Walter "Spec" O'Donnell (April 9, 1911 – October 14, 1986) was an American film actor.

Biography

Born in

Fresno, California Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

, in 1911, O'Donnell appeared in more than 190 films between 1923 and 1978. He worked frequently for producer

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

, often appearing in silent comedies as the bratty son of

Max Davidson Max Davidson (May 23, 1875 – September 4, 1950) was a German-American film actor known for his comedic Jewish persona during the silent film era. With a career spanning over thirty years, Davidson appeared in over 180 films. Career Born ...

Charley Chase Charles Joseph Parrott (October 20, 1893 – June 20, 1940), known professionally as Charley Chase, was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director. He worked for many pioneering comedy studios but is chiefly associated with pro ...

. His sound-era roles were mostly uncredited bits, often as bellhops, newsboys, and pages; he was playing adolescent roles well into his twenties. He has the unusual distinction of playing the same role (a newsboy) in both an original film and its remake: '' Princess O'Hara'' and ''

It Ain't Hay ''It Ain't Hay'' is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. Plot Cab driver Wilbur Hoolihan accidentally kills a hack horse owned by King O'Hara and his daughter, Princess O’Hara, by feeding it candy. In hopes of raising e ...

''. He died in 1986 in

Woodland Hills, Los Angeles Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Geography Woodland Hills is in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, which is located east of Ca ...

Selected filmography

* ''

Little Johnny Jones ''Little Johnny Jones'' is a musical by George M. Cohan. The show introduced Cohan's tunes " Give My Regards to Broadway" and " The Yankee Doodle Boy." The "Yankee Doodle" character was inspired by real-life Hall of Fame jockey Tod Sloan. Bac ...

'' (1923) - Freckle faced Little Boy * ''

The Barefoot Boy "The Barefoot Boy" is a poem written by American Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier. The poem was first published in '' The Little Pilgrim'' in January 1855. Overview The poem is about a barefoot boy who is both innocent and connected to nature. ...

'' (1923) - Schoolboy * ''

The Country Kid ''The Country Kid'' is a 1923 American silent comedy drama film directed by William Beaudine for Warner Bros. It stars Wesley Barry, Spec O'Donnell, and Bruce Guerin as three orphaned brothers who struggle to preserve their inheritance and rema ...

'' (1923) - Joe Applegate * ''

The Darling of New York ''The Darling of New York'' is a 1923 American silent film, silent comedy film directed by King Baggot and written by Adrian Johnson and Raymond L. Schrock. The film stars Diana Serra Cary, Baby Peggy, her first feature film. The film was release ...

'' (1923) - Willie * '' The Foolish Virgin'' (1924) - Little Boy * ''

Tomorrow's Love ''Tomorrow's Love'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Paul Bern, written by Charles Brackett and Howard Higgin, and starring Agnes Ayres, Patrick H. O'Malley, Jr., Raymond Hatton, Jane Winton, Ruby Lafayette, and Dale Fulle ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Devil's Cargo ''The Devil's Cargo'' is a 1925 American silent drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Victor Fleming and starred Wallace Beery and Pauline Starke. It is based on an original st ...

'' (1925) - Jimmy * '' The Dressmaker from Paris'' (1925) - Jim * ''

Little Annie Rooney ''Little Annie Rooney'' is a comic strip about a young orphaned girl who traveled about with her dog, Zero. King Features Syndicate launched the strip on January 10, 1927, not long after it was apparent that the Chicago Tribune Syndicate had sc ...

'' (1925) * '' The Price of Success'' (1925) * ''

Sparrows Sparrow may refer to: Birds * Old World sparrows, family Passeridae * New World sparrows, family Passerellidae * two species in the Passerine family Estrildidae: ** Java sparrow ** Timor sparrow * Hedge sparrow, also known as the dunnock or he ...

'' (1926) * ''

Private Izzy Murphy ''Private Izzy Murphy'' is a 1926 American silent comedy-drama film with Vitaphone sound effects, starring George Jessel, and Patsy Ruth Miller. The film was released by Warner Bros. It is unknown if a copy survives meaning it could be a los ...

'' (1926) * '' Hard Boiled'' (1926) * '' Old Ironsides'' (1926) * ''

Why Girls Say No ''Why Girls Say No'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film featuring Max Davidson. Plot Every boy on the street is in love with Becky. But her father, Papa Whisselberg, insists that they be Jewish. While getting her hair cut, Becky encoun ...

'' (1927) * ''

Don't Tell Everything ''Don't Tell Everything'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring Gloria Swanson and Wallace Reid. Wood apparently created this film in part from outtakes left over from Cecil DeMille's ''The Affairs of Anato ...

'' (1927) * ''

Casey at the Bat Casey at the Bat is a poem written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. Casey at the Bat may also refer to: * ''Casey at the Bat'' (1916 film), a film based on the poem * ''Casey at the Bat'' (1927 film), a film based on the poem * ''Casey at the Bat'', a ...

'' (1927) * '' Special Delivery'' (1927) * ''

Call of the Cuckoo ''Call of the Cuckoo'' (1927) is a Hal Roach two reel silent film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film's principal star is comedian Max Davidson, though the film is just as well known for cameos from other Roach stars at the time. These ...

'' (1927) * ''

Pass the Gravy ''Pass the Gravy'' is a 1928 short comedy silent film directed by Fred Guiol and supervised by Leo McCarey. It stars Max Davidson, Gene Morgan, Spec O'Donnell, Martha Sleeper, and Bert Sprotte. The movie was produced by Hal Roach and distribu ...

'' (1928) * ''A Pair of Tights'' (1928) * '' Vamping Venus'' (1928) * ''

Hot News ''Hot News'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, an amalgamation of Famous Players-Lasky and Paramount Pictures. Clarence Badger directed and Bebe Daniels starred. Cast * Bebe ...

'' (1928) * '' Danger Street'' (1928) * ''

In the Headlines ''In the Headlines'' is a 1929 crime drama film directed by John G. Adolfi and starring Grant Withers and Marian Nixon. It was produced and distributed by the Warner Brothers. Cast * Grant Withers - Nosey Norton * Marion Nixon - Anna Lou Anders ...

'' (1929) * '' The Sophomore'' (1929) * '' The Grand Parade'' (1930) * '' Big Money'' (1930) * ''

Two Plus Fours ''Two Plus Fours'' is a 1930 American short film directed by Ray McCarey and featuring the Rhythm Boys (Bing Crosby, Al Rinker and Harry Barris). The film was shot in 5 days starting on May 29, 1930 at a cost of $19,689. It previewed in mid-Ju ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Big Broadcast ''The Big Broadcast'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Bing Crosby, Stuart Erwin, and Leila Hyams. Based on the play ''Wild Waves'' by William Ford Manley, the film is about a radio-sing ...

'' (1932) * ''

Broadway Bill ''Broadway Bill'' is a 1934 American comedy-drama film directed by Frank Capra and starring Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy. Screenplay by Robert Riskin and based on the short story "Strictly Confidential" by Mark Hellinger, the film is about a ...

'' (1934) * ''

Cain and Mabel ''Cain and Mabel'' is a 1936 romantic comedy film designed as a vehicle for Marion Davies in which she co-stars with Clark Gable. The story had been filmed before, in 1924, by William Randolph Hearst's production company, Cosmopolitan, as a sile ...

'' (1936) * '' Blonde Trouble'' (1937) * ''

Here's Flash Casey ''Here's Flash Casey'' is a 1937 American film directed by Lynn Shores and starring Eric Linden and Boots Mallory. Plot Flash Casey is able finally to get the job as photographer at Globe Press. And he would like to marry newspaper woman Kay Lann ...

'' (1938) * ''

Angels with Dirty Faces ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' is a 1938 American crime drama film directed by Michael Curtiz for Warner Brothers. It stars James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, The Dead End Kids, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, and George Bancroft. The screenplay was wri ...

'' (1938) * '' Crazy House'' (1943) * '' The Kid from Brooklyn'' (1946) * ''

Footlight Varieties ''Footlight Varieties'' is the third of four titles in the RKO series of variety films, combining previously filmed shorts with new musical numbers, plus monologues by master of ceremonies Jack Paar. The new footage was directed by Hal Yates and ...

'' (1951) * '' Pat and Mike'' (1952) * ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

'' (1978) - 18 Wheel Eddie

References

* John Holmstrom, ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995'', Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p.49.

External links

* 1911 births 1986 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from Fresno, California American male child actors 20th-century American male actors {{US-film-actor-1910s-stub