Lester Dorr (born Harry Lester Dorr; May 8, 1893 – August 25, 1980) was an American actor who between 1917 and 1975 appeared in well over 500 productions on stage, in feature films and

shorts Shorts are a garment worn over the human pelvis, pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" b ...

, and in televised plays and weekly series. Even a sampling from his extensive

filmography A filmography is a list of films related by some criteria. For example, an actor's career filmography is the list of films they have appeared in; a director's comedy filmography is the list of comedy films directed by a particular director. The t ...

attests to his versatility as a supporting actor and his reliability as a

bit player In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British television, ...

. His roles are at times credited, but more often they are uncredited, consisting of peripheral characters who have limited dialogue or appear briefly in a wide range of occupations such as newspaper reporters, hotel clerks and

bellhop A bellhop (North America), or hotel porter (carrier), porter (international), is a hotel employee who helps patrons with their luggage while check-in, checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform (see bell-boy hat), like certain other Page (a ...

s, taxi drivers, salesmen, police officers, military personnel, waiters, and bartenders.

Early life and stage work

Harry Lester Dorr was born in Massachusetts in 1893, the oldest of 11 children of Mary E. (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

McGinnis) and Edward Peter Dorr."Twelfth Census of the United States: 1900", Boston, Ward 22, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, June 2, 1900; Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C.; digital copy of original enumeration page,

FamilySearch FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization and website offering genealogical records, education, and software. It is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and is closely connected with the church's Family Histo ...

, archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. Retrieved March 7, 2018. Documents in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

record that Dorr was born there, but his parents soon moved to the nearby town of Lynn, where his father worked as a shoemaker or "laster". By 1900, the growing Dorr family moved from Lynn into

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. Little more is known about Lester's early life until 1917, when the United States entered

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and Dorr registered for the military draft. He was living then in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, and on his registration papers he identified his occupation as "Theatre Producer", indicating that he was already involved in or was pursuing a career in entertainment by that time. Dorr's identification of himself, however, as a producer might be attributed to youthful exaggeration or was an unrealized intention, for no subsequent references have been found that credit him or even mention him in that behind-the-scenes occupation during his career. Dorr married in 1920 and during the late 1920s—before moving to California to act in films—he worked in stage productions in New York, including in

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 ...

dramas and musicals. He performed, for example, assorted roles in the 1927

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...

''Rufus LeMaire's Affairs''; and the following year he portrayed Captain DeJean in the

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

The New Moon ''The New Moon'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg (after ''The Student Prince'' (1924) and ...

'', which premiered at the

Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed fo ...

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 ...

on September 19, 1928.

Films

The federal census of 1930 documents that Dorr was in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

by April that year, working there as an "actor/motion pictures" and residing in a rental house with his wife and mother-in-law. He soon was cast in two Hollywood comedy shorts, both released by Pathé Exchange (

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

) in 1930: ''All Stuck Up'' and ''Ride 'em Cowboy''. For the remainder of the 1930s, Dorr demonstrated his abilities at portraying an array of characters, such as hotel clerks, police officers, reporters, office workers, elevator operators, salesmen, bank employees, cowboys, mob

henchmen A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose value lies pri ...

, prisoners, truck drivers, train crewmen, soldiers, sailors, and hospital personnel."Lester Dorr"
partial filmography,

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...

(TCM), Turner Broadcasting System, a subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc., New York, N.Y. Retrieved March 8, 2018. He was cast, often under contract as a "day player", in more than 250 films in just the 1930s alone, remarkably averaging a different role in a different film every two weeks for ten straight years. A very small sampling of those motion pictures include ''

Riders of the Purple Sage ''Riders of the Purple Sage'' is a Western novel by Zane Grey, first published by Harper & Brothers in 1912. Considered by scholars to have played a significant role in shaping the formula of the popular Western genre, the novel has been called ...

'', '' Union Depot'', '' Central Airport'', '' Helldorado'', ''

The Mighty Barnum ''The Mighty Barnum'' is a 1934 film starring Wallace Beery as P.T. Barnum. The movie was written by Gene Fowler and Bess Meredyth, adapted from their play of the same name, and directed by Walter Lang. Beery had played Barnum four years earlier ...

'', ''

Murder in the Clouds Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the c ...

'', '' The Case of the Missing Man'', ''

Show Them No Mercy! ''Show Them No Mercy!'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by George Marshall and written by Kubec Glasmon and Henry Lehrman. The film stars Rochelle Hudson, Cesar Romero, Bruce Cabot, Edward Norris, Edward Brophy and Warren Hymer. The fil ...

'', ''

She Gets Her Man She Gets Her Man may refer to: * She Gets Her Man (1935 film), an American comedy film * She Gets Her Man (1945 film) ''She Gets Her Man'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Erle C. Kenton and written by Warren Wilson, Clyde Bruckman, Ra ...

'', ''

Love Before Breakfast ''Love Before Breakfast'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy starring Carole Lombard, Preston Foster, and Cesar Romero, based on Faith Baldwin's short story ''Spinster Dinner'', published in '' International-Cosmopolitan'' in July 1934. The film ...

'', ''

Sinner Take All ''Sinner Take All'' is a 1936 murder mystery film directed by Errol Taggart and starring Bruce Cabot and Margaret Lindsay. Plot When millionaire New York City businessman Aaron Lampier ( Charley Grapewin) receives a death threat in the mail, he ...

'', ''

Snowed Under ''Snowed Under'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Ray Enright and starring George Brent as a playwright who is working under a tight deadline. He becomes snowed-in in his remote cabin with two ex-wives and a girlfriend, play ...

'', '' The Firefly'', ''

Expensive Husbands ''Expensive Husbands'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Bobby Connolly and written by Lillie Hayward, Jean Negulesco and Jay Brennan. The film stars Patric Knowles, Beverly Roberts, Allyn Joslyn, Gordon Oliver, Vladimir Sokoloff and E ...

'', '' Big City'', ''

Criminals of the Air ''Criminals of the Air'' (aka ''Guardians of the Air'' and ''Honeymoon Pilot'') is a 1937 American action film, directed by Charles C. Coleman. It stars Rosalind Keith, Charles Quigley and Rita Hayworth.Mavis 2011, p. 119. The film marked "Rita ...

'', ''

Dangerous Holiday ''Dangerous Holiday'' is a 1937 American drama film written and directed by Nicholas T. Barrows. The film stars Ronald Sinclair, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Hedda Hopper, Jack La Rue, Jed Prouty and Lynne Roberts. The film was released on June 7, 1 ...

'', ''

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 ...

'', ''

Captains Courageous ''Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks'' is an 1897 novel by Rudyard Kipling that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the spoiled son of a railroad tycoon, after he is saved from drowning by a Portuguese f ...

'', ''

Missing Witnesses ''Missing Witnesses'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by William Clemens and written by Kenneth Gamet and Don Ryan. The film stars John Litel, Dick Purcell, Jean Dale, Sheila Bromley, Ben Welden and William Haade. The film was released ...

'', ''

Pardon Our Nerve ''Pardon Our Nerve'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and written by Robert Ellis and Helen Logan. The film stars Lynn Bari, June Gale, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Michael Whalen, Edward Brophy and John Miljan. The ...

'', '' The Cisco Kid and the Lady'', ''

Test Pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testing ...

'', ''

Penitentiary A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correcti ...

'', '' The Main Event'', '' The Crowd Roars'', ''

Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...

'', ''

Sued for Libel ''Sued for Libel'' is a 1939 American mystery film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Jerry Cady, based on Wolfe Kaufman's story. Released on October 27, 1939, by RKO Radio Pictures (who also produced it), the film stars Kent Tay ...

'', ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'', and '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington''.Eder, Bruce
"Lester Dorr"
filmography, AllMovie, a subsidiary of All Media Network, San Francisco, California. Retrieved March 8, 2018. He also performed in several installments of the 1939 serial ''

Mandrake the Magician ''Mandrake the Magician'' is a syndicated newspaper comic strip A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloon ...

'', portraying Gray, one of many criminals battling the title character. Dorr continued to appear regularly in studio productions throughout the 1940s, but with reduced frequency when compared to the preceding decade; nevertheless, he still added more than 140 Hollywood films to his

résumé A résumé, sometimes spelled resume (or alternatively resumé), also called a curriculum vitae (CV), is a document created and used by a person to present their background, skills, and accomplishments. Résumés can be used for a variety of re ...

in that decade. His work on the "big screen" decreased even further in the 1950s as acting opportunities increased on television. He was, though, cast in at least 45 feature films and shorts during the 1950s, including small roles in some notable productions, such as '' Ace in the Hole'', '' The Greatest Show in Earth'', and '' East of Eden''. In another, far more modest

film-noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarde ...

production from that period, ''

Quicksand Quicksand is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that los ...

'', Dorr portrays "Baldy", a smooth-talking jeweler. His on-screen sales pitch in that role, in which he convinces the story's leading character Dan (

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

) to buy a wristwatch, is typical of the concise, quick-study performances that defined Dorr's career and made him so popular in cost-conscious studio casting offices. Dorr's film work, however, began to draw to a close by the 1960s, when he served in bit parts in only five films. Then, in 1975, he appeared in his final role, playing a doorman in the musical romantic comedy '' At Long Last Love''.

Television

By the late 1940s and early 1950s, programming in the rapidly expanding medium of television attracted the talents of many experienced personnel in the film industry, including Dorr. His earliest work on television was in two 1951 episodes of the televised crime drama

Boston Blackie Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie, a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him an ...

, starring

Kent Taylor Kent Taylor (born Louis William Weiss; May 11, 1907 – April 11, 1987) was an American actor of film and television. Taylor appeared in more than 110 films, the bulk of them B-movies in the 1930s and 1940s, although he also had roles in more p ...

. Dorr's supporting role as Tommy in an episode of that series titled "Blind Beggar" is formally credited, although his other role in "Oil Field Murder" is uncredited. As with his film career, Dorr's 15 years of being cast in television series consisted predominantly of brief appearances on screen and portraying characters who had relatively few

lines Line most often refers to: * Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity * Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to: Arts ...

. Yet, his characterizations on television, like in films, were highly diverse and can be seen in at least 84 episodes of Westerns, crime and detective series, courtroom and hospital dramas, adventure programs, and

sitcoms A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new ...

of the period. Examples of Dorr's television appearances can be viewed today in video copies of full episodes from classic series, as well as

clips CLIPS is a public domain software tool for building expert systems. The name is an acronym for "C Language Integrated Production System." The syntax and name were inspired by Charles Forgy's OPS5. The first versions of CLIPS were developed st ...

from related productions that are available online. Among those are his performances on ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was born to ...

'' in 1960 (as a murdered Land Office Clerk in "Six Feet of Gold"), and on ''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...

'' in 1961. In a sketch in an episode titled "Main Street Shelter", he plays a weathered, finicky "patron" of a homeless shelter who complains that the facility has only doughnuts as free snacks and stresses his preference for cinnamon buns and

cruller A cruller () is a deep-fried pastry like a doughnut popular in Europe and North America often made from a rectangle of dough with a cut made in the middle that allows it to be pulled over and through itself, producing twists in the sides of the p ...

s. Five years after that appearance on ''The Jack Benny Program'' and subsequent work on several other series, Dorr made his last television performance on the sitcom ''

Green Acres ''Green Acres'' is an American television sitcom starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm. Produced by Filmways as a sister show to ''Petticoat Junction'', the series was first broadcast on ...

'' in "I Didn't Raise My Pig to Be a Soldier". He has a considerable speaking part in that episode as "Mr. Collins", a local

draft board {{further, Conscription in the United StatesDraft boards are a part of the Selective Service System which register and select men of military age in the event of conscription in the United States. Local board The local draft board is a board th ...

official.

Personal life and death

Dorr was married to Grace L. Painter, a native of

Louisiana, Missouri Louisiana is a city in Pike County, Missouri, Pike County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,364 at the 2010 census. Louisiana is located in northeast Missouri, on the Mississippi River, south of Hannibal, Missouri, Hannibal. Louisiana ...

. They were wed in

Lucas, Ohio Lucas is a village in southeastern Richland County, Ohio, United States. Lucas is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. History David Tucker, a New Hampshire resident, moved to Richland County in 1819, where he set in a prop ...

, on June 28, 1920 and remained together for 60 years, until Lester's death in Los Angeles in 1980."California Death Index, 1940-1997", death of Harry Lester Dorr, August 25, 1980; California Department of Public Health, Sacramento, California; FamilySearch. Retrieved March 11, 2018. His remains were cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea.

Selected filmography

As noted in his career profile, Dorr performed in hundreds of productions on stage, in films, and on television. The following is a sampling from a list of his screen appearances that is available in the catalog of the

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...

(AFI) in

. Even that entire AFI list constitutes only a partial accounting of Dorr's performances: *''All Stuck Up'' (1930), short (uncredited) *''Ride 'Em Cowboy'' (1930), short) (uncredited) *'' Newly Rich'' (1931), feature (uncredited *''

'' (1931) as Judkins *'' Union Depot'' (1932) as sailor (uncredited) *''

The Death Kiss ''The Death Kiss'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film starring David Manners as a crusading studio writer, Adrienne Ames as an actress, and Bela Lugosi as a studio manager. The thriller features three leading players from the previous year ...

'' (1932) as hotel desk clerk (uncredited) *'' Central Airport'' (1933) as desk clerk (uncredited) *'' Helldorado'' (1934) as newspaper reporter (uncredited) *''

'' (1934) as hotel

(uncredited) *'' Desirable'' (1934) as head usher (uncredited) *''

Upperworld ''Upperworld'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Warren William as a wealthy married railroad Business magnate, tycoon whose friendship with a showgirl, played by Ginger Rogers, leads ...

'' (1934) as steward (uncredited) *''

A Modern Hero ''A Modern Hero'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romance drama film starring Richard Barthelmess and directed by G. W. Pabst. It is based on the novel with the same title by Louis Bromfield. It was Pabst's only American talking film and the next ...

'' (1934) as chauffeur (uncredited) *''

'' (1934) as assistant (uncredited) *''

Housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buying an ...

'' (1934) as chauffeur (uncredited) *'' Name the Woman'' (1934) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Front Page Woman ''Front Page Woman'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz. The screenplay by Laird Doyle, Lillie Hayward and Roy Chanslor based on the novel ''Women Are Bum Newspapermen'' by Richard Macauley. Plot Ellen Garfield refuses t ...

'' (1935) as waiter (uncredited) *''

'' (1935) as milkman (uncredited) *'' The Case of the Missing Man'' (1935) as reporter *'' Metropolitan'' (1935) as press agent (uncredited) *''

'' (1935) as photographer (uncredited) *''

Postal Inspector Postal inspector may refer to: * The United States Postal Inspection Service The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), or the Postal Inspectors, is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. It supports and protect ...

'' (1936) as truck driver (uncredited) *''

'' (1936) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Crash Donovan ''Crash Donovan'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by William Nigh and Jean Negulesco and starring Jack Holt, John 'Dusty' King and Nan Grey.Schlossheimer p.110 It marked the directorial debut of the Romanian-born Negulesco. Partial cas ...

'' (1936) as patrolman (uncredited) *''

'' (1937) as steward (uncredited) *''

'' (1937) as taxi driver (uncredited) *''

'' (1937) as Trigger *''Speed to Spare'' (1937) as Otto Behrman *'' Big City'' (1937) as petty officer (uncredited) *''

Hollywood Cowboy ''Hollywood Cowboy'' is a 1937 American adventure film directed by Ewing Scott and written by Daniel Jarrett and Ewing Scott. The film stars George O'Brien, Cecilia Parker, Maude Eburne, Joe Caits and Frank Milan. The film was released on May 28 ...

'' (1937) as Joe Garvey *''

'' (1937) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Sea Racketeers ''Sea Racketeers'' is a 1937 American film directed by Hamilton MacFadden and starring Weldon Heyburn, Jeanne Madden, and Warren Hymer. Plot summary Cast * Weldon Heyburn as Chief Bos'n Mate Jim Wilson *Jeanne Madden as Patricia 'Pat' Co ...

'' (1937) as sailor (uncredited) *'' The Firefly'' (1937) as French officer *'' The Crowd Roars'' (1938) as photographer (uncredited) *''

Mr. Moto's Gamble ''Mr. Moto's Gamble'' is the third film in the Mr. Moto series starring Peter Lorre as the title character. It is best remembered for originating as a movie in the Charlie Chan series and being changed to a Mr. Moto entry at the last minute. Plo ...

'' (1938) as reporter (uncredited) *''

'' (1938) as pilot (uncredited) *''

Sunset Murder Case ''Sunset Murder Case'' is a 1938 American film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Sally Rand and Esther Muir. The film is also known as ''High Explosive'' in the United Kingdom. Plot summary After her policeman father is killed and ...

'' (1938) as editor (uncredited) *''

Three Loves Has Nancy ''Three Loves Has Nancy'' is a 1938 romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Janet Gaynor, Robert Montgomery and Franchot Tone. It is set in New York City. Plot The seduction plans of novelist Malcolm Niles go awry when ac ...

'' (1938) as news vendor (uncredited) *'' The Main Event'' (1938) as Buck *'' Sweethearts'' (1938) as dance director *''

Exposed Expose, exposé, or exposed may refer to: News sources * Exposé (journalism), a form of investigative journalism * '' The Exposé'', a British conspiracist website Film and TV Film * ''Exposé'' (film), a 1976 thriller film * ''Exposed'' (1932 ...

'' (1938) as Slim (uncredited) *''

Cafe Society A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...

'' (1939) as waiter (uncredited) *''

North of Shanghai ''North of Shanghai'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman. Cast * James Craig as Jed Howard * Betty Furness as Helen Warner * Keye Luke as Jimmy Riley * Morgan Conway as Bob Laird * Joe Downing as Chandler (as Joseph D ...

'' (1939) as Wycoff *'' It’s a Wonderful World'' (1939) as photographer (uncredited) *'' Behind Prison Gates'' (1939) as Floyd *''

Pop Always Pays ''Pop Always Pays'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins using a screenplay by Charles E. Roberts, based on a story by Arthur J. Beckhard. Although not credited in the film, news reports of the time reported that when Goodwi ...

'' (1940) as auto salesman (uncredited) *''

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) as assistant paymaster (uncredited) *'' Danger Ahead'' (1940) as Lefty *''

Military Academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...

'' (1940) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Mexican Spitfire Out West ''Mexican Spitfire Out West'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Charles E. Roberts and Jack Townley. It is the sequel to the 1940 film ''Mexican Spitfire'' and the second of the film series. The film stars ...

'' (1940) as Harry *''

The Secret Seven The Secret Seven or Secret Seven Society is a fictional group of child detectives created by Enid Blyton and based on the publisher’s children. They appear in one of several adolescent detective series which Blyton wrote. The Secret Seve ...

'' (1940) as Racketeer *''

Blossoms in the Dust ''Blossoms in the Dust'' is a 1941 American biographical film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Felix Bressart, Marsha Hunt, Fay Holden and Samuel S. Hinds. It tells the true story of Edna Gladney, who helped o ...

'' (1941) as court attendant *''

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) as evaluating officer (uncredited) *''

Meet the Chump ''Meet the Chump'' is a 1941 American film starring Hugh Herbert. Plot A man desperately attempts to avoid giving up the ten million dollar trust that he's been administering so well that there's barely any money left. Cast * Hugh Herbert as H ...

'' (1941) as taxi driver (uncredited) *'' Model Wife'' (1941) as waiter (uncredited) *'' South of Panama'' (1941) as Joe *'' You Belong to Me'' (1941) as photographer (uncredited) *''

The People vs. Dr. Kildare ''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' is a 1941 drama directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Bonita Granville, and Laraine Day. Dr. Kildare performs an emergency operation on a crash victim. Plot Ice skater Frances Marlo ...

'' (1941) as onlooker (uncredited) *'' Under Age'' (1941) as Pearson *'' The Reluctant Dragon'' (1941) as camera operator *''

Three Girls About Town ''Three Girls About Town'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Joan Blondell, Binnie Barnes and Janet Blair (in her film debut). It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The story was written by Rich ...

'' (1941) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Babes on Broadway ''Babes on Broadway'' is a 1941 American musical film starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and directed by Busby Berkeley, with Vincente Minnelli directing Garland's big solo numbers. The film, which features Fay Bainter and Virginia Weidler ...

'' (1941) as writer (uncredited) *'' Remember the Day'' (1941) as photographer (uncredited) *''

A Tragedy at Midnight ''A Tragedy at Midnight'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Joseph Santley and written by Isabel Dawn. The film stars John Howard, Margaret Lindsay, Roscoe Karns, Mona Barrie, Keye Luke and Hobart Cavanaugh. The film was released on ...

'' (1942) as waiter (uncredited) *''

The Pride of the Yankees ''The Pride of the Yankees'' is a 1942 American film produced by Samuel Goldwyn, directed by Sam Wood, and starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, who die ...

'' (1942) as disappointed fan (uncredited) *'' Pardon My Stripes'' (1942) as bookie (uncredited) *''

Blue, White and Perfect ''Blue, White and Perfect'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by Herbert I. Leeds and starring Lloyd Nolan, Mary Beth Hughes, and Helene Reynolds. It is part of Twentieth Century Fox's Michael Shayne film series. The basis of the plot cam ...

'' (1942) as porter (uncredited) *''

Alias Boston Blackie ''Alias Boston Blackie'' (1942) is the third in a series of fourteen Columbia Pictures "B" movies starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie. It was preceded by ''Meet Boston Blackie'', ''Confessions of Boston Blackie'' and followed by '' Boston ...

'' (1942) as clerk (uncredited) *''

Sabotage Squad ''Sabotage Squad'' is a 1942 American action film directed by Lew Landers and written by Bernice Petkere, Wallace Sullivan and David Silverstein. The film stars Bruce Bennett, Kay Harris, Edward Norris, Sidney Blackmer, Don Beddoe and John T ...

'' (1942) as Harry *''

Sleepytime Gal ''Sleepytime Gal'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Art Arthur, Albert Duffy and Max Lief. The film stars Judy Canova, Tom Brown (actor), Tom Brown, Billy Gilbert, Ruth Terry, Thurston Hall, Elisha Cook J ...

'' (1942) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Little Tokyo, U.S.A. ''Little Tokyo, U.S.A.'' is a 1942 American film. Produced in the period just after the United States entered World War II, it was meant to alert Americans to the dangers of foreign agents. It is now controversial for its largely negative portraya ...

'' (1942) as clerk (uncredited) *'' Stand By All Networks'' (1942) as bartender *'' Sunday Punch'' (1942) as cameraman *''

Hitler's Madman ''Hitler's Madman'' is a 1943 World War II drama directed by Douglas Sirk. It is a highly fictionalized account of the 1942 Operation Anthropoid, assassination of Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich and the resulting Lidice massacre, which the Nazi G ...

'' (1943) as sergeant *'' A Stranger in Town'' (1943) as electric man (uncredited) *''

Destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

'' (1943) as

shipfitter A shipfitter is a marine occupational classification used both by naval activities and among ship builders; however, the term applies mostly to certain workers at commercial and naval shipyards during the construction or repair phase of a ship. T ...

(uncredited) *'' The Imposter'' (1944) as soldier (uncredited) *'' Enemy of Women'' (1944) as Hanussen *'' Shadow of Suspicion'' (1944) as reporter (uncredited) *''

Hi, Beautiful ''Hi, Beautiful'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Dick Irving Hyland. The film stars Martha O'Driscoll, Noah Beery Jr., Hattie McDaniel, Walter Catlett, Tim Ryan, Florence Lake, Grady Sutton, Lou Lubin ...

'' (1944) as train conductor (uncredited) *''

Henry Aldrich's Little Secret ''Henry Aldrich's Little Secret'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Val Burton and Aleen Leslie. The film stars Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Tina Thayer and Ann Doran. The film was ...

'' (1944) as Joe *''

Four Jills in a Jeep ''Four Jills in a Jeep'' is a 1944 American comedy-drama musical film starring Kay Francis, Carole Landis, Martha Raye, and Mitzi Mayfair as themselves, re-enacting their USO tour of Europe and North Africa during World War II. Production The wo ...

'' (1944) as soldier *''

Anchors Aweigh "Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and unofficial march song of the United States Navy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmermann with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. When he composed "Anchors Aweigh", Zim ...

'' (1945) as assistant director (uncredited) *'' Life with Blondie'' (1945) as John *''

Duffy's Tavern ''Duffy's Tavern'' is an American radio situation comedy that ran for a decade on several networks ( CBS, 1941–42; NBC-Blue Network, 1942–44; and NBC, 1944–51), concluding with the December 28, 1951, broadcast. The program often featured ...

'' (1945) as painter (uncredited) *''

That Brennan Girl ''That Brennan Girl'', also known as ''Tough Girl'', is a 1946 Melodrama#Film, melodrama film produced and directed by Alfred Santell and starring James Dunn (actor), James Dunn, Mona Freeman, William Marshall (bandleader), William Marshall, and J ...

'' (1946) as apartment clerk (uncredited) *'' Notorious'' (1946) as motorcycle officer (uncredited) *''

The Shadow Returns ''The Shadow Returns'' is a 1946 American comedy crime film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Kane Richmond, Barbara Read and Tom Dugan. It features the pulp character The Shadow, already a popular hero of novels and a radio show. It was t ...

'' (1946) as William Monk *''

Bowery Bombshell ''Bowery Bombshell'' is a 1946 film starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. It is the third film in the series. Plot Sweet Shop owner Louie needs to raise $300. The Boys try to sell their jalopy to raise the money, but are unable to becaus ...

'' (1946) as Feather-Fingers *''

G.I. War Brides ''G.I. War Brides'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by George Blair and written by John K. Butler. The film stars Anna Lee, James Ellison, Harry Davenport, William "Bill" Henry, Stephanie Bachelor, Doris Lloyd and Robert Armstrong. ...

'' (1946) as steward *''

Swell Guy ''Swell Guy'' is a 1946 American drama film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Sonny Tufts and Ann Blyth. The film's screenplay by Richard Brooks is based on the 1921 play ''The Hero'' by Gilbert Emery. Plot Almost no one in his Califor ...

'' (1946) as farmer *'' The Perils of Pauline'' (1947) as reporter *''

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 ...

'' (1947) as Mike, the dealer *'' Roses Are Red'' (1947) as reporter (uncredited) *'' Blaze of Noon'' (1947) as Sam *''

Night Has a Thousand Eyes ''Night Has a Thousand Eyes'' is a 1948 American horror film directed by John Farrow and starring Edward G. Robinson, Gail Russell and John Lund. The screenplay was written by Barré Lyndon and Jonathan Latimer. The film is based on the nov ...

'' (1948) as Byers *'' Cass Timberlane'' (1948) as salesman *'' The Countess of Monte Cristo'' (1948) as clerk *'' Music Man'' (1948) as mailman (uncredited) *''

Beyond Glory ''Beyond Glory'' is a 1948 American drama film directed by John Farrow and starring Alan Ladd and Donna Reed. Written by William Wister Haines, Jonathan Latimer, and Charles Marquis Warren, the film is about a former soldier who thinks he may have ...

'' (1948) as sergeant *'' April Showers'' (1948) as hotel clerk (uncredited) *''

The Big Clock ''The Big Clock'' is a 1946 novel by Kenneth Fearing. Published by Harcourt Brace, the thriller was Fearing's fourth novel, following three for Random House (''The Hospital'', ''Dagger of the Mind'', ''Clark Gifford's Body'') and five collections ...

'' (1948) as cab driver *''

Whispering Smith ''Whispering Smith'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Leslie Fenton and starring Alan Ladd as a railroad detective assigned to stop a gang of train robbers. The supporting cast includes Robert Preston, Brenda Marshall and Donald C ...

'' (1948) as railroad brakeman *''

Tell It to the Judge ''Tell It to the Judge'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy, romantic comedy film directed by Norman Foster (director), Norman Foster and starring Rosalind Russell as a divorcee who tries to get back her ex-husband, played by Robert Cummings. Pl ...

'' (1949) as incoming reporter *''

Red, Hot and Blue ''Red, Hot and Blue'' is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It premiered on Broadway in 1936 and introduced the popular song " It's De-Lovely," sung by Ethel Merman and Bob Hope. ...

'' (1949) as drugstore manager *'' Without Honor'' (1949) as neighbor *''

The Heiress ''The Heiress'' is a 1949 American romantic drama film directed and produced by William Wyler, from a screenplay written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, adapted from their 1947 stage play of the same title, which was itself adapted from Henry James ...

'' (1949) as groom (uncredited) *'' Alias Nick Beal'' (1949) as commercial fisherman *''

Samson and Delilah Samson and Delilah are Biblical figures. Samson and Delilah may also refer to: In music * ''Samson and Delilah'' (opera), an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns * ''Samson & Delilah'' (album), released in 2013 by V V Brown * "Samson and Delilah" (t ...

'' (1949) as victim (uncredited) *'' The Blonde Bandit'' (1950) as ticket taker *''

Three Secrets ''Three Secrets'' is a 1950 American drama film directed by Robert Wise and starring Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal and Ruth Roman. It was released by Warner Bros. Plot A private plane crashes in the California mountains and a 5-year-old boy sur ...

'' (1950) as houseman *''

Where Danger Lives ''Where Danger Lives'' is a 1950 film noir thriller directed by John Farrow and starring Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue and Claude Rains. Plot Dr. Jeff Cameron (Mitchum) treats a mentally disturbed attempted suicide victim (Domergue). She signs ...

'' (1950) as assistant police chief *''

Copper Canyon Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barrancas del Cobre) is a group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico that is in size. The canyons were formed by six rivers th ...

'' (1950) as guard (uncredited) *''

Covered Wagon Raid ''Covered Wagon Raid'' is a 1950 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and written by M. Coates Webster. The film stars Allan Lane, Eddy Waller, Alex Gerry, Lyn Thomas, Byron Barr and Dick Curtis. The film was released on June 30, ...

'' (1950) as Bartender Pete *''

'' (1950) as Baldy *'' I'll Get By'' (1950) as song plugger (uncredited) *''

The Big Hangover ''The Big Hangover'' is a 1950 American comedy film released by MGM. The film starred Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor and was written and directed by Norman Krasna. Supporting players include Percy Waram, Fay Holden, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, S ...

'' (1950) as waiter (uncredited) *''

The Strip The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city ...

'' (1951) as police surgeon *'' Follow the Sun'' (1951) as attendant *'' No Questions Asked'' (1951) as elevator operator (uncredited) *'' Ace in the Hole'' (1951) as priest *'' The Law and the Lady'' (1951) as newspaperman (uncredited) *''

The Redhead and the Cowboy ''The Redhead and the Cowboy'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Leslie Fenton and starring Glenn Ford and Rhonda Fleming. Plot Late in the American Civil War, the New Mexico Territory is full of spies and guerrillas for both sides. ...

'' (1951) as Ugly One *''

Night Riders of Montana ''Night Riders of Montana'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Fred C. Brannon and written by M. Coates Webster. The film stars Allan Lane, Chubby Johnson, Roy Barcroft, Claudia Barrett, Arthur Space and Myron Healey. The film was rel ...

'' (1951) as drummer *''

Somebody Loves Me "Somebody Loves Me" is a popular song, with music written by George Gershwin, and lyrics by Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva. The song was published in 1924 and featured in ''George White's Scandals'' of 1924. This is not to be confused with ...

'' (1952) as waiter (uncredited) *''

Bonzo Goes to College ''Bonzo Goes to College'' is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Frederick De Cordova and starring Maureen O'Sullivan, Edmund Gwenn, Charles Drake, Gigi Perreau, Gene Lockhart, and Bonzo. Plot Former lab chimpanzee Bonzo, suddenly literat ...

'' (1952) as mailman (uncredited) *'' The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1952) as circus barker * ''

Abbott and Costello Go to Mars ''Abbott and Costello Go to Mars'' is a 1953 American science fiction comedy film starring the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and directed by Charles Lamont. It was produced by Howard Christie and made by Universal-International. D ...

'' (1953) as customer (uncredited) * ''

Take the High Ground! ''Take the High Ground!'' is a 1953 American war film directed by Richard Brooks and starring Richard Widmark and Karl Malden as drill sergeants who must transform a batch of everyday civilians into soldiers during the Korean War. Plot In May 195 ...

'' (1953) as army doctor (uncredited) * ''

Run for the Hills ''Run for the Hills'' is a 1953 American comedy film directed by Lew Landers and starring Sonny Tufts, Barbara Payton and Mauritz Hugo.Lewis p.168 The film's sets were designed by the art director Ernst Fegté. Cast * Sonny Tufts as Charlie J ...

'' (1953) as Reporter *''

Killers from Space ''Killers from Space'' (a.k.a. ''The Man Who Saved the Earth'') is a 1954 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced and directed by W. Lee Wilder (brother of Billy Wilder), that stars Peter Graves, Barbara Besta ...

'' (1954) as gas station attendant * '' The Human Jungle'' (1954) as salesman *'' 3 Ring Circus'' (1954) as seedy character *''

Seven Angry Men ''Seven Angry Men'' is a 1955 American Western film directed by Charles Marquis Warren and starring Raymond Massey, Debra Paget and Jeffrey Hunter. It is about the abolitionist John Brown, particularly his involvement in Bleeding Kansas and hi ...

'' (1955) as

Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and hi ...

(uncredited) *'' East of Eden'' (1955) as city official at parade (uncredited) *''

The Girl Rush ''The Girl Rush'' is a 1955 American musical comedy film starring Rosalind Russell, filmed in Technicolor and VistaVision, and released by Paramount Pictures.

'' (1955) as carnival member *''

The First Traveling Saleslady ''The First Traveling Saleslady'' is a 1956 American film, starring Ginger Rogers and Carol Channing. Commercially unsuccessful, it was among the films that helped to close RKO Pictures. Future western stars Clint Eastwood and James Arness h ...

'' (1956) as salesman * '' Marjorie Morningstar'' (1958) as elevator operator (uncredited) *''

Hot Rod Gang ''Hot Rod Gang'' is a 1958 drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring John Ashley. The working title was ''Hot Rod Rock'' with the film also released under the title ''Fury Unleashed''. American International Pictures released the film as a ...

'' (1958) as Dryden Philpot *''

Missile Monsters ''Flying Disc Man from Mars'' is a 1950 Republic Pictures 12-chapter black-and-white science fiction adventure film serial, produced by Franklin Adreon, directed by Fred C. Brannon, that stars Walter Reed, Lois Collier, Gregory Gaye, James Crave ...

'' (1958) as Crane *'' Arson for Hire'' (1959) as cab dispatcher *''

Take a Giant Step ''Take a Giant Step'' is a 1959 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Philip Leacock. The plot concerns a black teenager living in a predominantly white environment and having trouble coping as he reaches an age at which the realities of ...

'' (1959) as high-school janitor (uncredited) *''

Vice Raid ''Vice Raid'' is a 1959 B-movie crime drama directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Mamie Van Doren and Richard Coogan. It was issued on a double bill with '' Inside the Mafia''. Plot Police Sgt. Whitey Brandon works for the Vice Squad and is d ...

'' (1959) as man at desk *'' Inherit the Wind'' (1960) as John *''

Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

'' (1967) as elevator operator *'' Hello Dolly!'' (1969) as workman (uncredited) *'' At Long Last Love'' (1975) as doorman

References and notes

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dorr, Lester 1893 births 1980 deaths American male actors People from Cambridge, Massachusetts People from Lynn, Massachusetts Male actors from Cambridge, Massachusetts Actors from Lynn, Massachusetts