Charles Waldron (December 24, 1874 – March 4, 1946) was an American stage and film actor, sometimes credited as Charles Waldron Sr., Chas. Waldron Sr., Charles D. Waldron or Mr. Waldron.

Early life

He was born and grew up in

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

, New York. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. George B. Waldron, were themselves actors of some note, but they did not want their son to follow in their profession and tried to steer him to a career in finance. He worked in Philadelphia as a bank clerk. However, he jumped at the chance to "play the juvenile lead in ''Kidnapped''".

Career

Nine years of

stock In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...

and a tour of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and New Zealand performing in ''The Virginian'' and ''The Squaw Man'' followed. In 1905, he was praised for his performance in the leading role in the play ''The Eternal City'' at

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

's Alcazar Theatre. He made his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in 1907 in

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of m ...

's '' The Warrens of Virginia''. (His father and Belasco had been fellow actors in a

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

company.) From 1907 to 1946, he acted in more than 40 Broadway productions in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. He played the title role in the original 1914 production of ''Daddy Long Legs'', opposite future film star

Ruth Chatterton Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1892 – November 24, 1961) was an American stage, film, and television actress, aviator and novelist. She was at her most popular in the early to mid-1930s, and in the same era gained prominence as an aviator, ...

; both he and Chatterton were highly praised. He performed alongside his son, Charles Belasco Jr., in the latter's debut in ''Lucrece'' c. 1932. Over his long career, he appeared in more than 60 films, starting with the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

''Big Noise Hank'' (1911). He played

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

in ''The Monroe Doctrine'', a short film released in 1939. He is perhaps best known for his final film role, that of General Sternwood in the opening scenes of ''

The Big Sleep ''The Big Sleep'' (1939) is a hardboiled crime novel by American-British writer Raymond Chandler, the first to feature the detective Philip Marlowe. It has been adapted for film twice, The Big Sleep (1946 film), in 1946 and again The Big Sleep ...

'' (1946), starring

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...

and Lauren Bacall.

Death

Waldron died, aged 71, in Hollywood,

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

Partial filmography

*''Big Noise Hank'' (1911 short) - Julius Jones *''

When We Were Twenty-One ''When We Were Twenty-One'' is a 1915 American silent comedy film directed by Hugh Ford and Edwin S. Porter and written by H.V. Esmond. The film stars William Elliott, Charles Waldron, Marie Empress, Helen Lutrell, Winifred Allen, and Arthur ...

'' (1915) - Dick Carew *'' Esmerelda'' (1915 short) - David Hardy *''

At Bay ''At Bay'' is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Florence Reed. It is based on a 1913 Broadway play, ''At Bay'', by George Scarborough and produced by the Shuberts. On stage, Reed's starring part was pl ...

'' (1915) - Capt. Holbrook *'' Mice and Men'' (1916) - Mark Embury *''

Audrey Audrey () is an English feminine given name. It is the Anglo-Norman form of the Anglo-Saxon name ''Æðelþryð'', composed of the elements '' æðel'' "noble" and ''þryð'' "strength". The Anglo-Norman form of the name was applied to Saint Aud ...

'' (1916) - Lord Haward *'' Everyman's Price'' (1921) - Bruce Steele *'' Wanderer of the Wasteland'' (1935) - Mr. Virey *''

Mary Burns, Fugitive ''Mary Burns, Fugitive'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by William K. Howard. Sylvia Sidney plays a small-town coffee-shop owner who falls for a gangster, ends up in prison and then released in a scheme to trap him. Plot Mary Burns (S ...

'' (1935) - District Attorney *''

Crime and Punishment ''Crime and Punishment'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Преступление и наказание, Prestupléniye i nakazániye, prʲɪstʊˈplʲenʲɪje ɪ nəkɐˈzanʲɪje) is a novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. ...

'' (1935) - University president *'' The Great Impersonation'' (1935) - Sir Ivan Brunn *''

Ramona ''Ramona'' is a 1884 American novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson. Set in Southern California after the Mexican–American War, it portrays the life of a mixed-race Scottish– Native American orphan girl, who suffers racial discrimination and ...

'' (1936) - Dr. Weaver *'' The Garden of Allah'' (1936) - Abbe of Monastery (uncredited) *''

Career Woman A career woman is a term which describes a woman whose main goal in life is to create a career for herself. At the time that the term was first used in the 1930s American context, it was specifically used to differentiate between women who either ...

'' (1936) - Milt Clark *''

A Doctor's Diary ''A Doctor's Diary'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Charles Vidor and written by David Boehm and Samuel Ornitz. The film stars George Bancroft, Helen Burgess, John Trent, Ruth Coleman, Ronald Sinclair and Molly Lamont. The film was ...

'' (1937) - Dr. Ellery Stanwood *''

The Emperor's Candlesticks ''The Emperor's Candlesticks'' is an 1899 historical novel by Baroness Orczy. Written soon after the birth of her son John, it is her first book as an author rather than translator and was a commercial failure. As in the Scarlet Pimpernel, the ...

'' (1937) - Dr. Malchor - a Conspirator *''

It's All Yours ''It's All Yours'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Madeleine Carroll, Francis Lederer and Mischa Auer.Sikov p.218 Cast * Madeleine Carroll as Linda Gray * Francis Lederer as Jimmy Barnes * Mischa Auer ...

'' (1937) - Alexander Duncan *'' Escape by Night'' (1937) - Pop Adams * ''

'' (1937) - Mr. Warfield *''

Madame X ''Madame X'' (original title ''La Femme X'') is a 1908 play by French playwright Alexandre Bisson (1848–1912). It was novelized in English and adapted for the American stage; it was also adapted for the screen twelve times over sixty-five ...

'' (1937) - President of Court (uncredited) *''

Navy Blue and Gold "Navy Blue and Gold" is the alma mater of the United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during ...

'' (1937) - Cmdr. Carter *'' They're Always Caught'' (1938 short) - Mayor Fletcher *''

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...

'' (1938) - Swedish Ambassador (uncredited) *'' The Little Adventuress'' (1938) - Herkimer Gould *''

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

'' (1938) - Thad Goodwin - 1938 *''

On Borrowed Time ''On Borrowed Time'' is a 1939 film about the role death plays in life, and how humanity cannot live without it. It is adapted from Paul Osborn's 1938 Broadway hit play. The play, based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin, has been revived twi ...

'' (1939) - Reverend Murdock *'' The Real Glory'' (1939) - The Padre *''The Monroe Doctrine'' (1939 short) - President James Monroe *''

Remember the Night ''Remember the Night'' is a 1940 American Christmas romantic comedy trial film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The film was written by Preston Sturges and was the last of his scripts shot by another d ...

'' (1940) - Judge in New York *''

Women Without Names ''Women Without Names'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Robert Florey. Plot Cast * Ellen Drew as Joyce King * Robert Paige as Fred MacNeil * Judith Barrett as Peggy Athens * John Miljan as District Attorney John Marlin * ...

'' (1940) - Curtis Lawson (uncredited) *''

And One Was Beautiful ''And One Was Beautiful'' is a 1940 romantic drama film directed by Robert B. Sinclair and starring Robert Cummings, Laraine Day, and Jean Muir. It is based on the story of the same name by Alice Duer Miller. Two sisters are attracted to a rich p ...

'' (1940) - Stephen Harridge *'' Dr. Kildare's Strange Case'' (1940) - Dr. 'Egghead' Squires, Messinger Inst. *''

Edison, the Man ''Edison, the Man'' is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was played by Spencer Tracy. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story for their work on t ...

'' (1940) - First Commissioner (uncredited) *'' Untamed'' (1940) - Doctor Hughes *''

Three Faces West ''Three Faces West'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring John Wayne, Sigrid Gurie and Charles Coburn. The film, mainly set in North Dakota was one of a handful of overtly anti-Nazi films produced by Hollywood ...

'' (1940) - Dr. William Thorpe *''

Sailor's Lady ''Sailor's Lady'', also known as ''Sweetheart of Turret One'', is a 1940 film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Nancy Kelly and Jon Hall. The supporting cast includes Joan Davis, Dana Andrews, and Buster Crabbe. Football player Amby Schindle ...

'' (1940) - Commander-in-Chief (uncredited) *'' Stranger on the Third Floor'' (1940) - District Attorney *'' Street of Memories'' (1940) - Richard Havens *''

The Son of Monte Cristo ''The Son of Monte Cristo'' is a 1940 American black-and-white swashbuckling adventure film from United Artists, produced by Edward Small, directed by Rowland V. Lee, that stars Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett, and George Sanders. The Small producti ...

'' (1940) - Kurt Mirbach *''

The Case of the Black Parrot ''The Case of the Black Parrot'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by Robert E. Kent. The film stars William Lundigan, Maris Wrixon, Eddie Foy, Jr., Luli Deste, Paul Cavanagh and Charles Waldron. The film w ...

'' (1941) - Paul Vantine *'' Tobacco Road'' (1941) - Mr. Lester (scenes cut) *''

I Wanted Wings ''I Wanted Wings'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and based on a book by Lieutenant Beirne Lay Jr. The film stars Ray Milland and William Holden. The supporting cast includes Wayne Morris, Brian Donlevy, Constance Mo ...

'' (1941) - Commanding Officer (uncredited) *''

The Devil and Miss Jones ''The Devil and Miss Jones'' is a 1941 comedy film starring Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings, and Charles Coburn. Directed by Sam Wood from a screenplay by Norman Krasna, the film was the product of an independent collaboration between Krasna and p ...

'' (1941) - Needles *''

The Nurse's Secret ''The Nurse's Secret'' is a 1941 murder mystery film directed by Noel M. Smith and starring Lee Patrick as a crime-solving nurse. The supporting cast features Regis Toomey and Julie Bishop. The film, which includes a rare leading role for Pat ...

'' (1941) - Dr. Stewart *''

Three Sons o' Guns ''Three Sons o' Guns'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff, written by Fred Niblo, Jr., and starring Wayne Morris, Marjorie Rambeau, Irene Rich, Tom Brown, William T. Orr, Susan Peters and Moroni Olsen. It was released b ...

'' (1941) - Henry Gresham *'' Rise and Shine'' (1941) - President *''

Thru Different Eyes ''Thru Different Eyes'' is a 1942 American pre-Code drama film directed by Thomas Z. Loring and written by Samuel G. Engel. The film stars Frank Craven, Mary Howard, June Walker, Donald Woods, Vivian Blaine and George Holmes. The film was rel ...

'' (1942) - Doctor Whittier *''

The Gay Sisters ''The Gay Sisters'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Irving Rapper, and starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, Gig Young (who adopted his character's name as his screen name) and Nancy Coleman. The ...

'' (1942) - Mr. Van Rennseler *''

Random Harvest ''Random Harvest'' is a novel written by James Hilton, first published in 1941. Like previous Hilton works, including '' Lost Horizon'' and '' Goodbye, Mr. Chips'', the novel was immensely popular, placing second on ''Publishers Weekly'' li ...

'' (1942) - Mr. Lloyd *'' The Song of Bernadette'' (1943) - Bishop of Tarbes (uncredited) *'' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) - Dr. Quintard (uncredited) *''

The Black Parachute ''The Black Parachute'' is a 1944 American war film directed by Lew Landers and starring John Carradine, Osa Massen and Larry Parks. The ''Chicago Daily Tribune'' said the film had "an engrossing story and is graced by excellent acting - notabl ...

'' (1944) - Erik Dundeen (uncredited) *''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in the ...

'' (1944) - Preacher (uncredited) *''

Wing and a Prayer ''Wing and a Prayer, The Story of Carrier X'' (also known as ''Queen of the Flat Tops '' and ''Torpedo Squadron Eight'') is a black-and-white 1944 war film about the heroic crew of an American aircraft carrier in the desperate early days of Wor ...

'' (1944) - Admiral (uncredited) *'' Mademoiselle Fifi'' (1944) - The Curé of Cleresville *''

Rhapsody in Blue ''Rhapsody in Blue'' is a 1924 musical composition written by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects. Commissioned by bandleader Paul Whiteman, the work premiered i ...

'' (1945) - Doctor (uncredited) *''

The Fighting Guardsman ''The Fighting Guardsman'' is a 1946 American adventure film directed by Henry Levin. It was a swashbuckler starring Willard Parker based on a novel by Alexander Dumas. Plot A French baron (Willard Parker) leads rebels like a Robin Hood, steal ...

'' (1946) - Monsignor at Inn (uncredited) *''

Blonde Alibi ''Blonde Alibi'' is a 1946 American black-and-white noir thriller directed by Will Jason and starring Tom Neal, Martha O'Driscoll, Donald MacBride, and Peter Whitney. Cast *Tom Neal as Rick Lavery *Martha O'Driscoll as Marian Gale *Donald MacB ...

'' (1946) - Ship's Officer (uncredited) *'' Dragonwyck'' (1946) - Farmer (uncredited) *''

'' (1946) - General Sternwood (final film role)

Broadway credits

* '' The Warrens of Virginia'' (1907) * ''The Fourth Estate'' (1909) * ''Mid-Channel'' (1909) * ''Judith Zaraine'' (1911) * ''June Madness'' (1912) * ''The High Road'' (1912) * ''The Painted Woman'' (1913) * ''The Strange Woman'' (1913) * ''The Dragon's Claw'' (1914) * ''Daddy Long Legs'' (1914) * ''The Woman in Room 13'' (1919) * ''The Passion Flower'' (1920) * ''Mary Stuart / A Man About Town'' (1921) * ''Swords'' (1921) * ''The Elton Case'' (1921) * '' A Bill of Divorcement'' (1921) * ''A Pinch Hitter'' (1922) * ''The Guilty One'' (1923) * ''Mrs. Partridge Presents'' (1925) * ''Hamlet'' (1925) * ''Magda'' (1926) * ''Pyramids'' (1926) * ''The Heaven Tappers'' (1927) * ''

'' (1927) * ''Coquette'' (1927) * ''Those We Love'' (1930) * ''The Vikings'' (1930) * ''

The Barretts of Wimpole Street ''The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' is a 1930 play by the Dutch/English dramatist Rudolf Besier, based on the romance between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, and her father's unwillingness to allow them to marry. The play gave actress Ka ...

'' (1931) * ''Electra'' (1932) * ''Lucrece'' (1932) * ''Alien Corn'' (1933) * ''The Pursuit of Happiness'' (1933) * ''Dance With Your Gods'' (1934) * ''Romeo and Juliet'' (1934) * ''The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' (1935) * ''

Flowers of the Forest ''Flowers of the Forest'', or ''The Fluuers o the Forest'' (Roud 3812), is a Scottish folk tune and work of war poetry commemorating the defeat of the Scottish army, and the death of James IV, at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513. Although ...

'' (1935) * ''Romeo and Juliet'' (1935) * '' Saint Joan'' (1936) * ''I Am My Youth'' (1938) * ''American Landscape'' (1938) * '' Deep Are the Roots'' (1945)

References

External links

* * 1874 births 1946 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors Male actors from Hollywood, Los Angeles People from Waterford, New York Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) 20th-century American male actors {{US-theat-actor-1870s-stub