terror Trail
(1933)
Tad McPherson
Straightaway
(1933)
Rogan
The Devil's in Love
(1933)
Officer Reading Verdict
Night Flight
(1933)
Radioman (uncredited)
Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles
(1933)
Henchman (as Frances McDonald)
Voice in the Night
(1934)
Henchman Jackson
The Trumpet Blows
(1934)
Vega
Red Morning
(1934)
Sakki
Girl in Danger
(1934)
Tony - Russo Henchman (uncredited)
Burn 'Em Up Barnes
(1934)
Ray Ridpath - Henchman
The Gay Bride
(1934)
Detroit gangster (uncredited)
Operator 13
(1934)
Denton (uncredited)
A Successful Failure
(1934)
Radical Speaker
Diamond Jim
(1935)
Gambler
West Point of the Air
(1935)
Civilian Pilot
In Spite of Danger
(1935)
Race Driver
Mississippi
(1935)
Gambler
The Plainsman
(1936)
A River Gambler
Big Brown Eyes
(1936)
Malley (Uncredited)
White Fang
(1936)
Suds
Mummy's Boys
(1936)
Rasheed Bey
Robin Hood of El Dorado
(1936)
Pedro
The Prisoner of Shark Island
(1936)
John Wilkes Booth
Devil's Playground
(1937)
Romano
The Soldier and the Lady
(1937)
Chieftain (Uncredited)
Wild West Days
(1937)
Assayer Purvis, member of the Secret 7
Criminal Lawyer
(1937)
Jack 'Fingy' Doremus (uncredited)
Parole Racket
(1937)
Nat Beldon
Woman-Wise
(1937)
Charley (uncredited)
The Buccaneer
(1938)
Camden Blount
If I Were King
(1938)
Casin Cholet
Gun Law
(1938)
Henchman Nevada
Beau Geste
(1939)
Arab Scout (uncredited)
Range War
(1939)
Morgan
Idiot's Delight
(1939)
Flight Captain
Union Pacific
(1939)
Gen. Dodge
The Light That Failed
(1939)
George
Bad Lands
(1939)
Manuel Lopez
The Carson City Kid
(1940)
Laramie
Wyoming
(1940)
Dawson - Henchman
The Sea Hawk
(1940)
Kroner
One Night in the Tropics
(1940)
Escobar's Aide (uncredited)
Captain Caution
(1940)
French Seaman in Pub
Green Hell
(1940)
Gracco
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
(1940)
Santos the Portuguese
The Devil's Pipeline
(1940)
Gaddi Sang
North West Mounted Police
(1940)
Louis Riel
Strange Cargo
(1940)
Moussenq - Convict (uncredited)
The Kid from Kansas
(1941)
Cesar
The Sea Wolf
(1941)
Svenson
Blood and Sand
(1941)
Manolo's Friend (uncredited)
Men of the Timberland
(1941)
Jean Collet
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
(1942)
Kidnapper
Valley of the Sun
(1942)
Governor's Interpreter
The Girl from Alaska
(1942)
Pelly
Bar 20
(1943)
Quirt Rankin
Buckskin Frontier
(1943)
Duval
The Kansan
(1943)
Gil Hatton
Cheyenne Wildcat
(1944)
Jim Douglas
Bordertown Trail
(1944)
Matthews
Mystery of the Riverboat
(1944)
Batiste
Zorro's Black Whip
(1944)
Dan Hammond
Belle of the Yukon
(1944)
Miner Investing on River-Freeze Date (uncredited)
Lumberjack
(1944)
Clyde Fenwick
Texas Masquerade
(1944)
Sam Nolan
Mystery Man
(1944)
Bert Rogan
South of the Rio Grande
(1945)
Torres
Corpus Christi Bandits
(1945)
Dad Christie
Bad Men of the Border
(1945)
Captain Jose Garcia
Great Stagecoach Robbery
(1945)
Con Hollister
Strange Confession
(1945)
Hernandez
River Gang
(1945)
Indignant Man
My Pal Trigger
(1946)
Storekeeper
Night Train to Memphis
(1946)
Doctor
The Invisible Informer
(1946)
Jules Ravelle
The Devil's Playground
(1946)
Roberts
Notorious
(1946)
Man (uncredited)
The Catman of Paris
(1946)
Devereaux
Roll on Texas Moon
(1946)
Steve Anders
Tangier
(1946)
Sanchez
Duel in the Sun
(1946)
Gambler (uncredited)
Magnificent Doll
(1946)
Jenks
Saddle Pals
(1947)
Sheriff
Dangerous Venture
(1947)
Kane
The Perils of Pauline
(1947)
Western Saloon Set Heavy
The Paleface
(1948)
Lance (as Francis J. McDonald)
The Bold Frontiersman
(1948)
Adam Post
Son of God’s Country
(1948)
Tom Ford
The Dead Don't Dream
(1948)
Bart Lansing
Strange Gamble
(1948)
Henchman Longhorn
Panhandle
(1948)
Crump
Son of a Badman
(1949)
Joe Christ
Rim of the Canyon
(1949)
Charlie Lewis
Brothers in the Saddle
(1949)
Hoyt Parker
Rose of the Yukon
(1949)
Alaskan
Powder River Rustlers
(1949)
Shears Williams
Samson and Delilah
(1949)
Story Teller
Daughter of the Jungle
(1949)
Montu
Abandoned
(1949)
Winey - Pool Player (uncredited)
Apache Chief
(1949)
Mohaska
California Passage
(1950)
County Recorder Joe Kane
Woman in Hiding
(1950)
North Carolina Cannoneer (uncredited)
The Nevadan
(1950)
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Gene Autry and the Mounties
(1951)
Batiste
Red Mountain
(1951)
Marshal Roberts
Fort Osage
(1952)
Osage Chief
Rancho Notorious
(1952)
Harbin
The Raiders
(1952)
Mr. John Cummings
The Bandits of Corsica
(1953)
Grisha
The Stranger Wore a Gun
(1953)
Frank
Two Gun Marshal
(1953)
Blake Cody
Ten Wanted Men
(1955)
Dig That Uranium
(1955)
The Indian Chief
Bad Day at Black Rock
(1955)
Tall - White-haired Cafe Lounger (uncredited)
The Naked Dawn
(1955)
Railroad guard
Walk the Proud Land
(1956)
The Shaman (uncredited)
Thunder Over Arizona
(1956)
Pliny Warren
The Ten Commandments
(1956)
Simon
Last Stagecoach West
(1957)
Old Man Colter
The Guns of Fort Petticoat
(1957)
Col. Chivington's Aide (uncredited)
Pawnee
(1957)
Uncle Tip Alden (as Francis J. McDonald)
Duel at Apache Wells
(1957)
Joe Dunn
Fort Massacre
(1958)
Piute Man
The Big Fisherman
(1959)
Scribe Spokesman
Robin and the 7 Hoods
(1964)
Old Man at Robbo's Club