David Landau (born David H. Magee, March 9, 1879 â€" September 20,
1935) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in 33 films
from 1931 to 1935. He appeared on Broadway in 12 plays from 1919 to
1929.Landau was born in Philadelphia, the son of Robert Magee, who
emigrated from County Londonderry, Ireland and listed his occupation
as gardener on the 1880 census. His mother, Maryann, was
Pennsylvania-born of Irish and English descent. Landau studied law at
the University of Pennsylvania. To improve his diction, Landau took a
class in dramatics and later abandoned his law studies. Before
appearing in his first film in 1931, he performed on Broadway and in
many other stage productions.Landau's first wife was legally concluded
by a court to have been actress Frances Landau (born Sarah Frances
Newhall). In his will, he questioned whether Frances had obtained a
legal divorce from her previous husband, Edwin T. Emory, in 1900,
before she had married him in 1903. Landau directed in his will that
if Frances could prove her legal divorce from her previous husband,
she should receive “the smallest legal amount†possible. His will
left his estate ($3,803) to Delight Howell, “the best friend I ever
had … in payment for her loyalty in spite of adversity†. According
to the 1930 U.S. census, he was living with her in New York at that
time. Howell is listed as "Lodger". Frances Landau claimed that Howell
had taken advantage of her husband to make him believe that he and
Frances had never been legally married. His funeral announcement in
the Los Angeles Times referred to him as "[the] beloved husband of
Delight Landau"; his obituary in the New York Times cited "Mrs.
Delight Landau, his widow, survives".In 1934, Magee suffered a stroke
from which he never recovered. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial
Park in Glendale, California.
1935) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in 33 films
from 1931 to 1935. He appeared on Broadway in 12 plays from 1919 to
1929.Landau was born in Philadelphia, the son of Robert Magee, who
emigrated from County Londonderry, Ireland and listed his occupation
as gardener on the 1880 census. His mother, Maryann, was
Pennsylvania-born of Irish and English descent. Landau studied law at
the University of Pennsylvania. To improve his diction, Landau took a
class in dramatics and later abandoned his law studies. Before
appearing in his first film in 1931, he performed on Broadway and in
many other stage productions.Landau's first wife was legally concluded
by a court to have been actress Frances Landau (born Sarah Frances
Newhall). In his will, he questioned whether Frances had obtained a
legal divorce from her previous husband, Edwin T. Emory, in 1900,
before she had married him in 1903. Landau directed in his will that
if Frances could prove her legal divorce from her previous husband,
she should receive “the smallest legal amount†possible. His will
left his estate ($3,803) to Delight Howell, “the best friend I ever
had … in payment for her loyalty in spite of adversity†. According
to the 1930 U.S. census, he was living with her in New York at that
time. Howell is listed as "Lodger". Frances Landau claimed that Howell
had taken advantage of her husband to make him believe that he and
Frances had never been legally married. His funeral announcement in
the Los Angeles Times referred to him as "[the] beloved husband of
Delight Landau"; his obituary in the New York Times cited "Mrs.
Delight Landau, his widow, survives".In 1934, Magee suffered a stroke
from which he never recovered. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial
Park in Glendale, California.
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