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Donald Meek

Donald Meek

Actor · Died November 18, 1946, aged 68 · Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Thomas Donald Meek (14 July 1878 – 18 November 1946) was a Scottish-American actor. He first performed publicly at the age of eight and began appearing on Broadway in 1903. Meek is perhaps best known for his roles in the films You Can't Take It with You (1938) and Stagecoach (1939). He posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Meek was born in Glasgow to Matthew and Annie Meek. In the 1890s, the Meek family emigrated to Canada and then to the United States. By 1900, they were living in Philadelphia where Meek was employed as a dry goods salesman, according to the United States census of that year with Meek later working on stage. After years on the stage, Meek became a film actor, appearing memorably in several movies including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Little Miss Broadway, and State Fair. Before becoming an actor, he fought in the Spanish–American War in the United States Army and contracted yellow fever which caused him to lose his hair. He was cast as timid, worried characters in many of his films, and is perhaps best known for his roles as Mr. Poppins in Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You and as whiskey salesman Samuel Peacock in John Ford's Stagecoach. From 1931 through 1932, Meek was featured as criminologist Dr. Crabtree in a series of 12 Warner Brothers two-reel short subjects written by S.S. Van Dine. Meek and Isabella "Belle" Walken married in Boston in a Methodist church on January 3, 1909. By this marriage, the American-born Belle Meek lost her United States citizenship by taking her husband's British nationality. Donald Meek died of leukaemia on 18 November 1946 in Los Angeles, while filming the role of Mr. Twiddle in Magic Town. A prolific film actor in over 100 Hollywood movies during its Golden Age, he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was entombed in the Fairmount Mausoleum at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 13, 1878
Died
November 18, 1946 (aged 68)
From
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
57 on MovieCove · 122 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

What are Donald Meek's films like?

Across their 50 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy30 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
33%
Morality
27%
Self
20%
Society
9%
Power
9%
Survival
1%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love18 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception11 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 50 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 35 · Serious 11 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 27 · Stylized 15 · Heightened 8

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 22 · Charged 26 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 31 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 21 · Funny 19

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 29 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 39 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 48 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 8 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 8
Threshold guardian
2 of 8
Trickster
2 of 8
Herald
1 of 8
Ally
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
27
Joyful
25
Tense
16
Romantic
14
Hopeful
9
Other
30

How their films linger

Feel-good35 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy38
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Donald Meek's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 57 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Donald Meek's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

122 credits, 57 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Going Hollywood: The '30s(1984)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Magic Town(1947)

    as Mr. Twiddle

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Fabulous Joe(1947)

    as Henry Cadwallader, Lawyer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Affairs of Geraldine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Casper Millhouse

  • Janie Gets Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Harley P. Stowers

  • Colonel Effingham's Raid(1946)

    as Doc Buden

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Because of Him (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Martin

  • State Fair(1945)

    as Hippenstahl

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Thin Man Goes Home(1944)

    as Willie Crump

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Barbary Coast Gent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Bradford Bellamy I

  • Maisie Goes to Reno(1944)

    as Parsons

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Bathing Beauty(1944)

    as Chester Klazenfrantz

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Two Girls and a Sailor(1944)

    as Mr. Nizby

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Rationing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Wilfred Ball

  • Lost Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Professor Catty

  • Du Barry Was a Lady(1943)

    as Mr. Jones / Duc de Choiseul

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Air Raid Wardens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Eustace Middling

  • Keeper of the Flame(1942)

    as Mr Arbuthnot

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • They Got Me Covered(1943)

    as Little Old Man

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Seven Sweethearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Reverend Howgan, the Minister

  • The Omaha Trail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Engineer Jonah McCleod

  • Maisie Gets Her Man(1942)

    as Mr. Stickwell

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Tortilla Flat(1942)

    as Paul D. Cummings

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Babes on Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Mr. Stone

  • Rise and Shine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Professor Philip Murray

  • The Feminine Touch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Captain Makepeace Liveright

  • A Woman's Face(1941)

    as Herman Rundvik

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Barnacle Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as "Pop" Cavendish

  • Blonde Inspiration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as 'Dusty' King

  • Come Live with Me(1941)

    as Joe Darsie

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Wild Man of Borneo(1941)

    as Professor Charles W. Birdo

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Hullabaloo(1940)

    as Mr. Clyde Perkins

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Third Finger, Left Hand(1940)

    as Mr. Flandrin

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Sky Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Bartholomew

  • The Return of Frank James(1940)

    as McCoy

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Phantom Raiders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Bartholomew

  • Turnabout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Henry, the Valet

  • Star Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Sam Wellman

  • The Ghost Comes Home(1940)

    as Mortimer Hopkins, Sr.

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet(1940)

    as Mittelmeyer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Man from Dakota (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Mr. Vestry

  • My Little Chickadee(1940)

    as Amos Budge

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Adelbert Thistlebottom

  • Nick Carter, Master Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Bartholomew, the bee man

  • The Housekeeper's Daughter(1939)

    as Editor Wilson

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Cavalcade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Lyle P. Stout

  • Blondie Takes a Vacation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Jonathan N. Gillis

  • Young Mr. Lincoln(1939)

    as Prosecutor John Felder

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Stagecoach(1939)

    as Samuel Peacock

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Jesse James(1939)

    as McCoy

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Hold That Co-ed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Dean Thatcher

  • You Can't Take It with You(1938)

    as Poppins

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Little Miss Broadway(1938)

    as Willoughby Wendling

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Having Wonderful Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as P.U. Rogers

  • Goodbye Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Iradius P. Oglethorpe

  • The Adventures of Tom Sawyer(1938)

    as Sunday School Superintendent

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Double Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Gordon Ainsley, aka Henry Robinson

  • You're a Sweetheart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Conway Jeeters

  • Breakfast for Two(1937)

    as Justice of the Peace

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Double Wedding(1937)

    as Judge Blynn (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Make a Wish(1937)

    as Joseph

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Artists & Models (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Dr. Zimmer

  • The Toast of New York(1937)

    as Daniel Drew

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Three Legionnaires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Uriah S. Grant

  • Parnell(1937)

    as Nicholas Daniel Murphy

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Behind The Headlines (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Potter

  • Maid of Salem (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Ezra Cheeves

  • Pennies from Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Gramp Smith

  • Love on the Run(1936)

    as Caretaker

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Two in a Crowd(1936)

    as Bennett

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Old Hutch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Mr. Gunnison

  • Three Married Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Mr. Frisbee

  • One Rainy Afternoon(1936)

    as Judge

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • And So They Were Married (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Hotel Manager

  • Everybody's Old Man(1936)

    as Finney

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Captain Blood(1935)

    as Dr. Whacker

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Bride Comes Home(1935)

    as The Judge

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Kind Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Mr. Foster

  • Peter Ibbetson(1935)

    as Mr. Slade

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Happiness C.O.D. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Thomas Sherridan

  • Barbary Coast(1935)

    as Sawbuck McTavish

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • She Couldn't Take It(1935)

    as Uncle Wyndersham

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Return of Peter Grimm(1935)

    as Mayor Everett Bartholomew

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • China Seas(1935)

    as Chess Player (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Old Man Rhythm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Paul Parker

  • Village Tale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Charlie

  • The Informer(1935)

    as Peter Mulligan

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Mark of the Vampire(1935)

    as Dr. Doskil

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Baby Face Harrington (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Skinner

  • The Whole Town's Talking(1935)

    as Hoyt

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Society Doctor(1935)

    as Moxley

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Gilded Lily(1935)

    as Hankerson

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Biography of a Bachelor Girl(1935)

    as Mr. Irish, Moose Village General Store

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Romance in Manhattan(1934)

    as Minister

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Captain Hates the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Josephus Bushmills

  • The Merry Widow(1934)

    as Valet

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Mr. Wiggs

  • What Every Woman Knows(1934)

    as Snibby the Jeweler (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Defense Rests (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Fogg

  • Murder at the Vanities(1934)

    as Dr. Saunders

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Last Gentleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Judd Barr, Cabot's son

  • Bedside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Dr. George Wiley

  • Hi, Nellie(1934)

    as Durkin

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • College Coach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Spencer Trask

  • Love, Honor and Oh, Baby! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Luther Bowen

  • The Trans-Atlantic Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Crabtree - Criminologist

  • The Crane Poison Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Amos Crabtree

  • The Side Show Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Amos Crabtree

  • Murder in the Pullman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Amos Crabtree

  • The Cole Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Crabtree

  • The Skull Murder Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Crabtree

  • Wayward (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)

  • The Studio Murder Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Crabtree

  • The Symphony Murder Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Dr. Crabtree

  • The Week End Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Dr. Amos Crabtree

  • The Wall Street Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Doctor Crabtree

  • The Clyde Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Dr. Amos Crabtree

  • Personal Maid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Pa Ryan

  • The Girl Habit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Jonesy

  • The Love Kiss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as William

  • The Hole in the Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Goofy

  • Six Cylinder Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Richard Burton

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 122 titles from 1923 to 1984.

Biggest box office

The Merry Widow (1934)

$6M worldwide

Highest rated

Stagecoach (1939)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

  • 1934Screen debut· The Merry Widow
  • 1939Career best· Stagecoach

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting122 of 122: 122 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score65th

By decade

1920s2 · acting1930s77 · acting1940s42 · acting1980s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 26 roles
3439

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Donald Meek's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 57; across their 50 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Approval · how many liked their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 50

Midcredits score across 57 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th21
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

32 of their 57 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser32
  • Broadly Agreed11
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Everybody's Old Man (1936)

90th percentile spread · 38% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Stagecoach (1939)

Midcredits 96th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 48 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Donald Meek work with?

People who share at least 2 of Donald Meek's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Billie Burke shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles