Walter Abel
Biography
Walter Abel was an American stage, film, and radio character actor born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on June 6, 1898, to parents Christine, nee Becker, and Richard Michael Abel. He had brown eyes and stood five feet and ten inches tall in adulthood. Abel studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1917, graduated, and joined a touring company. He made his Broadway debut in the 1919 production of Forbidden and later appeared in numerous theatrical credits, including As You Like It, Desire Under the Elms, Mourning Becomes Electra, Merrily We Roll Along, and Trelawny of the Wells. In 1926, he appeared in Channing Pollock's production of The Enemy alongside Fay Bainter. Walter Abel passed away on March 26, 1987.
Career overview
Walter Abel was an American stage, film, and radio character actor whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 6, 1898, to parents Christine, née Becker, and Richard Michael Abel, he grew to a height of five foot ten inches and had brown eyes. Abel studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1917, graduated, and subsequently joined a touring company.
He made his Broadway debut in the 1919 production of Forbidden and remained very active on Broadway, with his stage appearances spanning from 1920 to 1975. His extensive theatre credits include As You Like It, Desire Under the Elms, Mourning Becomes Electra, Merrily We Roll Along, and Trelawny of the Wells. In 1926, he appeared on stage in Channing Pollock's production of The Enemy alongside Fay Bainter.
Over the course of his career, Abel established himself as a prominent character actor across film, theatre, and television, accumulating eighty-known acting credits on The Movie Database. He passed away on March 26, 1987, at the age of 88 in Essex.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
84 titles- Grace Quigley (1985) as Homer Morrison
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The American Woman: Portraits of Courage (1976) as Judge
- The Man Without a Country (1973) as Col. A.B. Morgan
- Night of the Dark Full Moon (1972) as Mayor Adams
- Mirage (1965) as Charles Stewart Calvin
- Israel: The Story of the Jewish People (1965) as Narrator
- The Human Duplicators (1965) as Dr. Munson
- Quick, Let's Get Married (1964) as Thief
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)
- The Defenders (1961) as Ben Burke
- Handle with Care (1958) as Prof. Roger Bowden
- Raintree County (1957) as T.D. Shawnessy
- Bernardine (1957) as Mr. Beaumont
- The Steel Jungle (1956) as Warden Bill Keller
- Sincerely, Willis Wade (1956) as Mr. Wayde
- Color and Texture in Aluminum Finishes (1956)
- The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955) as McKinley
- Playwrights '56 (1955)
- The Indian Fighter (1955) as Captain Trask
- Hollywood Preview (1955) as Self
- Climax! (1954) as Stewart
- Night People (1954) as Maj. R.A. Foster
- Twelve Angry Men (1954) as Juror #4
- Island in the Sky (1953) as Col. Fuller
- So This Is Love (1953) as Col. James Moore
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952)
- Tales of Tomorrow (1951)
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Harry Archer
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Father
- The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) as Self
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Joe Holmby
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Father
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948)
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) as Macduff
- Studio One (1948) as Juror #4
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- That Lady in Ermine (1948) as Major Horvath / Benvenuto
- Dream Girl (1948) as George Allerton
- Picture in Your Mind (1948) as Narrator
- Variety Girl (1947) as Walter Abel (uncredited)
- 13 Rue Madeleine (1947) as Charles Gibson
- The Fabulous Joe (1947) as Milo Terkel
- The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) as Gabby Sloan
- The Affairs of Susan (1945) as Richard Aiken
- Duffy's Tavern (1945) as Director
- Kiss and Tell (1945) as Harry Archer
- Mr. Skeffington (1944) as George Trellis
- An American Romance (1944) as Howard Clinton
- Follow the Boys (1944) as Walter Abel (uncredited)
- The Hitler Gang (1944) as Narrator (voice)
- So Proudly We Hail (1943) as Chaplain
- Fired Wife (1943) as Chris McClelland
- The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith (1943) as Jack, a Flyer, Opening Narrator
- Holiday Inn (1942) as Danny Reed
- Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) as B.G. DeSoto
- Wake Island (1942) as Cmdr. Roberts
- Beyond the Blue Horizon (1942) as Prof. Thornton
- Hold Back the Dawn (1941) as Inspector Hammock
- Glamour Boy (1941) as Anthony J. Colder
- Skylark (1941) as George Gore
- Arise, My Love (1940) as Phillips
- Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) as Judge
- Michael Shayne: Private Detective (1940) as Elliott Thomas
- Who Killed Aunt Maggie? (1940) as Dr. George Benedict
- King of the Turf (1939) as Robert Barnes
- Miracle on Main Street (1939) as Jim Foreman
- First Offenders (1939) as Gregory Stone
- Racket Busters (1938) as Hugh Allison
- Law of the Underworld (1938) as Special Prosecutor Warren Rogers
- Men with Wings (1938) as Nick Ranson
- Wise Girl (1937) as Karl
- Green Light (1937) as John Stafford
- Portia on Trial (1937) as Dan Foster
- Fury (1936) as District Attorney
- The Lady Consents (1936) as Stanley Ashton
- Two in the Dark (1936) as Ford Adams
- The Witness Chair (1936) as James Trent
- Second Wife (1936) as Kenneth Carpenter Sr.
- We Went to College (1936) as Phil Talbot
- The Three Musketeers (1935) as D'Artagnan
- Liliom (1930) as Carpenter
- The North Wind's Malice (1920) as Tom
- Out of a Clear Sky (1918)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Walter Abel best known for?
Walter Abel is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Grace Quigley (1985), Night of the Dark Full Moon (1972), Mirage (1965), The Human Duplicators (1965).
When and where was Walter Abel born?
Walter Abel was born on June 5, 1898 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. They passed away on March 26, 1987.
How many credits does Walter Abel have?
Walter Abel has accumulated over 84 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1920 to 1985.
What is Walter Abel's background in cinema and television?
Walter Abel was an American stage, film, and radio character actor born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on June 6, 1898, to parents Christine, nee Becker, and Richard Michael Abel. He had brown eyes and stood five feet and ten inches tall in adulthood. Abel studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1917, graduated,...
Walter Abel by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952) — aged about 54
- Mirage (1965) as Charles Stewart Calvin — aged about 67
- The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) as Self — aged about 52
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self — aged about 50
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Joe Holmby — aged about 52
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Father — aged about 52
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