Wheeler Oakman
Wheeler Vivian Oakman (February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor.[1][2]
Wheeler Vivian Oakman | |
---|---|
Oakman in The Spoilers (1914) | |
Born | February 21, 1890 Washington, D.C., United States |
Died | March 19, 1949 59) Van Nuys, California, United States | (aged
Resting place | Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery |
Occupation | Actor |
Spouse(s) | Priscilla Dean (m.1920–div.1926) Mary Eloise Timothy |
Early years
Oakman was born in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools.[1][3] He grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, after moving there from Washington.[4]
Career
Before acting in films, Oakman was active in stock theater in the eastern United States.[5]
Oakman appeared in over 280 films between 1912 and 1948. In silent films, he was often a leading man. Among his leading ladies were Priscilla Dean,[5] Kathlyn Williams, Colleen Moore and Annette Kellerman. His most successful movie was Mickey, a 1918 comedy-drama, in which he played the love interest of Mabel Normand.
By the time talkies came in, his career was in decline, and he often portrayed villains or henchman, and rarely had a leading role.
In 1932, he appeared alongside Buck Jones in Sundown Rider and John Wayne in Texas Cyclone.
Later years
Before his death, Oakman was assistant manager of a North Hollywood theater.[5]
Personal life and death
Oakman in 1920 married actress Priscilla Dean, his costar in Outside the Law (1920) and The Virgin of Stamboul (1920).[3] After their divorce in 1926, he wed Mary Eloise Timothy, although the exact year of that marriage remains undetermined.
In 1949, at age 59, Oakman died in Van Nuys, California.[1] He was interred at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park in North Hollywood, California. There is no marker on his grave.
Selected filmography
- Alas! Poor Yorick! (1913, Short) - Montgomery Irving - the Real Actor
- The Spoilers (1914) - The Broncho Kid, alias of Drury
- Shotgun Jones (1914, Short) - Shotgun Jones
- Chip of the Flying U (1914, Short) - Weary
- In the Days of the Thundering Herd (1914) - Chief Swift Wing
- The Carpet from Bagdad (1915) - George P.A. Jones
- The Melting Pot (1915) - Minor Role (uncredited)
- The Rosary (1915) - Bruce Wilton
- Sweet Alyssum (1915) - Wynne Garlan
- Hell's Hinges (1916) - Rowdy Townsman (uncredited)
- The Ne'er-Do-Well (1916) - Kirk Anthony, the Ne're-Do-Well
- The Cycle of Fate (1916) - Joe Strong
- The Battle of Hearts (1916) - Jo Sprague
- The Crisis (1916)
- Betrayed (1917) - William Jerome
- Princess Virtue (1917) - Basil Demarest
- Face Value (1917) - Bertram Van Twiller
- I Love You (1918) - Armand de Gautier
- Revenge (1918) - Dick Randall
- The Claim (1918) - John MacDonald
- Mickey (1918) - Herbert Thornhill
- False Evidence (1919) - Burr Gordon
- The Splendid Sin (1919) - Stephen Hartley
- Back to God's Country (1919) - Peter Burke
- A Woman of Pleasure (1919) - Bobby Ralston
- Eve in Exile (1919) - Paul Armitage
- The Virgin of Stamboul (1920) - Capt. Carlisle Pemberton
- What Women Love (1920) - Willy St. John
- Outside the Law (1920) - Dapper Bill Ballard
- Peck's Bad Boy (1921) - Dr. Jack Martin - the Man in the Case
- Penny of Top Hill Trail (1921) - Kurt Walters
- A Wise Fool (1921) - (uncredited)
- The Son of the Wolf (1922) - Scruff Mackenzie
- The Half Breed (1922) - Delmar Spavinaw (the halfbreed)
- Slippy McGee (1923) - Slippy McGee
- Mine to Keep (1923) - Clint Mowbray
- The Love Trap (1923)- Grant Garrison
- Other Men's Daughters (1923) - 'Winnie'
- Lilies of the Streets (1925) - Frank Delmore
- The Pace That Thrills (1925) - Director
- In Borrowed Plumes (1926) - Jack Raymond
- Fangs of Justice (1926) - Paul Orr
- Heroes of the Night (1927) - Jack Nichols
- The Snarl of Hate (1927) - Boy Maxson
- Hey! Hey! Cowboy (1927) - John Evans
- Out All Night (1927) - Kerrigan
- Top Sergeant Mulligan (1928) - The captain
- The Broken Mask (1928) - Dr. Gordon White
- The Heart of Broadway (1928) - 'Dandy Jim' Doyle
- Danger Patrol (1928) - George Gambler
- Black Feather (1928)
- The Masked Angel (1928) - Luther Spence
- Lights of New York (1928) - 'Hawk' Miller
- The Good-Bye Kiss (1928) - Sgt. Hoffman
- While the City Sleeps (1928) - Eddie 'Mile-Away' Skeeter Carlson
- The Power of the Press (1928) - Van
- What a Night! (1928) - Mike Corney
- Morgan's Last Raid (1929) - John Bland
- The Devil's Chaplain (1929) - Nicholay
- The Shakedown (1929) - Manager
- The Donovan Affair (1929) - Porter
- Father and Son (1929) - Anton Lebau
- On with the Show (1929) - Durant
- Handcuffed (1929) - Tom Bennett
- Hurricane (1929) - First Mate (uncredited)
- The Girl from Woolworth's (1929) - Lawrence Mayfield
- Shanghai Lady (1929) - Repen
- Little Johnny Jones (1929) - Wyman
- The Show of Shows (1929) - Performer in 'The Pirate' Number (uncredited)
- Roaring Ranch (1930) - Ramsey Kane
- The Big Fight (1930) - Steve
- The Bad Man (1930)
- On Your Back (1930) - 'Lucky' Jim Seymour
- The Costello Case (1930) - Mile-Away-Harry
- The Lawless Woman (1931) - 'Poker' WIlson
- Sky Raiders (1931) - Willard
- The Good Bad Girl (1931) - Moreland
- The Back Page (1931, Short)
- First Aid (1931) - Michael Rush
- Devil on Deck (1932) - Shanghai Morgan
- Texas Cyclone (1932) - Utah Becker
- The Airmail Mystery (1932, Serial) - Judson Ward
- The Riding Tornado (1932) - Hatch Engall
- Two-Fisted Law (1932) - Bob Russell
- Beauty Parlor (1932) - Fremont
- The Honor of the Press (1932) - Roger Bradley
- The Boiling Point (1932) - Holt Norbo - Bank Cashier
- Gorilla Ship (1932) - Philip Wells
- The Western Code (1932) - Nick Grindell
- The Heart Punch (1932) - Spike Patterson
- Speed Demon (1932) - Pete Stenner
- Guilty or Not Guilty (1932) - Joe
- End of the Trail (1932) - Major Jenkins
- Sundown Rider (1932) - Laughing Maxey
- Man of Action (1933) - Sheriff Clem Norton
- Revenge at Monte Carlo (1933) - Spike Maguire
- Silent Men (1933) - Ed Wilder
- Soldiers of the Storm (1933) - George
- Rusty Rides Alone (1933) - Poe Powers
- Hold the Press (1933) - Hugh Abbott
- Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933) - Sam (uncredited)
- Blood Money (1933) - Gangster with Shotgun (uncredited)
- Palooka (1934) - Rafferty (uncredited)
- Paradise Valley (1934) - 'Smiley' Mason
- The Lost Jungle (1934) - Kirby
- One Is Guilty (1934) - Toledo Eddie Marchetti
- Operator 13 (1934) - Scout (uncredited)
- In Old Santa Fe (1934) - Tracy
- Frontier Days (1934) - Henry Jethrow
- Undercover Men (1934) - Insp. A.R. McCrae
- Murder in the Clouds (1934) - Joe
- Square Shooter (1935) - Jim Thorne
- The Phantom Empire (1935) - Lord Argo
- The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) - Detective Jones (uncredited)
- G Men (1935) - Gangster at Lodge Wanting to Quit (uncredited)
- The Headline Woman (1935) - Panther Fielding
- Motive for Revenge (1935) - Doane
- Code of the Mounted (1935) - Duval
- Death from a Distance (1935) - Langsdale, aka George Fremont
- Born to Gamble (1935) - Jeff Drugan (uncredited)
- Trails of the Wild (1935) - Hardy
- The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935) - Henchman Wheeler
- The Man from Guntown (1935) - Henry DeLong
- Annapolis Farewell (1935) - Cmdr. Lawson
- Special Agent (1935) - Julie's Kidnapper (uncredited)
- Timber War (1935) - Murdock
- The Mysterious Avenger (1936) - Brophy
- Roarin' Guns (1936) - Walton
- Darkest Africa (1936, Serial) - Durkin
- Song of the Trail (1936) - Bob Arnold
- Thoroughbred (1936) - Duke Foster
- Aces and Eights (1936) - Ace Morgan
- Kelly the Second (1936) - Bookie (uncredited)
- Ghost Patrol (1936) - Kincaid
- Gambling with Souls (1936) - 'Lucky' Wilder
- Death in the Air (1936) - Lt. Douglas Thompson
- Bank Alarm (1937) - Joe Karlotti
- Slaves in Bondage (1937) - Jim Murray
- Radio Patrol (1937, Serial) - Stevens
- Land of Fighting Men (1938) - Wallace
- Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Serial) - Tarnak
- Code of the Rangers (1938) - Blackie Miller
- The Texans (1938) - Union Captain (uncredited)
- Red Barry (1938, Serial) Weaver
- In Old Montana (1939) - Jim Dawson
- The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939, Serial) - Manny - Fake Drunk (Ch. 9) (uncredited)
- Buck Rogers (1939, Serial) - Lieutenant Patten
- Wolf Call (1939) - Carson
- Mutiny in the Big House (1939) - Prison Guard Benson
- Torture Ship (1939) - John Ritter
- Buried Alive (1939) - Manning
- Power Dive (1941) - Sam - 1st Bartender (uncredited)
- The Medico of Painted Springs (1941) - Fred Burns
- Escort Girl (1941) - Gregory Stone
- Double Trouble (1941) - Kimble
- So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) - Blackie Hale, Henderson's Triggerman (uncredited)
- Bowery at Midnight (1942) - Stratton
- Fall In (1942) - Army Officer (uncredited)
- The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943, Serial) - Freighter Mate [Chs. 7-8] (uncredited)
- The Fighting Buckaroo (1943) - Sam Thatcher (uncredited)
- Kid Dynamite (1943) - Tony - Bookie
- The Ape Man (1943) - Police Detective Brady
- Saddles and Sagebrush (1943) - Henchman Ace Barko
- Ghosts on the Loose (1943) - Tony
- Spotlight Scandals (1943) - Promoter
- The Girl from Monterrey (1943) - Fight Announcer
- Campus Rhythm (1943) - Sponsor (uncredited)
- What a Man! (1944) - Tim - 1st Detective
- Sundown Valley (1944) - Cab Baxter (uncredited)
- Riding West (1944) - Captain Amos Karnes
- Three of a Kind (1944) - Oliver
- Bowery Champs (1944) - Tom Wilson
- Mom and Dad (1945) - Bourbon Drinker on Train
- Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Serial) - Joe Heller / Lew Heller (uncredited)
- Rough Ridin' Justice (1945) - Virgil Trent (uncredited)
- Trouble Chasers (1945) - Dek Sharp
- Allotment Wives (1945) - Bartender (uncredited)
- Who's Guilty? (1945, Serial) - Smiley
- Hop Harrigan (1946, Serial) - Alex Ballard
- In Fast Company (1946) - Cabbie-Henchman with graying mustache (uncredited)
- Son of the Guardsman (1946, Serial) - Lord Markham (uncredited)
- Jack Armstrong (1947, Serial) - Prof. Hobart Zorn
- Brick Bradford (1947, Serial) - Louis Walthar
- Superman (1948, Serial) - Dr. Fredrick Larkin (uncredited) (final film role)
References
- "Wheeler Oakman". New York Times. March 20, 1949.
- "Seven Reels of Speech". The New York Times. July 9, 1928.
- Katchmer, George A. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 283. ISBN 9780786446933. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
- Spiller, L.P. (August 1915). "Wheeler Oakman, Youngest Leading Man". The Movie Magazine. Movie Magazine Publishing Company, Incorporated. 1 (6): 36. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- "Star of Silent Films Succumbs in Hollywood". Joplin Globe. Missouri, Joplin. Associated Press. March 20, 1949. p. 9. Retrieved June 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
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