David Newell was primarily known as an American character actor, whose
acting career spanned from the very beginning of the sound film era
through the middle of the 1950s. He made his film debut in a featured
role in The Hole in the Wall, a 1929 film starring Edward G. Robinson
and Claudette Colbert. Early in his career he had many featured roles,
in such films as: RKO's The Runaway Bride in 1929, starring Mary
Astor; 1931's Ten Cents a Dance, starring Barbara Stanwyck and
directed by Lionel Barrymore; and White Heat in 1934. He would
occasionally receive a starring role, as in 1930's Just Like Heaven,
which co-starred Anita Louise. However, by the mid-1930s he was being
relegated to mostly smaller supporting roles. Some of the more notable
films he appeared in include: A Star is Born (1937), which stars Janet
Gaynor and Fredric March; Blondie (1938); the Bette Davis vehicle,
Dark Victory (1939); Day-Time Wife (1939), starring Tyrone Power and
Linda Darnell; It's a Wonderful World (1939), with James Stewart and
Claudette Colbert; Rings on Her Fingers (1942), starring Henry Fonda
and Gene Tierney; the Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore film, Up in Arms
(1944), which also stars Dana Andrews; 1947's Killer McCoy with Mickey
Rooney, Brian Donlevy, and Ann Blyth; Homecoming (1948), starring
Clark Gable, Lana Turner, and Anne Baxter; That Wonderful Urge (1949),
starring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney; David and Bathsheba (1951),
starring Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward; and Cecil B. DeMille's 1952
blockbuster, The Greatest Show on Earth. During his 25-year acting
career, he appeared in over 110 films. His final appearance in film
was in 1954's The Eddie Cantor Story, in which he had a small
supporting role.In the late 1940s he also began working as a make-up
artist, which he transitioned full-time to in 1955; this was due to
injuries sustained during a car accident, which left him physically
disfigured. He retired from the film industry in 1961, although he
continued to work in television through the beginning of the 1970s,
his last position being the make-up artist on the television show,
Lassie.Newell died two days past his 75th birthday, on January 25,
1980.(Per AFI database)
acting career spanned from the very beginning of the sound film era
through the middle of the 1950s. He made his film debut in a featured
role in The Hole in the Wall, a 1929 film starring Edward G. Robinson
and Claudette Colbert. Early in his career he had many featured roles,
in such films as: RKO's The Runaway Bride in 1929, starring Mary
Astor; 1931's Ten Cents a Dance, starring Barbara Stanwyck and
directed by Lionel Barrymore; and White Heat in 1934. He would
occasionally receive a starring role, as in 1930's Just Like Heaven,
which co-starred Anita Louise. However, by the mid-1930s he was being
relegated to mostly smaller supporting roles. Some of the more notable
films he appeared in include: A Star is Born (1937), which stars Janet
Gaynor and Fredric March; Blondie (1938); the Bette Davis vehicle,
Dark Victory (1939); Day-Time Wife (1939), starring Tyrone Power and
Linda Darnell; It's a Wonderful World (1939), with James Stewart and
Claudette Colbert; Rings on Her Fingers (1942), starring Henry Fonda
and Gene Tierney; the Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore film, Up in Arms
(1944), which also stars Dana Andrews; 1947's Killer McCoy with Mickey
Rooney, Brian Donlevy, and Ann Blyth; Homecoming (1948), starring
Clark Gable, Lana Turner, and Anne Baxter; That Wonderful Urge (1949),
starring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney; David and Bathsheba (1951),
starring Gregory Peck and Susan Hayward; and Cecil B. DeMille's 1952
blockbuster, The Greatest Show on Earth. During his 25-year acting
career, he appeared in over 110 films. His final appearance in film
was in 1954's The Eddie Cantor Story, in which he had a small
supporting role.In the late 1940s he also began working as a make-up
artist, which he transitioned full-time to in 1955; this was due to
injuries sustained during a car accident, which left him physically
disfigured. He retired from the film industry in 1961, although he
continued to work in television through the beginning of the 1970s,
his last position being the make-up artist on the television show,
Lassie.Newell died two days past his 75th birthday, on January 25,
1980.(Per AFI database)
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