--- name: "Morgan Wallace" canonical: "https://film.one/person/morgan-wallace" fi1m_id: "morgan-wallace" imdb_id: "nm0908797" tmdb_id: 99375 wikidata_id: "Q3324005" roles: ["Actor"] born: "24 July 1881" died: "12 December 1953" reviewed_on_fi1m: 3 average_fi1m_score: 77 average_as: "actor" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-09-25T05:44:05.337731+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." --- # Morgan Wallace ## Identity Morgan Wallace - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/morgan-wallace - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** morgan-wallace - **IMDb ID:** nm0908797 - **TMDB ID:** 99375 - **Wikidata ID:** Q3324005 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Wallace, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3324005, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908797/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/99375 Actor. Born 24 July 1881 in Lompoc, California, USA. Died 12 December 1953. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 24 July 1881, Lompoc, California, USA - **Died:** 12 December 1953 - **Active:** 1921–1934 - **Also known as:** Maier Weill - **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 2 acting, 1 other - **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as actor, over 2 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1920s 73 (1), 1930s 81 (1), 1940s 81 (1) - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Wallace, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3324005, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908797/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/99375 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Orphans of the Storm*](https://film.one/film/orphans-of-the-storm.md) (73) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Morgan Wallace > Morgan Wallace is worth noticing for the respectable manner that makes an unreasonable man seem briefly entitled to his demands. We value him most beside W.C. Fields, where a customer’s persistence becomes a precise source of comic aggravation. In *It's a Gift* (1934), Morgan Wallace's James Fitchmueller keeps asking W.C. Fields' grocer for kumquats. It is a modest request, repeated until it becomes an ordeal. We laughed at his persistence, because each renewed demand gives Fields another petty difficulty to endure. Wallace's contribution is small, but the timing matters: repetition needs to keep making the situation worse if it is going to remain funny. This is where we rate him most highly, giving a comic lead someone specific and maddening to deal with. The Marquis de Praille in *Orphans of the Storm* (1921) is a nastier use of the same respectable bearing. D.W. Griffith casts Wallace as a lecherous aristocrat, though our recommendation rests chiefly on Lillian Gish and the film's suspense. Its emphatic storytelling can be tiring, and Wallace's presence is no reason to overlook that. Beside the kumquat customer, however, the marquis helps make sense of a career full of businessmen, officials and urbane villains: he is useful when somebody in a scene expects to be accommodated. Between those films came a retreat to the stage. Wallace had also worked with Griffith on *Dream Street* (1921), then left films in the mid-1920s before returning around 1930 as sound took hold. His subsequent freelance character work included a chauffeur in *Grand Hotel* (1932) and the district attorney E.A. Smith in *The Mouthpiece* (1932). Those parts put him at different levels of the social order, without making him the central attraction. His reputation rests on a few recognisable parts, particularly the encounter with Fields, rather than on leading dramatic roles. *My Little Chickadee* (1940) gave him another supporting appearance beside Fields, this time as a gambler. We would still begin with *It's a Gift*, where his comic timing has such a clear purpose. The family aggravation can outlast our patience, so we recommend the film with that reservation. Save it for an evening when other people's unreasonable demands have begun to seem funny again. ## Biography Morgan Wallace (born Maier Weill) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1914 and 1946, often in supporting or uncredited character roles. He began his screen career after experience on the New York stage. Wallace is noted for his performances in two W.C. Fields comedies: as the persistent customer James Fitchmueller in *It's a Gift* (1934) and in *My Little Chickadee* (1940). Other credits include the Marquis de Praille in *Orphans of the Storm* (1921), roles in *Gaslight* (1944), *Fury* (1936) and *Grand Hotel* (1932), and appearances in several Charlie Chan and Mr Moto films. He retired from acting in 1946. Born in Lompoc, California, Wallace attended the University of California. He was married to actress Louise Chapman Wallace and was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, allmovie.com.* ## On Fi1m (3) ### Performed in (2) — the average rests on these - *It's a Gift* (1934), Fi1m 81, as James Fitchmueller — [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-gift.md) - *Orphans of the Storm* (1921), Fi1m 73, as Marquis de Praille — [page](https://film.one/film/orphans-of-the-storm.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *Gaslight* (1944), Fi1m 81, as Fred Garrett (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/gaslight.md) ## Complete filmography (104) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Falcon's Alibi* (1946), as Bender - *Dick Tracy* (1945), as Steve Owens - *I'll Remember April* (1945), as Henry Childs - *Song of the Sarong* (1945), as Cyrus P. Adams - *Gaslight* (1944), as Fred Garrett (uncredited) — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/gaslight.md) - *Sea Raiders* (1941), as Capt. Lester - *Honky Tonk* (1941), as Mayor Adams (uncredited) - *Harmon of Michigan* (1941), as Alumni Committee Man - *Scattergood Meets Broadway* (1941), as Reynolds - *In Old Colorado* (1941), as Sheriff Collins - *Ellery Queen, Master Detective* (1940), as Zachary - *Three Men from Texas* (1940), as Captain Andrews - *Spring Parade* (1940), as Frederick - Aide-de-Camp (uncredited) - *I Love You Again* (1940), as Mr. Phil Belenson - *Blame It on Love* (1940), as Mr. Wadsworth - *Teddy the Rough Rider* (1940), as First Financier - *My Little Chickadee* (1940), as Gambler (uncredited) - *Parole Fixer* (1940), as Ben - *Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation* (1939), as David Perez - *Timber Stampede* (1939), as Dunlap - *Union Pacific* (1939), as Sen. Smith (uncredited) - *Broadway Serenade* (1939), as Mr. Park (uncredited) - *The Mystery of Mr. Wong* (1939), as Brandon Edwards - *Star Reporter* (1939), as Joe Draper - *Gang Bullets* (1938), as 'Big Bill' Anderson - *Billy The Kid Returns* (1938), as J. B. Morganson - *Delinquent Parents* (1938), as Charles Wharton, as an adult - *They're Always Caught* (1938), as Crime Boss Big Matty (uncredited) - *Woman Against Woman* (1938), as Morton - *Numbered Woman* (1938), as Blake - *Hold That Kiss* (1938), as Mr. Wood - *The Lady in the Morgue* (1938), as Inspector Layman - *Under Suspicion* (1937), as Carey MacGregor - *The Californian* (1937), as Tod Barsto - *Charlie Chan at the Olympics* (1937), as Honorable Charles Zaraka - *The House of Secrets* (1936), as Dr. Kenmore - *Mister Cinderella* (1936), as Mr. Emmett Fawcett - *Fury* (1936), as Fred Garrett - *Human Cargo* (1936), as Gilbert Fender - *Robin Hood of El Dorado* (1936), as Hacendado Wanting to Fight - *Love on a Bet* (1936), as Morton, Escaped Con - *Sutter's Gold* (1936), as General Fremont - *Dangerous Waters* (1936), as Heegan (uncredited) - *Mary Burns, Fugitive* (1935), as Managing editor - *Rendezvous* (1935), as Gardner (uncredited) - *$1,000 a Minute* (1935), as Big Jim Bradley - *Confidential* (1935), as H. Van Cleve - *Thunder Mountain* (1935), as Rand Leavitt - *Dante's Inferno* (1935), as Captain Morgan - *The Headline Woman* (1935), as Clarkey - *The Devil Is a Woman* (1935), as Dr. Mendez (uncredited) - *Murder on a Honeymoon* (1935), as McArthur aka Arthur Mack - *It's a Gift* (1934), as James Fitchmueller — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/its-a-gift.md) - *The Third Sex* (1934), as Paul Van Dyne - *Cheating Cheaters* (1934), as Holmes - *We Live Again* (1934), as The Colonel - *Many Happy Returns* (1934), as Nathan Silas - *The Trumpet Blows* (1934), as Police Inspector - *I Believed in You* (1934), as Oliver Lang i.e. Long - *David Harum* (1934), as Mr. Blake (uncredited) - *Sleepers East* (1934), as Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited) - *Mr. Skitch* (1933), as Jones - *Above the Clouds* (1933), as Chandler - *Bombshell* (1933), as H.E. Gillette (uncredited) - *Golden Harvest* (1933), as Trading Center Spokesman (uncredited) - *Mama Loves Papa* (1933), as Mr. McIntosh - *Jennie Gerhardt* (1933), as O'Brien (uncredited) - *Terror Aboard* (1933), as Morton Hazlitt - *Smoke Lightning* (1933), as Sheriff Archie Kyle - *Central Park* (1932), as District Attorney (uncredited) - *If I Had a Million* (1932), as Mike - Jackson's Gangster Friend (uncredited) - *Wild Girl* (1932), as Phineas Baldwin - *Blonde Venus* (1932), as Dr. Pierce - *Grand Hotel* (1932), as Chauffeur - *Lady and Gent* (1932), as Cash Enright - *Fast Companions* (1932), as Cueball Kelly - *The Wet Parade* (1932), as Bootlegger Leader (uncredited) - *The Mouthpiece* (1932), as E.A. Smith - *Steady Company* (1932), as Tuxedo Carter - *The Final Edition* (1932), as Attorney Neil Selby - *Hell's House* (1932), as Frank Gebhardt - *Safe in Hell* (1931), as Mr. Bruno - *Expensive Women* (1931), as Arthur Raymond's Pal - *The Unholy Garden* (1931), as Captain Kruger - *Alexander Hamilton* (1931), as James Monroe - *Women Go on Forever* (1931), as Jake - *The Maltese Falcon* (1931), as District Attorney (uncredited) - *It Pays to Advertise* (1931), as L.R. McChesney - *Big Money* (1930), as Durkin - *Up the River* (1930), as Frosby (uncredited) - *Sisters* (1930), as William Tully - *Reckless Romance* (1924), as Harold Shrewsbury - *Sandra* (1924), as François Molyneaux - *A Woman Who Sinned* (1924), as George Ransdell - *Torment* (1924), as Jules Carstock - *The Dangerous Maid* (1923), as Col. Percy Kirk - *The Fighting Blade* (1923), as Lord Robert Erisey - *One Exciting Night* (1922), as J. Wilson Rockmaine - *Orphans of the Storm* (1921), as Marquis de Praille — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/orphans-of-the-storm.md) - *Dream Street* (1921), as Masked Violinist - *Flying Pat* (1920), as William Endicott - *Bringing Up Betty* (1919), as Duke of Medonia - *Tillie's Punctured Romance* (1914), as Thief in 'A Thief's Fate' (uncredited) - *Caught in a Flue* (1914), Director ## Gallery - ![Morgan Wallace in Dick Tracy - cropped screenshot (1945)](https://film.one/media/person/1234714/gallery-646155f43605.jpg) Morgan Wallace in Dick Tracy - cropped screenshot (1945) — RKO Radio Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Morgan_Wallace_in_Dick_Tracy_%281945%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Low resolution screenshot of Morgan Wallace in the American public domain film Hell's House (1932).](https://film.one/media/person/1234714/gallery-c0c0e493b744.jpg) Low resolution screenshot of Morgan Wallace in the American public domain film Hell's House (1932). — B.F. Zeidman Productions, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Hell%27s_House_%281932%29_-.jpg/1280px-Hell%27s_House_%281932%29_-.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![A scene from The Man on the Box, which played in Seattle in Dec. 1906. Includes Morgan Wallace, Clara Louise Chapman, and Helen Holmes (on right). Subjects: pla](https://film.one/media/person/1234714/gallery-7a1b1cb11c2a.jpg) A scene from The Man on the Box, which played in Seattle in Dec. 1906. Includes Morgan Wallace, Clara Louise Chapman, and Helen Holmes (on right). Subjects: pla — Joseph Hall, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/A_scene_from_%22The_Man_on_the_Box%22_%28SAYRE_12074%29.jpg/1280px-A_scene_from_%22The_Man_on_the_Box%22_%28SAYRE_12074%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Morgan Wallace](https://film.one/media/person/1234714/gallery-b1c2113f3ec9.jpg) Morgan Wallace — Image via TMDB - ![Morgan Wallace](https://film.one/media/person/1234714/gallery-eb4299a6cbfc.jpg) Morgan Wallace — 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/morgan-wallace