Walter Connolly

Walter Connolly

The name may have been forgotten, especially today (seven decades later), but the portly, apoplectic, exasperated figure on the 1930s screen wasn't. While his film career, save a couple of silents, lasted a paltry seven years (1932-1939), character actor Walter Connolly certainly ran the distance. While some film historians complain that a number of his performances were annoying or overbaked, he was for the most part applauded for his zesty contributions to a number of comedy classics. Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933), Broadway Bill (1934) and It Happened One Night (1934), not to mention the Carole Lombard/Fredric March screwball farce Nothing Sacred (1937) as news reporter March's hot-headed editor boss are sure-fire examples. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was born on April 8, 1887 and schooled there. The son of the head of the Western Union relay office, he attended St. Xavier College and the University of Dublin in Ireland before making his New York debut in 1910 in an outdoor presentation of "As You Like It". For the next year or so he was a member of E.H. Sothern's touring company and played supporting roles in a number of Shakespearean shows on the road. After a few silent pictures left him unimpressed with film-making, he turned to the Broadway stage in the 1920s and scored quite well. Somewhat short and tubby, it was not difficult for the jowly, mustachioed actor to seize laughs and he found his share in such outings as "The Talking Parrot" (1923), "Applesauce" (1925), "The Springboard" (1927), "The Happy Husband" (1928), "Stepping Out" (1929), "Your Uncle Dudley" (1930), "Anatol" (1931), "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (1931), "The Good Fairy" (1932) and "The Late Christopher Bean" (1932). With his talents as a stage farceur firmly established, it was time to make a second attempt at a film career and Hollywood (specifically, Columbia) wisely opened their doors to him. Interestingly, his debut in a full-length talking picture came at age 45 in the form of a drama, Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932), where he was third-billed as a rather benign senator. For the next seven years Connolly, often playing older than he really was, could be found everywhere giving good fluster to the greatest and glossiest of stars -- Janet Gaynor, Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy, Paul Muni, Spencer Tracy, and Ginger Rogers, among hordes of others. His hobbies were collecting old books and theatre programmes. Connolly was married to actress Nedda Harrigan from 1923 to his death. They had one daughter, Ann (1924–2006). Connolly suffered a fatal stroke on May 28, 1940, and was buried in New St. Joseph Cemetery in Cincinnati.
    Known for
    Acting
    Place of birth
    Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
    Birthday
    4/8/1887
It Happened One Night
It Happened One Night
7.8
Twentieth Century
Twentieth Century
6.8
Libeled Lady
Libeled Lady
7.3
Too Hot to Handle
Too Hot to Handle
5.8
The Bitter Tea of General Yen
The Bitter Tea of General Yen
6.1
Man Against Woman
Man Against Woman
3.5
The Good Earth
The Good Earth
6.2
Lady for a Day
Lady for a Day
7.1
Nothing Sacred
Nothing Sacred
6.2
5th Ave Girl
5th Ave Girl
7
Four's a Crowd
Four's a Crowd
5.1
Lady by Choice
Lady by Choice
6
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
6.5
Broadway Bill
Broadway Bill
6
Nancy Steele Is Missing!
Nancy Steele Is Missing!
0
First Lady
First Lady
6.2
Good Girls Go to Paris
Good Girls Go to Paris
7.1
The Music Goes 'Round
The Music Goes 'Round
0
Coast Guard
Coast Guard
5
Start Cheering
Start Cheering
7
The League of Frightened Men
The League of Frightened Men
6
Those High Grey Walls
Those High Grey Walls
6.2
The King Steps Out
The King Steps Out
5.7
No More Orchids
No More Orchids
6.8
Paddy the Next Best Thing
Paddy the Next Best Thing
1
The Girl Downstairs
The Girl Downstairs
4.5
The Great Victor Herbert
The Great Victor Herbert
5
Let's Get Married
Let's Get Married
5
Father Brown, Detective
Father Brown, Detective
6.5
So Red the Rose
So Red the Rose
6
She Couldn't Take It
She Couldn't Take It
4.5
East of Fifth Avenue
East of Fifth Avenue
6
Washington Merry-Go-Round
Washington Merry-Go-Round
6.7
Whom the Gods Destroy
Whom the Gods Destroy
5.5
Bridal Suite
Bridal Suite
5.1
The Captain Hates the Sea
The Captain Hates the Sea
6.5
Man's Castle
Man's Castle
6.9
Servants' Entrance
Servants' Entrance
0
One Way Ticket
One Way Ticket
5
Master of Men
Master of Men
0
Once to Every Woman
Once to Every Woman
5.8
Eight Girls in a Boat
Eight Girls in a Boat
0
White Lies
White Lies
6
Breakdowns of 1938
Breakdowns of 1938
5
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
6
Soak the Rich
Soak the Rich
0
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen
0
Penitentiary
Penitentiary
0
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