Preston Foster

Born: 1900-08-22 in Pitman, New Jersey, USA

Died: 1970-07-14

Known For: 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

Filmography

2022

Lucy and Desi as Self (archive footage)

1997

Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line as Self (archive footage)

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

Advance to the Rear as Gen. Bateman (uncredited)
The Time Travelers as Dr. Erik von Steiner

1963

The Man from Galveston as Judge Homer Black

1954

Waterfront as Cap'n John Herrick

1953

Law and Order as Kurt Durling
The Marshal's Daughter as Preston Foster - Poker-Game Player
I, the Jury as Capt. Pat Chambers
Letter to Loretta
General Electric Theater

1952

Montana Territory as Sheriff Henry Plummer
Kansas City Confidential as Tim Foster

1951

Tomahawk as Col. Carrington
The Big Night as Andy La Main
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Bob Hood
Three Desperate Men as Tom Denton
The Bogus Green as Brass McGannon
The Big Gusher as Hank Mason

1950

The Tougher They Come as Joe MacKinley

1949

The Big Cat as Tom Eggers
I Shot Jesse James as John Kelley

1948

The Hunted as Johnny Saxon
Thunderhoof as Scotty Mason

1947

Ramrod as Frank Ivey
King of the Wild Horses as Dave Taggert

1946

Strange Triangle as Sam Crane
Tangier as Col. Jose Artiego
The Harvey Girls as Judge Sam Purvis
It's Your America as Army Surgeon (uncredited)
Inside Job as Bart Madden

1945

Twice Blessed as Jeff Turner
The Valley of Decision as Jim Brennan
Thunderhead: Son of Flicka as Rob McLaughlin
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood as Self (uncredited)

1944

Bermuda Mystery as Steve Carramond
Roger Touhy, Gangster as Roger Touhy

1943

Guadalcanal Diary as Father Donnelly
My Friend Flicka as Rob McLaughlin

1942

Thunder Birds as Steve Britt
Secret Agent of Japan as Roy Bonnell
Night in New Orleans as Police Lt. Steve Abbott
American Empire as Paxton Bryce
A Gentleman After Dark as Tom Gaynor
Little Tokyo, U.S.A. as Michael Steele
Classification of Enlisted Men as Narrator

1941

Unfinished Business as Steve Duncan
The Roundup as Greg Lane

1940

Cafe Hostess as Dan Walters
Moon Over Burma as Bill Gordon
North West Mounted Police as Sergeant Jim Brett

1939

Missing Evidence as Bill Collins
Society Smugglers as Sully
Geronimo as Capt. Bill Starrett
20,000 Men a Year as Jim Howell
News Is Made at Night as Steve Drum
Chasing Danger as Steve Mitchell

1938

Submarine Patrol as Lt. (j.g.) John C. Drake
Double Danger as Robert Crane
Up the River as 'Chipper' Morgan
The Last Warning as Bill Crane
The Storm as Jack Stacey
The Lady in the Morgue as Det. Bill Crane
Everybody's Doing It as Bruce Keene
Army Girl as Capt. Dike Conger

1937

First Lady as Stephen Wayne
Sea Devils as Michael 'Mike' O'Shea
The Outcasts of Poker Flat as John Oakhurst
The Westland Case as Bill Crane - Private Detective
You Can't Beat Love as James Ellsworth 'Jimmy' Hughes
We Who Are About to Die as Steven Mathews

1936

The Plough and the Stars as Jack Clitheroe
Love Before Breakfast as Scott Miller
Muss 'em Up as Tip O'Neil

1935

The Informer as Dan Gallagher
Annie Oakley as Toby Walker
The Arizonian as Tex Randolph
The Last Days of Pompeii as Marcus
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl as Preston Foster
We're Only Human as Det. Sgt. Pete 'Mac' McCaffrey
The People's Enemy as Vince M. Falcone
Strangers All as Murray Carter

1934

Wharf Angel as Como Murphy
Heat Lightning as George
The Band Plays On as Howdy Hardy
Sleepers East as Jason Everett

1933

Hoopla as Nifty Miller
Sensation Hunters as Tom baylor
Corruption as Tim Butler
Ladies They Talk About as David Slade
Elmer, the Great as Walker
The Man Who Dared as Jan Novak
Just Around the Corner as Tim - Office Worker (uncredited)
The Devil's Mate as Insp. O'Brien
The 42nd Street Special as Self (uncredited)

1932

Life Begins as Dr. Brett
Two Seconds as Bud Clark
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang as Pete
Doctor X as Dr. Wells
The All-American as Steve Kelly
You Said a Mouthful as Ed Dover
The Last Mile as John 'Killer' Mears, Cell 4

1931

His Woman as Crewman

1930

Follow the Leader as Two-Gun Terry
Heads Up as Blake (uncredited)

1929

Nothing But the Truth as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)