Don Terry (born Donald Prescott Loker, August 8, 1902 â€" October 6,
1988) was an American film actor, best known for his lead appearances
in B films and serials in the 1930s and early 1940s. His best known
role is probably playing the recurring character of Naval Commander
Don Winslow in Universal Pictures serials of the early 1940s,
including Don Winslow of the Navy (1942) and Don Winslow of the Coast
Guard (1943).Terry was born Donald Loker (though some sources give
Locher) in Natick, Massachusetts in 1902. He was a 1925 graduate of
Harvard.Terry was discovered while visiting Los Angeles as a tourist.
During the visit, he hoped to see some film stars, but had been
disappointed. Nearing the end of his trip, he decided to have lunch at
Hollywood's Café Montmartre since it was a favorite of many in the
film industry. Terry thought he might finally see a film star while
having lunch, but found only other tourists who had the same hope.
However, Fox screenwriter Charles Francis Coe was at the restaurant
and happened to see Terry and thought of the screenplay he had just
completed, based on his 1927 novel. Coe introduced himself and asked
Terry if he was in the film industry. He gave Terry his business card
and invited him to the Fox lot for a screen test. Terry went to the
lot expecting only to be able to see some film stars. When Terry's
screen test came out of the film laboratory, he was signed as the lead
in the 1928 film Me, Gangster, the screenplay Coe had just
written.Known for his "typical clean-cut American hero roles", it was
also noted that Terry was "not the most facile of actors". He was a
contemporary of Victor Jory, Paul Kelly, and Charles Quigley, who all
portrayed "bare-knuckled, sleeves-rolled-up hard hats" in various
films.
1988) was an American film actor, best known for his lead appearances
in B films and serials in the 1930s and early 1940s. His best known
role is probably playing the recurring character of Naval Commander
Don Winslow in Universal Pictures serials of the early 1940s,
including Don Winslow of the Navy (1942) and Don Winslow of the Coast
Guard (1943).Terry was born Donald Loker (though some sources give
Locher) in Natick, Massachusetts in 1902. He was a 1925 graduate of
Harvard.Terry was discovered while visiting Los Angeles as a tourist.
During the visit, he hoped to see some film stars, but had been
disappointed. Nearing the end of his trip, he decided to have lunch at
Hollywood's Café Montmartre since it was a favorite of many in the
film industry. Terry thought he might finally see a film star while
having lunch, but found only other tourists who had the same hope.
However, Fox screenwriter Charles Francis Coe was at the restaurant
and happened to see Terry and thought of the screenplay he had just
completed, based on his 1927 novel. Coe introduced himself and asked
Terry if he was in the film industry. He gave Terry his business card
and invited him to the Fox lot for a screen test. Terry went to the
lot expecting only to be able to see some film stars. When Terry's
screen test came out of the film laboratory, he was signed as the lead
in the 1928 film Me, Gangster, the screenplay Coe had just
written.Known for his "typical clean-cut American hero roles", it was
also noted that Terry was "not the most facile of actors". He was a
contemporary of Victor Jory, Paul Kelly, and Charles Quigley, who all
portrayed "bare-knuckled, sleeves-rolled-up hard hats" in various
films.
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