Malcolm Atterbury
(1907 - 1992)We often mistake one actor for another and because of that fact I intentionally put Malcolm Atterbury next to Arthur Hunnicutt as I often confuse these two marvelous actors. They play similar type roles which doesn't help matters. Malcolm Atterbury was born February 20, 1907 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and his father, President of the Pennsylvania Railroad, wanted him to become an architect but Malcolm rebelled and pursued his dream of an acting career. He began in radio and was manager of a radio station for a time. He then went on to vaudeville, concerts, musicals and became a solid stage actor. He moved to Hollywood and films in 1953; his first film was the movie version of "Dragnet" (1954). With his wife, Ellen, he owned and operated two professional theatres in New York state; a summer stock theatre in Lake Pleasant, N.Y. and The Playhouse in Albany, N.Y. He struck me as a country type although he was so versatile he could play any role. Among his films were: "Silent Fear" (1954) as Dr. Vernon, his film debut; "Reprisal" (1956) as Luther Creel; "The Steel Jungle" (1956); "Blood of Dracula" (1957) as Lt. Dunlap; "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" (1957) with Michael Landon, as Charles Rivers; "Seven Days in May" (1964) as White House Physician; "No Time for Sergeants" (1958); "North by Northwest" (1959) as the man waiting for a bus on the prairie just before the crop-dusting plane attacks Cary Grant; "Rio Bravo" (1959) as Jake; "Summer and Smoke" (1961) as Rev. Winemiller; "The Birds" (1963) as Al Malone; Advise and Consent" (1962) as Sen. Tom August; "Hawaii" (1966) as Gideon Hale; "The Learning Tree" (1969) as Silas Newhall and "Emperor of the North" (1973) as Hogger, his last film. He appeared on numerous TV series including: "Gunsmoke"; "Twilight Zone"; "Perry Mason" and "The Bob Newhart Show." He was a regular on both "Apple's Way" (1974-75) as Grandfather Aldon and "Thicker than Water" (1973) as Jonas Paine. He died on August 23, 1992 in Beverly Hills, California at age 85 of natural causes.
From Great Character Actors, Page 1.
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