King Donovan
Encyclopedia
King Donovan was an American film, stage, and television actor, as well as a film and television director.
in the 1978 version
, Solly in The Defiant Ones
, Joe Capper in Cowboy, Mack McGee in the original Angels in the Outfield
, Major Collins in The Perfect Furlough
, and an uncredited but recognizable role in Singin' in the Rain
as Rod (head of the Publicity Department).
's The Beverly Hillbillies
and Harvey Helm in a 17-episode stint on NBC
's The Bob Cummings Show
. Donovan also appeared in six episodes as Chris Norman of It's a Great Life
, a sitcom with Frances Bavier
, James Dunn
and Michael O'Shea
, which aired on NBC from 1954 to 1956. About this time, he also guest starred on Ray Bolger
's ABC
sitcom, Where's Raymond?
, which received attention as the first sound film to feature a mainstream film star (Jayne Mansfield
) nude. Later the same year Donovan directed two episodes of Grindl
, which starred his wife Imogene Coca
and two more the next year.
and remained married to her until his death.
Donovan filmed scenes for an undetermined role in the 1949 film I Was a Male War Bride
, but his scenes were deleted.
Film
His film acting work includes Jack in the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers; a role later reprised by Jeff GoldblumJeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...
in the 1978 version
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 science fiction film based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. It is a remake of the 1956 film of the same name. It was directed by Philip Kaufman and starred Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams and Leonard Nimoy.A San Francisco health inspector and...
, Solly in The Defiant Ones
The Defiant Ones
The Defiant Ones is a 1958 drama film which tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive. It stars Tony Curtis, Sidney Poitier, Theodore Bikel, Cara Williams, Charles McGraw, and Lon Chaney, Jr...
, Joe Capper in Cowboy, Mack McGee in the original Angels in the Outfield
Angels in the Outfield (1951 film)
Angels in the Outfield is a 1951 American black-and-white film starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh, directed by Clarence Brown, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
, Major Collins in The Perfect Furlough
The Perfect Furlough
The Perfect Furlough is a 1958 romantic comedy by Blake Edwards. The service comedy was written by Stanley Shapiro. Edwards and Shapiro would re-team the following year for another Tony Curtis service comedy, Operation Petticoat.-External links:...
, and an uncredited but recognizable role in Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
as Rod (head of the Publicity Department).
Television
Notable television roles include Jake Clampett (a deadbeat who mooches off the Clampetts) for two episodes of CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
and Harvey Helm in a 17-episode stint on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Bob Cummings Show
The Bob Cummings Show
The Bob Cummings Show is an American sitcom starring Robert "Bob" Cummings which was produced from January 2, 1955 to September 15, 1959, and originally sponsored by R.J. Reynolds' Winston cigarettes...
. Donovan also appeared in six episodes as Chris Norman of It's a Great Life
It's a Great Life
It's a Great Life is an American situation comedy which aired on NBC from 1954 to 1956...
, a sitcom with Frances Bavier
Frances Bavier
Frances Elizabeth Bavier was an American stage and television actress. Originally from the New York theatre, Bavier worked in film and television from the 1950s...
, James Dunn
James Dunn (actor)
James Howard Dunn was an American film actor.-Biography:Born in New York City of Irish descent, Dunn was the son of a Wall Street stockbroker who, according to Dunn, "either had a million or nothing." He joined his father in his business for three years...
and Michael O'Shea
Michael O'Shea (actor)
Michael O'Shea , was an American character actor whose career spanned from the 1940s-1960s. O'Shea was born in Hartford, Connecticut...
, which aired on NBC from 1954 to 1956. About this time, he also guest starred on Ray Bolger
Ray Bolger
Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
's ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom, Where's Raymond?
Where's Raymond?
Where's Raymond? is a 1953-1954 ABC situation comedy television series starring Ray Bolger as Raymond Wallace, a song-and-dance man who is consistently barely on time for his performances...
Directing work
In 1963 Donovan directed the film Promises! Promises!Promises! Promises!
Promises! Promises! is a 1963 unrated sex comedy film, released after the demise of the Hays code and before the MPAA film rating system became effective, produced by Tommy Noonan . It was the first Hollywood motion picture release of the sound era to feature a mainstream star—Jayne Mansfield—in...
, which received attention as the first sound film to feature a mainstream film star (Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress working both in Hollywood and on the Broadway theatre...
) nude. Later the same year Donovan directed two episodes of Grindl
Grindl
Grindl is an American situation comedy that began in the fall of 1963 on NBC, originally sponsored by Procter & Gamble. The show, starring Imogene Coca in the title role, lasted for one season.-Synopsis:...
, which starred his wife Imogene Coca
Imogene Coca
Imogene Fernandez de Coca was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows....
and two more the next year.
Personal life
Donovan married comedienne Imogene CocaImogene Coca
Imogene Fernandez de Coca was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows....
and remained married to her until his death.
Filmography
| titel | Role | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Secret | Fawnes, Bigot Gang Member | 1948 | film debut |
| Man from Texas | Sam (mortgage officer) | 1948 | — |
| The Pilgrimage Play | Salathiel | 1949 | — |
| Shockproof Shockproof Shockproof is a 1949 movie starring Cornel Wilde and Patricia Knight.The director of Shockproof, Douglas Sirk, said he took the assignment because the movie dealt with one of his favorite themes: the price of flouting taboos.... |
Joe Wilson (uncredited) | 1949 | first time Donovanplayed a character with a first and last name |
| Alias Nick Beal Alias Nick Beal Alias Nick Beal is a 1949 film retelling of the Faust myth. In this version, a judge sells his soul to the devil.-Critical reaction:... |
Peter Wolfe | 1949 | Donovan's highest billed role (7th) at the time |
| All the King's Men All the King's Men (1949 film) All the King's Men is a 1949 drama film based on the Robert Penn Warren novel of the same name. It was directed by Robert Rossen and starred Broderick Crawford in the role of Willie Stark.-Plot:... |
Reporter (uncredited) | 1949 | Won the Academy Award for Best Picture Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only... |
| Side Street | Det. Gottschalk (uncredited) | 1950 | — |
| One Way Street One Way Street One Way Street is a 1950 film directed by Hugo Fregonese that stars James Mason. The black-and-white crime film, considered to be film noir, takes place mainly in Mexico.Rock Hudson appears as a truck driver, but is uncredited.-Plot:... |
Grieder | 1950 | — |
| Cargo to Capetown | Sparky Jackson (uncredited) | 1950 | stars John Ireland John Ireland (actor) John Benjamin Ireland was an actor and film director.-Biography:Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, he was raised in New York City from the age of 18. He started out in minor stage roles on Broadway... , the star of Donovan's debut film |
| Mystery Street Mystery Street Mystery Street is a black-and-white film noir directed by John Sturges with cinematography by famed lensman John Alton. The film stars Ricardo Montalban, Bruce Bennett, and Elsa Lanchester.... |
Reporter at Beach House (uncredited) | 1950 | — |
| A Lady Without Passport A Lady Without Passport A Lady Without Passport is a suspense film directed by Joseph H. Lewis. Shot in semidocumentary style, it is considered film noir.-Plot:... |
Surgeon (uncredited) | 1950 | — |
| Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye is a 1950 film noir starring James Cagney, directed by Gordon Douglas and based on the novel by Horace McCoy. The film was banned in Ohio as "a sordid, sadistic presentation of brutality and an extreme presentation of crime with explicit steps in commission."Supporting Cagney... |
Driver (uncredited) | 1950 | — |
| Right Cross Right Cross Right Cross is a 1950 drama film directed by John Sturges, written by Armand Deutsch and starring June Allyson, Ricardo Montalban, Dick Powell, Lionel Barrymore, and Marilyn Monroe.-Cast:*June Allyson ... Pat O'Malley... |
Fifth Reporter (uncredited) | 1950 | — |
| The Sun Sets at Dawn The Sun Sets at Dawn - Cast :*Sally Parr as The Girl*Patrick Waltz as The Boy*Walter Reed as The Chaplain*Lee Frederick as Blackie*Houseley Stevenson as Pops*Howard St... |
Reporter, National News Service | 1950 | — |
| Storm Warning | Ambulance Driver (uncredited) | 1951 | starred future president Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor.... |
| The Enforcer The Enforcer (1951 film) The Enforcer is a black-and-white 1951 film noir starring Humphrey Bogart. Based on the Murder, Inc. trials, the film is largely a police procedural directed by Bretaigne Windust with uncredited help from Raoul Walsh, who shot most of the film's suspenseful moments, including the ending... |
Sgt. Whitlow | 1951 | — |
| The Great Missouri Raid | Witness (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| Three Guys Named Mike Three Guys Named Mike Three Guys Named Mike is a 1951 American black-and-white film by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Charles Walters.Described as a "lighthearted and lightweight story" by Turner Classic Movies, Three Guys Named Mike chronicles the story of a flight attendant and three men.-Production:The credits... |
Willy (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| The Redhead and the Cowboy The Redhead and the Cowboy The Redhead and the Cowboy is a 1951 western movie starring Glenn Ford. Directed by Leslie Fenton.- Synopsis :Gil Kyle finds himself caught up in the politics and unrest of the American Civil War and soon gets himself framed for a murder... |
Munroe | 1951 | — |
| The Scarf | Piano Player | 1951 | — |
| Little Bighorn | Pvt. James Corbo | 1951 | — |
| The Prince Who Was a Thief | Merat (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| Take Care of My Little Girl Take Care of My Little Girl Take Care of My Little Girl is a 1951 drama film directed by Jean Negulesco. The film, shot in Technicolor, is based on the 1950 novel of the same name written by Peggy Goodin.-Plot:... |
Cab Driver (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| His Kind of Woman His Kind of Woman His Kind of Woman is a black-and-white 1951 film noir starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. The film features supporting roles by Vincent Price, Raymond Burr, and Charles McGraw... |
Reporter (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| Behave Yourself! Behave Yourself! Behave Yourself! is a 1951 American film directed and co-written by George Beck, starring Farley Granger and Shelley Winters.-Cast:*Farley Granger as William Calhoun 'Bill' Denny*Shelley Winters as Kate Denny*William Demarest as Officer O'Ryan... |
Lingerie Shop Manager (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| Angels in the Outfield Angels in the Outfield (1951 film) Angels in the Outfield is a 1951 American black-and-white film starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh, directed by Clarence Brown, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer... |
Mack McGee | 1951 | First Donovan film to be remade Angels in the Outfield (1994 film) Angels in the Outfield is a 1994 remake of the 1951 film of the same name. The film stars Danny Glover, Tony Danza and Christopher Lloyd, and features appearances from future stars, including Adrien Brody, Matthew McConaughey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Neal McDonough.Unlike the original, which... . First time Donovan appeared in a film trailer. |
| Come Fill the Cup Come Fill the Cup Come Fill the Cup is a 1951 film starring James Cagney and Gig Young. Cagney plays an alcoholic newspaperman. Cagney has the memorable line, "Don't you see? I am home," which he says in response to the query, "Why don't you go home?": once near the beginning when he's drinking; once at the end when... |
Kip Zunches | 1951 | — |
| The Unknown Man The Unknown Man -Plot:Defense attorney Dwight Bradley Masen is successful in seeking the acquittal of a young man, Rudi Walchek, accused of knifing to death the 19-year-old son of a local locksmith, but when Rudi lets a comment slip after the trial, Masen realizes he has defended a guilty man... |
News Photographer on Courthouse Steps (uncredited) | 1951 | — |
| Something to Live For Something to Live For (film) Something to Live For is a 1952 American drama film starring Joan Fontaine, Ray Milland, and Teresa Wright, directed by George Stevens, and released by Paramount Pictures... |
Stage Manager (uncredited) | 1952 | — |
| Singin' in the Rain Singin' in the Rain Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography... |
Rod (uncredited) | 1952 | Although his role is uncredited it is recognizable. Film voted best musical of the century and fifth best film of the century by AFI. |
| Glory Alley | Telephone Technician (uncredited) | 1952 | — |
| Sally and Saint Anne | Hymie Callahan (uncredited) | 1952 | — |
| The Merry Widow | Nitki (uncredited) | 1952 | — |
| The Magnetic Monster | Dr. Dan Forbes | 1953 | — |
Donovan filmed scenes for an undetermined role in the 1949 film I Was a Male War Bride
I Was a Male War Bride
I Was a Male War Bride is a 1949 comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan.This film was based on I was an Alien Spouse of Female Military Personnel Enroute to the United States Under Public Law 271 of the Congress, a biography of Henri Rochard, a Belgian who...
, but his scenes were deleted.
| Title | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Promises! Promises! Promises! Promises! Promises! Promises! is a 1963 unrated sex comedy film, released after the demise of the Hays code and before the MPAA film rating system became effective, produced by Tommy Noonan . It was the first Hollywood motion picture release of the sound era to feature a mainstream star—Jayne Mansfield—in... |
1963 | First sound film to feature a mainstream film star (Jayne Mansfield) nude. Only film Donovan ever directed. |
| Grindl Grindl Grindl is an American situation comedy that began in the fall of 1963 on NBC, originally sponsored by Procter & Gamble. The show, starring Imogene Coca in the title role, lasted for one season.-Synopsis:... (4 episodes) |
1963–1964 | Series starred Donovan's wife, Imogene Coca. |
| That Girl That Girl That Girl is an American television situation comedy that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971. It stars Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring actress, who had moved from her hometown of Brewster, New York to make it big in New York City... (1 episode) |
1968 | — |