What's After the Movie
Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery (born Wallace Fitzgerald Beery on 1885‑04‑01 in Clay County, Missouri) was an American actor and film director whose rugged screen persona made him one of the most recognizable faces of early Hollywood. Born the youngest of three boys, he left a Kansas City farm in his teens, worked as an engine wiper, and even joined the Ringling Brothers Circus as an assistant elephant trainer before a leopard attack forced him back to the stage. He entered the professional theatre world in 1904 alongside his older brother Noah, performing in comic operas and Broadway productions such as The Belle of the West and The Yankee Tourist, which earned him early critical praise. By 1913 Beery had moved to Chicago for Essanay Studios, where he created the popular drag character “Sweedie” and began a prolific run of short comedies that introduced him to future star Gloria Swanson, whom he married in 1916. After a succession of villainous roles in silent epics—including portrayals of Pancho Villa, Magua in The Last of the Mohicans, and King Richard the Lion‑Hearted in Douglas Fairbanks’ Robin Hood—he transitioned to sound films with striking success. His performance as the downtrodden boxer in "The Champ" (1931) earned him a shared Academy Award for Best Actor, and a 1932 MGM contract guaranteed him a dollar more than any other contract player, making him the highest‑paid actor in the world at the time. Throughout the 1930s Beery headlined hit after hit—Min and Bill, Grand Hotel, Treasure Island, and Viva Villa!—often paired with co‑stars such as Marie Dressler and Jackie Cooper, and he became known for his gruff yet endearing on‑screen demeanor. Off‑screen his personal life was tumultuous: two marriages, an adoption of two girls, a notorious paternity suit, and a reputation for being difficult and even abusive toward colleagues. He died of a heart attack on 1949‑04‑15 while reading a newspaper in his Beverly Hills home, and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. Posthumously, Beery was honored with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1960 and remains a cultural reference point in films such as the Coen brothers’ Barton Fink and Hail, Caesar!.
Biography, Career & Filmography
Learn more about Wallace Beery, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how Wallace Beery rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: Wallace Fitzgerald Beery
Born: Clay County, Missouri, U.S.
Citizenship: United States
Birthday: April 1, 1885
Occupations: Actor, Film director
Years Active: 1904-1949
Children: 2
Spouses: Gloria Swanson, Rita Gilman
External Links and Streaming Options
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Awards and Nominations Received by Wallace Beery
Explore the awards, honors, and nominations Wallace Beery has earned across their acting career. From prestigious wins to critical acclaim, see how their talent has been recognized by the film industry and major award bodies.
Movies Featuring Wallace Beery
The Big House
Grand Hotel
Complicated Women
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Judy Garland: By Myself
Going Hollywood: The ’30s
Teddy at the Throttle
A Clever Dummy
The Little American
Johanna Enlists
Behind the Door
Victory
The Stolen Jools
The Our Gang Story
This Man’s Navy
The Sea Hawk
Big Jack
Bad Bascomb
Beggars of Life
The Big Parade of Comedy
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Min and Bill
The Last of the Mohicans
The Champ
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Chinatown Nights
We’re switching to Hollywood
A Date with Judy
Alias a Gentleman
Billy the Kid
Ashes of Vengeance
The Christmas Party
The Virgin of Stamboul
The Pony Express
Rationing
Ah, Wilderness!
The Secret Six
The Mighty McGurk
The Night Club
20 Mule Team
The Spanish Dancer
From the Ends of the Earth
Jackass Mail
Tugboat Annie
West Point of the Air
Now We’re in the Air
Old Ironsides
Barnacle Bill
The Bad Man
Twenty Years After
When Comedy Was King
O’Shaughnessy’s Boy
The Round-Up
A Blind Bargain
Flesh
Robin Hood
Behind the Front
Wyoming
The Signal Tower
The Man from Dakota
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
White Tiger
Viva Villa!
The Bugle Sounds
The Bad Man of Brimstone
Hell Divers
Stand Up and Fight
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Bowery
Port of Seven Seas
Treasure Island
Going Hollywood
Thunder Afloat
Stablemates
The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
My Wife’s Relations
China Seas
A Message to Garcia
Career Timeline
Track the complete movie timeline of Wallace Beery, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
2004
Checking Out: Grand Hotel
Self / Various roles (archive footage)
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self - Actor (voice) (archive footage)
1940
A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
Self
20 Mule Team
Skinner Bill Bragg, an Alias of Ambrose Murphy
Wyoming
'Reb' Harkness
The Man from Dakota
"Bar" Barstow
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Self
1939
From the Ends of the Earth
Self
Stand Up and Fight
Captain Boss Starkey
Thunder Afloat
John Thorson
1935
Ah, Wilderness!
Uncle Sid
West Point of the Air
Sgt. 'Big Mike' Stone
O’Shaughnessy’s Boy
Michael O'Shaughnessy
China Seas
Jamesy MacArdle
1933
Tugboat Annie
Terry (Husband)
The Bowery
Chuck Connors
Going Hollywood
Himself - Premiere Clip (archive footage)
1931
The Stolen Jools
Police Sergeant
The Champ
Andy 'Champ' Purcell
We’re switching to Hollywood
Self (uncredited)
The Christmas Party
Himself (uncredited)
The Secret Six
Louis 'Slaughterhouse' Scorpio
Hell Divers
"Windy" Riker
1923
Ashes of Vengeance
Duc de Tours
The Spanish Dancer
King Philip IV
White Tiger
Count Donelli / Hawkes
1922
A Blind Bargain
Beast Man (uncredited)
Robin Hood
Richard the Lion-Hearted
My Wife’s Relations
Photographer (uncredited)
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