Wallace Archibald MacDonald (5 May 1891 in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia , Canada – 30 October 1978 in Santa Barbara California) was a Canadian silent film actor, and film producer .
MacDonald started as a messenger boy with the Dominion Steel Company in Sydney, Nova Scotia . He later worked up to teller with the Royal Bank in Sydney before the bank transferred him to Vancouver, British Columbia. From there, he moved to California where he acted on the stage before making inroads into Hollywood.
MacDonald initially began as an actor in films in 1914 and starred in almost 120 motion pictures between then and 1932. He had notable roles in such films as Youth's Endearing Charm in 1916 working with Mary Miles Minter and Harry von Meter .
Late in World War I, he returned briefly to Nova Scotia to enlist in the 10th Canadian Siege Battery where he assisted in recruiting for the Canadian Army. With the advent of sound, MacDonald's acting career diminished, and most of his roles between 1927 and 1932 went uncredited. He retired from acting in 1932 to concentrate on script writing. However, by 1937 he had recognized the potential of film production. It is in his role of producer that MacDonald is now probably best remembered. He produced well over 100 films between 1937 and 1959.
He died in 1978.
Sometimes he is mistaken as a brother of actor Francis McDonald . Though they bear a physical resemblance and were born in 1891, they were born three months apart and spelled their surnames differently.
Cornered (1932) (screenplay)The Phantom Empire (1935) (story)Free Lips (1928)Actor
1934
Their Big Moment as
Theater Manager (uncredited)
1933
Flying Down to Rio as
Airplane Pilot (uncredited)
1933
The World Changes as
Sir Phillip's Best Man (uncredited)
1933
King of the Wild Horses as
Gorman
1933
Night Flight as
Mechanic (uncredited)
1933
I Loved a Woman as
Hayden's First Secretary (uncredited)
1933
Voltaire as
Undetermined Supporting Role (uncredited)
1933
Mary Stevens, M.D. as
Bellocona's Purser (uncredited)
1933
The Mayor of Hell as
Man in Johnson's Office (uncredited)
1933
Gold Diggers of 1933 as
Stage Manager (uncredited)
1932
Between Fighting Men as
Wally Thompson
1932
Tex Takes a Holiday as
Tex
1932
The Vanishing Frontier as
Captain Roger Kearney
1932
Daring Danger as
Jughandle (as Wallace McDonald)
1932
The Riding Tornado as
Dick Stark - Olcott's Foreman
1932
The Arm of the Law as
Newspaper Reporter
1932
High Speed as
Tom Corliss
1932
It's Tough to Be Famous as
Submarine Sailor (uncredited)
1932
Texas Cyclone as
Nick Lawler - Ranch Foreman
1931
The Range Feud as
Hank (as Wallace McDonald)
1931
Branded as
Stage Robber (as Wallace McDonald)
1931
Fifty Fathoms Deep as
Yacht First Mate
1931
The Last Flight as
Officer at Hospital (uncredited)
1931
Smart Money as
Cigar Stand Clerk (uncredited)
1931
The Drums of Jeopardy as
Prince Gregor Petroff
1931
Millie as
Party Guest (uncredited)
1930
Fighting Thru; or, California in 1878 as
George 'Tennessee' Malden
1930
Madam Satan as
First Mate
1930
Zampa (Short) as
The Villain
1929
Hit the Deck as
Lieutenant Allen
1929
Dark Skies as
Captain Pedro Real
1929
Darkened Rooms as
Bert Nelson
1929
Fancy Baggage as
Ernest Hardin
1928
Tropical Nights as
Stavnow
1927
His Foreign Wife as
Johnny Haines
1927
Tumbling River as
Keechie
1927
Your Wife and Mine as
Robert Warren
1927
Whispering Smith Rides as
Jim Macklin
1927
Drums of the Desert as
Will Newton
1927
Mother Machree as
Michael McHugh
1927
Red Signals as
Lee Bryson
1926
Faithful Wives as
Tom Burke
1926
Fighting with Buffalo Bill as
Ned Wheeler
1926
The Bar-C Mystery as
Nevada
1926
Hell's Four Hundred as
Marshall Langham
1926
Two Can Play as
Robert MacForth
1926
Casey of the Coast Guard as
Coast Guardsman
1926
The Checkered Flag as
Jack Reese
1925
The Primrose Path as
Bruce Armstrong
1925
Wandering Fires as
Norman Yuell
1925
Heir-Loons as
Geoge Brockton
1925
New Lives for Old as
Hugh Warren
1925
The Charmer as
Ralph Bayne
1925
Pampered Youth as
Wilbur Minafer
1925
The Lady as
Leonard St. Aubyns
1925
Learning to Love as
Professor Bonnard
1924
Curlytop as
Bill Branigan
1924
Roaring Rails as
Malcolm Gregory
1924
Love and Glory as
Anatole Picard
1924
The Sea Hawk as
Peter Godolphin (as Wallace Mac Donald)
1924
Thy Name Is Woman as
Capt. Rodrigo de Castelar
1924
The Heart Bandit as
'Spike' Malone
1923
Maytime as
Claude Van Zandt
1923
The Day of Faith as
John Anstell
1923
The Spoilers as
Broncho Kid
1922
Youth Must Have Love as
Earl Stannard
1922
Caught Bluffing as
Wallace Towers
1922
Under Oath as
Ralph Marvin
1922
The Understudy as
Tom Manning
1922
A Fool There Was as
Avery Parmelee
1921
A Poor Relation as
Johnny Smith
1921
Breaking Through as
Willard Ward
1921
The Foolish Matrons as
Anthony Sheridan
1921
The Fire Cat as
David Ross
1921
The Sage Hen as
Her Son, as a Man
1920
Cinderella's Twin as
Prentice Blue
1920
Are All Men Alike? as
Gerry Rhinelander West
1920
Trumpet Island as
Richard Bedell
1920
The Fighting Shepherdess as
Hughie
1920
Rouge and Riches as
Tom Rushworth
1919
A Girl Named Mary as
Henry Martin
1919
Brothers Divided as
Max King
1919
Cupid Forecloses as
Bruce Cartwright
1919
The Little Boss as
Clayton Hargis
1919
Leave It to Susan as
Jimmy Dawson
1919
Spotlight Sadie as
Dick Carrington
1918
Marked Cards as
Ted Breslin
1918
Madame Sphinx as
Andre Du Bois
1918
Mlle. Paulette as
Jack Wayne
1918
The Shoes That Danced as
Harmony Lad
1917
The Marriage Speculation as
Billie Perkins
1917
Next Door to Nancy as
Dick Ives
1917
The Princess of Park Row as
Tom Kearney
1917
The Princess' Necklace as
The Stranger
1917
Vanity and Some Sables (Short) as
Kid Brady
1916
Nanette of the Wilds as
Harry Jennings
1916
Youth's Endearing Charm as
Harry Disbrow
1916
Won by One (Short) as
Connie
1916
Mischief and a Mirror (Short) as
Fred
1915
Incognito (Short) as
The Wealthy Woman's Son
1915
The Secretary of Frivolous Affairs as
Thomas
1915
Her Musical Cook (Short) as
Wallace - a Young Author (as Wallace McDonald)
1915
Miss Fatty's Seaside Lovers (Short) as
Masher (unconfirmed, uncredited)
1915
Their Last Haul (Short)
1915
A Mask, a Ring and a Pair of Handcuffs (Short)
1914
The Baron's Bear Escape (Short) as
Wallace - the Baron's Youthful Rival
1914
Tillie's Punctured Romance as
Policeman (uncredited)
1914
Dough and Dynamite (Short) as
Kicking Customer (uncredited)
1914
Stout Hearts But Weak Knees (Short) as
Minor Role (uncredited)
1914
Zip, the Dodger (Short) as
Minta's Sweetheart
1914
Those Love Pangs (Short) as
Movie Patron (uncredited)
1914
Hello, Mabel (Short) as
Businessman's Assistant (uncredited)
1914
Fatty Again (Short) as
The Boarder - Father's Choice
1914
Mabel's Blunder (Short) as
Harry's Money Borrowing Friend
1914
The Rounders (Short) as
Diner (uncredited)
1914
The Face on the Barroom Floor (Short) as
Drinker (uncredited)
1914
A Fatal Sweet Tooth (Short) as
The Rival
1914
Love and Bullets (Short) as
The Trouble Mender's Secretary
1914
Mabel's Married Life (Short) as
Delivery Boy (uncredited)
1914
Mabel's Busy Day (Short) as
Spectator (uncredited)
1914
The Knockout (Short) as
Spectator / Party Guest (uncredited)
1914
Caught in a Cabaret (Short) as
Society Guest (uncredited)
1914
The Star Boarder (Short) as
Boarder (uncredited)
1912
Disillusioned (Short) as
Bertie
Producer
1959
Gunmen from Laredo (producer)
1958
Return to Warbow (producer)
1957
The Hard Man (executive producer)
1957
No Time to Be Young (producer)
1957
The Phantom Stagecoach (producer)
1956
The White Squaw (producer)
1956
Secret of Treasure Mountain (producer)
1956
Fury at Gunsight Pass (producer)
1955
Apache Ambush (producer)
1955
Cell 2455, Death Row (producer)
1955
Wyoming Renegades (producer)
1954
The Black Dakotas (producer - as Walllace Mac Donald)
1954
The Outlaw Stallion (producer)
1954
Massacre Canyon (producer)
1953
El Alaméin (producer)
1953
The Nebraskan (producer)
1953
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap (producer)
1953
Man in the Dark (producer)
1953
Target Hong Kong (associate producer)
1952
Harem Girl (producer)
1951
Corky of Gasoline Alley (producer)
1951
Chain of Circumstance (producer)
1951
The Big Gusher (producer)
1951
Flame of Stamboul (producer)
1950
Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard (producer)
1950
The Tougher They Come (producer)
1950
On the Isle of Samoa (producer)
1950
Beauty on Parade (producer)
1950
Military Academy with That Tenth Avenue Gang (producer)
1950
Girls' School (producer)
1949
Rusty's Birthday (producer)
1949
Air Hostess (producer)
1949
Law of the Barbary Coast (producer)
1949
Rusty Saves a Life (producer)
1948
Rusty Leads the Way (producer - uncredited)
1948
My Dog Rusty (producer)
1948
The Wreck of the Hesperus (producer)
1947
When a Girl's Beautiful (producer)
1947
The Son of Rusty (producer)
1946
Personality Kid (producer)
1946
The Unknown (producer)
1946
The Devil's Mask (producer)
1945
Out of the Depths (producer)
1945
My Name Is Julia Ross (producer - produced by)
1945
Eve Knew Her Apples (producer)
1945
Escape in the Fog (producer)
1945
A Guy, a Gal and a Pal (producer)
1945
I Love a Mystery (producer)
1944
Dancing in Manhattan (producer)
1944
The Missing Juror (producer)
1944
Cry of the Werewolf (producer)
1944
U-Boat Prisoner (producer)
1944
She's a Soldier Too (producer)
1944
Stars on Parade (producer)
1944
Sailor's Holiday (producer)
1944
The Racket Man (producer)
1943
The Chance of a Lifetime (producer)
1943
Passport to Suez (producer)
1943
Two Señoritas from Chicago (producer)
1943
Redhead from Manhattan (producer)
1942
Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood (producer)
1942
Lucky Legs (producer)
1942
A Man's World (producer)
1942
Counter-Espionage (producer)
1942
Parachute Nurse (producer)
1942
Submarine Raider (producer)
1942
Hello, Annapolis (producer)
1942
Alias Boston Blackie (producer)
1942
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp! (producer)
1942
The Man Who Returned to Life (associate producer)
1942
Cadets on Parade (producer)
1941
Harvard, Here I Come! (producer)
1941
Honolulu Lu (producer)
1941
Two Latins from Manhattan (producer)
1941
Harmon of Michigan (producer)
1941
I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island (producer)
1941
Naval Academy (producer)
1941
The Big Boss (producer)
1941
The Devil Commands (producer - uncredited)
1941
The Face Behind the Mask (producer - uncredited)
1940
Glamour for Sale (producer - uncredited)
1940
Before I Hang (producer - uncredited)
1940
Military Academy (producer)
1940
Girls of the Road (producer)
1940
Men Without Souls (producer)
1940
The Man with Nine Lives (producer - uncredited)
1939
Konga, the Wild Stallion (producer)
1939
The Man They Could Not Hang (producer - uncredited)
1939
Behind Prison Gates (producer)
1939
Romance of the Redwoods (producer)
1939
My Son Is a Criminal (producer)
1939
North of Shanghai (producer)
1938
Girls' School (producer - uncredited)
1938
City Streets (producer)
1938
Highway Patrol (producer)
1938
The Lone Wolf in Paris (producer)
1938
When G-Men Step In (producer)
1938
Women in Prison (associate producer)
1938
Little Miss Roughneck (producer)
1937
The Shadow (associate producer)
1937
All American Sweetheart (producer)
1937
Murder in Greenwich Village (associate producer)
1937
Counsel for Crime (producer)
1937
A Dangerous Adventure (producer)
1937
Venus Makes Trouble (producer)
1937
Criminals of the Air (producer)
1937
Parole Racket (producer)
Writer
1940
Men with Steel Faces (story - archive footage)
1936
Hearts in Bondage (original story - as Wallace Macdonald)
1936
Doughnuts and Society (story and screenplay)
1935
Hitch Hike Lady (original story)
1935
The Fighting Marines (story)
1935
The Phantom Empire (story)
1934
In Old Santa Fe (story)
1932
The Wyoming Whirlwind (scenario)
1922
The Sea Raiders (story)
1915
His College Wife (Short) (story)
Director
1928
Cook, Papa, Cook (Short)
1927
A Silly Sailor (Short)
Assistant Director
1933
Flying Down to Rio (assistant director: second unit - uncredited)
Soundtrack
1935
Hitch Hike Lady (writer: "Marching Feet", "Song of the Highway")
Miscellaneous
1936
Darkest Africa (story editor - uncredited)
Self
1937
A Street of Memory (Documentary short) as
Narrator
1921
Screen Snapshots, Series 2, No. 1-F (Documentary short) as
Self
Archive Footage
1933
March of the Movies as
Self - film clip (uncredited)