Volume III: Biographies

 

GALLAHER, Donald *

Actor (1914-1915)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Donald Gallaher, who usually appeared in credits with the surname Gallagher, was an actor in Thanhouser serials in 1914 and 1915.

Biographical Notes: Donald Gallaher, described in Thanhouser publicity as "the most famous of boy actors," was born in Belfast, Ireland, on June 24, 1895. He was educated by private tutors. Nearly universally, his surname appeared in print as "Gallagher," although it may really have been Gallaher, as a 1921 publicity notice from Chamberlain Brown's Office pointed out: "First of all his name is Gallaher, not Gallagher, as he has often been called. Not that it bothers him specially how his name is spelled, for young Gallaher is a good natured chap, with a constantly happy expression, as one who finds something worthwhile every minute in life." On the other hand, a 1925 account stated that his surname at birth was indeed Gallagher, but that early in his career he dropped the second "g" so his name would fit on an electric sign.

His stage debut occurred in 1899, when at the age of four he stood on a barrel on stage with Sol Smith Russell at the Grand Opera House in Chicago, in A Poor Relation, and had his pants changed. The following season he was seen in The Royal Family at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City, followed the next season in the same city in Charles Frohman's stock company at the Empire Theatre. Gallaher then spent three seasons in America and London in Maxine Elliott's Her Own Way, after which he was with Eleanor Robson in The Girl Who Has Everything and Nurse Marjory at the Grand Theatre in Chicago and the Liberty Theatre in New York. The season of 1908-1909 saw him in The Kentucky Boy, following which he was featured with Arnold Daly in The Strong People at the Grand Opera House in Chicago, with Dustin Farnum in Cameo Kirby at the Studebaker Theatre in the same city, and in the title role in Alias Jimmy Valentine at Wallack's Theatre, New York City. Then came roles in Snow White and Little Women. He was with Poli's stock company in Hartford in the summer of 1914, and in the season of 1914-1915 the young actor was seen with William Farnum in Chicago in The Battle Cry and as the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.

In between stage engagements Donald Gallaher appeared in Thanhouser's 1914 serial, The Million Dollar Mystery and, later, in Zudora. In its issue of January 2, 1915, The Moving Picture World ignored his earlier appearance in The Million Dollar Mystery and noted: "Donald Gallagher [sic] is a newcomer to the Mutual Program. He is probably the most famous of boy actors and is to make his initial appearance for Thanhouser in the eighth episode of Zudora.... Opposite Miss Snow, this young man goes through several of the most dramatic scenes and finally through a climax which requires histrionic skill to make sincere and convincing."

His later stage credits included appearances in Grand Rapids and Columbus in the summer of 1915, and with Ethel Barrymore in Emma McChesney & Co. (also known as Our Mrs. McChesney) the following autumn, followed by work in The Silent Witness, Mile a Minute Kendall, Magic, The Country Cousin, David's Adventure, Romance and Arabella, The Country Cabin, A Sleepless Night, The Golden Age, Those Who Walk in Darkness, On the Hiring Line, with Theda Bara in The Blue Flame, The Scourge, with Evelyn Nesbit Thaw in The Open Book, with Helen Hayes in Bab, and The Yellow Jacket. While on stage in The Country Cousin, he married Beatrice Noyes, an actress, who had begun her career with the Belasco stock company in Los Angeles. The ceremony took place in New York City at The Little Church Around the Corner. Gallaher picked a wedding date, stating: "Friday, April 13th! You see, I am far from superstitious. Anyhow, as Sam Wilson says in the play, 'One must be different to get anywhere these days,' so Beatrice and I fixed up our marriage for Friday, the thirteenth - a very lucky Friday." Friday wasn't so lucky after all, and the couple divorced a few years later, following a suit by Beatrice, who was awarded $28 per week alimony and custody of their 28-month-old child, Donald Gallaher, Jr.

Gallaher continued his stage work, and in the 1920s was the producer of The Gorilla, a comedy which enjoyed road tours with four separate companies and was a great financial success. Later, he was dialogue director for radio and screen personality Bing Crosby. An interviewer who visited him on the set of Crosby's 1939 film, The Star Maker, called Gallaher "the busiest man in Hollywood."

Thanhouser Filmography:

1914-1915 Serials: The Million Dollar Mystery, Zudora (Episode 8 and later; 1-11-1915 and later)

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Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.