Fred Santley (November 20, 1887 – May 14, 1953), also known variously as Freddie Santley, Fredric Santley, Frederick Santley, Frederic Santley, and Fredric M. Santley, was an American

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

of the silent and

sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

eras, as well as an actor on the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

stage.

Early life

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 20, 1887, as Frederic Mansfield, the son of actress Laurene Santley and the stepson of stage actor Eugene Santley. He was the brother of filmmaker and stage actor

Joseph Santley Joseph Mansfield Santley (born Joseph Ishmael Mansfield, January 10, 1890 – August 8, 1971) was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatre, musical theatre, theatrical plays motion pictures and tel ...

, both of whom adopted the surname of their stepfather as their stage name.

Career

Santley would make his acting debut in the 1907

short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

''Pony Express'' and would continue to make shorts throughout the 1910s and 1920s. He also appeared in numerous plays during this period, including more than a dozen Broadway productions. He would make his feature film debut with a small role in 1930's '' Leathernecking'', a musical comedy starring

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during Classical Hollywood cinema, the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she perf ...

. He would appear in over 90 more feature films during his almost 25-year career. Some of the more notable films he appeared in were: ''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, revised considerably by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madc ...

'' (1936), starring

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

and

Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...

; the 1937

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

vehicle, ''

Alexander's Ragtime Band "Alexander's Ragtime Band" is a Tin Pan Alley song by American composer Irving Berlin released in 1911; it is often inaccurately cited as his first global hit. Despite its title, the song is a march as opposed to a rag and contains little sync ...

''; the

Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz (; born Manó Kaminer; from 1905 Mihály Kertész; ; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed classic films from the silen ...

film ''

Yankee Doodle Dandy ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' is a 1942 American biographical musical drama film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, Geo ...

'' (1943), starring

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and maj ...

; 1946's '' Night and Day'', the

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...

starring

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English and American actor. Known for his blended British and American accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he ...

Alexis Smith Margaret Alexis Smith (June 8, 1921 – June 9, 1993) was a Canadian-born American actress, pin-up girl and singer. She appeared in several major Hollywood films in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a Tony Aw ...

, and

Monty Woolley Edgar Montillion "Monty" Woolley (August 17, 1888May 6, 1963) was an American film and theater actor.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1963, page 223. At the age of 50, he achieved a measure of stardom for his role in the 1939 stage play '' The Man ...

;

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (; born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American Theatre director, stage director and film director. From a career spanning over half a century, he is best known for his sophisticated innovat ...

's '' Father of the Bride'' (1950), starring

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the ...

Joan Bennett Joan Geraldine Bennett (February 27, 1910 – December 7, 1990) was an American stage, film, and television actress, one of three acting sisters from a show-business family. Beginning her career on the stage, Bennett appeared in more than 70 fil ...

, and

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...

; and the 1951 comedy, '' Angels in the Outfield''. His final appearance was in the big budget musical, '' The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (1953), released after his death. Santley died on May 14, 1953, in Los Angeles.

Filmography

(Per

AFI AFI may refer to: * Actual flip-angle imaging, a type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) * ''Address-family identifier'', a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol * AFI (band), an American rock band ** ''AFI'' (2017 album), the tenth ...

database) *'' Leathernecking'' (1930) *''

Three Who Loved ''Three Who Loved'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film directed by George Archainbaud from a screenplay by Beulah Marie Dix based on a story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Martin Flavin. The film revolves around a love triangle ( Betty C ...

'' (1931) * '' A Dangerous Affair'' (1931) *''

Lover Come Back Lover Come Back may refer to: *''Lover Come Back'', a 1940 novel by Clair Blank *Lover Come Back (1931 film), ''Lover Come Back'' (1931 film), starring Constance Cummings *New Moon (1940 film), ''New Moon'' (1940 film), a musical also known as ''Lov ...

'' (1931) *''

If I Had a Million ''If I Had a Million'' is a 1932 American pre-Code Paramount Studios anthology film starring Gary Cooper, George Raft, Charles Laughton, W. C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Frances Dee and Charlie Ruggles, among others. There were seven directors: ...

'' (1932) *''

Virtue A virtue () is a trait of excellence, including traits that may be morality, moral, social, or intellectual. The cultivation and refinement of virtue is held to be the "good of humanity" and thus is Value (ethics), valued as an Telos, end purpos ...

'' (1932) *''

She Done Him Wrong ''She Done Him Wrong'' is a 1933 pre-Code American crime/comedy film starring Mae West and Cary Grant, directed by Lowell Sherman. The plot includes melodramatic and musical elements, with a supporting cast featuring Owen Moore, Gilbert Roland, ...

'' (1933) *''

Broadway Thru a Keyhole ''Broadway Through a Keyhole'', also billed as ''Broadway Thru a Keyhole'', is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film produced by Twentieth Century Pictures and released by United Artists. New York City speakeasy proprietress Texas Guinan appear ...

'' (1933) *''

Morning Glory Morning glory (also written as morning-glory) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose taxonomy and systematics remain in flux. These species are distributed across numerous genus, gene ...

'' (1933) *''

Three-Cornered Moon ''Three Cornered Moon'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, written by Ray Harris and S.K. Lauren, and starring Claudette Colbert, Richard Arlen, Mary Boland, and Wallace Ford. Based on a 1933 play by Gertr ...

'' (1933) *'' Walls of Gold'' (1933) *''

Double Harness ''Double Harness'' (1933) is an American pre-Code film starring Ann Harding and William Powell. It was based on the play of the same name by Edward Poor Montgomery. A young woman maneuvers a lazy playboy into marrying her. This was one of seve ...

'' (1933) *'' One in a Million'' (1934) *'' Ready for Love'' (1934) *'' Such Women Are Dangerous'' (1934) *''

The Captain Hates the Sea ''The Captain Hates the Sea'' is a 1934 comedy film directed by Lewis Milestone and released by Columbia Pictures. The film, which involves a '' Grand Hotel''-style series of intertwining stories involving the passengers on a cruise ship, was th ...

'' (1934) *''

The Daring Young Man ''The Daring Young Man'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and written by Sam Hellman, William Hurlbut and Glenn Tryon. The film stars James Dunn, Mae Clarke, Neil Hamilton, Sidney Toler, Warren Hymer and Stanley F ...

'' (1935) *''

King Solomon of Broadway ''King Solomon of Broadway'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Edmund Lowe, Dorothy Page and Pinky Tomlin.Monaco p.139 A shady figure wins a nightclub during a card game. Cast * Edmund Lowe as King Solomon ...

'' (1935) *''

It Happened in New York ''It Happened in New York'' is a 1935 American musical comedy film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Gertrude Michael, Heather Angel and Lyle Talbot.Monaco p.139 It is based on the play ''Bagdad on the Hudson'' by Ward Morehouse and Jean ...

'' (1935) *''

Here Comes the Band Here Comes the Band may refer to: * ''Here Comes the Band'' (album), a 2000 album by Xtatik * ''Here Comes the Band'' (film), a 1935 American comedy film {{dab ...

'' (1935) *'' Night Life of the Gods'' (1935) *''

George White's 1935 Scandals ''George White's 1935 Scandals'' is an American musical film, written by Jack Yellen, directed by George White and Harry Lachman, and produced in 1935 by Fox Film Corporation. It was a follow-up to (but not a sequel to) the 1934 release, ' ...

'' (1935) *''

After the Thin Man ''After the Thin Man'' is a 1936 American murder mystery comedy film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starring William Powell, Myrna Loy and James Stewart. A sequel to the 1934 feature ''The Thin Man (film), The Thin Man'', the film presents Powel ...

'' (1936) *'' Her Master's Voice'' (1936) *''

'' (1936) *''

This Is My Affair ''This Is My Affair'' is a 1937 American period crime film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy. It was produced and released by 20th Century Fox. Plot In 1901, US Presid ...

'' (1937) *'' Meet the Missus'' (1937) *''

Stage Door ''Stage Door'' is a 1937 American Tragicomedy, tragicomedy film directed by Gregory La Cava, and starring Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Constance Collier, Andrea Leeds, Samuel S. Hinds, and Lucille Ball. Adapt ...

'' (1937) *'' She's Got Everything'' (1937) *'' Sweethearts'' (1938) *''

'' (1938) *'' Swing, Sister, Swing'' (1938) * '' Topa Topa'' (1938) *'' The Family Next Door'' (1939) *'' Little Accident'' (1939) *'' Two Bright Boys'' (1939) *''

Dancing on a Dime Dancing on a Dime is a 1940 Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company ...

'' (1940) *''

Dr. Kildare's Crisis ''Dr. Kildare's Crisis'' is a 1940 drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore and Laraine Day. Mary Lamont's ( Laraine Day) financier brother Douglas Lamont ( Robert Young) is subject to seizures, and it seems t ...

'' (1940) *''

Danger on Wheels ''Danger on Wheels'' is a 1940 American film noir sport film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Richard Arlen and Andy Devine. Plot A test driver (Richard Arlen) tries racing with his girlfriend's ( Peggy Moran) father's new engine. Cas ...

'' (1940) *''

Slightly Tempted ''Slightly Tempted'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Lew Landers and written by Arthur T. Horman. The film stars Hugh Herbert, Peggy Moran, Johnny Downs, Elisabeth Risdon, George E. Stone and Gertrude Michael. The film was released ...

'' (1940) *'' Private Affairs'' (1940) *''

Double Date Dating is a stage of Romance (love), romantic relationships in which individuals engage in activity together, often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the cate ...

'' (1941) *'' Double Trouble'' (1941) *'' Sunny'' (1941) *'' Unfinished Business'' (1941) *'' Call of the Canyon'' (1942) *''

The Fleet's In ''The Fleet's In'' is a 1942 movie musical produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Victor Schertzinger, and starring Dorothy Lamour and William Holden. Although sharing the title of the 1928 Paramount film starring Clara Bow and Jack Oaki ...

'' (1942) *'' Flight Lieutenant'' (1942) *'' Joan of Ozark'' (1942) *''

Lady in a Jam ''Lady in a Jam'' is a 1942 film comedy directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Irene Dunne, Patric Knowles, Ralph Bellamy, and Eugene Pallette. It was made and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film's sets were designed by the art direc ...

'' (1942) *'' Moonlight Masquerade'' (1942) *''

Sleepytime Gal ''Sleepytime Gal'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Art Arthur, Albert Duffy and Max Lief. The film stars Judy Canova, Tom Brown, Billy Gilbert, Ruth Terry, Thurston Hall, Elisha Cook Jr., Jerry Leste ...

'' (1942) *'' True to the Army'' (1942) *''

We Were Dancing ''We Were Dancing'' is a short comic play in two scenes by Noël Coward. It is one of ten short plays that make up '' Tonight at 8.30'', a cycle written to be performed in groups of three plays across three evenings. The original production, s ...

'' (1942) *''

Yokel Boy ''Yokel Boy'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Joseph Santley and written by Isabel Dawn. It is based on the 1939 play ''Yokel Boy'' by Lew Brown. The film stars Albert Dekker, Joan Davis, Eddie Foy Jr., Alan Mowbray, Roscoe Karns and ...

'' (1942) *''

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas have shifted over the years), or the extent of the area i ...

'' (1943) *''

Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour ''Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Edwin Blum and Aleen Leslie. The film stars Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Diana Lynn and Frances Gifford. The ...

'' (1943) *'' True to Life'' (1943) *''

'' (1943) *'' Goodnight, Sweetheart'' (1944) *''

Rosie the Riveter Rosie the Riveter is an allegorical cultural icon in the United States who represents the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely n ...

'' (1944) *'' Hitchhike to Happiness'' (1945) *'' Hold That Blonde'' (1945) *''

The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry ''The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry'', also known as ''Uncle Harry'' and ''The Zero Murder Case'', is a 1945 American film noir directed by Robert Siodmak and starring George Sanders, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Ella Raines. It is based on the st ...

'' (1945) *''

You Came Along ''You Came Along'' (working title ''Don't Ever Grieve Me'') is a 1945 romantic comedy-drama film set in World War II, directed by John Farrow. The original Robert Smith screenplay was rewritten by Ayn Rand. ''You Came Along'' stars Robert Cumming ...

'' (1945) *''

Her Kind of Man ''Her Kind of Man'' is a 1946 American crime film noir directed by Frederick De Cordova, and starring Dane Clark, Janis Paige and Zachary Scott. The film is not to be confused with ''His Kind of Woman'' (1951) starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Ru ...

'' (1946) *'' Night and Day'' (1946) *''

That Brennan Girl ''That Brennan Girl'', also known as ''Tough Girl'', is a 1946 American melodrama film produced and directed by Alfred Santell and starring James Dunn, Mona Freeman, William Marshall, and June Duprez. The story concerns a young woman raised in a ...

'' (1946) *''

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

'' (1947) *''

Lady in the Lake ''Lady in the Lake'' is a 1947 American film noir starring Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames and Jayne Meadows. An adaptation of the 1943 Raymond Chandler murder mystery '' The Lady in the Lake'', the pictu ...

'' (1947) *'' Merton of the Movies'' (1947) *'' Suddenly, It's Spring'' (1947) *'' That's My Gal'' (1947) *''

Arch of Triumph Arch of Triumph may refer to: * Triumphal arch, a monumental structure in the shape of an arch Structures * Arc de Triomf, an 1888 structure in Barcelona, Spain * Arc de Triomphe, an 1836 structure in the Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France * ...

'' (1948) *'' The Prince of Thieves'' (1948) *''

Two Guys from Texas ''Two Guys from Texas'' is a 1948 American made Western-themed musical comedy film starring longtime song-and-dance partners Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson. Directed by David Butler, it was written by Allen Boretz and I.A.L. Diamond, and f ...

'' (1948) *''

Act of Violence ''Act of Violence'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, Mary Astor and Phyllis Thaxter. It was produced by Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Adapted for the screen by R ...

'' (1949) *''

Adventure in Baltimore ''Adventure in Baltimore '' is a 1949 American drama film directed by Richard Wallace and starring Robert Young and Shirley Temple. Dinah Sheldon (Shirley Temple) is a student at an exclusive girls' school who starts campaigning for women's r ...

'' (1949) *'' Dial 1119'' (1950) *'' Father of the Bride'' (1950) *''

Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone ''Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone'' is a 1950 comedy/murder mystery film set on board a train. It stars Marjorie Main and James Whitmore. It is based on the short story "Once Upon a Train (The Loco Motive)" by Stuart Palmer and Craig Rice. Plot ...

'' (1950) *''

Mystery Street ''Mystery Street'' is a 1950 American black-and-white film noir featuring Ricardo Montalbán, Sally Forrest, Bruce Bennett, Elsa Lanchester, and Marshall Thompson. Produced by MGM, it was directed by John Sturges with cinematography by Jo ...

'' (1950) *''

The Skipper Surprised His Wife ''The Skipper Surprised His Wife'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Robert Walker, Joan Leslie and Edward Arnold. Plot The skipper, Cmdr. William Lattimer ( Robert Walker) whose wife Daphne (Joan Leslie) is ...

'' (1950) *'' Three Little Words'' (1950) *''

Two Weeks with Love ''Two Weeks with Love'' is a 1950 romantic musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Roy Rowland and based on a story by John Larkin, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dorothy Kingsley. Set in the early 20th century, the fil ...

'' (1950) *'' Angels in the Outfield'' (1951) *'' Excuse My Dust'' (1951) *'' Texas Carnival'' (1951) *''

Because You're Mine ''Because You're Mine'' is a 1952 American musical comedy film starring Mario Lanza. Directed by Alexander Hall, the film also stars Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, and Bobby Van. Plot Opera singer superstar Renaldo Rossano (Mario Lanza) is ...

'' (1952) *''

It's a Big Country ''It's a Big Country: An American Anthology'' is a 1951 American anthology film consisting of eight segments by seven directors: Richard Thorpe, John Sturges, Charles Vidor, Don Weis, Clarence Brown, William A. Wellman and Don Hartman. Plot ...

'' (1952) *'' The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (1953) *'' Cry of the Hunted'' (1953)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santley, Fred American male silent film actors American male film actors American male stage actors Male actors from Salt Lake City 1887 births 1953 deaths 20th-century American male actors