Olin Howland
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Olin Ross Howland (February 10, 1886 – September 20, 1959) was an American film and theatre actor.
Howland was born in Denver, Colorado, to Joby A. Howland, one of the youngest enlisted participants in the Civil War, and Mary C. Bunting. His older sister was the famous stage actress Jobyna Howland.
From 1909 to 1927, Howland appeared on Broadway in musicals, occasionally performing in silent films. The musicals include Leave It to Jane (1917), Two Little Girls in Blue (1921) and Wildflower (1923). He was in the film Janice Meredith (1924) with Marion Davies. With the advent of sound films, his theatre background proved an asset, and he concentrated mostly on films thereafter, appearing in nearly two hundred movies between 1918 and 1958.
Howland often played eccentric and rural roles in Hollywood. His parts were often small and uncredited, and he never got a leading role. He was a personal favorite of David O. Selznick, who cast him in his movies Nothing Sacred (1937) as a strange luggage man, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938, as the teacher Mr. Dobbins) and Gone with the Wind (1939) as a carpetbagger businessman. He also played in numerous westerns from Republic Pictures, including the John Wayne films In Old California (1942) and Angel and the Badman (1947). As a young man, Howland learned to fly at the Wright Flying School and soloed on a Wright Model B. This lent special sentiment in his scenes with James Stewart in the film The Spirit of St. Louis (1957), as Stewart was also a pilot in real life. The Spirit of St. Louis and Them (1954),where he played a drunken old man, and The Blob (1958) were his last films.
He also played in telelevision shows during the 1950s. In 1958 and 1959, he was cast as Charley Perkins in five episodes of ABC's sitcom The Real McCoys, starring Walter Brennan.
Howland never married and had no children. He worked until his death in Hollywood, California, at the age of 73.
Known For
Acting
1939
asA Carpetbagger Businessman
1939
asEncyclopedia Salesman
1942
asOffice Worker (uncredited)
1933
asEddie
1954
asJensen
1938
asMr. Dobbins - Schoolmaster
1944
asBit Part
1944
asTrain Vendor (uncredited)
1943
asReynolds
1947
asBradley
1942
asBright
1958
asThe Old Man
1945
asJoe Ellis (uncredited)
1944
asPainter's Foreman (uncredited)
1936
asDetective Dunhill
1948
asCook
1937
asBaggage Man
1938
asTrinidad Joe
1936
asMr. Blair
1942
asBlair Fletcher
1943
asGoodwillie, Bluecliff Driver
1933
asMr. Davis (uncredited)
1941
asDr. Williams
1944
asBigelow (as Olin Howlin)
1941
asJasper Trench
1987
asOld Man - (archive footage)
1918
asHugh Columbus McGinty
1918
as1918
asHoration Whiffle
1942
as
1950
asRusty (uncredited)
1940
asStation Master
1942
asJonathan Meek
1949
as
1939
asAttorney Culpepper
1935
asCarlton
1942
asJailer
1935
asDr. Croker
1955
asSam
1951
asDan Dugan
1937
asHotel manager
1936
asWilbur Strong
1943
asHomer Todds
1937
asJones
1957
asWill Collins
1946
asNewspaper Clerk (uncredited)
1937
asSouthern sales manager
1936
asPrison Farm Doctor
1936
asLawyer
1935
asBob Catlett
1938
asTom Slack
1938
asPeter Finlay
1947
asGas Man
1953
asMailman
1943
asDriver (uncredited)
1938
asJed Smith
1931
asIsaac as an Adult
1938
asBaxter
1942
asJacob Diezel
1938
asMr. X, the Safecracker
1948
asFinnegan
1940
asCisco Tridd
1950
asStoryteller on Bench
1935
asStage Manager
1934
asPirate of the Spanish Main
1935
asDoc (uncredited)
1941
asFrank (uncredited)
1944
asJoe the Barber
1947
asEd the Watchman (uncredited)
1938
asSlim
1943
asMr. Deveraux
1925
asElmer Lovejoy
1948
asRemedy Williams
1954
asCharley (uncredited)
1936
asHarrison
1942
asFrank Stevens
1939
asPolice Sergeant Entwhistle
1939
asFarmer (uncredited)
1932
asSecretary
1942
asThe professor
1939
asMuncie Undersheriff
1939
asJoe - a Policeman (uncredited)
1939
asUndertaker
1945
asPinky Snyder
1947
asAlkali
1945
asDead Eye
1949
asSam - Connecticut Postman (uncredited)
1924
asPhilemon
1922
asDeath
1944
asGas Station Owner
1940
asTelegrapher (Indian Attack)
1944
asMoorehousse
1945
asDevlin's Driver (as Olin Howlin)
1936
asCourt Starrett
1938
asDeputy Sheriff Burt (Uncredited)
1940
asDr. Clump
1941
asConstable Sam Smedley (as Olin Howlin)
1942
asOscar Mayberry
1948
asJeff Anderson
1945
asHank (uncredited)
1936
asDave Dyer
1944
asEben Whelock
1940
asClerk at Lakewood Lodge (uncredited)
1937
asDoorman
1957
asSurplus Dealer (uncredited)
1935
asWilbur Strong
1950
asSaloonkeeper
1945
asAndrews
1942
asSunrise (as Olin Howlin)
1941
asCorky
1945
asJustice of Peace
1944
asJed (as Olin Howlin)
1933
asWheat Farmer (uncredited)
1949
asStore Proprietor (as Olin Howlin)
1942
asUndetermined Minor Role
1942
asCarpenter (uncredited)
1936
asDr. MacDuffy
1957
asJoe (uncredited)
1935
asEaves
2003
asSelf (archive footage)
1937
asStagecoach Driver
1948
asVeterinarian (uncredited)
1951
asDesk Clerk (as Olin Howlin)
1932
asJacob Dogadunk (uncredited)
1948
asJonathan Sloane, undertaker
1947
asGardener
1946
asMarcus Le Blaine
1938
asAppleby
1950
asMilo Williams
1942
asThe Professor
1943
asSheriff (uncredited)
1934
asBill O'Leary
1949
asMilo Williams
1946
asLuke
1945
asCensus Taker
1939
asClerk
1945
asPrince de la Mour
1949
asSkinny Santa Claus (Uncredited)
1935
asUndetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)
1937
asPappy Burnside
1941
asFarmer
1942
asCemetery Organist (uncredited)
1952
asJustice of the Peace (as Olin Howlin)
1936
asBridgeport Sheriff (uncredited)
1936
asSmythe, Floorwalker
1941
asTrain Station Master (uncredited)
1949
asWindy
1945
asSteward
1950
asHunter (uncredited)
1940
asPa Blower
asMr. Skinner
asSheriff
as
as
as
asasPete Walters
asBartender
Production
Crew
Directing
