Occupation actor
singer Years active 1899–1939 | Name Donald Brian Role Actor | |
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Born February 17, 1877 St. Johns, Newfoundland Died December 22, 1948, Great Neck Movies The Smugglers, The Voice in the Fog Spouse Virginia O'Brien, Mrs. Florence Gleason Pope | ||
Donald Brian (February 17, 1877 – December 22, 1948) was an actor, dancer and singer born in St. John's, Newfoundland (now Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada). In 1907, he starred in the hit operetta The Merry Widow.
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Life and career
Brian, a tenor, was employed in a Boston machine shop and, at the age of 16, began performing with a vocal quartet. When he joined a theatrical troupe in New York City, he was soon in demand as a leading man. He had leading roles in more than 20 Broadway musicals. In 1915 Brian signed with film producer Jesse L. Lasky to do two films, The Voice in the Fog (1915) and The Smugglers (1916). After the latter he made no more film appearances until the sound era. His first sound film was an excerpt of his role in Peggy O'Hooligan (1925), made in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process.
Brian was president of the Catholic Actors Guild of America.
He was married twice—to Florence Meagher Gleason Pope in 1910, and second to stage actress Virginia O'Brien (not to be confused with the film actress born 1919). He and O'Brien had one daughter, Denise.
Brian died on December 22, 1948, in Great Neck, New York, aged 73.