Donald Crisp was born George William Crisp at the family home in Bow, London. Donald's parents were James Crisp and Elizabeth Crisp, his birth was registered by his mother on 4th September 1882. Donald's sisters were Elizabeth, Ann, Alice (known as Louisa) and Eliza and his brothers were James, John and Mark. Family memories state that Donald's brother-in-law James Needham (Louisa's husband) lent/gave Donald the fare to USA. The family have a photo of Donald which he sent to 'Jimmy' and signed. On 16th February 1937 Donald applied for a US Social Security account number giving his address as N Vista Street Hollywood California, and his employers Warner Brothers Pictures, Burbank California. On his application Donald did not know his mother's maiden name.
Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actor
Known For
Red Dust
(1932)
Guidon
Mutiny on the Bounty
(1935)
Thomas Burkitt
Wuthering Heights
(1939)
Dr. Kenneth
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
(1916)
Extra (uncredited)
How Green Was My Valley
(1941)
Gwilym Morgan
The Birth of a Nation
(1915)
Gen. U.S. Grant
The Man from Laramie
(1955)
Alec Waggoman
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(1941)
Sir Charles Emery
Lassie Come Home
(1943)
Sam Carraclough
Pollyanna
(1960)
Mayor Karl Warren
Jezebel
(1938)
Dr. Livingstone
The Last Hurrah
(1958)
The Cardinal
Prince Valiant
(1954)
King Aguar
Spencer's Mountain
(1963)
Grandpa Spencer
National Velvet
(1945)
Mr. Herbert Brown
The Charge of the Light Brigade
(1936)
Colonel Campbell
Full Filmography
Acting
Through the Breakers
(1909)
At the Club
Sunshine Sue
(1910)
Head of the Sweatshop
The Golden Supper
(1910)
Courtier/Monk
Winning Back His Love
(1910)
At Stage Door
The Miser's Heart
(1911)
Policeman
What Shall We Do with Our Old?
(1911)
Night Court Bailiff
Fate's Turning
(1911)
The Valet
The Battle
(1911)
A Union soldier (uncredited)
The Primal Call
(1911)
At Club
The Italian Barber
(1911)
At Ball
The Making of a Man
(1911)
Actor / Backstage
The Adventures of Billy
(1911)
First Tramp
The Long Road
(1911)
A Servant / The Landlord
The Failure
(1911)
Bank Employee
Heart Beats of Long Ago
(1911)
Courtier
Her Awakening
(1911)
Accident Witness
The Musketeers of Pig Alley
(1912)
Rival Gang Member (uncredited)
Black and White
(1913)
Olaf—An Atom
(1913)
The Beggar
The Blue or the Gray
(1913)
Southern Rival
Pirate Gold
(1913)
Near To Earth
(1913)
By Man's Law
(1913)
Lee Calvert - Brother Owner
The Avenging Conscience
(1914)
The Escape
(1914)
'Bull' McGee
Home, Sweet Home
(1914)
The Mother's Son
The Battle of the Sexes
(1914)
Frank Andrews
Down the Hill to Creditville
(1914)
Another Chance
(1914)
The Tramp
Over the Ledge
(1914)
The Mysterious Shot
(1914)
Buck
The Different Man
(1914)
The Ranch Foreman
The Mountain Rat
(1914)
Steve
The Newer Woman
(1914)
Their First Acquaintance
(1914)
The Tavern of Tragedy
(1914)
Bob Jameson - the Spy
Her Mother's Necklace
(1914)
The Burglar
A Lesson in Mechanics
(1914)
The Warning
(1914)
Mr. Edwards
The Sisters
(1914)
The Birth of a Nation
(1915)
Gen. U.S. Grant
A Girl of Yesterday
(1915)
A.H. Monroe
May Blossom
(1915)
Steve Harland
An Old-Fashioned Girl
(1915)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
(1916)
Extra (uncredited)
Broken Blossoms
(1919)
Battling Burrows
The Bonnie Brier Bush
(1921)
Lachlan Campbell
Don Q Son of Zorro
(1925)
Don Sebastian
The Black Pirate
(1926)
MacTavish
The Viking
(1928)
Leif Ericsson
The River Pirate
(1928)
Caxton
Stand and Deliver
(1928)
London Club Member (uncredited)
The Pagan
(1929)
Roger Slater
Trent's Last Case
(1929)
Sigsbee Manderson
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
(1929)
Colonel Moran
Scotland Yard
(1930)
Charles Fox
Svengali
(1931)
The Laird
Kick In
(1931)
Garvey
Red Dust
(1932)
Guidon
A Passport to Hell
(1932)
Sgt. Snyder
Broadway Bad
(1933)
Darrall
Hamlet, Act I: Scenes IV and V
(1933)
Marcellus
The Little Minister
(1934)
Docteur McQueen
The Key
(1934)
Peadar Conlan
What Every Woman Knows
(1934)
David Wylie
The Life of Vergie Winters
(1934)
Mike Davey
The Crime Doctor
(1934)
Mr. Anthony, District Attorney
Mutiny on the Bounty
(1935)
Thomas Burkitt
Vanessa: Her Love Story
(1935)
George
Oil for the Lamps of China
(1935)
Mr. McCarger
Laddie
(1935)
Mr. Pryor
Beloved Enemy
(1936)
Liam Burke
The Charge of the Light Brigade
(1936)
Colonel Campbell
A Woman Rebels
(1936)
Judge Byron Thistlewaite
Mary of Scotland
(1936)
Huntly
The White Angel
(1936)
Dr. Hunt
The Life of Emile Zola
(1937)
Maitre Labori
Confession
(1937)
Presiding Judge
That Certain Woman
(1937)
Jack V. Merrick Sr.
The Great O'Malley
(1937)
Police Captain Cromwell
Parnell
(1937)
Michael Davitt
Jezebel
(1938)
Dr. Livingstone
The Dawn Patrol
(1938)
Phipps
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
(1938)
Police Inspector Lewis Lane
The Sisters
(1938)
Tim Hazelton
Sergeant Murphy
(1938)
Col. Todd Carruthers
Valley of the Giants
(1938)
Andy Stone
The Beloved Brat
(1938)
Mr. Morgan
Comet Over Broadway
(1938)
Grant
Wuthering Heights
(1939)
Dr. Kenneth
The Old Maid
(1939)
Doctor Lanskell
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
(1939)
Francis Bacon
The Oklahoma Kid
(1939)
Judge Hardwick
Juarez
(1939)
Maréchal Bazaine
Daughters Courageous
(1939)
Samuel 'Sam' Sloane
Sons of Liberty
(1939)
Alexander McDougall
City for Conquest
(1940)
Scotty MacPherson
The Sea Hawk
(1940)
Admiral Sir John Burleson
Brother Orchid
(1940)
Brother Superior
Knute Rockne All American
(1940)
Father John Callahan, C.S.C
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
(1940)
Minister Althoff
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
(1941)
Sir Charles Emery
How Green Was My Valley
(1941)
Gwilym Morgan
Shining Victory
(1941)
Dr. Drewett
The Battle of Midway
(1942)
Main Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
The Gay Sisters
(1942)
Ralph Pedloch
Lassie Come Home
(1943)
Sam Carraclough
Forever and a Day
(1943)
Captain Martin
The Uninvited
(1944)
Commander Beech
The Adventures of Mark Twain
(1944)
J.B. Pond
Son of Lassie
(1945)
Sam Carraclough
The Valley of Decision
(1945)
William Scott
National Velvet
(1945)
Mr. Herbert Brown
Ramrod
(1947)
Jim Crew
Hills of Home
(1948)
Drumsheugh
Whispering Smith
(1948)
Barney Rebstock
Challenge to Lassie
(1949)
'Jock' Gray
Bright Leaf
(1950)
Major Singleton
Home Town Story
(1951)
John MacFarland
Prince Valiant
(1954)
King Aguar
A Star Is Born World Premiere
(1954)
Self
The Long Gray Line
(1955)
Old Martin
The Man from Laramie
(1955)
Alec Waggoman
The Red, White and Blue Line
(1955)
Self
Drango
(1957)
Judge Allen
The Last Hurrah
(1958)
The Cardinal
Saddle the Wind
(1958)
Dennis Deneen
A Dog of Flanders
(1959)
Jehan Daas
Pollyanna
(1960)
Mayor Karl Warren
Greyfriars Bobby
(1961)
James Brown
Spencer's Mountain
(1963)
Grandpa Spencer
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
(1983)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Directing
The Little Country Mouse
(1914)
Director
Down the Hill to Creditville
(1914)
Director
The Niggard
(1914)
Director
Another Chance
(1914)
Director
At Dawn
(1914)
Director
Her Father's Silent Partner
(1914)
Director
The Mysterious Shot
(1914)
Director
The Newer Woman
(1914)
Director
Their First Acquaintance
(1914)
Director
The Tavern of Tragedy
(1914)
Director
Her Mother's Necklace
(1914)
Director
Sands of Fate
(1914)
Director
The Warning
(1914)
Director
The Availing Prayer
(1914)
Director
The Birth of a Nation
(1915)
Assistant Director
An Old-Fashioned Girl
(1915)
Director
How Hazel Got Even
(1915)
Director
Ramona
(1916)
Director
The Marcellini Millions
(1917)
Director
The Clever Mrs. Carfax
(1917)
Director
The Eyes of the World
(1917)
Director
The Countess Charming
(1917)
Director
The Bond Between
(1917)
Director
The House of Silence
(1918)
Director
Rimrock Jones
(1918)
Director
Believe Me, Xantippe
(1918)
Director
The Firefly of France
(1918)
Director
Less Than Kin
(1918)
Director
Under the Top
(1919)
Director
Venus in the East
(1919)
Director
Too Much Johnson
(1919)
Director
Johnny Get Your Gun
(1919)
Director
Miss Hobbs
(1920)
Director
Held by the Enemy
(1920)
Director
The Six Best Cellars
(1920)
Director
The Barbarian
(1921)
Director
The Bonnie Brier Bush
(1921)
Director
The Princess of New York
(1921)
Director
Tell Your Children
(1922)
Director
Ponjola
(1923)
Director
The Navigator
(1924)
Director
Don Q Son of Zorro
(1925)
Director
Young April
(1926)
Director
Sunny Side Up
(1926)
Director
The Fighting Eagle
(1927)
Director
Vanity
(1927)
Director
Dress Parade
(1927)
Director
Man Bait
(1927)
Director
Stand and Deliver
(1928)
Director
The Cop
(1928)
Director
The Runaway Bride
(1930)
Director
Production