Dudley Digges (born John Dudley Digges, 9 June 1879 – 24 October 1947) was an Irish stage actor, director, and producer as well as a film actor. Although he gained his initial theatre training and acting experience in Ireland, the vast majority of Digges' career was spent in the United States, where over the span of 43 years he worked in hundreds of stage productions and performed in over 50 films."Dudley Digges, 68, Noted Actor Dead", ''The New York Times'', October 25, 1947, p. L19. ProQuest Historical Newspapers (Ann Arbor, Michigan); subscription access through The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library.

Early life and stage work in Ireland

Digges was born in Ranelagh,

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

in 1879, the child of James Digges and Catherine Forsythe. He became acquainted with theatre directors William and Frank Fay and took an interest in acting. He joined W. G. Fay's Irish National Dramatic Company, along with others such as

Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh (8 May 1883 – 1958) was an Irish actress and republican activist. She started acting in her teens and appeared in the first Irish-language play performed in Ireland. She was a founder-member of the Abbey Theatre and ...

, James H. Cousins,

Fred Ryan Frederick Joseph Ryan Jr. (born April 12, 1955) is an American media proprietor, political adviser, and lawyer who serves as the publisher and chief executive officer of ''The Washington Post''. He was the president and chief operating officer o ...

and

Maire Quinn Maire Quinn (9 June 1872 – 21 August 1947) was an Irish actress and republican activist, and one of the founding members of the Irish National Theatre Society. Early life in Ireland Maire Quinn was born Mary Quinn to Michael Quinn and Mar ...

(who became his wife). Their first production, '' Cathleen Ni Houlihan'', with

Maud Gonne Maud Gonne MacBride ( ga, Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mhic Giolla Bhríghde; 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English-born Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette and actress. Of Anglo-Irish descent, she was won over to Irish nationalism ...

in the lead role, and ''Déirdre'', was on 2 April 1902. The company, which had no funds to speak of, acquired a couple of bare rooms at 34 Lower Camden Street, which with the help of friends from Irish-revival societies they turned into a small theatre. However, this proved too small for the plays they were planning to stage. They rehearsed at the Coffee Palace in Westmoreland Street and also used the Molesworth Hall for productions.Edward Kenny (nephew of Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh): The Splendid Years: recollections of Maire Nic Shiubhlaigh, as told to Edward Kenny, with appendices and lists of Irish theatre plays, 1899–1916. Duffy and Co, Dublin. 1955 In 1903 the playwrights and most of the actors and staff from these productions went on to form the

Irish National Theatre Society The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

, which had its registered offices in Camden Street. The society founded the

Abbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...

Career in the United States

Digges went to America with a group of fellow-actors in 1904, and became successful as both actor and producer. He was stage manager for a time to both

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

and

George Arliss George Arliss (born Augustus George Andrews; 10 April 1868 – 5 February 1946) was an English actor, author, playwright, and filmmaker who found success in the United States. He was the first British actor to win an Academy Award – which he ...

, and by the 1920s he had become a notable performer on

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 ...

. One of Digges' best-known roles there was as Ficsur in the original 1921 production of

Ferenc Molnár Ferenc Molnár ( , ; born Ferenc Neumann; 12 January 18781 April 1952), often anglicized as Franz Molnar, was a Hungarian-born author, stage-director, dramatist, and poet, widely regarded as Hungary’s most celebrated and controversial playw ...

's ''

Liliom ''Liliom'' is a 1909 play by the Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár. It was well known in its own right during the early to mid-20th century, but is best known today as the basis for the Rodgers and Hammerstein 1945 musical ''Carousel''. P ...

'' (later adapted into the musical ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...

'' by

Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popu ...

). In 1924, in

Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, NY. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 in 2000 ...

, he founded the

Maverick Theater Fullerton ( ) is a city located in northern Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 143,617. Fullerton was founded in 1887. It secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Sa ...

with the assistance of Hervey White, who had established the Maverick Arts Colony. Digges was also artistic director of a company that included

Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur ( Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was the second person and first woman to have w ...

and Edward G. Robinson. Digges expanded his career into films by 1929, and over nearly two decades he performed in more than 50 films, including the original

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

adaptation of '' The Maltese Falcon'' (1931). Digges was cast in that feature as Casper Gutman, the character later portrayed by

Sydney Greenstreet Sydney Hughes Greenstreet (December 27, 1879 – January 18, 1954) was a British-American actor. While he did not begin his career in films until the age of 61, he had a run of significant motion pictures in a Hollywood career lasting throu ...

in the 1941 version. In ''

The Invisible Man ''The Invisible Man'' is a science fiction novel by H. G. Wells. Originally serialized in '' Pearson's Weekly'' in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. The Invisible Man to whom the title refers is Griffin, a scientist who has devo ...

'' (1933) he played the Chief Detective who plots to capture the title character, opposite the unseen

Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. After his American film debut as Dr. Jack Griffin in ''The Invisible Man'' (1933), he appeared in such highly regarded films as '' ...

. He played the role of the Heavenly Examiner in both the original Broadway production and the 1930 screen version of

Sutton Vane Sutton Vane (born Vane Hunt Sutton-Vane; 9 November 1888 – 15 June 1963) was a British playwright best known work for ''Outward Bound (play), Outward Bound'' (1923), which was filmed twice and was still being performed eight decades after its ...

's ''

Outward Bound Outward Bound (OB) is an international network of outdoor education organizations that was founded in the United Kingdom by Lawrence Holt and Kurt Hahn in 1941. Today there are organizations, called schools, in over 35 countries which are att ...

''. He also worked as a director on

Personal life and death

Digges married only once, to Irish actress Maire Quinn. The couple wed on August 27, 1907 in New York City and remained together until Maire's death in August 1947."Mrs. Digges, Once Active In Theatre", obituary, ''The New York Times'', August 22, 1947, p. 15. ProQuest. In New York on October 24—just two months after his wife's death—Digges died of a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

in his

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

apartment at 1 West 64th Street. He was survived by three siblings, all living in Ireland: a sister, Mrs. Mai Gannen, and two brothers, James and Ernst. Following a

requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

mass at Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church on October 28, he was buried next to Quinn at

Gate of Heaven Cemetery Gate of Heaven Cemetery, approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of New York City, was established in 1917 at 10 West Stevens Ave. in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, as a Roman Catholic burial site. Among its famous residents is ...

Hawthorne, New York Hawthorne is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 4,586 at the 2010 census. History The village was originally known as Hammond's Mill ...

."Dudley Digges, 68"
obituary, ''

Motion Picture Daily ''Motion Picture Daily'' was an American daily magazine focusing on the film industry. It was published by Quigley Publishing Company, which also published the ''Motion Picture Herald''. The magazine was formed by the merging of three existing Qui ...

'' (New York, N.Y.), October 27, 1947, p. 2 (this obituary mistakenly identifies Mount Pleasant, New York as the location of Gate of Heaven Cemetery). Internet Archive. Retrieved April 8, 2020,

Partial filmography

* ''

Condemned Condemned or The Condemned may refer to: Legal * Persons awaiting execution * A condemned property, or condemned building, by a local authority, usually for public health or safety reasons * A condemned property seized by power of eminent domain ...

'' (1929) - Jean Vidal * ''

'' (1930) - Thompson the Examiner * '' The Maltese Falcon'' (1931) - Casper Gutman * ''

Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...

'' (1931) - Senator Timothy Roberts * ''

Devotion Devotion or Devotions may refer to: Religion * Faith, confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept * Anglican devotions, private prayers and practices used by Anglican Christians * Buddhist devotion, commitment to religious observance * Cat ...

'' (1931) - Sergeant Coggins * ''

The Ruling Voice ''The Ruling Voice'' is a 1931 American pre-Code gangster drama directed by Rowland V. Lee, starring Walter Huston, Loretta Young, and Doris Kenyon. It had an alternate title ''Upper Underworld'', and was produced by First National Pictures an ...

'' (1931) - Abner Sneed * ''

The Hatchet Man ''The Hatchet Man'' (1932) is a pre-Code film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Edward G. Robinson. Warner Bros. had purchased the David Belasco/ Achmed Abdullah play ''The Honorable Mr. Wong'' about the Tong gang wars. Made durin ...

'' (1932) - Nog Hong Fah * ''

The Strange Case of Clara Deane ''The Strange Case of Clara Deane'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and Max Marcin, written by Max Marcin, and starring Wynne Gibson, Pat O'Brien, Dudley Digges, Frances Dee, George Barbier, Russell Gleason a ...

'' (1932) - Detective Garrison * ''

Roar of the Dragon ''Roar of the Dragon'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code adventure film directed by Wesley Ruggles and written by Howard Estabrook. The film stars Richard Dix, Gwili Andre, Edward Everett Horton, Arline Judge and ZaSu Pitts. The film was released on ...

'' (1932) - Johnson * ''

The First Year ''The First Year'' is a 1932 American pre-Code film based on a 1920 play of the same name that originally ran on Broadway at the Little Theatre. The play was written by Frank Craven and produced by John Golden. It closed in 1922 after 760 perfo ...

'' (1932) - Dr. Anderson * '' Tess of the Storm Country'' (1932) - Capt. Howland * ''

The King's Vacation ''The King's Vacation'' is a 1933 American pre-Code romance film starring George Arliss and Marjorie Gateson and directed by John G. Adolfi. The supporting cast features Dick Powell, Patricia Ellis, Florence Arliss, Dudley Digges and O. P. Heg ...

'' (1933) - Count Raven Lord Chamberlain * ''

The Silk Express ''The Silk Express'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Ray Enright and written by Houston Branch and Ben Markson. The film, starring Neil Hamilton, Sheila Terry, Arthur Byron, Guy Kibbee, Dudley Digges and Arthur Hohl, was rele ...

'' (1933) - Professor Axel Nyberg * ''

The Mayor of Hell ''The Mayor of Hell'' is a 1933 American pre-Code Warner Brothers film starring James Cagney. The film was remade in 1938 as ''Crime School'' with Humphrey Bogart taking over James Cagney's role and ''Hell's Kitchen'' with Ronald Reagan in 1939. ...

'' (1933) - Thompson * '' The Narrow Corner'' (1933) - Doctor Saunders * '' Before Dawn'' (1933) - Horace Merrick * ''

The Emperor Jones ''The Emperor Jones'' is a 1920 tragic play by American dramatist Eugene O'Neill that tells the tale of Brutus Jones, a resourceful, self-assured African American and a former Pullman porter, who kills another black man in a dice game, is jailed, ...

'' (1933) - Smithers * ''

Fury of the Jungle ''Fury of the Jungle'' is a 1933 American adventure film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Donald Cook, Peggy Shannon and Alan Dinehart. It was co-written by Dore Schary from a story by Horace McCoy. Plot A love triangle story set in ...

'' (1933) - 'Doc' Parrish * ''

'' (1933) - Chief Detective * ''

Massacre A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...

'' (1934) - Elihu P. Quissenberry * ''

Caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Camel train, a convoy using camels as pack animals *Convoy, a group of veh ...

'' (1934) - Estate Administrator * ''

The World Moves On ''The World Moves On'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by John Ford and starring Madeleine Carroll and Franchot Tone. It was the first Hollywood code approved film. Plot The story opens in the year 1825, when two families, cotton merch ...

'' (1934) - Mr. Manning * '' What Every Woman Knows'' (1934) - James Wylie * ''

I Am a Thief ''I Am a Thief'' is a 1934 American crime-drama film directed by Robert Florey. Plot Mary Astor portrays Odette as an undercover police agent who hopes to provoke, and catch, an international jewel thief, as he transports the famous Karenina ...

'' (1934) - Col. Jackson * ''

A Notorious Gentleman ''A Notorious Gentleman'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Edward Laemmle and written by Leopold Atlas, Rufus King and Robert Tasker. The film stars Charles Bickford, Helen Vinson, Onslow Stevens, Dudley Digges, Sidney Blackmer and Joh ...

'' (1935) - Marleybone * ''

China Seas The China Seas consist of a series of marginal seas in the Western Pacific Ocean, around China. They are the major components signifying the transition from the continent of Asia to the Pacific Ocean.Pinxian Wang, Qianyu Li, Chun-Feng Li, ''Geolog ...

'' (1935) - Dawson * '' The Bishop Misbehaves'' (1935) - 'Red' * ''

Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...

'' (1935) - Bacchus * '' Kind Lady'' (1935) - Mr. Edwards * ''

Three Live Ghosts ''Three Live Ghosts'' is a novel by Frederic Isham published in 1918. He adapted it into the 1920 Broadway play of the same name produced by Max Marcin. There were also three film adaptations: * ''Three Live Ghosts'' (1922 film), a British com ...

'' (1936) - Inspector Briggs * ''

The Voice of Bugle Ann ''The Voice of Bugle Ann'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan. It was based on a novel of the same name by MacKinlay Kantor. Plot synopsis The countrymen in the hil ...

'' (1936) - Jacob Terry * ''

The Unguarded Hour ''The Unguarded Hour'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Loretta Young and Franchot Tone. In England, a prominent young prosecutor in a murder trial is unaware that his wife is involved. It is based on Bernard Meriv ...

'' (1936) - Metford * ''

The General Died at Dawn ''The General Died at Dawn'' is a 1936 American drama film that tells the story of a mercenary who meets a beautiful girl while trying to keep arms from getting to a vicious warlord in war-torn China. The movie was written by Charles G. Booth and ...

'' (1936) - Mr. Wu * ''

Valiant Is the Word for Carrie ''Valiant Is the Word for Carrie'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Wesley Ruggles and written by Claude Binyon, based on the 1935 novel of the same name by Barry Benefield. The film stars Gladys George, Arline Judge, John Howard, Dudley ...

'' (1936) - Dennis Ringrose * '' Love Is News'' (1937) - Cyrus Jeffrey * '' Raffles'' (1939) - MacKenzie * ''

The Light That Failed ''The Light That Failed'' is the first novel by the Nobel Prize-winning English author Rudyard Kipling, first published in ''Lippincott's Monthly Magazine'' in January 1891. Most of the novel is set in London, but many important events through ...

'' (1939) - The Nilghai * ''

The Fight for Life ''The Fight for Life'' is a 1940 American medical drama film nominated for the Best Original Score of a Picture composed by Louis Gruenberg and released by Columbia Pictures. Plot At the City Hospital a young intern witnesses the death of a you ...

'' (1940) - Head Doctor * '' Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake'' (1942) - Pratt * ''

The Searching Wind ''The Searching Wind'' is a 1946 American feature film directed by William Dieterle and starring Robert Young, Sylvia Sidney, and Ann Richards. It is based on the play of the same name by Lillian Hellman. It had originally been planned for prod ...

'' (1946) - Moses (final film role)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Digges, Dudley 1879 births 1947 deaths Irish male film actors Irish male stage actors Male actors from County Dublin Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923) 20th-century Irish male actors Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York)