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 Bor ...

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 C ...

Selected filmography

* '' Little Johnny Jones'' (1923) - Freckle faced Little Boy * '' The Barefoot Boy'' (1923) - Schoolboy * '' The Country Kid'' (1923) - Joe Applegate * ''

The Darling of New York ''The Darling of New York'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by King Baggot and written by Adrian Johnson and Raymond L. Schrock. The film stars Baby Peggy, her first feature film. The film was released on December 3, 1923, by Un ...

'' (1923) - Willie * '' The Foolish Virgin'' (1924) - Little Boy * '' Tomorrow's Love'' (1925) * '' The Devil's Cargo'' (1925) - Jimmy * ''

The Dressmaker from Paris ''The Dressmaker from Paris'' is a 1925 American silent romantic comedy drama film directed by Paul Bern. The story was written by Howard Hawks and Adelaide Heilbron. Heilbron also wrote the screenplay. The film starred Leatrice Joy and was he ...

'' (1925) - Jim * '' Little Annie Rooney'' (1925) * '' The Price of Success'' (1925) * '' Sparrows'' (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 lost ...

'' (1926) * '' Hard Boiled'' (1926) * '' Old Ironsides'' (1926) * '' Why Girls Say No'' (1927) * '' Don't Tell Everything'' (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 cam ...

'' (1927) * '' Pass the Gravy'' (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 Da ...

'' (1928) * '' Danger Street'' (1928) * '' In the Headlines'' (1929) * ''

The Sophomore ''The Sophomore'' is a 1929 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Eddie Quillan, Sally O'Neil and Jeanette Loff.Munden p.747 Made during the early sound era, it was shot using the RCA Photophone sound system with a s ...

'' (1929) * '' The Grand Parade'' (1930) * '' Big Money'' (1930) * '' Two Plus Fours'' (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 ma ...

'' (1934) * '' Cain and Mabel'' (1936) * ''

Blonde Trouble ''Blonde Trouble'' is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Eleanore Whitney, Johnny Downs and Lynne Overman.Hischak p.209 Produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is based on the plot of t ...

'' (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 L ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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 ''Pat and Mike'' is a 1952 American romantic comedy film starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The movie was written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, and directed by George Cukor. Cukor directed '' The Philadelphia Story'' (1940) with H ...

'' (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 use ...

'' (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