Preston Foster

Preston Foster

Preston Foster (August 24, 1900 – July 14, 1970) was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley. Some of his notable films include: Doctor X (1932), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Annie Oakley (1935), The Last Days of Pompeii (also 1935), The Informer (1935) (as the head of the organization), and My Friend Flicka (1943). He starred on the television drama, Waterfront (1954–1955), playing the role of Captain John Herrick. Foster has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was sometimes credited in movies as Preston S. Foster. His first wife was stage actress Gertrude Warren (1926–1945; divorced). He had one daughter, Stephanie. He was married to his second wife, actress Sheila Darcy, from 1946 until his death. During World War II while serving with the United States Coast Guard, he rose to the rank of Captain, Temporary Reserve. He eventually held the honorary rank of Commodore in the U.S. Coast Guard. After the war and before his productive movie career, Foster became a singer of some note. In 1948 Foster created a trio with himself, Gene Leis and Foster’s wife, actress Sheila Darcy. Gene arranged the songs, and they played on radio and in clubs, appearing with Orrin Tucker, Peggy Ann Garner and Rita Hayworth. Description above from the Wikipedia article Preston Foster, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

More details

Known For

Filmography

2022

Lucy and Desi
Lucy and Desi
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 1/21/2022

1997

Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 5/12/1997

1975

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
as Self (archive footage)
Movie - Released: 8/6/1975

1968

Chubasco
Chubasco
as Nick
Movie - Released: 4/14/1968

1967

You've Got To Be Smart
You've Got To Be Smart
as D. O. Griggs
Movie - Released: 4/28/1967

1964

The Time Travelers
The Time Travelers
as Dr. Erik von Steiner
Movie - Released: 10/29/1964
Advance to the Rear
Advance to the Rear
as Gen. Bateman (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 6/10/1964

1963

The Man from Galveston
The Man from Galveston
as Judge Homer Black
Movie - Released: 12/18/1963

1962

Going My Way
Going My Way
TV - Released: 10/3/1962

1961

Target: The Corruptors!
Target: The Corruptors!
TV - Released: 9/29/1961
Gunslinger
Gunslinger
as Captain Zachary Scott
TV - Released: 2/9/1961

1960

Outlaws
Outlaws
TV - Released: 9/26/1960

1958

77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
TV - Released: 10/10/1958

1957

Movie
Destination 60,000
as Col. Ed Buckley
Movie - Released: 5/12/1957
TV
O. Henry Playhouse
as John McCaskey
TV - Released: 1/23/1957
Harbor Command
Harbor Command
TV - Released: 10/11/1957

1954

Waterfront
Waterfront
as Cap'n John Herrick
TV - Released: 8/21/1954

1953

I, the Jury
I, the Jury
as Capt. Pat Chambers
Movie - Released: 8/14/1953
Law and Order
Law and Order
as Kurt Durling
Movie - Released: 5/13/1953
The Marshal's Daughter
The Marshal's Daughter
as Preston Foster - Poker-Game Player
Movie - Released: 6/25/1953
General Electric Theater
General Electric Theater
TV - Released: 2/1/1953
Letter to Loretta
Letter to Loretta
TV - Released: 9/20/1953

1952

Kansas City Confidential
Kansas City Confidential
as Tim Foster
Movie - Released: 11/11/1952
Montana Territory
Montana Territory
as Sheriff Henry Plummer
Movie - Released: 5/31/1952

1951

The Big Night
The Big Night
as Andy La Main
Movie - Released: 12/7/1951
Tomahawk
Tomahawk
as Col. Carrington
Movie - Released: 2/5/1951
Movie
The Bogus Green
as Brass McGannon
Movie - Released: 7/6/1951
Three Desperate Men
Three Desperate Men
as Tom Denton
Movie - Released: 1/12/1951
The Big Gusher
The Big Gusher
as Hank Mason
Movie - Released: 7/1/1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
as Bob Hood
TV - Released: 10/5/1951

1950

The Tougher They Come
The Tougher They Come
as Joe MacKinley
Movie - Released: 11/16/1950

1949

I Shot Jesse James
I Shot Jesse James
as John Kelley
Movie - Released: 2/26/1949
The Big Cat
The Big Cat
as Tom Eggers
Movie - Released: 4/1/1949

1948

The Hunted
The Hunted
as Johnny Saxon
Movie - Released: 4/7/1948
Thunderhoof
Thunderhoof
as Scotty Mason
Movie - Released: 7/8/1948

1947

Ramrod
Ramrod
as Frank Ivey
Movie - Released: 5/2/1947
King of the Wild Horses
King of the Wild Horses
as Dave Taggert
Movie - Released: 3/28/1947

1946

Strange Triangle
Strange Triangle
as Sam Crane
Movie - Released: 5/17/1946
Inside Job
Inside Job
as Bart Madden
Movie - Released: 6/14/1946
Tangier
Tangier
as Col. Jose Artiego
Movie - Released: 6/6/1946
The Harvey Girls
The Harvey Girls
as Judge Sam Purvis
Movie - Released: 1/18/1946
It's Your America
It's Your America
as Army Surgeon (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 7/25/1946

1945

The Valley of Decision
The Valley of Decision
as Jim Brennan
Movie - Released: 5/3/1945
Thunderhead: Son of Flicka
Thunderhead: Son of Flicka
as Rob McLaughlin
Movie - Released: 3/15/1945
Twice Blessed
Twice Blessed
as Jeff Turner
Movie - Released: 5/31/1945
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood
as Self (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 10/5/1945

1944

Roger Touhy, Gangster
Roger Touhy, Gangster
as Roger Touhy
Movie - Released: 6/3/1944
Bermuda Mystery
Bermuda Mystery
as Steve Carramond
Movie - Released: 5/1/1944

1943

Guadalcanal Diary
Guadalcanal Diary
as Father Donnelly
Movie - Released: 10/27/1943
My Friend Flicka
My Friend Flicka
as Rob McLaughlin
Movie - Released: 5/26/1943

1942

American Empire
American Empire
as Paxton Bryce
Movie - Released: 12/11/1942
Classification of Enlisted Men
Classification of Enlisted Men
as Narrator
Movie - Released: 10/9/1942
A Gentleman After Dark
A Gentleman After Dark
as Tom Gaynor
Movie - Released: 4/16/1942
Little Tokyo, U.S.A.
Little Tokyo, U.S.A.
as Michael Steele
Movie - Released: 7/8/1942
Thunder Birds
Thunder Birds
as Steve Britt
Movie - Released: 10/28/1942
Night in New Orleans
Night in New Orleans
as Police Lt. Steve Abbott
Movie - Released: 7/1/1942
Secret Agent of Japan
Secret Agent of Japan
as Roy Bonnell
Movie - Released: 4/3/1942

1941

Unfinished Business
Unfinished Business
as Steve Duncan
Movie - Released: 8/27/1941
The Roundup
The Roundup
as Greg Lane
Movie - Released: 4/3/1941

1940

North West Mounted Police
North West Mounted Police
as Sergeant Jim Brett
Movie - Released: 10/22/1940
Moon Over Burma
Moon Over Burma
as Bill Gordon
Movie - Released: 7/26/1940
Cafe Hostess
Cafe Hostess
as Dan Walters
Movie - Released: 1/11/1940

1939

Missing Evidence
Missing Evidence
as Bill Collins
Movie - Released: 12/15/1939
Geronimo
Geronimo
as Capt. Bill Starrett
Movie - Released: 11/26/1939
News Is Made at Night
News Is Made at Night
as Steve Drum
Movie - Released: 7/20/1939
20,000 Men a Year
20,000 Men a Year
as Jim Howell
Movie - Released: 10/26/1939
Chasing Danger
Chasing Danger
as Steve Mitchell
Movie - Released: 5/5/1939
Society Smugglers
Society Smugglers
as Sully
Movie - Released: 3/1/1939

1938

Double Danger
Double Danger
as Robert Crane
Movie - Released: 1/28/1938
Army Girl
Army Girl
as Capt. Dike Conger
Movie - Released: 8/11/1938
Submarine Patrol
Submarine Patrol
as Lt. (j.g.) John C. Drake
Movie - Released: 11/25/1938
The Lady in the Morgue
The Lady in the Morgue
as Det. Bill Crane
Movie - Released: 4/22/1938
Everybody's Doing It
Everybody's Doing It
as Bruce Keene
Movie - Released: 1/14/1938
The Last Warning
The Last Warning
as Bill Crane
Movie - Released: 12/7/1938
The Storm
The Storm
as Jack Stacey
Movie - Released: 10/28/1938
Up the River
Up the River
as 'Chipper' Morgan
Movie - Released: 12/9/1938

1937

First Lady
First Lady
as Stephen Wayne
Movie - Released: 12/4/1937
You Can't Beat Love
You Can't Beat Love
as James Ellsworth 'Jimmy' Hughes
Movie - Released: 6/25/1937
Sea Devils
Sea Devils
as Michael 'Mike' O'Shea
Movie - Released: 2/19/1937
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
as John Oakhurst
Movie - Released: 4/16/1937
We Who Are About to Die
We Who Are About to Die
as Steven Mathews
Movie - Released: 1/8/1937
The Westland Case
The Westland Case
as Bill Crane - Private Detective
Movie - Released: 10/30/1937

1936

Love Before Breakfast
Love Before Breakfast
as Scott Miller
Movie - Released: 3/9/1936
Muss 'em Up
Muss 'em Up
as Tip O'Neil
Movie - Released: 2/13/1936
The Plough and the Stars
The Plough and the Stars
as Jack Clitheroe
Movie - Released: 12/26/1936

1935

Annie Oakley
Annie Oakley
as Toby Walker
Movie - Released: 11/15/1935
The Informer
The Informer
as Dan Gallagher
Movie - Released: 5/9/1935
The People's Enemy
The People's Enemy
as Vince M. Falcone
Movie - Released: 4/29/1935
The Arizonian
The Arizonian
as Tex Randolph
Movie - Released: 6/27/1935
Strangers All
Strangers All
as Murray Carter
Movie - Released: 4/1/1935
The Last Days of Pompeii
The Last Days of Pompeii
as Marcus
Movie - Released: 10/18/1935
We're Only Human
We're Only Human
as Det. Sgt. Pete 'Mac' McCaffrey
Movie - Released: 12/27/1935
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
as Preston Foster
Movie - Released: 6/21/1935

1934

Heat Lightning
Heat Lightning
as George
Movie - Released: 3/1/1934
Wharf Angel
Wharf Angel
as Como Murphy
Movie - Released: 3/15/1934
The Band Plays On
The Band Plays On
as Howdy Hardy
Movie - Released: 12/21/1934
Sleepers East
Sleepers East
as Jason Everett
Movie - Released: 1/1/1934

1933

Sensation Hunters
Sensation Hunters
as Tom baylor
Movie - Released: 8/30/1933
Ladies They Talk About
Ladies They Talk About
as David Slade
Movie - Released: 2/4/1933
Hoopla
Hoopla
as Nifty Miller
Movie - Released: 11/30/1933
Corruption
Corruption
as Tim Butler
Movie - Released: 6/18/1933
Elmer, the Great
Elmer, the Great
as Walker
Movie - Released: 4/29/1933
Just Around the Corner
Just Around the Corner
as Tim - Office Worker (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 1/17/1933
The Man Who Dared
The Man Who Dared
as Jan Novak
Movie - Released: 6/30/1933
The Devil's Mate
The Devil's Mate
as Insp. O'Brien
Movie - Released: 8/20/1933
The 42nd Street Special
The 42nd Street Special
as Self (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 2/20/1933

1932

Doctor X
Doctor X
as Dr. Wells
Movie - Released: 8/3/1932
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
as Pete
Movie - Released: 11/9/1932
The Last Mile
The Last Mile
as John 'Killer' Mears, Cell 4
Movie - Released: 8/17/1932
Life Begins
Life Begins
as Dr. Brett
Movie - Released: 9/10/1932
Two Seconds
Two Seconds
as Bud Clark
Movie - Released: 5/28/1932
You Said a Mouthful
You Said a Mouthful
as Ed Dover
Movie - Released: 11/18/1932
The All-American
The All-American
as Steve Kelly
Movie - Released: 10/1/1932

1931

His Woman
His Woman
as Crewman
Movie - Released: 11/20/1931

1930

Follow the Leader
Follow the Leader
as Two-Gun Terry
Movie - Released: 12/6/1930
Heads Up
Heads Up
as Blake
Movie - Released: 10/10/1930

1929

Nothing But the Truth
Nothing But the Truth
as Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Movie - Released: 4/20/1929