Frank McDonald

Biography

A former railroad worker, Frank McDonald came to Hollywood after a career on the stage as an actor/producer/director. At first hired as a dialogue director, McDonald turned out some scripts and in the mid-'30s began directing. Working for almost every studio in Hollywood at one time or another, he did a lot of work for Republic, grinding out Gene Autry and Roy Rogers westerns, and at the Pine/Thomas "B" unit at Paramount, churning out westerns, action dramas and war pictures. Not entirely comfortable as a director -Evelyn Keyes once said, "I've never seen anyone as terrified of directing as Frank McDonald" - he nevertheless turned out more than 100 pictures in his career.

Known For

Acting

Production

Crew

1959

Okefenokee

as

Directing

1946

My Pal Trigger

as

1944

One Body Too Many

as

1994

Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone

as

1945

Scared Stiff

as

1955

The Big Tip Off

as

1943

Submarine Alert

as

1944

Lights of Old Santa Fe

as

1946

Under Nevada Skies

as

1936

The Murder of Dr. Harrigan

as

1963

Gunfight at Comanche Creek

as

1937

Smart Blonde

as

1936

Isle of Fury

as

1936

Treachery Rides the Range

as

1941

No Hands on the Clock

as

1938

Over the Wall

as

1946

Rainbow Over Texas

as

1962

The Underwater City

as

1949

The Big Sombrero

as

1938

Blondes at Work

as

1946

Song of Arizona

as

1955

Treasure of Ruby Hills

as

1937

Dance Charlie Dance

as

1948

13 Lead Soldiers

as

1965

Mara of the Wilderness

as

1937

Fly Away Baby

as

1937

The Adventurous Blonde

as

1941

Arkansas Judge

as

1945

Tell It to a Star

as

1940

Rancho Grande

as

1936

Boulder Dam

as

1935

Broadway Hostess

as

1937

Midnight Court

as

1945

The Chicago Kid

as

1946

Sioux City Sue

as

1938

Flirting with Fate

as

1948

Mr. Reckless

as

1940

Grand Ole Opry

as

1942

Wildcat

as

1947

Linda, Be Good

as

1944

Gambler's Choice

as

1959

The Purple Gang

as

1947

Twilight on the Rio Grande

as

1936

Murder by an Aristocrat

as

1944

Timber Queen

as

1943

Hoosier Holiday

as

1943

Mountain Rhythm

as

1942

The Old Homestead

as

1940

Carolina Moon

as

1951

Yellow Fin

as

1945

Along the Navajo Trail

as

1954

Thunder Pass

as

1943

Alaska Highway

as

1936

The Big Noise

as

1937

Her Husband's Secretary

as

1950

Sierra Passage

as

1947

Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back

as

1940

Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride

as

1954

Trouble on the Trail

as

1952

The Yellow Haired Kid

as

1953

Six Gun Decision

as

1953

Secret of Outlaw Flats

as

1951

Texans Never Cry

as

1939

Jeepers Creepers

as

1940

Village Barn Dance

as

1941

Country Fair

as

1953

Border City Rustlers

as

1952

Yukon Gold

as

1944

Sing, Neighbor, Sing

as

1949

Apache Chief

as

1945

Bells of Rosarita

as

1945

Man from Oklahoma

as

1955

The Tilted Tenderfoot

as

1953

Two Gun Marshal

as

1939

First Offenders

as

1947

When a Girl's Beautiful

as

1947

Hit Parade of 1947

as

1958

Le Imprese di una Spada Leggendaria

as

1959

Mantelli e spade insanguinate

as

1954

Marshals in Disguise

as

1955

The Matchmaking Marshal

as

1940

Barnyard Follies

as

1940

In Old Missouri

as

1943

O, My Darling Clementine

as

1948

French Leave

as

1938

Freshman Year

as

1941

Flying Blind

as

1944

Take It Big

as

1941

Under Fiesta Stars

as

1942

The Traitor Within

as

1939

They Asked For It

as

1942

Shepherd of the Ozarks

as

1940

Gaucho Serenade

as

1954

Outlaw's Son

as

1949

Ringside

as

1948

Gun Smugglers

as

1936

Love Begins at Twenty

as

1938

Reckless Living

as

1936

The Song of a Nation

as

1950

Call of the Klondike

as

1950

Snow Dog

as

1951

Northwest Territory

as

1951

Yukon Manhunt

as

1952

The Ghost of Crossbone Canyon

as

1954

The Two Gun Teacher

as

1953

Son of Belle Starr

as

1945

Sunset in El Dorado

as

1955

Timber Country Trouble

as

1955

Phantom Trails

as

1942

Wrecking Crew

as

1943

Swing Your Partner

as

1951

Father Takes the Air

as

1941

Tuxedo Junction

as

1960

Raymie

as

1943

High Explosive

as

1952

Sea Tiger

as

1939

Death Goes North

as

Four Star Playhouse

as

The Range Rider

as

McHale's Navy

as

The Gene Autry Show

as

Get Smart

as

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

as

Flipper

as

The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

as

Wanted: Dead or Alive

as

Broken Arrow

as

National Velvet

as

The Whistler

as

Sheena: Queen of the Jungle

as