Harlan Briggs

Also Known As: Harlan Paul Briggs

Biography: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Harlan Briggs (August 17, 1879 – January 26, 1952) was an American actor and vaudeville performer who was active from the 1930s until his death in 1952. During the course of his career he appeared on Broadway, in over 100 films, as well as appearing on television once towards the end of his career. Briggs was born in Blissfield, Michigan. Although he was a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, he chose to go into acting rather than pursue a career in law. His acting career began in vaudeville at around the beginning of the 20th century. He would make his Broadway debut in 1926, in the drama Up the Line. He worked steadily on Broadway through 1935. On August 6, 1929 he began a successful run in the featured role of G. A. Appleby in It's a Wise Child at the Belasco Theatre. In 1934 he had another featured role in the successful play Dodsworth, as Tubby Pearson. The show opened at the Shubert Theatre on February 24, 1934 and ran for 147 performances, starring Walter Huston as Samuel Dodsworth. After a six-week hiatus, the show reopened at the Shubert on August 20 and ran for an additional 168 performances. When Samuel Goldwyn bought the rights to the play, Briggs was one of two of the original Broadway cast to reprise their roles in the film, the other being Huston in the title role. Briggs would focus on his film career for the remainder of the 1930s, before returning to Broadway in the 1940s, combining both stage and screen performances during that decade. The most successful of his Broadway appearances in the 1940s was as Constable Small in Ramshackle Inn, which featured ZaSu Pitts in her Broadway debut. The Story of Mary Surratt, in which Briggs appeared in 1947, was Briggs' 400th play. Beginning with Dodsworth, Briggs worked consistently in films over the next 16 years, until his death in 1952, appearing in over 100 films. His most famous role was as Dr. Stall in the 1940 comedy classic The Bank Dick, starring W.C. Fields. Other notable films in which he appeared include After the Thin Man (1936), Stella Dallas (1937), Having Wonderful Time (1938), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), My Little Chickadee (1940), Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), State Fair (1945), Night and Day (1946), Little Women (1949), Goodbye, My Fancy (1951), and Carrie (1952). The last film on which Briggs worked was The Sea Hornet, which was in production in April and May 1951, and released later that year. On January 26, 1952, Briggs died in Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital from complications resulting from a heart attack. His death occurred almost half a year prior to the release of Carrie. Briggs married actress Viola Scott on July 3, 1914. They had four sons.

Department: Acting

Place of Birth: Blissfield, Michigan, USA

Adult: No

Birthday: August 16, 1879

Age: 145 years old

Gender: Male

Deathday: January 26, 1952

Popularity:

1.65%

Known For:

Blondie Takes a Vacation
Reckless Living
Conflict
A Double Life
Having Wonderful Time
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise
Maisie
A Yank at Oxford
Kissing Time
A Family Affair
Danger Street
A Man to Remember
Happy Go Lucky
Riding on Air
Exclusive
Boy Trouble
Humoresque
Among the Living
Cynthia
Meet the Girls
The Missing Guest
Quick Money
Spoilers of the North
Live, Love and Learn
Easy Living
Stella Dallas
One Wild Night
Tell No Tales
Personality Kid
Beg, Borrow or Steal
The Bank Dick
The Mysterious Miss X
Carrie
Seasoned Greetings
Made for Each Other
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Calling Dr. Kildare
Fifth Avenue Girl
Frontier Marshal
The Man They Could Not Hang
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Bad Little Angel
The Man Who Wouldn't Talk
Flight at Midnight
Brother Orchid
Edison, the Man
My Little Chickadee
Sing, You Sinners
I Love You Again
Lucky Partners
The Sea Hornet
Cafe Society
My Pal Trigger
Young as You Feel
Opening Day
Dodsworth
The Remarkable Andrew
There's One Born Every Minute
The Vanishing Virginian
Behind the Mike
Marked Woman
Magnificent Doll
Mad Holiday
Mysterious Intruder
Trouble at Midnight
One Foot in Heaven
Canyon Passage
You and Me