Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Mr. Gimbel, the owner of the Gimbel's Department Store, in the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947). Born unto a prominent family, he began his career on the stage touring with the Baker Stock Company. After being discovered by J. Gordon Edwards, during a stage production of "Romeo and Juliet," he was so impressed by his dark good looks, manly physique, and professionalism, he took notice of his potential and arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him being under his direction in "Under Two Flags" (1916). From there, he would go on to flourish as a character actor appearing in over 130 features, often typecast as either a husband, father, dashing lover, historical figure, cowboy, sheriff, doctor, lawyer, educator, policeman, aristocrat, white-collared worker, businessman, manager, landlord, neighbor, retail clerk, guard, waiter, chauffer, butler, soldier, reporter, detective, curmudgeon, clergymen, or, in his later years, patriarch. He appeared in such feature films as "Wild Oats" (1916), "Somewhere in America" (1917), "Salome" (1918), "More Deadlier Than The Male" (1919), "Ruth of the Rockies" (1920), "Ever Since Eve" (1921), "Don't Write Letters" (1922), "One Stolen Night" (1923), "Bachelors Club" (1929), "Destination Unknown" (1942), "It Ain't Hay" (1943), "Standing Room Only" (1944), "T-Men" (1947), "The Cobra Strikes Back" (1948), "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" (1950), "A Place in the Sun" (1951), "Ruby Gentry" (1952), "Man of Conflict" (1953), "New York Confidential" (1955), and "The Ten Commandments" (1956). During the advent of television, he appeared in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Front Page Detective," "Four Stay Playhouse," "Your Jewelers Showcase," "Our Miss Brooks," "Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson," "Death Valley Days," "The Abbott and Costello Show," "The Ray Milland Show," "Stories of the Century," "My Little Margie," "Public Defender," "December Bride," "Cavalcade of America," "Mr. District Attorney," "Lux Video Theatre," "Stage 7," "For the Defense," "The Millionaire," "Topper," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre," "The Lone Ranger," "Science Fiction Theatre," "Frontier," "Celebrity Playhouse," "The 20th-Century Fox Hour," "The Reluctant Eye," and "Sugarfoot". During his career, he was an honorary member of Actors Equity, was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been an active member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was an active parishioner of the Episcopal church, had been a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society, was a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, and he was married to fellow stage actresses Mildred von Hollen and Helen Ward (his first union ended in divorce and produced two children and his second union ended upon his demise).
Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Mr. Gimbel, the owner of the Gimbel's Department Store, in the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947). Born unto a prominent family, he began his career on the stage touring with the Baker Stock Company. After being discovered by J. Gordon Edwards, during a stage production of "Romeo and Juliet," he was so impressed by his dark good looks, manly physique, and professionalism, he took notice of his potential and arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him being under his direction in "Under Two Flags" (1916). From there, he would go on to flourish as a character actor appearing in over 130 features, often typecast as either a husband, father, dashing lover, historical figure, cowboy, sheriff, doctor, lawyer, educator, policeman, aristocrat, white-collared worker, businessman, manager, landlord, neighbor, retail clerk, guard, waiter, chauffer, butler, soldier, reporter, detective, curmudgeon, clergymen, or, in his later years, patriarch. He appeared in such feature films as "Wild Oats" (1916), "Somewhere in America" (1917), "Salome" (1918), "More Deadlier Than The Male" (1919), "Ruth of the Rockies" (1920), "Ever Since Eve" (1921), "Don't Write Letters" (1922), "One Stolen Night" (1923), "Bachelors Club" (1929), "Destination Unknown" (1942), "It Ain't Hay" (1943), "Standing Room Only" (1944), "T-Men" (1947), "The Cobra Strikes Back" (1948), "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" (1950), "A Place in the Sun" (1951), "Ruby Gentry" (1952), "Man of Conflict" (1953), "New York Confidential" (1955), and "The Ten Commandments" (1956). During the advent of television, he appeared in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Front Page Detective," "Four Stay Playhouse," "Your Jewelers Showcase," "Our Miss Brooks," "Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson," "Death Valley Days," "The Abbott and Costello Show," "The Ray Milland Show," "Stories of the Century," "My Little Margie," "Public Defender," "December Bride," "Cavalcade of America," "Mr. District Attorney," "Lux Video Theatre," "Stage 7," "For the Defense," "The Millionaire," "Topper," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre," "The Lone Ranger," "Science Fiction Theatre," "Frontier," "Celebrity Playhouse," "The 20th-Century Fox Hour," "The Reluctant Eye," and "Sugarfoot". During his career, he was an honorary member of Actors Equity, was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been an active member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was an active parishioner of the Episcopal church, had been a chairman for his local charters of the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society, was a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, and he was married to fellow stage actresses Mildred von Hollen and Helen Ward (his first union ended in divorce and produced two children and his second union ended upon his demise).
Bio by: Lowell Thurgood
Family Members
Advertisement
