CINEFILER

Preston Foster

Born
August 22, 1900
Died
July 14, 1970
Preston Foster (August 24, 1900 – July 14, 1970) was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley. Some of his notable films include: Doctor X (1932), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Annie Oakley (1935), The Last Days of Pompeii (also 1935), The Informer (1935) (as the head of the organization), and My Friend Flicka (1943). He starred on the television drama, Waterfront (1954–1955), playing the role of Captain John Herrick. Foster has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was sometimes credited in movies as Preston S. Foster. His first wife was stage actress Gertrude Warren (1926–1945; divorced). He had one daughter, Stephanie. He was married to his second wife, actress Sheila Darcy, from 1946 until his death. During World War II while serving with the United States Coast Guard, he rose to the rank of Captain, Temporary Reserve. He eventually held the honorary rank of Commodore in the U.S. Coast Guard. After the war and before his productive movie career, Foster became a singer of some note. In 1948 Foster created a trio with himself, Gene Leis and Foster’s wife, actress Sheila Darcy. Gene arranged the songs, and they played on radio and in clubs, appearing with Orrin Tucker, Peggy Ann Garner and Rita Hayworth. Description above from the Wikipedia article Preston Foster, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Known For
Lucy and Desi
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Pete
Kansas City Confidential
(1952)
Tim Foster
The Informer
(1935)
Dan Gallagher
Doctor X
(1932)
Dr. Wells
The Time Travelers
(1964)
Dr. Erik von Steiner
The Harvey Girls
(1946)
Judge Sam Purvis
Full Filmography
Acting
Nothing But the Truth
(1929)
Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Follow the Leader
(1930)
Two-Gun Terry
Heads Up
(1930)
Blake
His Woman
(1931)
Crewman
Doctor X
(1932)
Dr. Wells
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
(1932)
Pete
The Last Mile
(1932)
John 'Killer' Mears, Cell 4
Life Begins
(1932)
Dr. Brett
Two Seconds
(1932)
Bud Clark
You Said a Mouthful
(1932)
Ed Dover
The All-American
(1932)
Steve Kelly
Sensation Hunters
(1933)
Tom baylor
Ladies They Talk About
(1933)
David 'Dave' Slade
Hoopla
(1933)
Nifty Miller
Corruption
(1933)
Tim Butler
Elmer, the Great
(1933)
Walker
Just Around the Corner
(1933)
Tim - Office Worker (uncredited)
The Man Who Dared
(1933)
Jan Novak
The Devil's Mate
(1933)
Insp. O'Brien
The 42nd Street Special
(1933)
Self (uncredited)
Wharf Angel
(1934)
Como Murphy
Heat Lightning
(1934)
George
The Bands Plays On
(1934)
Howdy Hardy
Sleepers East
(1934)
Jason Everett
The Informer
(1935)
Dan Gallagher
Annie Oakley
(1935)
Toby Walker
The People's Enemy
(1935)
Vince M. Falcone
The Arizonian
(1935)
Tex Randolph
The Last Days of Pompeii
(1935)
Marcus
Strangers All
(1935)
Murray Carter
We're Only Human
(1935)
Det. Sgt. Pete 'Mac' McCaffrey
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
(1935)
Preston Foster
Love Before Breakfast
(1936)
Scott Miller
Muss 'em Up
(1936)
Tip O'Neil
The Plough and the Stars
(1936)
Jack Clitheroe
First Lady
(1937)
Stephen Wayne
Sea Devils
(1937)
Michael 'Mike' O'Shea
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
(1937)
John Oakhurst
We Who Are About to Die
(1937)
Steven Mathews
You Can't Beat Love
(1937)
James Ellsworth 'Jimmy' Hughes
The Westland Case
(1937)
Bill Crane - Private Detective
Double Danger
(1938)
Robert Crane
Army Girl
(1938)
Capt. Dike Conger
Submarine Patrol
(1938)
Lt. (j.g.) John C. Drake
The Lady in the Morgue
(1938)
Det. Bill Crane
Everybody's Doing It
(1938)
Bruce Keene
The Last Warning
(1938)
Bill Crane
The Storm
(1938)
Jack Stacey
Up the River
(1938)
'Chipper' Morgan
Missing Evidence
(1939)
Bill Collins
Geronimo
(1939)
Capt. Bill Starrett
News Is Made at Night
(1939)
Steve Drum
20,000 Men a Year
(1939)
Jim Howell
Chasing Danger
(1939)
Steve Mitchell
Society Smugglers
(1939)
Sully
North West Mounted Police
(1940)
Sergeant Jim Brett
Moon Over Burma
(1940)
Bill Gordon
Cafe Hostess
(1940)
Dan Walters
Unfinished Business
(1941)
Steve Duncan
The Roundup
(1941)
Greg Lane
American Empire
(1942)
Paxton Bryce
A Gentleman After Dark
(1942)
Tom Gaynor
Little Tokyo, U.S.A.
(1942)
Michael Steele
Thunder Birds
(1942)
Steve Britt
Night in New Orleans
(1942)
Police Lt. Steve Abbott
Secret Agent of Japan
(1942)
Roy Bonnell
Classification of Enlisted Men
(1942)
Narrator
Guadalcanal Diary
(1943)
Father Donnelly
My Friend Flicka
(1943)
Rob McLaughlin
Roger Touhy, Gangster
(1944)
Roger Touhy
Bermuda Mystery
(1944)
Steve Carramond
The Valley of Decision
(1945)
Jim Brennan
Thunderhead - Son of Flicka
(1945)
Rob McLaughlin
Twice Blessed
(1945)
Jeff Turner
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
(1945)
Himself (uncredited)
Strange Triangle
(1946)
Sam Crane
Inside Job
(1946)
Bart Madden
Tangier
(1946)
Col. Jose Artiego
The Harvey Girls
(1946)
Judge Sam Purvis
It's Your America
(1946)
Army Surgeon (uncredited)
Ramrod
(1947)
Frank Ivey
King of the Wild Horses
(1947)
Dave Taggert
The Hunted
(1948)
Johnny Saxon
Thunderhoof
(1948)
Scotty Mason
I Shot Jesse James
(1949)
John Kelley
The Big Cat
(1949)
Tom Eggers
The Tougher They Come
(1950)
Joe MacKinley
The Big Night
(1951)
Andy La Main
Tomahawk
(1951)
Col. Carrington
Three Desperate Men
(1951)
Tom Denton
The Big Gusher
(1951)
Hank Mason
The Bogus Green
(1951)
Brass McGannon
Kansas City Confidential
(1952)
Tim Foster
Montana Territory
(1952)
Sheriff Henry Plummer
I, the Jury
(1953)
Capt. Pat Chambers
Law and Order
(1953)
Kurt Durling
The Marshal's Daughter
(1953)
Preston Foster - Poker-Game Player
Destination 60,000
(1957)
Col. Ed Buckley
The Man from Galveston
(1963)
Judge Homer Black
The Time Travelers
(1964)
Dr. Erik von Steiner
Advance to the Rear
(1964)
Gen. Bateman (uncredited)
You've Got To Be Smart
(1967)
D. O. Griggs
Chubasco
(1968)
Nick
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
(1975)
Self (archive footage)
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
(1997)
Self (archive footage)
Lucy and Desi
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Data provided by TMDB