26 Facts About Donald Crisp

Donald William Crisp was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter.

Donald Crisp's career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s.

Donald Crisp won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1942 for his performance in How Green Was My Valley.

Donald Crisp was born George William Crisp at 3 Clay Hall Road, Bow, London, on 27 July 1882.

Donald Crisp was the youngest of ten children born to Elizabeth and James Crisp, a labourer.

Donald Crisp was educated locally and in 1901 was living with his parents and working as a driver of a horse-drawn vehicle.

Donald Crisp claimed that he was born in 1880 in Aberfeldy in Perthshire, Scotland, and even went so far as to maintain a Scottish accent throughout his life in Hollywood.

Donald Crisp claimed on alternative occasions that his father was a cattle farmer, a country doctor or a royal physician to King Edward VII.

Donald Crisp claimed that he was educated at Eton and Oxford, and that he served as a trooper in the 10th Hussars in the Boer War.

Donald Crisp spent his first year in New York City in the Grand Opera, and the following year as a stage director.

Donald Crisp worked as an assistant to Griffith for several years and learned much during this time from Griffith, an early master of film story telling who was influential in advancing a number of early techniques, such as cross cutting in editing his films.

Donald Crisp's first directing credit was Little Country Mouse, made in 1914.

Between working for Griffith and other producers, along with his many acting roles, Donald Crisp managed to return to the UK, serving in British army intelligence during the First World War.

Donald Crisp became an American citizen in 1930; during the Second World War, he served in the United States Army Reserve, attaining the rank of colonel.

The film received ten Oscar nominations, winning five, including Best Picture, with Donald Crisp winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1942.

Donald Crisp was an active and important liaison between the film industry and outside business interests.

Donald Crisp became a highly valued adviser whose clear-headed forward thinking proved invaluable to the Bank of America, which was one of the leading sources of working capital for the film industry for many years.

Donald Crisp served on the bank's advisory board for several decades, including a stint as its chairman.

Donald Crisp eventually became one of the more wealthy members of the film industry.

Donald Crisp has appeared in films throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s.

John Carradine, who counted over 500 films to his own credit, told his son Keith, who repeated the story during a 2018 Gilbert Gottfried podcast, that only Donald Crisp had appeared in more movies.

Donald Crisp was in his eighties by the time he quit acting entirely, continuing to work long after it was financially necessary simply because he enjoyed it.

Donald Crisp died in 1974, a few months short of his 92nd birthday, due to complications from a series of strokes.

Donald Crisp is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Donald Crisp was a staunch Republican who campaigned for Thomas Dewey in 1944.

On February 8,1960, Donald Crisp received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion pictures industry at 1628 Vine Street.