From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hobart Cavanaugh (September 22, 1886 – April 26, 1950) was an American character actor in films and on stage.
He was born in Virginia City, Nevada on September 22, 1886. Cavanaugh attended the University of California.
He worked in vaudeville, teaming with Walter Catlett at some point. He appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including the original 1919 musical Irene and the long-running 1948 musical As the Girls Go.
He made his film debut in San Francisco Nights (1928). Over the next few years he established himself as a supporting actor, and although many of his roles were small and received no film credit, he played more substantial roles in films such as I Cover the Waterfront (1933) and Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933). By the mid-1930s, he was appearing in more prestigious productions, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Captain Blood (1935), Wife vs. Secretary (1936) and A Letter to Three Wives (1949). He continued playing small, often comical roles until the end of his life, mostly as downtrodden or henpecked little men. His last performance was in Stella (1950); he knew he did not have long to live and collapsed twice on set, but was determined to see it through. By the end of his life, he had appeared in more than 180 films.
He died following an operation at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. He was survived by his wife Florence and a daughter.
Known For
Captain Blood
(1935)
Dr. Bronson
Jimmy the Gent
(1934)
Fake Worthingham
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Barber Doyle
Black Angel
(1946)
Jake
A Letter to Three Wives
(1949)
Mr. Manleigh
Horror Island
(1941)
Professor Jasper Quinley
The Mayor of Hell
(1933)
Mr. Gorman
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Philostrate
Four Wives
(1939)
Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
Bordertown
(1935)
Harry
Private Detective 62
(1933)
Harcourt S. Burns
Kismet
(1944)
Moolah
Full Filmography
Acting
San Francisco Nights
(1928)
Tommie
Sympathy
(1929)
William Maxwell
The Poor Fish
(1930)
Harry
The Wall Street Mystery
(1931)
Martin Hill
I Cover the Waterfront
(1933)
One Punch McCoy
Private Detective 62
(1933)
Harcourt S. Burns
Broadway Thru a Keyhole
(1933)
Peanuts Dinwiddie
From Headquarters
(1933)
Muggs Manton
Mary Stevens, M.D.
(1933)
Alf Simmons
Goodbye Again
(1933)
Mr. Clayton
Havana Widows
(1933)
Mr. Otis, Invincible Insurance
Convention City
(1933)
Wendell Orchard
State Fair
(1933)
Professor Fred Coin (Uncredited)
My Woman
(1933)
Mr. Miller
Too Much Harmony
(1933)
Piano Tuner
No Marriage Ties
(1933)
Smith
The Devil's Mate
(1933)
Parkhurst
Headline Shooter
(1933)
Happy
The Mayor of Hell
(1933)
Mr. Gorman
Bureau of Missing Persons
(1933)
Mr. Harris (uncredited)
Picture Snatcher
(1933)
James Peters - Drunken Reporter (uncredited)
Jimmy the Gent
(1934)
Fake Worthingham
The Key
(1934)
Homer, Tennant's Aide
Harold Teen
(1934)
Pop
Merry Wives of Reno
(1934)
Derwent
Dark Hazard
(1934)
George Mayhew
Wonder Bar
(1934)
Drunk (uncredited)
Now I'll Tell
(1934)
Freddie Stanton
I Am a Thief
(1934)
Daudet
Easy to Love
(1934)
Hotel desk clerk
Housewife
(1934)
George Wilson
A Lost Lady
(1934)
Robert
Kansas City Princess
(1934)
Alderman Sam Warren
Madame du Barry
(1934)
Professor de la Vauguyon
I Sell Anything
(1934)
Stooge
A Very Honorable Guy
(1934)
Benny
I've Got Your Number
(1934)
Happy Dooley
A Modern Hero
(1934)
Henry Mueller
The St. Louis Kid
(1934)
Richardson
The Firebird
(1934)
Emile, Brandt's Valet
Moulin Rouge
(1934)
Drunk
Hi, Nellie!
(1934)
Fullerton
Mandalay
(1934)
Purser (uncredited)
Fashions of 1934
(1934)
Inventor on Ship (uncredited)
Captain Blood
(1935)
Dr. Bronson
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Philostrate
Wings in the Dark
(1935)
Mac
Don't Bet on Blondes
(1935)
Philbert O. Slemp
Page Miss Glory
(1935)
Joe Bonner
I Live for Love
(1935)
Townsend
Dr. Socrates
(1935)
Stevens
We're in the Money
(1935)
Max
Broadway Gondolier
(1935)
Music Critic Gilmore
While the Patient Slept
(1935)
Eustace Federie
Bordertown
(1935)
Harry
A Dream Comes True
(1935)
Himself (uncredited)
Three Smart Girls
(1936)
Wilbur Lamb
Colleen
(1936)
Noggin
Cain and Mabel
(1936)
Milo
Stage Struck
(1936)
Wayne
Here Comes Carter
(1936)
Mel Winter
The Lady Consents
(1936)
Mr. Yardley
Mysterious Crossing
(1936)
Ned J. Stebbins
Love Letters of a Star
(1936)
Chester Blodgett
The Golden Arrow
(1936)
DeWolfe
Two Against the World
(1936)
Tippy Mantus
Love Begins at Twenty
(1936)
Jacob 'Jake' Buckley
Wife vs. Secretary
(1936)
Joe Farnsworth
Sing Me a Love Song
(1936)
Mr. Barton (uncredited)
Night Key
(1937)
Petty Louie
The Great O'Malley
(1937)
Reporter Pinky Holden
Reported Missing
(1937)
'Ab' Steele
Carnival Queen
(1937)
Profesor Silva
Girl Overboard
(1937)
Joseph L. 'Joe' Gray
The Mighty Treve
(1937)
Mr. Davis
Cowboy from Brooklyn
(1938)
Mr. "Pops" Jordan
Rose of Washington Square
(1939)
Whitey Boone
Reno
(1939)
Abe Compass
Career
(1939)
Jim Bronson
A Child Is Born
(1939)
Mr. Herbert West
Zenobia
(1939)
Mr. Dover
That's Right - You're Wrong
(1939)
Dwight Cook
Tell No Tales
(1939)
Charlie Daggett
Naughty But Nice
(1939)
Clark's Piano Tuner (uncredited)
Idiot's Delight
(1939)
Frueheim
Never Say Die
(1939)
Druggist
Daughters Courageous
(1939)
Tourist (uncredited)
The House of Fear
(1939)
Minor Role
Chicken Wagon Family
(1939)
Henri Fippany
Four Wives
(1939)
Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
How to Sub-Let
(1939)
Mr. Mustavas
I Stole a Million
(1939)
Jenkins's Assistant
See Your Doctor
(1939)
Brother-in-Law
The Adventures of Jane Arden
(1939)
"Killer"
The Covered Trailer
(1939)
E. L. Beamish
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Barber Doyle
Shooting High
(1940)
Clem Perkle
Love, Honor and Oh-Baby!
(1940)
Gimpy Darnell
Hired Wife
(1940)
William
Charter Pilot
(1940)
Horace Sturgeon
Street of Memories
(1940)
Mr. Foster
An Angel from Texas
(1940)
Mr. Robelink
You Can't Fool Your Wife
(1940)
Potts
Public Deb No. 1
(1940)
Mr. Schlitz
Stage to Chino
(1940)
J. Horatio Boggs
The Great Plane Robbery
(1940)
Homer Pringle
The Ghost Comes Home
(1940)
Ambrose Bundy
Home Movies
(1940)
Party Guest Wearing Bowtie (uncredited)
Our Wife
(1941)
Shipboard Passenger (uncredited)
Thieves Fall Out
(1941)
David Tipton
Horror Island
(1941)
Professor Jasper Quinley
Down in San Diego
(1941)
Telegraph Clerk (uncredited)
Reaching for the Sun
(1941)
Front Office Man
I Wanted Wings
(1941)
Mickey
Whistling in Dixie
(1942)
Mr. Panky
Jackass Mail
(1942)
Gospel Jones
A Tragedy at Midnight
(1942)
Charles Miller
Land of the Open Range
(1942)
Pinky Gardner
Lady in a Jam
(1942)
Reporter
Her Cardboard Lover
(1942)
Arresting Plainclothesman (uncredited)
The Remarkable Andrew
(1942)
Teller / Witness
My Favorite Spy
(1942)
Jules
The Magnificent Dope
(1942)
Albert Gowdy
Stand by for Action
(1942)
Carpenter's Mate 'Chips'
The Kansan
(1943)
Josh Hudkins
Gildersleeve on Broadway
(1943)
Homer
A Scream in the Dark
(1943)
Leo Stark
The Man from Down Under
(1943)
Boots
Taxi, Mister
(1943)
Police Fingerprint Man
The Human Comedy
(1943)
Drunk at Bar (uncredited)
What a Woman
(1943)
Mailman (uncredited)
Dangerous Blondes
(1943)
Edward E. 'Pop' Philpot
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
(1943)
Clark
Pilot #5
(1943)
Boat Owner
Kismet
(1944)
Moolah
Louisiana Hayride
(1944)
Malcolm Cartwright
San Diego I Love You
(1944)
Mr. McGregor (uncredited)
Guest in the House
(1944)
Mr. Blossom
I'll Remember April
(1945)
Joe Billings
Don Juan Quilligan
(1945)
Mr. Rostigaff
Roughly Speaking
(1945)
The Teacher (uncredited)
Black Angel
(1946)
Jake
Margie
(1946)
Mr. Angus MacDuff
Faithful in My Fashion
(1946)
Mr. Wilson
Cinderella Jones
(1946)
George
The Hoodlum Saint
(1946)
Antique Clock Dealer (uncredited)
Little Iodine
(1946)
Mr. Tremble
The Spider Woman Strikes Back
(1946)
Bill Stapleton
Driftwood
(1947)
Judge Beckett
Easy Come, Easy Go
(1947)
Higgins
Doctor Jim
(1947)
Mayor
Best Man Wins
(1948)
Amos
Up in Central Park
(1948)
Mayor Oakley
The Inside Story
(1948)
Mr. Mason
My Girl Tisa
(1948)
Sigmund
A Letter to Three Wives
(1949)
Mr. Manleigh
Stella
(1950)
Tim Gross
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
(1975)
Self (archive footage)