William Harrigan
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William Harrigan (March 27, 1894 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor who performed in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s and on stage.


Early years

Harrigan was born in New York City and attended New York Military Academy. Harrigan was the son of actor
Edward Harrigan Edward Harrigan (October 26, 1844June 6, 1911), sometimes called Ned Harrigan, was an Irish-American actor, singer, dancer, playwright, lyricist and theater producer who, together with Tony Hart (theater), Tony Hart (as Harrigan & Hart), formed o ...
and the grandson of composer
David Braham David Braham (1834 – April 11, 1905) was a London-born musical theatre composer most famous for his work with Edward Harrigan and Tony Hart (theater), Tony Hart. He has been called "the American Jacques Offenbach, Offenbach". Early life (1834&n ...
. His sister was
Nedda Harrigan Nedda Harrigan Logan (August 24, 1899 – April 1, 1989) was an American actress. Early life Harrigan was the youngest of 10 children of entertainer Edward Harrigan and his wife, Annie (Braham) Harrigan. Her grandfather was conductor Davi ...
, which made him the brother-in-law of director/playwright
Joshua Logan Joshua Lockwood Logan III (October 5, 1908 – July 12, 1988) was an American director, writer, and actor. He shared a Pulitzer Prize for co-writing the musical '' South Pacific'' and was involved in writing other musicals. Early years Logan ...
. Harrigan first performed on stage when he was 5 years old, joining his father in a production of ''Reilly and the 400'' at the Garrick Theater. During World War I, Harrigan was a captain in the 307th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Division.


Career

Following his school years, Harrigan acted in New York theaters in plays that included ''Bought and Paid For'' and ''Springtime''. He also toured Australia in 1915 as part of a company led by Charles Millward. Harrigan's Broadway debut was in ''Old Lavender'' (1906). He also performed with his father in a touring company of ''Old Lavender''. In 1933 he played detective
Charlie Chan Charlie Chan is a fictional Honolulu police detective created by author Earl Derr Biggers for a series of mystery novels. Biggers loosely based Chan on Hawaiian detective Chang Apana. The benevolent and heroic Chan was conceived as an alter ...
in a Broadway adaptation of novel ''
Keeper of the Keys ''Keeper of the Keys'' (1932) is the sixth and last mystery in the Charlie Chan series of Earl Derr Biggers; Biggers was planning on continuing the series, but died in 1933 before he could. The films continued the series for him. Plot summary ...
''. He created the role of the captain in the Broadway hit '' Mister Roberts'', which his brother-in-law Joshua Logan co-wrote and directed. Harrigan performed in vaudeville, including a 1927 performance of Irish ballads at the Palace Theater. His film debut came in 1917. Films in which he appeared included ''Born Reckless'', ''Cabaret'', ''The Invisible Man'', and ''Nix on Dames''.


Personal life and death

Harrigan was married to, and divorced from, Dorothy Langdon and
Louise Groody Louise Groody (1897–1961) was an American Broadway musical comedy star of the 1920s who introduced to New York audiences the song " Tea for Two" in the musical '' No, No, Nanette''. Early life Louise Groody was born on March 27, 1897, in Wac ...
. At the time of his death he was married to Grace Culbert. He died on February 1, 1966, in New York City, aged 71.


Partial filmography

*''
An Affair of Three Nations ''An Affair of Three Nations'' is a 1915 American silent film directed by Arnold Daly and Ashley Miller, and produced by Pathé Frères Films. It is based on a story by John T. McIntyre. The film was the first in the "Ashton-Kirk, Investigator" se ...
'' (1915) - Phillip Warwick *''
Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...
'' (1927) - Jack Costigan *''
Nix on Dames Nix or NIX may refer to: Places * Nix, Alabama, an unincorporated community, United States * Nix, Texas, a ghost town in southwestern Lampasas County, Texas, United States * Nix (moon), a moon of Pluto People * Nix (surname), listing people with ...
'' (1927) - Johnny Brown *'' Born Reckless'' (1930) - Good News Brophy *'' On the Level'' (1930) - Danny Madden *''
Men on Call ''Men on Call'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by John G. Blystone and written by James Kevin McGuinness and Basil Woon. The picture stars Edmund Lowe, Mae Clarke, William Harrigan, Sharon Lynn, Warren Hymer and Ruth Warren. T ...
'' (1930) - Cap *'' Pick-Up'' (1933) - Jim Richards *''
The Girl in 419 ''The Girl in 419'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and written by Allen Rivkin, Manuel Seff and P.J. Wolfson. The film stars James Dunn, Gloria Stuart, David Manners, William Harrigan, Shi ...
'' (1933) - Peter Lawton *''
Disgraced! ''Disgraced!'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code mystery film directed by Erle C. Kenton and written by Francis Martin and Alice D. G. Miller. The film stars Helen Twelvetrees, Bruce Cabot, Adrienne Ames, William Harrigan, Ken Murr ...
'' (1933) - Captain Holloway *''
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 devote ...
'' (1933) - Dr. Arthur Kemp *''
G Men ''G Men'' is a 1935 Warner Bros. crime film starring James Cagney, Ann Dvorak, Margaret Lindsay and Lloyd Nolan in his film debut. According to ''Variety,'' the movie was one of the top-grossing films of 1935. The supporting cast features Robe ...
'' (1935) - 'Mac' McKay *''
The People's Enemy ''The People's Enemy'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by Crane Wilbur, from a screenplay by Gordon Kahn and Edward Dean Sullivan, based on Sullivan's story. The film stars Preston Foster, Melvyn Douglas, and Charles Coburn Charl ...
'' (1935) - Henchman (uncredited) *'' Stranded'' (1935) - Updyke *'' Silk Hat Kid'' (1935) - Brother Joe Campbell *''
His Family Tree ''His Family Tree'' is a 1935 comedy film directed by Charles Vidor. Plot Patrick Murphy, is a former Boatswain and fondly called Bosun. He is retired now, and owns a pub in Ireland. Down hearted because he hasn't heard from his son in Americ ...
'' (1935) - Charles Murfree - aka Murphy *'' The Melody Lingers On'' (1935) - Captain Jonesy *''
Whipsaw A whipsaw or pitsaw was originally a type of saw used in a saw pit, and consisted of a narrow blade held rigid by a frame and called a frame saw or sash saw (see illustrations). This evolved into a straight, stiff blade without a frame, up to 1 ...
'' (1935) - 'Doc' Evans *'' Frankie and Johnny'' (1936) - Curley *''
Over the Goal ''Over the Goal'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Noel M. Smith and written by William Jacobs and Anthony Coldeway. The film stars June Travis, William Hopper, Johnnie Davis, Gordon Oliver, William Harrigan and Willard Parker. The f ...
'' (1937) - Jim Shelly *''
Federal Bullets ''Federal Bullets'' is a 1937 American crime film written and directed by Karl Brown. It is based on the 1937 novel ''Federal Bullets'' by George Fielding Eliot. The film stars Milburn Stone, Zeffie Tilbury, Terry Walker, William Harrigan, Hel ...
'' (1937) - Federal Agency Chief *''
Exiled to Shanghai ''Exiled to Shanghai'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Nick Grinde and Armand Schaefer and starring Wallace Ford, June Travis, and Dean Jagger.Dooley p.242 Production Despite its exotic-sounding title, none of the film is actually set ...
'' (1937) - Grant Powell *''
Hawaii Calls ''Hawaii Calls'' was a radio program broadcast live from Waikiki Beach from 1935 through 1975 that reached 750 stations world-wide at the height of its popularity. It featured live Hawaiian music by an 11-piece dance orchestra conducted by Harry ...
'' (1938) - Blake *''
Back Door to Heaven ''Back Door to Heaven'' is a 1939 American crime drama film directed by William K. Howard and starring Wallace Ford, Aline MacMahon, Stuart Erwin and Patricia Ellis. Plot The story revolves around a delinquent boy later to become a convict, ...
'' (1939) - Frankie's Father *''
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
'' (1940) - Union Commanding Officer (uncredited) *''
Follies Girl ''Follies Girl'' is a 1943 American musical comedy film directed by William Rowland and starring Wendy Barrie, Doris Nolan and Gordon Oliver. It was made by the poverty row studio Producers Releasing Corporation. Much of the film takes place in or ...
'' (1943) - Jimmy Dobson *'' The Farmer's Daughter'' (1947) - Ward C. Hughes *''
Citizen Saint '' Citizen Saint: The Life of Mother Cabrini'' is a 1947 film about a Catholic saint. It was directed by Harold Young. It was produced by Clyde Elliott Attractions. It is about Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian woman who becomes a nun and is eve ...
'' (1947) - Father Vail *''
Desert Fury ''Desert Fury'' is a 1947 American film noir crime film directed by Lewis Allen and starring John Hodiak, Lizabeth Scott and Burt Lancaster. The story was adapted for the screen by Robert Rossen and A. I. Bezzerides (uncredited), based on the r ...
'' (1947) - Judge Berle Lindquist *''
Flying Leathernecks ''Flying Leathernecks'' is a 1951 American Technicolor action war film directed by Nicholas Ray, produced by Edmund Grainger, (who had produced ''Sands of Iwo Jima'') and starring John Wayne and Robert Ryan. The movie details the exploits an ...
'' (1951) - Dr. Lt.Cdr. Joe Curran *'' Steel Town'' (1952) - John 'Mac' McNamara *''
Francis Covers the Big Town ''Francis Covers the Big Town'' is a 1953 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Leonard Goldstein, directed by Arthur Lubin, that stars Donald O'Connor, Yvette Duguay, and Gene Lockhart. The distinctive voi ...
'' (1953) - Deputy Chief Inspector Hansen *''
Roogie's Bump ''Roogie's Bump'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Harold Young and written by Jack Hanley and Dan Totheroh. The film stars Robert Marriott, Ruth Warrick, Olive Blakeney, Robert F. Simon, William Harrigan and David Winters. The film ...
'' (1954) - Red O'Malley *''
Street of Sinners ''Street of Sinners'' is a 1957 American crime film directed by William Berke, written by John McPartland, and starring George Montgomery, Geraldine Brooks, Nehemiah Persoff, Marilee Earle, William Harrigan and Stephen Joyce. It was released in ...
'' (1957) - Gus


References


Sources


moviefone


External links

* 1894 births 1966 deaths American male film actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from New York (state) Place of death missing {{US-film-actor-1890s-stub