Willet Melbourne MacDowell (November 22, 1856 â€" February 18, 1941)
was an American stage and screen actor. He began on the legitimate
stage in the 1870s and first appeared on the silent screen in 1917. He
used the stage name Virginia Drew Prescott.Willet Melbourne MacDowell
was born in Little Washington, New Jersey (now South River, New
Jersey). He had an older brother named E. A. MacDowell, who was the
father of future actress Claire McDowell. As a teen Melbourne went to
sea in the Merchant Marines eventually becoming a mate. Back in the US
he had his first acting experience in Montreal at a theatre where he
was a ticket seller, assistant doorkeeper and where his brother was
employed as an actor. MacDowell was occasionally asked upon to act.
Here in Montreal he got a chance to act with Adelaide Neilson, a
legend in her short life, in the Shakespeare play As You Like It.
Neilson played one of the main characters Rosalind and MacDowell was
briefly on as Charles the wrestler. By 1877 MacDowell made his first
professional acting appearance in the United States at the Boston
Museum where his brother E.A. was an actor. In 1888 MacDowell became
acquainted with Fanny Davenport playing in La Tosca with her. In 1889
the two married. He continued to act with her in a series of emotional
plays until her death in 1898.After Davenport died MacDowell became
associated professionally with her successor, Blanche Walsh, who
continued playing Davenport's famous and emotional roles. A large man
weighing over 200 pounds, MacDowell played the hero or distinct
character in plays.MacDowell began appearing in silent films in 1917
by which time he was long a stage veteran. His costars were such
actors as William S. Hart, Lon Chaney, Charles Ray, Enid Bennett and
numerous others. Though he lived until the early 1940s, his film
career ended in 1928 with the end of silent films. He returned for one
sound film short in 1932, A Fool About Women with Andy Clyde and
Vernon Dent.
was an American stage and screen actor. He began on the legitimate
stage in the 1870s and first appeared on the silent screen in 1917. He
used the stage name Virginia Drew Prescott.Willet Melbourne MacDowell
was born in Little Washington, New Jersey (now South River, New
Jersey). He had an older brother named E. A. MacDowell, who was the
father of future actress Claire McDowell. As a teen Melbourne went to
sea in the Merchant Marines eventually becoming a mate. Back in the US
he had his first acting experience in Montreal at a theatre where he
was a ticket seller, assistant doorkeeper and where his brother was
employed as an actor. MacDowell was occasionally asked upon to act.
Here in Montreal he got a chance to act with Adelaide Neilson, a
legend in her short life, in the Shakespeare play As You Like It.
Neilson played one of the main characters Rosalind and MacDowell was
briefly on as Charles the wrestler. By 1877 MacDowell made his first
professional acting appearance in the United States at the Boston
Museum where his brother E.A. was an actor. In 1888 MacDowell became
acquainted with Fanny Davenport playing in La Tosca with her. In 1889
the two married. He continued to act with her in a series of emotional
plays until her death in 1898.After Davenport died MacDowell became
associated professionally with her successor, Blanche Walsh, who
continued playing Davenport's famous and emotional roles. A large man
weighing over 200 pounds, MacDowell played the hero or distinct
character in plays.MacDowell began appearing in silent films in 1917
by which time he was long a stage veteran. His costars were such
actors as William S. Hart, Lon Chaney, Charles Ray, Enid Bennett and
numerous others. Though he lived until the early 1940s, his film
career ended in 1928 with the end of silent films. He returned for one
sound film short in 1932, A Fool About Women with Andy Clyde and
Vernon Dent.
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