Men Of Character Character Actors
Donald Curtis
Donald Curtis was an American character actor whose career spanned from 1940 to 1967 with 121 credits in both films and television.
He was born at Eugene, OR in 1915 and was raised on a farm near Spokane, WA. where his father was a Spokane County Commissioner for four years.
Curtis received a B S degree from The School Of Speech at Northwest University and then continued on for a M A degree.
He originally was an instructor for Alleghaney College, Northwester and Duquesne University
Later on he was became an assistant director at Pittsburgh Community Theater and from there moved to the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA as an associate director and teacher. After this period he moved into motion pictures and television.
Curtis' film debut occurred in 1940 in the film Emergency Squad and his TV debut came in 1949 on The Chevron Tele-Theater.
Some of the film roles of Donald Curtis were:
Emergency Squad (1940) as An Ambulance Intern
Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe (1940) as Ronal
Tear Gas Squad (1940) as Second Cadet
Murder In The Air (1940) as Quartermaster
Knute Rockne All American ( 1940) as West Point Football Player
North West Mounted Police (1940) as Mountie Secretary
The Son Of Monte Cristo (1940) as Guard
The Texas Rangers Ride Again (1940) as Ranger Stafford
Secret Evidence (1941) as Detective Murphy
Hands Across The Rockies (1941) as Dade Crawley
Criminals Within (1941) as Lt. John Harmon
Thunder Over The Prairie (1941) as Taylor
The Royal Mounted Police (1941) as Frenchy Duvalle
Code Of The Outlaw (1942) as Taggart
Hello Annapolis (1942) as Chief Petty Officer
Westward Ho (1942) as Rick West
In Old California (1942) as Pike
Tombstone - The Town Too Tough To Die (1942) as Clanton
Joan Of Ozark (1942) as Leonard Jones
War Dogs (1942) as Fred
A Tornado In The Saddle (1942) as Steve Duncan aka Slim Stevens
Law Of The Northwest (1943) as Frank Mason
Bataan (1943) as Lieutenant
Salute To The Marines (1943) as Randall James
Swing Shift Maisie (1943) as Joe Peterson
The Cross Of Lorraine (1943) as Marcel
See Here Pvt. Hargrove (1944) as Sgt. Heldon
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) as Lt. Randall
Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) as Dr. Girard
This Man's Navy (1945) as Operations Officer
Son Of Lassie (1945) as Sgt. Eddie Brown
Thrill Of A Romance (1945) as K. O. Karney
Spellbound (1945) as Harry
They Were Expendable (1945) as Lt. Shorty Long/ Radio Announcer
A Letter For Evie (1946) as Capt. Budlowe
Bad Bascomb (1946) as John Fulton
Courage Of Lassie (1946) as Charlie
White Tie And Tails (1946) as Nate Romero
Gallant Bess (1946) as Lt. Bridgman
Night Song (1947) as George
Dangerous Years (1947) as Jeff Carter
I Love Trouble (1948) as Martin
The Fuller Brush Man (1948)m as Gregory Cruckston
The Amazing Mr. X (1948) as Paul Faber
Stampede (1949) as Stanton
The Dagmar Story (1951-TV) as Vance
Phfft (1954) as Rick Vidal
It Came From Beneath The Sea (1955) as Dr. John Carter
All That Heaven Allows (1955) as Howard Hoffer
Flame Of The Islands (1956) as Johnny
Earth Vs The Flying Saucers (1956) as Major Huglin
The Ten Commandments (1956) as Mered
7th Calvary (1956) as Lt. Bob Fitch
Night Passage (1957) as Jubilee
Warning Shot (1967) as Dr. James B. Ruston
Donald Curtis was active on television appearing on such programs as The Chevrolet Tele-Theater, The Silver Theater, Studio One In Hollywood, Armstrong Circle Theater, Robert Montgomery Presents, The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse, Starlight Theater, Kraft Theater, Treasury Men In Action, Lux Video Theater, The Cisco Kid, Stories Of The Century, Big Town, Father Knows Best, Passport To Danger,, City Detective, Studio 57, Public Defender, The Ford Television Theater, Man Behind The Badge, Schlitz Playhouse Of Stars, The Life & Legend Of Wyatt Earp, Soldiers Of Fortune, Science Fiction Theater, Annie Oakley, Perry Mason, My Three Sons, Petticoat Junction and The Girl From UNCLE.
Mr Curtis retired from acting in 1967 and became involved as an outstanding leader in the area of New Thought and metaphysics for over twenty years
.Dr. Donald Curtis became the senior minister of the Unity Church in Dallas where he ministered to thousands from the pulpit as well as his regular radio and television broadcasts.
He was also a lecturer and author who had written six major books ( Helping Heaven Happen, Your Thoughts Can Change Your Life, Human Problems And How To Solve Them, Daily Power For Joyful Living, The Golden Bridge and New Age Understanding) as well as many inspirational booklets and articles.
His writings have been used as textbooks in healing, meditation and spiritual education at many churches and centers.
Curtis also did sales and executive leadership training seminars and were very popular in the business and educational fields.
An extensive traveler, he met with various religious groups and students and studied the older as well as the newer world religions.
What a finale to his life after show business.
He was married to Dorothy Gessell from 1974 to 1992, however the marriage ended in divorce.
Donald Curtis passed away 1997.
I enjoyed this actor in the films Earth Vs The Flying Saucers, It Came From Beneath The Sea, 7th Calvary, The Ten Commandments, They Were Expendable, The Fuller Brush Man, Son Of Lassie, Courage Of Lassie and Spellbound.
Louie The Movie Buff