Donald Theophilus Beddoe (July 1, 1903 – January 19, 1991) was an American character actor.

Early years

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Beddoe was the son of Dan Beddoe, a Welsh classical singer, and his wife Mary. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with bachelor's and master's degrees and taught English for three years.

Stage

Beddoe gained much theatrical experience playing in stock theater in Boston, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He made his Broadway acting debut in 1929, receiving top billing (over a young Spencer Tracy) in Nigger Rich. His other Broadway credits include Penny Arcade (1930), The Greeks Had a Word for It (1930), Sing High, Sing Low (1931), The Warrior's Husband (1932), Man Bites Dog (1933), The Blue Widow (1933), Birthright (1933), The Sky's the Limit (1934), Nowhere Bound (1935), First Lady (1935), Father Malachy's Miracle (1937), and Winged Victory (1943).

Film

After a decade of stage work and bit parts in films, Beddoe began more prominent film roles in the late 1930s. He was usually cast as fast-talking reporters and the like. His commercial acting career was put on hold when he served in World War II in the United States Army Air Forces, in which he performed in the Air Force play, Winged Victory. Beddoe subsequently returned to films playing small character roles. He occasionally appeared in comedy shorts playing comic foils, such as in the Three Stooges shorts Three Sappy People and You Nazty Spy! Beddoe appeared in more than 250 films.

Television

Beddoe portrayed Mr. Tolliver in the ABC comedy The Second Hundred Years, and he was in the cast of Life with Father on CBS. He also was seen in dozens of television programs. In the 1950s and 1960s, he made four appearances on Father Knows Best Have Gun – Will Travel, three on Lawman, three on Maverick, three on Laramie, three on Lassie, one on Mr. Adams and Eve, and three on Perry Mason including in the 1958 episode 'The Case of the Buried Clock'. He also appeared on the Western aviation series, Sky King, on The Alaskans, on the adventure series, Straightaway, and on the western series, The Tall Man. He appeared too on the sitcoms Pete and Gladys and The Tom Ewell Show, and on the drama series, Going My Way. He guest starred on the crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective and appeared on The Lone Ranger in the 1950s. Beddoe played the outlaw Black Bart in the 1954 episode "Black Bart The PO8" of the western anthology series Death Valley Days. In 1965, Beddoe appeared on Gunsmoke as “Mr. Halligan” in the episode “Deputy Festus” (S10E17). During the 1970–1971 season of ABC's Nanny and the Professor, Beddoe made four appearances, three as Mr. Thatcher. In 1984, he made his final television appearance as Kris in NBC's Highway to Heaven starring Michael Landon and Victor French.

Radio

Beddoe played Pat Grady in the soap opera John's Other Wife.

Other activities

In 1968, Beddoe proposed construction of a "high-rise trailer park" to be built in Capistrano Beach, California. His plan called for making "more efficient use of land in areas where acreage is too expensive for a trailer park" by building an eight-story structure of concrete and steel and using a crane to lift trailers and insert them into their respective spaces.

Personal life

He married Joyce Rose, who had been a showgirl.

Death

Beddoe died of natural causes on January 19, 1991, at age 87.

Selected filmography