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

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

1963

The Man from Galveston as Judge Homer Black

1954

Waterfront as Cap'n John Herrick

1953

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

1952

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

1951

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

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

1945

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

1944

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

1943

My Friend Flicka as Rob McLaughlin
Guadalcanal Diary as Father Donnelly

1942

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

1941

The Roundup as Greg Lane
Unfinished Business as Steve Duncan

1940

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

1939

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

1938

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

1937

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

1936

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

1935

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

1934

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

1933

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

1932

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

1931

His Woman as Crewman

1930

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

1929

Nothing but the Truth as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)