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Victor McLaglen

Acting Born Dec 9, 1886 Died Nov 7, 1959 Stepney, East London, England, UK 129 credits

Biography

Victor McLaglen (December 9, 1886 – November 7, 1959) was a British‑American film actor born in Stepney, East London, England. He was a male character actor whose career encompassed at least 128 credited roles, many of them in Westerns. McLaglen frequently collaborated with director John Ford and star John Wayne, appearing together in seven films. In 1935 he received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Informer. His work spanned both British and American cinema, and he is remembered for his distinctive presence in genre pictures, particularly those set in the American West.

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Career

Career overview

Victor McLaglen was born on 9 December 1886 in Stepney, East London, England, and died on 7 November 1959. He began his public life as an English boxer and a war veteran before turning to the screen, eventually becoming a naturalised American citizen and a prolific film actor. Over the course of his career he accumulated more than one hundred credited performances, many of them as a robust character actor in Westerns. He is noted for appearing in seven films directed by John Ford alongside John Wayne, a partnership that highlighted his talent for rugged, larger‑than‑life roles.

McLaglen’s most celebrated achievement came in 1935 when he received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Informer. Among his better‑known titles are the films The Quiet Man (Czech title Tichý muž), Denunciant, and A Devil with Women. In addition to his extensive film work, he made a television appearance on the series This Is Your Life in 1952. Throughout his career McLaglen remained a prominent figure in Hollywood, remembered for his commanding screen presence and his contributions to the classic Western genre.

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Frequent co-stars

Career timeline

John Ford: The Man Who Invented America
Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films
On Location with Gunga Din
Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her
RawhideRawhide
The Italians They Are CrazySea Fury
Have Gun, Will TravelThe Abductors
Around the World in 80 Days
Lady Godiva of CoventryMany Rivers to CrossCity of ShadowsBengazi
Prince ValiantTrouble in the Glen
Fair Wind to Java
This Is Your LifeThe Quiet Man
Schlitz Playhouse of StarsO'Mara's Chain Miracle
Lux Video TheatreRio Grande
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Fort Apache
Michigan KidCalendar GirlThe Foxes of Harrow
Whistle Stop
Love, Honor and GoodbyeRough, Tough and Ready
Roger Touhy, GangsterThe Princess and the PirateTampico
Forever and a Day
China GirlPowder TownCall Out the Marines
Broadway Limited
South of Pago PagoDiamond Frontier
RioGunga DinEx-ChampCaptain FuryPacific Liner
We're Going to Be RichBattle of BroadwayThe Devil's Party
Ali Baba Goes to TownThis Is My AffairWee Willie WinkieNancy Steele Is Missing!Sea Devils
Under Two FlagsKlondike AnnieThe Magnificent Brute
The InformerProfessional SoldierUnder PressureThe Great Hotel Murder
The Lost PatrolMurder at the VanitiesThe Captain Hates the SeaNo More WomenHollywood on Parade No. B-1

Full filmography

  • John Ford: The Man Who Invented America (2019) as Self - Actor (archive footage)
  • Fragments: Surviving Pieces of Lost Films (2011) as Himself (archive footage)
  • On Location with Gunga Din (2004) as MacChesney (archive footage)
  • Mae West and the Men Who Knew Her (1994) as Self (archive footage)
  • Rawhide (1959)
  • Rawhide (1959) as Harry Wittman
  • The Italians They Are Crazy (1958) as Sergente O'Riley
  • Sea Fury (1958) as Bellew
  • Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) as Mike O'Hare
  • The Abductors (1957) as Tom Muldoon
  • Around the World in 80 Days (1956) as SS Henrietta Helmsman
  • Lady Godiva of Coventry (1955) as Grimald
  • Many Rivers to Cross (1955) as Cadmus Cherne
  • City of Shadows (1955) as Big Tim Channing
  • Bengazi (1955) as Robert Emmett Donovan
  • Prince Valiant (1954) as Boltar
  • Trouble in the Glen (1954) as Parlan
  • Fair Wind to Java (1953) as O'Brien
  • This Is Your Life (1952) as Self
  • The Quiet Man (1952) as Squire 'Red' Will Danaher
  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
  • O'Mara's Chain Miracle (1951) as Officer O'Mara
  • Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Michael O'Reilly
  • Rio Grande (1950) as Sgt. Maj. Timothy Quincannon
  • She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) as First Sergeant Quincannon
  • Fort Apache (1948) as Sgt. Festus Mulcahy
  • Michigan Kid (1947) as Curley Davis
  • Calendar Girl (1947) as Matthew O'Neill
  • The Foxes of Harrow (1947) as Mike Farrell
  • Whistle Stop (1946) as Gitlo
  • Love, Honor and Goodbye (1945) as Terry O'Farrell
  • Rough, Tough and Ready (1945) as Owen McCarey
  • Roger Touhy, Gangster (1944) as Herman "Owl" Banghart
  • The Princess and the Pirate (1944) as Captain Barrett / The Hook
  • Tampico (1944) as Fred Adamson
  • Forever and a Day (1943) as Archibald Spavin
  • China Girl (1942) as Bull Weed
  • Powder Town (1942) as Jeems O'Shea
  • Call Out the Marines (1942) as Sgt. Jimmy McGinnis
  • Broadway Limited (1941) as Maurice "Mike" Monaghan
  • South of Pago Pago (1940) as Bucko Larson
  • Diamond Frontier (1940) as Terrence Regan
  • Rio (1939) as Dirk
  • Gunga Din (1939) as MacChesney
  • Ex-Champ (1939) as Tom 'Gunner' Grey
  • Captain Fury (1939) as Jerry Black aka Blackie
  • Pacific Liner (1939) as Crusher McKay
  • The Big Guy (1939) as Warden Bill Whitlock
  • Full Confession (1939) as Pat McGinnis
  • Let Freedom Ring (1939) as Chris Mulligan
  • We're Going to Be Rich (1938) as "Dobbie" Dobson
  • Battle of Broadway (1938) as Big Ben Wheeler
  • The Devil's Party (1938) as Marty Malone
  • Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937) as Himself
  • This Is My Affair (1937) as Jock Ramsay
  • Wee Willie Winkie (1937) as Sgt. Donald MacDuff
  • Nancy Steele Is Missing! (1937) as Dannie O'Neill
  • Sea Devils (1937) as Steve Webb
  • Under Two Flags (1936) as J.C. Doyle
  • Klondike Annie (1936) as Bull Brackett
  • The Magnificent Brute (1936) as 'Big Steve' Andrews
  • The Informer (1935) as Gypo Nolan
  • Professional Soldier (1935) as Colonel Michael Donovan
  • Under Pressure (1935) as Jumbo Smith
  • The Great Hotel Murder (1935) as Andrew W. 'Andy' McCabe
  • The Lost Patrol (1934) as The Sergeant
  • Murder at the Vanities (1934) as Bill Murdock
  • The Captain Hates the Sea (1934) as Junius P. Schulte
  • No More Women (1934) as Forty-Fathoms
  • Hollywood on Parade No. B-1 (1934)
  • Wharf Angel (1934) as Turk
  • Dick Turpin (1933) as Dick Turpin
  • Laughing at Life (1933) as Dennis P. McHale / Burke / Captain Hale
  • Hot Pepper (1933) as Jim Flagg
  • Devil's Lottery (1932) as Jem Meech
  • While Paris Sleeps (1932) as Jacques Costaud
  • Guilty as Hell (1932) as Detective Capt. T.R. McKinley
  • The Gay Caballero (1932) as Don Bob Harkness / El Coyote
  • Rackety Rax (1932) as 'Knucks' McGloin
  • Dishonored (1931) as Colonel Kranau
  • The Stolen Jools (1931) as Sergeant Flagg
  • Wicked (1931) as Scott Burrows
  • Annabelle's Affairs (1931) as John Rawson / Hefly Jack
  • Women of All Nations (1931) as Captain Jim Flagg
  • Three Rogues (1931) as Bull Stanley
  • On the Level (1930) as Biff Williams
  • A Devil with Women (1930) as Jerry Maxton
  • Happy Days (1929) as Minstrel Show Performer
  • Hot for Paris (1929) as John Patrick Duke
  • The Black Watch (1929) as Captain Donald King
  • The Cock-Eyed World (1929) as Top Sergeant Flagg
  • Strong Boy (1929) as Strong Boy
  • Captain Lash (1929) as Captain Lash
  • The River Pirate (1928) as Sailor Fritz
  • A Girl in Every Port (1928) as Spike Madden
  • Hangman's House (1928) as Denis Hogan
  • Life in Hollywood (1927) as Self
  • Mother Machree (1927) as The Giant of Kilkenny
  • Life in Hollywood No. 5 (1927)
  • The Loves of Carmen (1927) as Escamillo
  • Men of Steel (1926) as Pete Masarick
  • What Price Glory (1926) as Capt. Flagg
  • Beau Geste (1926) as Hank
  • The Isle of Retribution (1926) as Doomsdorf
  • The Unholy Three (1925) as Hercules
  • The Fighting Heart (1925) as Soapy Williams
  • Percy (1925) as Reedy Jenkins
  • Winds of Chance (1925) as Poleon Doret
  • The Hunted Woman (1925) as Quade
  • The Boatswain's Mate (1924) as Ned Travers
  • Women and Diamonds (1924) as Brian Owen
  • The Gay Corinthian (1924) as Squire Hardcastle
  • The Passionate Adventure (1924) as Herb Harris
  • The Beloved Brute (1924) as Charles Hinges
  • In the Blood (1924) as Tony Crabtree
  • Heartstrings (1923) as Frank Wilson
  • M'Lord of the White Road (1923) as Lord Annerley / John
  • Woman to Woman (1923) as Nubian Slave (uncredited)
  • The Romany (1923) as The Chief
  • A Romance of Old Baghdad (1922) as Miski
  • A Sailor Tramp (1922) as The Sailor Tramp
  • The Crimson Circle (1922)
  • The Glorious Adventure (1922) as Bulfinch
  • Little Brother of God (1922) as King Kennidy
  • Corinthian Jack (1921) as Jack Halstead
  • The Sport of Kings (1921) as Frank Rosedale
  • The Prey of the Dragon (1921) as Brett 'Dragon' Mercer
  • Carnival (1921) as Baron
  • The Call of the Road (1920) as Alfred Truscott