Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early

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, w ...

era into the 1960s. He won an

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while worki ...

in 1942 for his performance in ''

How Green Was My Valley ''How Green Was My Valley'' is a 1939 novel by Richard Llewellyn, narrated by Huw Morgan, the main character, about his Welsh family and the mining community in which they live. The author had claimed that he based the book on his own persona ...

''.

Early life

Donald Crisp was born George William Crisp in Bow, London, in a family home on 27 July 1882. He was the youngest of ten children (four boys and six girls) born to Elizabeth (née Christy) and James Crisp, a labourer. He was educated locally and in 1901 was living with his parents and working as a driver of a

horse-drawn vehicle A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load. They were once common worldwide, but they have m ...

. Crisp made a number of claims about his early life that were eventually proven false decades after his death. He claimed that he was born in 1880 in Aberfeldy in

Perthshire Perthshire ( locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the nort ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, and even went so far as to maintain a Scottish accent throughout his life in Hollywood. In fact, he had no connections to Scotland, but in 1996, a plaque commemorating him was unveiled by Scottish comedian Jimmy Logan in Crisp's supposed hometown of Aberfeldy. He claimed on alternative occasions that his father was a cattle farmer, a country doctor or a royal physician to

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

. He also claimed that he was educated at Eton and

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, and that he served as a trooper in the 10th Hussars in the

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

Early career

While travelling on the SS ''Carmania'' to the United States in July 1906, Crisp's singing talents during a ship's concert caught the attention of

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

impresario John C. Fisher, who immediately offered him a job with his company. Crisp spent his first year 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 ...

in the Grand Opera, and the following year as a stage director. It was while touring with the company in the United States and

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

that Crisp first became interested in the

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

. By 1910, Crisp, now using the name Donald (he retained George as a middle name), was working as a

stage manager Stage management is a broad field that is generally defined as the practice of organization and coordination of an event or theatrical production. Stage management may encompass a variety of activities including the overseeing of the rehearsal p ...

for the renowned entertainer, composer, playwright and director George M. Cohan. It was during this time he met and befriended film director D.W. Griffith. When Griffith ventured west, to seek his fortune in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

in 1912, Crisp accompanied him. From 1908 to 1930, Crisp, in addition to directing dozens of films, also appeared in nearly 100 silent films, though many in bit or small parts. One notable exception was his casting by Griffith as

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union A ...

in Griffith's landmark film ''

The Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Clan ...

'' in 1915. Another was his role in Griffith's 1919 film ''

Broken Blossoms ''Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl'', often referred to simply as ''Broken Blossoms'', is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was distributed by United Artists and premiered on May 13, 1919. It stars ...

'' as "Battling Burrows", the brutal and abusive father of the film's heroine, Lucy Burrows (played by

Lillian Gish Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893February 27, 1993) was an American actress, director, and screenwriter. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was called the "First Lady of American Cinema", ...

; the actress was only 11 years his junior).

Director

Crisp worked as an assistant to Griffith for several years and learned much during this time from Griffith, an early master of film story telling who was influential in advancing a number of early techniques, such as

cross cutting Cross-cutting is an editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time, and often in the same place. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which can suggest the simultan ...

in editing his films. This experience fostered a similar passion in Crisp to become a director in his own right. His first directing credit was ''Little Country Mouse'', made in 1914. Many directors (and actors) would find themselves turning out a dozen or more films in a single year at this time. Over the next fifteen years, Crisp directed some 70 films in all, most notably '' The Navigator'' (1924) with

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

and '' Don Q, Son of Zorro'' (1925) with Douglas Fairbanks. When asked later by an interviewer why he eventually gave up directing and returned full-time to acting, Crisp commented that directing had become extremely wearisome because he was so often called upon, if not forced, to do favours for studio chiefs by agreeing to employ their relatives in his films. His final directorial effort was the film '' The Runaway Bride'' (1930).

Military career

Between working for Griffith and other producers, along with his many acting roles, Crisp managed to return to the U.K., serving in British army intelligence during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

(1914–1918). Crisp became an American citizen in 1930; during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

(1939–1945), he served in the

United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces. Since July 20 ...

, attaining the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

Return to acting

With the advent of " talkies", Crisp abandoned directing and devoted himself entirely to acting after 1930. He became a much sought after

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he appeared in a wide range of roles alongside some of the era's biggest stars, including

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

in '' The Little Minister'' (1934) and '' A Woman Rebels'' (1936),

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future ...

and

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

in '' Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935),

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

and Henry Fonda in ''

That Certain Woman ''That Certain Woman'' is a 1937 American drama film written and directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, and Anita Louise. It is a remake of Goulding's 1929 film '' The Trespasser'', Gloria Swanson's first sound film. ...

'' (1937) and '' Jezebel'' (1938),

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...

in '' Wuthering Heights'' (1939),

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...

in '' The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex'' (1939) and ''

The Sea Hawk ''The Sea Hawk'' is a 1915 novel by Rafael Sabatini. The story is set over the years 1588–1593 and concerns a retired Cornish seafaring gentleman, Sir Oliver Tressilian, who is villainously betrayed by a jealous half-brother. After being ...

'' (1940) and

Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the 12th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood ...

in '' The Valley of Decision'' (1945). A versatile

supporting actor A supporting actor is an actor who performs a role in a play or film below that of the leading actor(s), and above that of a bit part. In recognition of important nature of this work, the theater and film industries give separate awards to the ...

, Crisp could be equally good in lovable or

sinister Sinister commonly refers to: * Evil * Ominous Sinister may also refer to: Left side * Sinister, Latin for the direction "left" * Sinister, in heraldry, is the bearer's true left side (viewers' right side) of an escutcheon or coat of arms; see de ...

roles. During the same period he was playing loving father figures or charming old codgers in classic films like '' National Velvet'' and '' Lassie Come Home'', he also turned in a well-received performance as

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

Beach, the tormented presumptive grandfather in Lewis Allen's '' The Uninvited'' (1944). Undoubtedly, however, Crisp's most memorable role was as the taciturn but loving father in ''

'' (1941) directed by

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

. The film received ten Oscar nominations, winning five, including Best Picture, with Crisp winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1942.

Hollywood power broker

Crisp was an active and important liaison between the film industry and outside business interests. His extensive experience in business, the military and entertainment, including being a production and studio executive, lent itself well to this task. He became a highly valued adviser whose clear-headed forward thinking proved invaluable to the

Bank of America The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank ...

, which was one of the leading sources of

working capital Working capital (WC) is a financial metric which represents operating liquidity available to a business, organisation, or other entity, including governmental entities. Along with fixed assets such as plant and equipment, working capital is consi ...

for the film industry for many years (an industry whose life blood was loans). Crisp served on the bank's

advisory board An advisory board is a body that provides non-binding strategic advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation. The informal nature of an advisory board gives greater flexibility in structure and management compared to th ...

for several decades, including a stint as its

chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the group ...

. In this role, he had the ear of its

board of directors A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit orga ...

, and many of the films eventually financed by the bank during the 1930s and 1940s got their most important approval from Crisp.Profile of Donald Crisp
''The New York Times''; accessed 9 July 2014.

Later years and legacy

Crisp eventually became one of the more wealthy members of the film industry. His "banker's sobriety", extensive contacts and clarity of thought allowed him to make good investments, particularly in the real estate market. He continued to appear in films throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s. During more than half a century as an actor, he appeared in as many as 400 two-reel and feature-length productions, perhaps a great deal more. John Carradine, who counted over 500 films to his own credit (the Internet Movie Database records over 300), told his son

Keith Keith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Keith (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Keith (surname) * Keith (singer), American singer James Keefer (born 1949) * Baron Keith, a line of Scottish barons i ...

, who repeated the story during a 2018 Gilbert Gottfried

podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosin ...

, that only Donald Crisp had appeared in more movies. Crisp's final screen role was as Grandpa Spencer alongside former film co-stars Henry Fonda and

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for pl ...

in the 1963 film '' Spencer's Mountain''. This film, adapted from the novel by Earl Hamner, Jr., was the basis for the 1970s television series '' The Waltons''. Crisp was in his eighties by the time he quit acting entirely, continuing to work long after it was financially necessary simply because he enjoyed it. He was married three times. In 1912, he married actress Helen Pease, and they remained together until her death the following year. In 1917, he married Marie Stark, whom he divorced in 1920; she went on to act in silent films as Marie Crisp. In 1932, he married film

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

Jane Murfin, whom he divorced in 1944. He died in 1974, a few months short of his 92nd birthday, due to complications from a series of

stroke A stroke is a disease, medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemorr ...

s. In addition to being one of the premier character actors of his era, he left behind an extensive list of contributions to the film industry he worked to promote for more than fifty years. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from 191,719 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth-larges ...

. He was a staunch Republican who campaigned for

Thomas Dewey Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer, prosecutor, and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican candidate for president in 1944 and 1948: althou ...

in 1944. On February 8, 1960, Crisp received a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

for his contributions to the motion pictures industry at 1628 Vine Street.

Partial filmography

As actor

*''The French Maid'' (1908, Short) *''Through the Breakers'' (1909, Short) as At the Club *''Sunshine Sue'' (1910, Short) as Head of Sweatshop *''A Plain Song'' (1910, Short) as at station *''A Child's Stratagem'' (1910, Short) as policeman *''The Golden Supper'' (1910, Short) as courtier (uncredited) *''Winning Back His Love'' (1910, Short) as at stage door *'' The Two Paths'' (1911, Short) as footman *'' Heart Beats of Long Ago'' (1911, Short) as courtier *''

What Shall We Do with Our Old? ''What Shall We Do with Our Old?'' is a 1911 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * W. Chrystie Miller - The Old Carpenter * Claire McDowell - The Old Carpenter's Wife * Adolph Lestina - The Doctor * George Nichols - T ...

'' (1911, Short) as bailiff *''

The Lily of the Tenements ''The Lily of the Tenements'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Clara T. Bracy and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Dorothy West as The Tenement Girl * Clara T. Bracy as The Tenement Girl's Mothe ...

'' (1911, Short) *''

A Decree of Destiny ''A Decree of Destiny'' is a 1911 American short film, short silent film, silent romantic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Mary Pickford and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Joseph Graybill as Kenneth Marsden * Marion Sunshine as ...

'' (1911, Short) as at the club / at the wedding *''

The White Rose of the Wilds ''The White Rose of the Wilds'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Blanche Sweet as White Rose * Robert Harron as White Rose's Brother * W. Chrystie Miller as White Rose' ...

'' (1911, Short) *''

Her Awakening ''Her Awakening'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film starring Mabel Normand and directed by D. W. Griffith. Normand portrays a vivaciously effervescent young woman ashamed to introduce her poorly dressed mother to her elegant suitor. This ...

'' (1911, Short) as accident witness *''

The Primal Call ''The Primal Call'' is a 1911 American short silent romance film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Wilfred Lucas and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Wilfred Lucas as The Fisherman * Claire McDowell as The Woman * Grace Henderson as The Wom ...

'' (1911, Short) *'' Out from the Shadow'' (1911, Short) at a dance *'' The Making of a Man'' (1911, Short) as actor / backstage *'' The Long Road'' (1911, Short) as a servant / the landlord *'' The Battle'' (1911, Short) as a Union soldier *'' The Miser's Heart'' (1911, Short) as a policeman *'' The Italian Barber'' (1911, Short) as at ball *''Help Wanted'' (1911, Short) as in corridor *'' Fate's Turning'' (1911, Short) as a valet *''The Poor Sick Men'' (1911, Short) as policeman *''A Wreath of Orange Blossoms'' (1911, Short) as servant *''Conscience'' (1911, Short) as policeman *''In the Days of '49'' (1911, Short) *''The Diving Girl'' (1911, Short) as a bather *''

Swords and Hearts ''Swords and Hearts'' is a 1911 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and released by the Biograph Company.The Adventures of Billy'' (1911, Short) as first tramp *''The Failure'' (1911, Short) as employer *'' The Eternal Mother'' (1912, Short) as in-field *''

The Musketeers of Pig Alley ''The Musketeers of Pig Alley'' is a 1912 American short drama and a gangster film. It is directed by D. W. Griffith and written by Griffith and Anita Loos. It is also credited for its early use of follow focus, a fundamental tool in cinematog ...

'' (1912, Short) as rival gang member *'' The Inner Circle'' (1912, Short) *'' Pirate Gold'' (1913, Short) *''

Near to Earth ''Near to Earth'' is a 1913 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Lionel Barrymore as Gato * Robert Harron as Gato's Brother * Gertrude Bambrick as Gato's Sweetheart * Mae Marsh as One of Gato's Sweetheart's Friends * ...

'' (1913, Short) *''

The Sheriff's Baby ''The Sheriff's Baby'' is a 1913 American silent Western (genre), Western film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Alfred Paget as The Sheriff * Henry B. Walthall as First Bandit * Harry Carey (actor born 1878), Harry Carey as Second Bandit * L ...

'' (1913, Short) *'' Olaf—An Atom'' (1913, Short) as the beggar *'' The Mothering Heart'' (1913, Short) (unconfirmed) *''

Two Men of the Desert ''Two Men of the Desert'' (also known as ''Two Men on the Desert'' and ''Two Men in a Desert'') is a 1913 American short silent Western film written and directed by D. W. Griffith. Based on a story by Jack London, the film was shot on locati ...

'' (1913, Short) *''

Black and White Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

'' (1913, Short) *'' The Battle of the Sexes'' (1914) as Frank Andrews * '' The Great Leap; Until Death Do Us Part'' (1914) *'' Home, Sweet Home'' (1914) as the mother's son *'' The Escape'' (1914) as "Bull" McGee *'' The Folly of Anne'' (1914, Short) *'' The Sisters'' (1914, Short) *''The Mysterious Shot'' (1914, Short) as Buck *''The Stiletto'' (1914, Short) as Angelino *''The Mountain Rat'' (1914, Short) as Steve *''Ashes of the Past'' (1914, Short) *''The Different Man'' (1914, Short) as ranch farmer *''The Miniature Portrait'' (1914, Short) *''The Soul of Honor'' (1914, Short) *''The Newer Woman'' (1914, Short) *''Their First Acquaintance'' (1914, Short) *''The Birthday Present'' (1914, Short) as the burglar *''The Weaker Strain'' (1914, Short) *'' The Avenging Conscience'' (1914) as Minor Role (uncredited) *''The Idiot'' (1914, Short) *''The Tavern of Tragedy'' (1914, Short) as spy, Bob Jameson *''Her Mother's Necklace'' (1914, Short) as the burglar *''A Lesson in Mechanics'' (1914, Short) *''Down the Hill to Creditville'' (1914, Short) *''The Great God Fear'' (1914, Short) as Dick Stull *''His Mother's Trust'' (1914, Short) as Dr. Keene *''The Warning'' (1914, Short) as Mr. Edwards *''Another Chance'' (1914, Short) as The Tramp *''A Question of Courage'' (1914, Short) *'' Over the Ledge'' (1914, Short) *''An Old Fashioned Girl'' (1915, Short) *''

'' (1915) as Gen. U.S. Grant *'' The Love Route'' (1915) as Harry Marshall *''The Commanding Officer'' (1915) as Col. Archer *'' May Blossom'' (1915) as Steve Harland *'' The Foundling'' (1915) (scenes cut) *'' A Girl of Yesterday'' (1915) as A. H. Monroe *'' Ramona'' (1916) as Jim Farrar *'' Intolerance'' (1916) as Extra (uncredited) *'' Joan the Woman'' (1916) *''

'' (1919) as Battling Burrows *'' The Bonnie Brier Bush'' (1921; also directed) as Lachlan Campbell *'' Don Q, Son of Zorro'' (1925) as Don Sebastian *'' The Black Pirate'' (1926) as MacTavish *''

Stand and Deliver ''Stand and Deliver'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Ramón Menéndez, written by Menéndez and Tom Musca, based on the true story of a high school mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante. For portraying Escalante, Edward James Olmos ...

'' (1928) as London Club Member (uncredited) *'' The River Pirate'' (1928) as Caxton *'' The Viking'' (1928) as Leif Ericsson *'' Trent's Last Case'' (1929) as Sigsbee Manderson *''

The Pagan ''The Pagan'' is a 1929 silent/ part talking romantic drama filmed in Tahiti and produced and distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Both director W.S. Van Dyke and cinematographer Clyde De Vinna had previously visited Tahiti in 1928 to film ''Whi ...

'' (1929) as Mr. Roger Slater *''

The Return of Sherlock Holmes ''The Return of Sherlock Holmes'' is a 1905 collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes stories, originally published in 1903–1904, by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The stories were published in the ''Strand Magazine'' in Britain and ''Collier's'' in ...

'' (1929) as Colonel Moran *''

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...

'' (1930) as Charles Fox *'' Svengali'' (1931) as The Laird *'' Kick In'' (1931) as Police Commissioner Harvey *''

A Passport to Hell ''A Passport to Hell'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and written by Leon Gordon and Bradley King. The film stars Elissa Landi, Paul Lukas, Warner Oland, Alexander Kirkland, Donald Crisp and Earle Foxe. The film ...

'' (1932) as Sgt. Snyder *'' Red Dust'' (1932) as Guidon, overseer *'' Broadway Bad'' (1933) as Darrall *'' The Crime Doctor'' (1934) as D.A. Mr. Anthony *'' The Key'' (1934) as Peadar Conlan *'' The Life of Vergie Winters'' (1934) as Mike Davey *'' British Agent'' (1934) as Marshall O'Reilly (scenes cut) *'' What Every Woman Knows'' (1934) as David Wylie *'' The Little Minister'' (1934) as Doctor McQueen *'' Vanessa: Her Love Story'' (1935) as George, the Inn Keeper *'' Laddie'' (1935) as Mr. Pryor *'' Oil for the Lamps of China'' (1935) as J.T. McCarter *'' Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935) as Burkitt * '' The White Angel'' (1936) as Doctor Hunt *'' Mary of Scotland'' (1936) as Huntly *''

The Charge of the Light Brigade The Charge of the Light Brigade was a failed military action involving the British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. Lord Raglan had intended to se ...

'' (1936) as Col. Campbell *'' A Woman Rebels'' (1936) as Judge Byron Thisthlewaite *'' Beloved Enemy'' (1936) as Liam Burke *''

The Great O'Malley ''The Great O'Malley'' is a 1937 crime film directed by William Dieterle and starring Pat O'Brien, Sybil Jason, Humphrey Bogart, and Ann Sheridan. The 1925 silent version '' The Making of O'Malley'' starred Milton Sills, Dorothy Mackaill and ...

'' (1937) as Captain Cromwell *'' Parnell'' (1937) as Davitt *''

The Life of Emile Zola ''The Life of Emile Zola'' is a 1937 American biographical film about the 19th-century French author Émile Zola starring Paul Muni and directed by William Dieterle. It premiered at the Los Angeles Carthay Circle Theatre to great critical and ...

'' (1937) as Maitre Labori *'' Confession'' (1937) as Presiding Judge *''

'' (1937) as Jack Merrick, Sr. *''

Sergeant Murphy ''Sergeant Murphy'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by B. Reeves Eason and written by Sy Bartlett and William Jacobs. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Mary Maguire, Donald Crisp, Ben Hendricks Jr. and William B. Davidson. The film was r ...

'' (1938) as Col. Todd Carruthers *'' Jezebel'' (1938) as Dr. Livingstone *''

The Beloved Brat ''The Beloved Brat'' is a 1938 American comedy-drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Bonita Granville, Dolores Costello, and Donald Crisp. The screenplay was written by Lawrence Kimble from an original story by Jean Negulesco. Plot Ro ...

'' (1938) as John Morgan *'' The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse'' (1938) as Police Inspector Lewis Lane *'' Valley of the Giants'' (1938) as Andy Stone *'' The Sisters'' (1938) as Tim Hazelton *''

Comet Over Broadway ''Comet over Broadway'' (1938) is an American film starring Kay Francis and released by Warner Brothers. John Farrow stepped in as director when Busby Berkeley became ill, but Farrow was uncredited on the film. Plot Eve Appleton (Francis), wife ...

'' (1938) as Joe Grant *'' The Dawn Patrol'' (1938) as Phipps *'' The Oklahoma Kid'' (1939) as Judge Hardwick *'' Wuthering Heights'' (1939) as Dr. Kenneth *'' Juarez'' (1939) as General Marechal Achille Bazaine *''

Sons of Liberty The Sons of Liberty was a loosely organized, clandestine, sometimes violent, political organization active in the Thirteen American Colonies founded to advance the rights of the colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. It pl ...

'' (1939, Short) as Alexander MacDongall *'' Daughters Courageous'' (1939) as Samuel 'Sam' Sloane *'' The Old Maid'' (1939) as Dr. Lanshell *'' The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex'' (1939) as Francis Bacon *''

Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet ''Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet'' is a 1940 American biographical film directed by William Dieterle and starring Edward G. Robinson, based on the true story of the German doctor and scientist Dr. Paul Ehrlich. The film was released by Warner Bros., w ...

'' (1940) as Minister Althoff *''

Brother Orchid ''Brother Orchid'' is a 1940 American crime/ comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern and Humphrey Bogart, with featured performances by Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy and Allen Jenkins. The screenplay was wr ...

'' (1940) as Brother Superior *''

'' (1940) as Sir John Burleson *'' City for Conquest'' (1940) as Scotty MacPherson *'' Knute Rockne, All American'' (1940) as Father John Callahan *''

Shining Victory ''Shining Victory'' is a 1941 American drama film based on the 1940 play '' Jupiter Laughs,'' by A. J. Cronin. It stars James Stephenson, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, and Barbara O'Neil. It is the first film directed by Irving Rapper. ...

'' (1941) as Dr. Drewitt *'' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1941) as Sir Charles Emery *''

'' (1941) as Gwilym Morgan *''

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 W ...

'' (1942) as Ralph Pedloch *'' Forever and a Day'' (1943) as Capt. Martin *'' Lassie Come Home'' (1943) as Sam Carraclouch *'' The Uninvited'' (1944) as Commander Beech *'' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) as J.B. Pond *'' National Velvet'' (1944) as Mr. Herbert Brown *'' Son of Lassie'' (1945) as Sam Carraclouch *'' The Valley of Decision'' (1945) as William Scott *''

Ramrod A ramrod (or scouring stick) is a metal or wooden device used with muzzleloading firearms to push the projectile up against the propellant (mainly blackpowder). The ramrod was used with weapons such as muskets and cannons and was usually held i ...

'' (1947) as Jim Crew *'' Hills of Home'' (1948) as Drumsheugh *'' Whispering Smith'' (1948) as Barney Rebstock *'' Challenge to Lassie'' (1949) as John "Jock" Gray *'' Bright Leaf'' (1950) as Mayor James Singleton *''

Home Town Story ''Home Town Story'' is a 1951 American drama film written and directed by Arthur Pierson, starring Jeffrey Lynn, Donald Crisp, and Marjorie Reynolds Marjorie Reynolds (née Goodspeed; August 12, 1917 – February 1, 1997) was an American ...

'' (1951) as John MacFarland *''

Prince Valiant ''Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur'', often simply called ''Prince Valiant'', is an American comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretc ...

'' (1954) as King Aguar *'' The Long Gray Line'' (1955) as Old Martin *''

The Man from Laramie ''The Man from Laramie'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp, and Cathy O'Donnell. Written by Philip Yordan and Frank Burt, the film is about a stranger who defies ...

'' (1955) as Alec Waggoman *''

Drango ''Drango'' is a 1957 American Western film produced by Jeff Chandler's production company Earlmar Productions, written and directed by Hall Bartlett, and released by United Artists. Starring Chandler in the title role, the film also features ...

'' (1957) as Judge Allen *''

Saddle the Wind Saddle the Wind is a 1958 American Western film directed by Robert Parrish, written by Rod Serling, produced by Armand Deutsch, and starring Robert Taylor, Julie London and John Cassavetes. The picture was filmed in Metrocolor and CinemaScope. ...

'' (1958) as Dennis Deneen *'' The Last Hurrah'' (1958) as Cardinal Martin Burke *''

A Dog of Flanders ''A Dog of Flanders'' is an 1872 novel by English author Marie Louise de la Ramée published with her pseudonym " Ouida". It is about a Flemish boy named Nello and his dog, Patrasche, and is set in Antwerp. In Japan, Korea, Russia, Ukraine ...

'' (1959) as Jehan Daas *'' Pollyanna'' (1960) as Mayor Karl Warren *'' Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog'' (1961) as James Brown *'' Spencer's Mountain'' (1963) as Grandpa Zubulon Spencer (final film role)

As a director

*''

Her Father's Silent Partner ''Her Father's Silent Partner'' is a 1914 American drama film featuring Harry Carey. Cast * Harry Carey * Claire McDowell * Dorothy Gish * Lionel Barrymore See also * Harry Carey filmography * Lionel Barrymore filmography Lionel Barrymore ...

'' (1914, Short) *'' Ramona'' (1916) *''

Rimrock Jones ''Rimrock Jones'' is a lost 1918 American silent Western film directed by Donald Crisp and starring Wallace Reid. Cast * Wallace Reid as Rimrock Jones * Ann Little as Mary Fortune * Charles Stanton Ogle as Hassayamp Hicks * Paul Hurst as ...

'' (1918) *'' Believe Me, Xantippe'' (1918) *'' The Goat'' (1918) *''

Johnny Get Your Gun ''Johnny Get Your Gun'' is a 1919 American comedy silent film directed by Donald Crisp and written by Edmund Lawrence Burke and Gardner Hunting. The film stars Fred Stone, Mary Anderson, Casson Ferguson, James Cruze, Sylvia Ashton, Nina Byron ...

'' (1919) *'' Love Insurance'' (1919) *''

Why Smith Left Home ''Why Smith Left Home'' is a 1919 American silent film farce directed by Donald Crisp and starring Bryant Washburn. Famous Players-Lasky produced the film with distribution through Paramount Pictures. This film is based on the turn of the century ...

'' (1919) *''It Pays to Advertise'' (1919) *'' Too Much Johnson'' (1919) *''

The Six Best Cellars ''The Six Best Cellars'' is a lost 1920 American silent comedy film directed by Donald Crisp and starring Bryant Washburn and Wanda Hawley. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was based on the 191 ...

'' (1920) *'' Miss Hobbs'' (1920) *'' Held by the Enemy'' (1920) *'' Appearances'' (1921) *''

The Princess of New York ''The Princess of New York'' is a 1921 British crime film directed by Donald Crisp. Alfred Hitchcock is credited as a title designer. The film is now considered a lost film. Cast * David Powell - Geoffrey Kingsward * Mary Glynne - Helen Sta ...

'' (1921) *'' The Bonnie Brier Bush'' (1921; also acted) *''

Tell Your Children ''Tell Your Children'' is a 1922 British drama film directed by Donald Crisp. Alfred Hitchcock is credited as a title designer. It was the first film in which later ''Carry On'' actor Charles Hawtrey was to appear – he was aged eight ...

'' (1922) *'' The Navigator'' (1924) (co-directed with

) *'' Ponjola'' (1924) (co-directed with James Young) *'' Don Q, Son of Zorro'' (1925; also acted) *''

Young April ''Young April'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Donald Crisp, and starring Bessie Love, Joseph Schildkraut, and Rudolph Schildkraut. The film was produced by Cecil B. DeMille and distributed by Producers Distributing C ...

'' (1926) *''

Dress Parade ''Dress Parade'' is a 1927 American silent romantic drama film produced by William Sistrom and Cecil B. DeMille and distributed by Pathé. The film stars William Boyd and Bessie Love, and was directed by Donald Crisp. Although it is based on ...

'' (1927) *'' Nobody's Widow'' (1927) *'' The Cop'' (1928) *'' The Runaway Bride'' (1930)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Crisp, Donald 20th-century American male actors 20th-century English male actors American male film actors English male film actors American male silent film actors English male silent film actors Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners Silent film directors Film directors from Los Angeles Film directors from London Male actors from London Writers from London United States Army colonels United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army reservists British Army personnel of World War I Naturalized citizens of the United States British emigrants to the United States People from Bow, London Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) 1882 births 1974 deaths