Image of William Stack

William Stack

William Stack has been often mistaken as British in the scant bio information available on him - he could imitate many a British accent. He was actually born in Oregon. But like many Americans who wished to become serious stage actors and seeing New York as overly competitive, he went to London as a young man. Not much is known about his career there, but with many theaters (almost fifty) and companies around, the opportunities for a talented young man were there. From the craze for post cards with the subject of photos - and especially those of actors that ensued between about 1890 and 1914, there exist pictures of Stack as Hamlet. So Stack did find initial success, and by 1918 he tried his hand in the budding British silent film industry with not much initial interest - just one film that year and another in 1922, then back to the stage. But by 1930 Stack was back in America - and not to Broadway (perhaps in a touring company, but at least not on record as a principal), as was a stage actor's usual course. He did end up in early Hollywood sound pictures - those with marginal sound quality - first with Fredric March as the star in Sarah and Son (1930). With a rich stage actor's voice and accents to apply where needed - and appreciated as audio technology improved - he appeared in from four to ramping up to as many as ten pictures per year through the 1930s. Moving into his 50s, bald and dignified, his roles were focused as featured character pieces - assured doctors, lawyers, judges, nobles, and several butlers. He was one of the Crawley clan in Becky Sharp (1935), the first feature-length three-color film. He perhaps gained press from being in one movie of some scandalous notoriety - Tarzan and His Mate (1934) in which Maureen O'Sullivan appeared to swim nude (somebody else in a body stocking). Although he had a few lines as a white hunter, in this and other films (of note, MGM's first and most famous version of Mutiny on the Bounty, 1935), Stack was not credited for his always believable characterizations. The year 1936 provided Stack with some his most memorable historical roles. He played the French general Montcalm of the French and Indian War in the popular The Last of the Mohicans (1936) with Randolph Scott. The same year he played a much richer character in the film adaptation of the play Mary of Scotland (1936) directed by John Ford. Along with an assemblage of some of the best character actors of Hollywood, Stack played one among a rogues' gallery of self-seeking Scottish lords who included: Robert Barrat, Gavin Muir (another American who spent time in England and was often thought to be British), and Ian Keith. Stack is able to be most Shakespearean, vying in Scottish brogue with his fellow conspirators as the sly Lord Ruthven. Although Stack appeared in many of the best A pictures of the later 1930s, many did not give credit for his great acting skills. There were only a few movies into the 1940s, before he retired - leaving film history all the richer for his screen presence.


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Mar 5, 1882 In Baker, Oregon, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
35
First Appeared:
In the movie Sarah and Son 1930-03-14
Latest Project:
Movie Among the Living 1941-12-12
Known For
Poster of The Earl of Chicago
Poster of Four Men and a Prayer
Poster of Libeled Lady
Poster of Becky Sharp
Filmography
Movie Among the Living Minister 1941-12-12
Movie So Ends Our Night Professor Meyer 1941-02-27
Movie The Earl of Chicago Coroner (uncredited) 1940-01-05
Movie The Lady in Question Mr. Marinier (uncredited) 1940-08-07
Movie Gone with the Wind Minister (uncredited) 1939-03-12
Movie Man-Proof Minister 1938-01-07
Movie Four Men and a Prayer Prosecuting Attorney 1938-04-29
Movie A Criminal Is Born Judge Charles Edwin Marshall (uncredited) 1938-06-05
Movie Criminal Lawyer District Attorney Hopkins 1937-01-29
Movie History Is Made at Night 1937-03-05
Movie The Soldier and the Lady Grand Duke 1937-04-09
Movie Mary of Scotland Ruthven 1936-07-28
Movie Libeled Lady Editor (uncredited) 1936-10-09
Movie His Brother's Wife Winters 1936-08-07
Movie Stowaway Alfred Kruikshank 1936-12-25
Movie Pennies from Heaven Clarence B. Carmichael 1936-11-25
Movie I've Been Around Doctor 1935-03-05
Movie The Winning Ticket Jeffries 1935-02-08
Movie College Scandal Dr. Henri Fresnel 1935-06-21
Movie The Perfect Gentleman Sir Percy Phillips (uncredited) 1935-11-22
Movie Becky Sharp Pitt Crawley 1935-06-28
Movie Mutiny on the Bounty Judge Advocate (uncredited) 1935-11-22
Movie Manhattan Melodrama Judge (uncredited) 1934-05-04
Movie The Fountain Commandant 1934-08-22
Movie What Every Woman Knows Tenterden, Sybil's Brother (uncredited) 1934-10-18
Movie Chained James (uncredited) 1934-08-31
Movie Hell in the Heavens Capt. Andre De Laage 1934-12-12
Movie Parachute Jumper Maitre D' (uncredited) 1933-01-28
Movie Charlie Chan's Greatest Case James Eagan 1933-09-14
Movie Penthouse Rutherford (uncredited) 1933-09-08
Movie Payment Deferred A Doctor 1932-11-01
Movie Son of India Polo Club President (uncredited) 1931-08-01
Movie Sarah and Son Cyril Belloc 1930-03-14
Movie Romance Gossiping Party Guest (uncredited) 1930-08-20
Movie The Right to Love Dr. Fowler 1930-12-27
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