---
name: "King Donovan"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/king-donovan"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "25 January 1918"
died: "30 June 1987"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-20T03:25:20.440493+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# King Donovan

Actor. Born 25 January 1918 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 30 June 1987.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 25 January 1918, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 30 June 1987
- **Also known as:** Кинг Донован, Francis King Donovan
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 1 acting, 2 other
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 74 (1), 1950s 84 (2)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Donovan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11021151, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0233014/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/69811

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*The Defiant Ones*](https://film.one/film/the-defiant-ones.md) (74)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

King Donovan (25 January 1918 – 30 June 1987) was an American actor and director who worked in film, stage and television. Born Francis King Donovan in Manhattan, New York City, he appeared in supporting roles in films including an uncredited part in *Singin' in the Rain* (1952), Jack Belicec in *Invasion of the Body Snatchers* (1956) and Solly in *The Defiant Ones* (1958).

His other screen credits include *All the King's Men* (1949), *The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms* (1953), *The Hanging Tree* (1959) and *It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World* (1963). He also directed the feature *Promises..... Promises!* (1963) and episodes of television series. Donovan was married to actress and comedian Imogene Coca from 1960 until his death.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Performed in (1) — the average rests on these

- *The Defiant Ones* (1958), Fi1m 74, as Solly — [page](https://film.one/film/the-defiant-ones.md)

### Also credited (2) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Singin' in the Rain* (1952), Fi1m 93, as Rod (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain.md)
- *All the King's Men* (1949), Fi1m 74, as Reporter (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-kings-men.md)

## Complete filmography (89)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Creepy Classics* (1987), as Jack Belicec - (archive footage)
- *Nothing Lasts Forever* (1984), as Lunartini Husband
- *Morning's at Seven* (1982), as Carl Bolton
- *The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies* (1981), as Andy Miller
- *Night Gallery* (1970), series, as Husband (segment "The Merciful")
- *That Girl* (1966), series, Director
- *The Big Valley* (1965), series, as Ambrose
- *Please Don't Eat the Daisies* (1965), series, as Herb
- *Profiles in Courage* (1964), series, as Rev. Mr. May
- *It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World* (1963), as Airport Official (uncredited)
- *Arrest and Trial* (1963), series, Actor
- *Promises! Promises!* (1963), Director
- *The Thrill of It All* (1963), as TV Executive (uncredited)
- *The Beverly Hillbillies* (1962), series, as Jake Clampett
- *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Lou Desmond
- *The Tall Man* (1960), series, Actor
- *Mr. Lucky* (1959), series, as Willie Conway
- *Riverboat* (1959), series, as Paddy Britt
- *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Twirly Boggs
- *The Hanging Tree* (1959), as Wonder
- *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Poke Tolliver
- *The Perfect Furlough* (1958), as Major Collins
- *77 Sunset Strip* (1958), series, Actor
- *Bat Masterson* (1958), series, as Shorty Keenan
- *Wanted: Dead or Alive* (1958), series, as Sheridan Appleby
- *The Defiant Ones* (1958), as Solly — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/the-defiant-ones.md)
- *Cowboy* (1958), as Joe Capper, Trailhand
- *Trackdown* (1957), series, as Dean Burke, Lane Sawyer
- *Maverick* (1957), series, as Mark Dawson
- *Wagon Train* (1957), series, as Henry Bennett
- *Richard Diamond, Private Detective* (1957), series, as Hamilton Chase
- *The Iron Sheriff* (1957), as Leveret
- *The Comedian* (1957), as The Director
- *Playhouse 90* (1956), series, as The Director
- *The Gale Storm Show* (1956), series, Actor
- *The Adventures of Jim Bowie* (1956), series, Actor
- *Invasion of the Body Snatchers* (1956), as Jack Belicec
- *The Seven Little Foys* (1955), as Officer Harrison
- *Frontier* (1955), series, as Joe Thornton
- *Navy Log* (1955), series, Actor
- *Not as a Stranger* (1955), as Mr. Slocum (uncredited)
- *The Bob Cummings Show* (1955), series, as Harvey Helm
- *December Bride* (1954), series, Actor
- *Broken Lance* (1954), as Clerk (uncredited)
- *Medic* (1954), series, as Sam Conners
- *Private Hell 36* (1954), as Evney Serovitch (uncredited)
- *The Whistler* (1954), series, Actor
- *The Bamboo Prison* (1954), as Pop
- *Public Defender* (1954), series, Actor
- *Riders to the Stars* (1954), as James O'Herli
- *Tumbleweed* (1953), as Wrangler
- *Forever Female* (1953), as Playwright at Sardi's
- *Easy to Love* (1953), as Ben
- *Letter to Loretta* (1953), series, as Decorator
- *City of Bad Men* (1953), as Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
- *Hannah Lee: An American Primitive* (1953), as Sheriff's Deputy
- *The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms* (1953), as Dr. Ingersoll
- *The Magnetic Monster* (1953), as Dr. Dan Forbes
- *Four Star Playhouse* (1952), series, as Thin Man, Drunk
- *The Merry Widow* (1952), as Nitki
- *Sally and Saint Anne* (1952), as Hymie Callahan, Trainer
- *Glory Alley* (1952), as Telephone Technician (uncredited)
- *Singin' in the Rain* (1952), as Rod (uncredited) — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain.md)
- *Something to Live For* (1952), as Stage Manager (uncredited)
- *The Unknown Man* (1951), as News Photographer on Courthouse Steps (uncredited)
- *Come Fill the Cup* (1951), as Kip Zunches (uncredited)
- *Angels in the Outfield* (1951), as McGee
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Hardy
- *Behave Yourself!* (1951), as Lingerie Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
- *His Kind of Woman* (1951), as Reporter (uncredited)
- *Little Big Horn* (1951), as Pvt. James Corbo
- *Racket Squad* (1951), series, Actor
- *The Prince Who Was a Thief* (1951), as (uncredited)
- *The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok* (1951), series, Actor
- *The Scarf* (1951), as Piano Player
- *The Redhead and the Cowboy* (1951), as Clerk at trading post
- *The Enforcer* (1951), as Sergeant Whitlow
- *Storm Warning* (1951), as Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
- *The Sun Sets at Dawn* (1950), as Reporter, National News Service
- *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Eddie Slate
- *A Lady Without Passport* (1950), as Surgeon (uncredited)
- *Mystery Street* (1950), as Reporter at Beach House (uncredited)
- *One Way Street* (1950), as Grieder
- *Side Street* (1950), as Detective Gottschalk
- *The Pilgrimage Play* (1949), as Salathiel
- *All the King's Men* (1949), as Reporter (uncredited) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/all-the-kings-men.md)
- *Alias Nick Beal* (1949), as Peter Wolfe
- *Shockproof* (1949), as Joe Wilson (Uncredited)
- *Open Secret* (1948), as Fawnes, Bigot Gang Member

## Gallery

- ![King Donovan](https://film.one/media/person/294145/gallery-abb293e4deaa.jpg) King Donovan — Givememoney17 at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Kingdonovan.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Publicity photo of Imogene Coca and her husband, King Donovan. The couple was touring in a production of You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running.](https://film.one/media/person/294145/gallery-4b7ada5c1fe2.jpg) Publicity photo of Imogene Coca and her husband, King Donovan. The couple was touring in a production of You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running. — Andrews-Garner Attractions, Inc. This was the Denver booking company for the play.

Uploaded by We hope at en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Imogene_Coca_and_King_Donovan_1968.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Color lobby card for the 1956 American science fiction movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Allied Artists, 1956. Assumed to be in the public domain as no copy](https://film.one/media/person/294145/gallery-9e15bffb5786.jpg) Color lobby card for the 1956 American science fiction movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Allied Artists, 1956. Assumed to be in the public domain as no copy — Allied Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers1956Crop.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Color lobby card for the 1956 American science fiction movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Allied Artists, 1956. Assumed to be in the public domain as no copy](https://film.one/media/person/294145/gallery-858c1fb6d296.jpg) Color lobby card for the 1956 American science fiction movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Allied Artists, 1956. Assumed to be in the public domain as no copy — Allied Artists, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/InasvionOfTheBodySnatchers1956ECrop.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![King Donovan](https://film.one/media/person/294145/gallery-ffabf5a5d861.jpg) King Donovan — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/king-donovan