Walter Connolly

Walter Connolly

Birthday: April 8, 1887 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Deathday: May 28, 1940
Walter Connolly (April 8, 1887 – May 28, 1940) was an American actor. While some film historians complain that a number of his performances were annoying or overbaked, he was for the most part applauded for his zesty contributions to a number of comedy classics. Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933), ...Broadway Bill (1934) and It Happened One Night (1934), as well as the Carole Lombard/Fredric March screwball farce Nothing Sacred (1937) as news reporter March's hot-headed editor boss are sure-fire examples. The son of the head of the Western Union relay office, he attended St. Xavier College and the University of Dublin in Ireland before making his New York debut in 1910 in an outdoor presentation of "As You Like It". For the next year or so he was a member of E.H. Sothern's touring company and played supporting roles in a number of Shakespearean shows on the road. After a few silent pictures left him unimpressed with film-making, he turned to the Broadway stage in the 1920s and scored quite well. Somewhat short and tubby, it was not difficult for the jowly, mustachioed actor to seize laughs and he found his share in such outings as "The Talking Parrot" (1923), "Applesauce" (1925), "The Springboard" (1927), "The Happy Husband" (1928), "Stepping Out" (1929), "Your Uncle Dudley" (1930), "Anatol" (1931), "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (1931), "The Good Fairy" (1932) and "The Late Christopher Bean" (1932). With his talents as a stage farceur firmly established, it was time to make a second attempt at a film career and Hollywood (specifically, Columbia) wisely opened their doors to him. Interestingly, his debut in a full-length talking picture came at age 45 in the form of a drama, Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932), where he was third-billed as a rather benign senator. For the next seven years Connolly, often playing older than he really was, could be found everywhere giving good fluster to the greatest and glossiest of stars -- Janet Gaynor, Carole Lombard, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy, Paul Muni, Spencer Tracy, and Ginger Rogers, among hordes of others. His hobbies were collecting old books and theatre programmes. Connolly was married to actress Nedda Harrigan from 1923 to his death. They had one daughter, Ann (1924–2006). Connolly suffered a fatal stroke on May 28, 1940, and was buried in New St. Joseph Cemetery in Cincinnati.
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Movie | 1975
Self (archive footage)
Fifth Avenue Girl

Fifth Avenue Girl

Movie | 1939
Mr. Borden
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Movie | 1939
The 'King'
Good Girls Go to Paris

Good Girls Go to Paris

Movie | 1939
Olaf Brand
Coast Guard

Coast Guard

Movie | 1939
Tobias Bliss
Those High Grey Walls

Those High Grey Walls

Movie | 1939
Dr. MacAuley
The Great Victor Herbert

The Great Victor Herbert

Movie | 1939
Victor Herbert
Bridal Suite

Bridal Suite

Movie | 1939
Dr. Theodore Grauer
Too Hot to Handle

Too Hot to Handle

Movie | 1938
Gabby MacArthur
Four's a Crowd

Four's a Crowd

Movie | 1938
John P. Dillingwell
Start Cheering

Start Cheering

Movie | 1938
Sam Lewis
The Girl Downstairs

The Girl Downstairs

Movie | 1938
Mr. Brown
Breakdowns of 1938

Breakdowns of 1938

Movie | 1938
Carter Hibbard (archive footage) (uncredited)
Penitentiary

Penitentiary

Movie | 1938
Dist. Atty. Thomas Mathews
The Good Earth

The Good Earth

Movie | 1937
Uncle
Nothing Sacred

Nothing Sacred

Movie | 1937
Oliver Stone
Nancy Steele Is Missing!

Nancy Steele Is Missing!

Movie | 1937
Michael Steele
First Lady

First Lady

Movie | 1937
Carter Hibbard
The League of Frightened Men

The League of Frightened Men

Movie | 1937
Nero Wolfe
Let's Get Married

Let's Get Married

Movie | 1937
Joe Quinn
Libeled Lady

Libeled Lady

Movie | 1936
James B. Allenbury
The Music Goes 'Round

The Music Goes 'Round

Movie | 1936
Hector Courtney
The King Steps Out

The King Steps Out

Movie | 1936
Maximilian, Duke of Bavaria
Soak the Rich

Soak the Rich

Movie | 1936
Humphrey Craig
So Red the Rose

So Red the Rose

Movie | 1935
Malcolm Bedford
She Couldn't Take It

She Couldn't Take It

Movie | 1935
Daniel Van Dyke
One Way Ticket

One Way Ticket

Movie | 1935
Captain Bourne
White Lies

White Lies

Movie | 1935
John Mitchell
It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night

Movie | 1934
Alexander Andrews
Twentieth Century

Twentieth Century

Movie | 1934
Oliver Webb
Lady by Choice

Lady by Choice

Movie | 1934
Judge Daly
Broadway Bill

Broadway Bill

Movie | 1934
J.L. Higgins
Father Brown, Detective

Father Brown, Detective

Movie | 1934
Father Brown
Whom the Gods Destroy

Whom the Gods Destroy

Movie | 1934
John Forrester aka Eric Jann aka Peter Korotoff
The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea

Movie | 1934
Captain Helquist
Servants' Entrance

Servants' Entrance

Movie | 1934
Viktor Nilsson
Once to Every Woman

Once to Every Woman

Movie | 1934
Dr. Selby
Eight Girls in a Boat

Eight Girls in a Boat

Movie | 1934
Storm
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

Movie | 1934
Lady for a Day

Lady for a Day

Movie | 1933
Count Romero
Paddy the Next Best Thing

Paddy the Next Best Thing

Movie | 1933
Major Adair
East of Fifth Avenue

East of Fifth Avenue

Movie | 1933
John Lawton
Man's Castle

Man's Castle

Movie | 1933
Ira
Master of Men

Master of Men

Movie | 1933
Sam Parker
The Bitter Tea of General Yen

The Bitter Tea of General Yen

Movie | 1932
Jones
Man Against Woman

Man Against Woman

Movie | 1932
Mossie Ennis
No More Orchids

No More Orchids

Movie | 1932
Bill Holt
Washington Merry-Go-Round

Washington Merry-Go-Round

Movie | 1932
Senator Wylie
Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Black Shadows on a Silver Screen

Movie | 1975
Self (archive footage)
Fifth Avenue Girl

Fifth Avenue Girl

Movie | 1939
Mr. Borden
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Movie | 1939
The 'King'
Good Girls Go to Paris

Good Girls Go to Paris

Movie | 1939
Olaf Brand
Coast Guard

Coast Guard

Movie | 1939
Tobias Bliss
Those High Grey Walls

Those High Grey Walls

Movie | 1939
Dr. MacAuley
The Great Victor Herbert

The Great Victor Herbert

Movie | 1939
Victor Herbert
Bridal Suite

Bridal Suite

Movie | 1939
Dr. Theodore Grauer
Too Hot to Handle

Too Hot to Handle

Movie | 1938
Gabby MacArthur
Four's a Crowd

Four's a Crowd

Movie | 1938
John P. Dillingwell
Start Cheering

Start Cheering

Movie | 1938
Sam Lewis
The Girl Downstairs

The Girl Downstairs

Movie | 1938
Mr. Brown
Breakdowns of 1938

Breakdowns of 1938

Movie | 1938
Carter Hibbard (archive footage) (uncredited)
Penitentiary

Penitentiary

Movie | 1938
Dist. Atty. Thomas Mathews
The Good Earth

The Good Earth

Movie | 1937
Uncle
Nothing Sacred

Nothing Sacred

Movie | 1937
Oliver Stone
Nancy Steele Is Missing!

Nancy Steele Is Missing!

Movie | 1937
Michael Steele
First Lady

First Lady

Movie | 1937
Carter Hibbard
The League of Frightened Men

The League of Frightened Men

Movie | 1937
Nero Wolfe
Let's Get Married

Let's Get Married

Movie | 1937
Joe Quinn
Libeled Lady

Libeled Lady

Movie | 1936
James B. Allenbury
The Music Goes 'Round

The Music Goes 'Round

Movie | 1936
Hector Courtney
The King Steps Out

The King Steps Out

Movie | 1936
Maximilian, Duke of Bavaria
Soak the Rich

Soak the Rich

Movie | 1936
Humphrey Craig
So Red the Rose

So Red the Rose

Movie | 1935
Malcolm Bedford
She Couldn't Take It

She Couldn't Take It

Movie | 1935
Daniel Van Dyke
One Way Ticket

One Way Ticket

Movie | 1935
Captain Bourne
White Lies

White Lies

Movie | 1935
John Mitchell
It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night

Movie | 1934
Alexander Andrews
Twentieth Century

Twentieth Century

Movie | 1934
Oliver Webb
Lady by Choice

Lady by Choice

Movie | 1934
Judge Daly
Broadway Bill

Broadway Bill

Movie | 1934
J.L. Higgins
Father Brown, Detective

Father Brown, Detective

Movie | 1934
Father Brown
Whom the Gods Destroy

Whom the Gods Destroy

Movie | 1934
John Forrester aka Eric Jann aka Peter Korotoff
The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea

Movie | 1934
Captain Helquist
Servants' Entrance

Servants' Entrance

Movie | 1934
Viktor Nilsson
Once to Every Woman

Once to Every Woman

Movie | 1934
Dr. Selby
Eight Girls in a Boat

Eight Girls in a Boat

Movie | 1934
Storm
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

Movie | 1934
Lady for a Day

Lady for a Day

Movie | 1933
Count Romero
Paddy the Next Best Thing

Paddy the Next Best Thing

Movie | 1933
Major Adair
East of Fifth Avenue

East of Fifth Avenue

Movie | 1933
John Lawton
Man's Castle

Man's Castle

Movie | 1933
Ira
Master of Men

Master of Men

Movie | 1933
Sam Parker
The Bitter Tea of General Yen

The Bitter Tea of General Yen

Movie | 1932
Jones
Man Against Woman

Man Against Woman

Movie | 1932
Mossie Ennis
No More Orchids

No More Orchids

Movie | 1932
Bill Holt
Washington Merry-Go-Round

Washington Merry-Go-Round

Movie | 1932
Senator Wylie