Malcolm MacLeod Atterbury (February 20, 1907 – August 16, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor, and

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic compositio ...

Early years

A native of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, Atterbury was the son of Malcolm MacLeod, Sr. and Arminia Clara (Rosengarten) MacLeod. He had an older sister, Elizabeth, a twin brother, Norman, and a younger brother, George Rosengarten MacLeod. After his father's death his mother remarried to General William Wallace Atterbury, president of

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

. Through this marriage he had a half-brother, William Wallace Atterbury Jr. He graduated from

The Hill School The Hill School (commonly known as The Hill) is a coeducational preparatory boarding school located on a campus in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, about northwest of Philadelphia. The Hill is part of the Ten Schools Admissions Organization (TSAO). ...

in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In the mid-1930s, Atterbury decided to pursue a career in drama. He enrolled at Hilda Spong's Dramatic School using an assumed name. Later, after revealing his true identity, he went on to "finance a summer theater for the Hilda Spong Players at

Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County, New Jersey, Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay fro ...

, and they, in turn, asked him to be their managing director."

Radio

In 1928, Atterbury was the bass singer in a quartet that sang on WLIT in Philadelphia. In 1930, he became the program director of a radio station in Philadelphia. He went on to become business manager of

WHAT What or WHAT may refer to: * What, an interrogative pronoun and adverb * "What?", one of the Five Ws used in journalism Film and television * ''What!'' (film) or ''The Whip and the Body'', a 1963 Italian film directed by Mario Bava * '' Wh ...

Theatre

Atterbury was a devoted theatre actor. He owned and operated two theatres in the

Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, the Tamarack Playhouse in Lake Pleasant, New York and the Albany Playhouse Co. in Albany.Variety, May 12, 1948, p. 56 He also appeared on Broadway in the original cast of ''

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest may refer to: * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Ken Kesey * ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (play), a 1963 stage adaptation of the novel starring Kirk Douglas * ''One Flew Over the ...

'', as Scanlon.

Film

Atterbury is perhaps best known for his uncredited role in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture t ...

'' (1959), as the rural man who exclaims, "That plane's dustin' crops where there ain't no crops!" Four years later, Atterbury appeared as the Deputy in Hitchcock's '' The Birds'' (1963). He further appeared in such films as ''

I Was a Teenage Werewolf ''I Was a Teenage Werewolf'' is a 1957 horror film starring Michael Landon as a troubled teenager, Yvonne Lime and Whit Bissell. It was co-written and produced by cult film producer Herman Cohen and was one of the most successful films relea ...

'' (1957), '' Crime of Passion'' (1957), ''

Blue Denim ''Blue Denim'' is a 1959 film based on a Broadway play by writer James Leo Herlihy. It starred Carol Lynley and Warren Berlinger who reprised their stage roles. 17-year-old Brandon deWilde appeared in his first "adult" role as the male lead A ...

'' (1959), '' Wild River'' (1960), ''

Advise and Consent Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts. It describes either of two situations: where a weak executive branch of a government enacts something previ ...

'' (1962), and ''

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...

'' (1966). His last film was ''

Emperor of the North Pole ''Emperor of the North Pole'' is a 1973 American action adventure film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Keith Carradine, and Charles Tyner. It was later re-released on home media (and is more widely known) un ...

'' (1973).

Television

Atterbury made frequent appearances on television. He was cast in five episodes of CBS's '' Perry Mason'' during the late 1950s and early 1960s, playing the role of murderer in three of the episodes such as Sam Burris in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner". His guest-starring roles included appearances on ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'', ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology series, anthology television program, television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dysto ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', ''

The Asphalt Jungle ''The Asphalt Jungle'' is a 1950 American film noir heist film directed by John Huston. Based on the 1949 novel of the same name by W. R. Burnett, it tells the story of a jewel robbery in a Midwestern city. The film stars Sterling Hayden and ...

'', '' Have Gun - Will Travel'' (episode: "Shot by Request"), ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', '' Window on Main Street'', '' Straightaway'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'', ''

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999 ...

'', '' Kentucky Jones'', ''The Odd Couple (1970 TV series, episode: "A Barnacle Adventure"), ''

The Rookies ''The Rookies'' is an American police procedural series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department (SC ...

'', ''

The Sheriff of Cochise ''The Sheriff of Cochise'' is an American police crime drama television series of 79 black-and-white episodes broadcast from 1956 to 1958. The show has two seasons of 39 episodes, and there is an additional standalone episode. Each episode runs ...

'', '' The Fugitive'', ''

State Trooper State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction ...

'', '' Rescue 8'', '' Fury'', '' The Man from Blackhawk'', '' The Tall Man'', ''

The Invaders ''The Invaders'' is an American science-fiction television series created by Larry Cohen that aired on ABC for two seasons, from 1967 to 1968. Roy Thinnes stars as David Vincent, who after stumbling across evidence of an in-progress invas ...

'' (episode: "The Trial") and ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. Th ...

'' (episode: "The Cow Thief", 1962), The Bob Newhart Show (episode: "No Sale"). He had a regular role as Grandfather Aldon in the 1974–75 CBS television family drama, '' Apple's Way''.

Personal life

Atterbury was married on February 6, 1937 to Ellen Ayres Hardies (1915–1994) of

Amsterdam, New York Amsterdam is a city in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,219. The city is named after Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The City of Amsterdam is surrounded on the northern, east ...

, daughter of judge Charles E. Hardies Sr. and sister of Charles Hardies Jr., who later became

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Mon ...

district attorney.

Filmography

*'' Dragnet'' (1954) - Lee Reinhard *'' Man Without a Star'' (1955) - Fancy Joe Toole (uncredited) *'' The Rawhide Years'' (1955) - Luke, Paymaster (uncredited) *'' Silent Fear'' (1956) - Dr. Vernon *''

'' (1956) - Seldon *''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'' (1956) - Phineas Tripp (uncredited) * ''

Frontier A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary. A frontier can also be referred to as a "front". The term came from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"—the region of a country that fronts ...

'' (1956) Season 1, Episode 19 ''The Assassin'' as Donley *'' The Steel Jungle'' (1956) - Mailman *''Miracle in the Rain'' (1956) - Special Delivery Man (uncredited) *'' Stranger at My Door'' (1956) - Rev. Hastings *'' A Day of Fury'' (1956) - Gaunt Farmer (uncredited) *'' Crime in the Streets'' (1956) - Mr. McAllister *'' Dakota Incident'' (1956) - Bartender / Desk Clerk *''

Johnny Concho ''Johnny Concho'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Don McGuire starring Frank Sinatra, Keenan Wynn, William Conrad and Phyllis Kirk. This was Sinatra's first serious Western and the role allowed him to play against type in his portra ...

'' (1956) - Milo, Mail Dispatcher (uncredited) *'' Storm Center'' (1956) - Frank (uncredited) *'' Toward the Unknown'' (1956) - Hank - Bell Technical Rep. * ''

Reprisal! ''Reprisal!'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Guy Madison, Felicia Farr and Kathryn Grant.Hampes p.176 The film's sets were designed by the art director Walter Holscher. Plot A man named Frank Madden ...

'' (1956) - Luther Creel (uncredited) *'' Crime of Passion'' (1957) - Police Officer Spitz *''

Slander Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...

'' (1957) - Byron (uncredited) *'' Hot Summer Night'' (1957) - Jim - Newspaper Man on Street (uncredited) *'' Fury at Showdown'' (1957) - Norris *''

'' (1957) - Charles Rivers *'' Valerie'' (1957) - Sheriff *''

Blood of Dracula ''Blood of Dracula'' (U.K. title: ''Blood Is My Heritage'') is a 1957 American black-and-white horror film directed by Herbert L. Strock and starring Sandra Harrison, Louise Lewis and Gail Ganley. It was co-written by Aben Kandel and Herman Cohen ...

'' (1957) - Lt. Dunlap *'' The Walter Winchell File'' "The Witness" (1957) - MAJ Frank Spears *''

The Dalton Girls ''The Dalton Girls'' is a 1957 American Western film directed by Reginald Le Borg and starring Merry Anders, Lisa Davis, Penny Edwards, Sue George and John Russell. Plot Two men on horseback are fleeing a posse. Pistol shots are exchanged a ...

'' (1957) - Mr. Sewell, the Bank Manager *''

Too Much, Too Soon ''Too Much, Too Soon'' is a 1958 biographical film about Diana Barrymore produced by Warner Bros. It was directed by Art Napoleon and produced by Henry Blanke from a screenplay by Art Napoleon and Jo Napoleon, based on the autobiography by D ...

'' (1958) - Older Attrendant (scenes deleted) *''

The High Cost of Loving ''The High Cost of Loving'' is a 1958 comedy film directed by and starring Jose Ferrer. It marked the film debut of Gena Rowlands. Plot Around the same time that Jim Fry learns that his place of work is merging with another company, his wife of ...

'' (1958) - Harry Lessing (uncredited) *'' From Hell to Texas'' (1958) - Hotel Clerk *'' No Time for Sergeants'' (1958) - Bus Driver with Applications (uncredited) *''

How to Make a Monster How may refer to: * How (greeting), a word used in some misrepresentations of Native American/First Nations speech * How, an interrogative word in English grammar Art and entertainment Literature * ''How'' (book), a 2007 book by Dov Seidma ...

'' (1958) - Security Guard Richards *'' Badman's Country'' (1958) - Buffalo Bill Cody *''

Rio Bravo Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

'' (1959) - Jake (Stage Driver) (scenes deleted) *'' High School Big Shot'' (1959) - Mr. Grant *''

'' (1959) - Man at prairie crossing (uncredited) *''

'' (1959) - Marriage License Clerk (uncredited) *'' Hell Bent for Leather'' (1960) - Gamble *'' Wild River'' (1960) - Sy Moore *'' From the Terrace'' (1960) - George Fry *''

Summer and Smoke ''Summer and Smoke'' is a two-part, thirteen-scene play by Tennessee Williams, completed in 1948. He began working on the play in 1945 as ''Chart of Anatomy'', derived from his short stories "Oriflamme" and the then-work-in-progress "Yellow Bir ...

'' (1961) - Rev. Winemiller *'' Advise & Consent'' (1962) - Senator Tom August *'' The Birds'' (1963) - Deputy Al Malone *''

Cattle King ''Cattle King'' is a 1963 American Western film directed by Tay Garnett. It stars Robert Taylor and Robert Loggia. It was also known by the alternative title of ''Guns of Wyoming'' in some countries. Plot A range war is building in Wyoming. C ...

'' (1963) - Abe Clevenger *''

Seven Days in May ''Seven Days in May'' is a 1964 American political thriller film about a military-political cabal's planned takeover of the United States government in reaction to the president's negotiation of a disarmament treaty with the Soviet Union. Th ...

'' (1964) - Horace - White House Physician (uncredited) *'' Joy in the Morning'' (1965) - Willis J. Calamus (uncredited) *'' The Chase'' (1966) - Mr. Reeves *''

'' (1966) - Gideon Hale *''The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk'' (1967) - Clams Daggett *''

The Learning Tree ''The Learning Tree'' is a 1969 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Gordon Parks. It depicts the life of Newt Winger, a teenager growing up in Cherokee Flats, Kansas, in the 1920s, and chronicles his journey into manho ...

'' (1969) - Silas Newhall *''

Emperor of the North ''Emperor of the North Pole'' is a 1973 American action adventure film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Keith Carradine, and Charles Tyner. It was later re-released on home media (and is more widely known) under t ...

'' (1973) - Hogger *''

The Towering Inferno ''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The ...

'' (1974) - Jeweler (uncredited) *'' Little House on the Prairie'' (1979) - Brewster Davenport

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Atterbury, Malcolm 1907 births 1992 deaths American male stage actors American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Philadelphia 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers The Hill School alumni