Portrait of Preston Foster

Preston Foster

Acting

Biography

Preston Foster (August 24, 1900 – July 14, 1970) was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley. Some of his notable films include: Doctor X (1932), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Annie Oakley (1935), The Last Days of Pompeii (also 1935), The Informer (1935) (as the head of the organization), and My Friend Flicka (1943). He starred on the television drama, Waterfront (1954–1955), playing the role of Captain John Herrick. Foster has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was sometimes credited in movies as Preston S. Foster. His first wife was stage actress Gertrude Warren (1926–1945; divorced). He had one daughter, Stephanie. He was married to his second wife, actress Sheila Darcy, from 1946 until his death. During World War II while serving with the United States Coast Guard, he rose to the rank of Captain, Temporary Reserve. He eventually held the honorary rank of Commodore in the U.S. Coast Guard. After the war and before his productive movie career, Foster became a singer of some note. In 1948 Foster created a trio with himself, Gene Leis and Foster’s wife, actress Sheila Darcy. Gene arranged the songs, and they played on radio and in clubs, appearing with Orrin Tucker, Peggy Ann Garner and Rita Hayworth. Description above from the Wikipedia article Preston Foster, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

Born: August 22, 1900

Place of Birth: Pitman, New Jersey, USA

Filmography

2022
Lucy and Desi

as Self (archive footage)

1997
1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

as Self (archive footage)

1968
Chubasco

as Nick

1967
You've Got To Be Smart

as D. O. Griggs

1964
The Time Travelers

as Dr. Erik von Steiner

1964
Advance to the Rear

as Gen. Bateman (uncredited)

1963
The Man from Galveston

as Judge Homer Black

1961
Gunslinger

as Captain Zachary Scott

1954
Waterfront

as Cap'n John Herrick

1953
I, the Jury

as Capt. Pat Chambers

1953
The Marshal's Daughter

as Preston Foster - Poker-Game Player

1953
Law and Order

as Kurt Durling

1952
1952
Montana Territory

as Sheriff Henry Plummer

1951
The Big Night

as Andy La Main

1951
The Big Gusher

as Hank Mason

1951
Tomahawk

as Col. Carrington

1951
Three Desperate Men

as Tom Denton

1950
The Tougher They Come

as Joe MacKinley

1949
The Big Cat

as Tom Eggers

1949
I Shot Jesse James

as John Kelley

1948
Thunderhoof

as Scotty Mason

1948
The Hunted

as Johnny Saxon

1947
Ramrod

as Frank Ivey

1947
1946
It's Your America

as Army Surgeon (uncredited)

1946
Inside Job

as Bart Madden

1946
Tangier

as Col. Jose Artiego

1946
Strange Triangle

as Sam Crane

1946
The Harvey Girls

as Judge Sam Purvis

1945
Twice Blessed

as Jeff Turner

1945
1945
1944
Roger Touhy, Gangster

as Roger Touhy

1944
Bermuda Mystery

as Steve Carramond

1943
Guadalcanal Diary

as Father Donnelly

1943
My Friend Flicka

as Rob McLaughlin

1942
American Empire

as Paxton Bryce

1942
Thunder Birds

as Steve Britt

1942
Little Tokyo, U.S.A.

as Michael Steele

1942
Night in New Orleans

as Police Lt. Steve Abbott

1942
1942
Secret Agent of Japan

as Roy Bonnell

1941
Unfinished Business

as Steve Duncan

1941
The Roundup

as Greg Lane

1940
North West Mounted Police

as Sergeant Jim Brett

1940
Moon Over Burma

as Bill Gordon

1940
Cafe Hostess

as Dan Walters

1939
Missing Evidence

as Bill Collins

1939
Geronimo

as Capt. Bill Starrett

1939
20,000 Men a Year

as Jim Howell

1939
1939
Chasing Danger

as Steve Mitchell

1939
1938
Up the River

as 'Chipper' Morgan

1938
The Last Warning

as Bill Crane

1938
Submarine Patrol

as Lt. (j.g.) John C. Drake

1938
The Storm

as Jack Stacey

1938
Army Girl

as Capt. Dike Conger

1938
The Lady in the Morgue

as Det. Bill Crane

1938
Double Danger

as Robert Crane

1938
Everybody's Doing It

as Bruce Keene

1937
First Lady

as Stephen Wayne

1937
The Westland Case

as Bill Crane - Private Detective

1937
You Can't Beat Love

as James Ellsworth 'Jimmy' Hughes

1937
1937
Sea Devils

as Michael 'Mike' O'Shea

1937
We Who Are About to Die

as Steven Mathews

1936
The Plough and the Stars

as Jack Clitheroe

1936
Love Before Breakfast

as Scott Miller

1936
Muss 'em Up

as Tip O'Neil

1935
We're Only Human

as Det. Sgt. Pete 'Mac' McCaffrey

1935
Annie Oakley

as Toby Walker

1935
The Arizonian

as Tex Randolph

1935
1935
The Informer

as Dan Gallagher

1935
The People's Enemy

as Vince M. Falcone

1935
Strangers All

as Murray Carter

1934
The Band Plays On

as Howdy Hardy

1934
Wharf Angel

as Como Murphy

1934
1934
Sleepers East

as Jason Everett

1933
Hoopla

as Nifty Miller

1933
Sensation Hunters

as Tom baylor

1933
The Devil's Mate

as Insp. O'Brien

1933
The Man Who Dared

as Jan Novak

1933
Corruption

as Tim Butler

1933
1933
The 42nd Street Special

as Self (uncredited)

1933
1933
Just Around the Corner

as Tim - Office Worker (uncredited)

1932
1932
The All-American

as Steve Kelly

1932
Life Begins

as Dr. Brett

1932
The Last Mile

as John 'Killer' Mears, Cell 4

1932
Doctor X

as Dr. Wells

1932
Two Seconds

as Bud Clark

1931
His Woman

as Crewman

1930
Follow the Leader

as Two-Gun Terry

1930
Heads Up

as Blake (uncredited)

1929
Nothing But the Truth

as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)