Matinee Classics - Wallace Ford Biography & Filmography

Wallace Ford ACTOR

PHOTOS

WALLACE FORD BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Wallace Ford was born on February 12th, 1898 in Bolton, Lancashire in England with the birth name Samuel Jones Grundy. After he was separated from his parents at a young age, he was raised for part of his childhood in an orphanage and later was being sent from foster home to foster home.

At the young age of eleven he ran away and joined a vaudeville troupe known as, the Winnepeg Kiddies. After staying with this troupe for quite some time, he joined up with a friend named Wallace Ford and moved to the United States and then after his friend was killed by a train he assumed his name to honor his friend.

His stage name comes from his friends honor who he lost later when he was crushed by a railway car. Ford continued to perform as a stage actor and later even began appearing on Broadway adding such productions to his credits as, "Abie's Irish Rose" and "Bad Girl".

After gaining some more experience as a stage actor he soon broke into the film industry signing a film contract with MGM and in the early 1930's began appearing on such films as, "Possessed" (1931) starring Joan Crawford, followed by small roles in such films as, "Freaks" (1932), "The Beast of the City" (1932), "The Lost Patrol" (1934) starring Victor McLaglen and Boris Karloff, "The Whole Town's Talking" (1935), "The Informer" (1935), "They Were Expendable" (1945) starring John Wayne, Donna Reed and Robert Montgomery and "A Lawless Street" (1955) starring Randolph Scott and Angela Lansbury, "The Man From Laramie" (1955) starring James Stewart and Donald Crisp, "The Last Hurrah" (1958) and "Warlock" (1959) starring Henry Fonda and Anthony Quinn.

Throughout his movie career Wallace appeared in over 200 films, thirteen of which were directed by John Ford, no relation.

Along with film came a variety of television appearances such as, "The Andy Griffith Show", "Climax!", "Playhouse 90", "Studio 57" and his most well known role on the series, "The Deputy" (1959-1960). His final film role was in 1965 on, "A Patch of Blue" for which he received a Golden Laurel nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

He married only once to Martha Harworth in 1922 and they had one daughter Patricia and remained together until she passed away in 1966. He did not re-marry and soon after losing his wife, he lost his life on June 11th, 1966 in Woodland Hills, California after suffering from a heart attack. His remains are buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Filmography

1965 A Patch of Blue

1964 The Andy Griffith Show

1963-1964 Vacation Playhouse

1964 Lassie

1964 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters

1964 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color

1964 The Great Adventure

1963 Alcoa Premiere

1962 The Wide Country

1961 The Dick Powell Theatre

1961 The Barbara Stanwyck Show