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The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.


 
Douglas Fowley

Birth name:
Daniel Vincent Fowley

Nickname: Doug

1911 - 1998

Douglas Fowley is an underappreciated talent in films and television.

He was born Daniel Vincent Fowley on May 30, 1911 in New York City to John James Fowley and Annie (nee O'Connor) Fowley, and in the 1920 census, his father's occupation was "Truck driver" ... and the census taker misspelled their surname as "Foley" (without the W). On September 17, 1920, his father passed away in Queens, New York City.

Existing Fowley bios have him attending St. Francis Xavier Military Academy (questionable), active in school plays, and later, doing stock theater. He found his way to Tinseltown and his first film was playing an uncredited gangster in THE MAD GAME (Fox, 1933) with Spencer Tracy. He also did a name change to Douglas Vincent Fowley.

He turns up in credited and unbilled roles in about 340 films and TV series, and his career ran about fifty years, from 1933 - early 1980s. And he didn't specialize in westerns.

Checking his filmography at the Internet Movie Database, I was surprised with his statistics (as of September, 2025). Total film and TV series appearances were 338 scattered over the years 1933 - 1982. But about a hundred were television SERIES in 1953 - 1982, and in those, he had roles in over two hundred episodes. His career summary: twenty years of movie work followed by about thirty years doing some movies and many TV shows.

He freelanced at most of the A and B grade film studios and production companies and was often typecast as a suit-wearing society gent, fast talking reporter, or a slick and slippery villain - and sportin' a mustache.

He was in the Mr. Moto, Charlie Chan and Laurel & Hardy series at 20th Century Fox; at MGM with Dr. Gillespie as well as Maisie comedies with Ann Sothern; at Monogram Pictures with the Teen Agers, Bowery Boys, and Joe Palooka; at RKO in Great Gildersleeve comedies; in Ellery Queen mysteries and Blondie and Dagwood comedies at Columbia Pictures; and he had a full (and dark) beard in a 1951 RKO Tarzan adventure starring Lex Barker.

In some of his later films and TV, he removed his false teeth (or clicked his false teeth) - an example is his performance as the cold and war weary soldier "Kipp Kippton" in MGM's BATTLEGROUND (1949) which was helmed by William Wellman and starred Van Johnson. (Video clip of his teeth clickin' routine is highlighted below with a ✱ )

In the 1940s - 1950s, Fowley did B westerns with Roy Rogers at Republic, Eddie Dean at PRC, Tim Holt at RKO, Johnny Mack Brown at Monogram, the Hopalong Cassidy series, more.

On television, he turns up in bit parts and character roles in WILD BILL HICKOK, PERRY MASON, LASSIE, DEATH VALLEY DAYS, RIN TIN TIN, GUNSMOKE, ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, GOMER PYLE, MAYBERRY R. F. D., many others.

But to western fans, Fowley is best remembered as 'Doc Holliday', the alcoholic, tubercular, and poker-playing helper to Hugh O'Brian in TV's THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP. The EARP series ran for six seasons and 226 episodes from 1955 - 1961 ... and Fowley was 'Doc Holliday' in 57 episodes. (Myron Healey briefly portrayed Holliday when Fowley was busy doing a movie.)

Prior to his stint as 'Doc Holliday', Fowley removed his teeth and donned a wig and whiskers to portray doctor and coroner 'Doc Fabrique' in several season one EARP shows. And playing 'Doc Fabrique' may have been the impetus for his employment as Holliday. Later in the EARPs, he got out his makeup kit and became old-timers 'Judge Amos Waggner' and 'Grandpa Logan'.


Fowley was busy on the THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP TV series. There were 226 episodes in 1955 - 1961, and Fowley had roles in 66.

Screen capture of Fowley (as 'Doc Holliday') and Hugh O'Brian. Fowley was 'Doc Holliday' in 57 shows.


Screen capture of Fowley as 'Doc Fabrique' in 8 episodes in seasons one, three, and four of EARP.


Left is screen capture of Fowley as 'Judge Amos Waggner' in one show in season five. Right is a screen grab of Fowley as 'Grandpa Logan' in 1 show in season four.


Later, Fowley was a featured player in two short-lived half hour television programs: he was 'Grandpa Andrew Hanks' in PISTOLS 'N' PETTICOATS which ran for 27 episodes in 1966 - 1967 on CBS; and he was a member of the ensemble cast of the DETECTIVE SCHOOL comedy. That starred James Gregory and ran for 13? episodes on ABC in 1979. In both, he was long-haired, bearded, and toothless.

"Chameleon" describes Fowley's ability to change his look. And that got him many film and TV jobs.

His starred in one movie, the forgetable murder mystery YANKEE FAKIR (Republic, 1947) with Joan Woodbury and Clem Bevans. And he produced and directed MACUMBA LOVE (United Artists, 1960), a mess about voodoo and witchcraft which was shot in Eastman Color and starred Walter Reed.

Fowley in westerns:

  • He's one of Bruce Cabot's gang in Errol Flynn's DODGE CITY (Warners, 1939).
  • Roy Rogers had a dual role in SUNSET ON THE DESERT (Republic, 1942 ), and Fowley played a crooked attorney.
  • Fowley was the brains heavy out to gain control of some land in the Hopalong Cassidy LOST CANYON (U.A., 1942). (LOST CANYON is a remake of an earlier Hoppy, RUSTLERS' VALLEY (Paramount,, 1937).)
  • Another with Rogers was ALONG THE NAVAJO TRAIL (Republic, 1945), and Fowley was an evil rancher out to get control of property belonging to Dale Evans' father.
  • WILD COUNTRY (PRC, 1947) is a better-than-average Eddie Dean adventure, and brains heavy Fowley was a crooked saloon owner.
  • Tim Holt's GUN SMUGGLERS (RKO, 1948) involves Cavalry gatling guns and Fowley played a gun smuggler.

Fowley non-western film highlights:

  • In CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND (20th Century Fox, 1939), he was the sympathetic boy friend to lovely Pauline Moore (as psychic 'Eve Cairo'), and aids Sidney Toler in the quest to unmask 'Dr. Zodiac'.
  • He - along with Lionel Atwill and Jean Parker - unravel a mystery in LADY IN THE DEATH HOUSE (PRC, 1944).
  • Fowley's only cliffhanger was CHICK CARTER, DETECTIVE (Columbia, 1946). Lyle Talbot had the lead, but Fowley (as wise-guy newspaper reporter 'Rusty Farrell') and Eddie Acuff (as photographer 'Spud') had lots of early action and dialog.
  • He was a wisecracking reporter in Bela Lugosi's only color movie, SCARED TO DEATH (Screen Guild, 1946).
  • He was seventh billed as neurotic film director 'Roscoe Dexter' in SINGING IN THE RAIN (MGM, 1952).
  • MGM put him in another neurotic role as the frustrated auctioneer in the opening minutes of THE BAND WAGON (MGM, 1953).

He served in the Navy during World War II. And his World War II draft registration has him at 164 pounds and 5 feet, 11 inches tall.

His personal life was chaotic. He had six or seven wives, including actress Shelby Payne from 1938 - 1943. They had a son, Kim Fowley (1939 - 2015), who became well known for his music and management of the rock group, "The Runaways". And four children from his other marriages: sons Douglas Jr. and Daniel, and daughters Gretchen and Kip.

86 year old Douglas Fowley died May 21, 1998 from heart problems at the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles County, California. He is interred at Laurel Cemetery, Murrieta, Riverside County, California.

He was good looking, energetic, a fast talker with a great voice, and could play heavies, comedy, and offbeat roles ... in a suit or wearing a cowboy hat.

Douglas Fowley - without his normal mustache - from a 1938 Players Directory.

And about 27 years old.



He was "screen heavy par excellence" in the pressbook for CHICK CARTER, DETECTIVE (Columbia, 1946). That was Fowley's solo cliffhanger appearance.


(Courtesy of Les Adams)

L-R are Hugh Prosser, Herman Hack, William Boyd, and Douglas Fowley in a crop from a lobby card from Hopalong Cassidy adventure, LOST CANYON (U.A., 1942). Fowley did three other Hoppys: SECRET OF THE WASTELANDS (Paramount, 1942), COLT COMRADES (United Artists, 1943), and BAR 20 (United Artists, 1943).



(Courtesy of Boyd Magers)

Above from left to right are Douglas Fowley, Emmett Vogan, Roy Rogers, and Roy Barcroft in a 1954 blue duotone re-release lobby card from ALONG THE NAVAJO TRAIL (Republic, 1945). Fowley and Barcroft reported to Vogan who was the president of an oil drilling company that needs Dale Evans' ranch for a pipeline. Fowley did four more with Roy: SUNSET ON THE DESERT (Republic, 1942), DON'T FENCE ME IN (Republic, 1945), SUSANNA PASS (Republic, 1949), and SOUTH OF CALIENTE (Republic, 1951).



(Courtesy of Les Adams)

Above from L-to-R are Douglas Fowley, Lynne Carver, stuntman Ted Mapes (with hat), Steve Clark, Terry Frost (with hat), Johnny Mack Brown, Lynton Brent (partial face), a very old Jack Rockwell (wearing the suit), Tom Quinn, and Raymond Hatton in a scene from JMB's DRIFTING ALONG (Monogram, 1946). Fowley played a rustler and this was his only oater with JMB.



(From Old Corral collection)

Fowley was in one with singing cowboy Eddie Dean, WILD COUNTRY (PRC, 1947). Doing battle in the above lobby card are brains heavy Fowley vs. Dean, and the mustached guy on the right is Forrest Matthews.



Screen capture of Bela Lugosi and Douglas Fowley (as fast-talking reporter 'Terry Lee') in Lugosi's only color movie, SCARED TO DEATH (Golden Gate Prod./Screen Guild, 1946).



Above is a screen capture of the grey haired and bearded Douglas Fowley in his recurring role as 'Grandpa Andrew Hanks' in the short-lived PISTOLS 'N' PETTICOATS TV show in 1966 - 1967 on CBS. Ann Sheridan starred.

On the trail of Douglas Fowley

Family Search website (free), Ancestry.com (subscription), Social Security Death Index (SSDI), newspapers, and other sources have info on Fowley:

  • Existing bios on Fowley have him attending "St. Francis Xavier Military Academy". No such place! However, there is a New York Military Academy, Cornwall-On-Hudson, Orange County, New York and a St. Francis Xavier School, Brooklyn, New York City. Guessing he attended St. Francis Xavier School as the family was living in New York City in the 1920 census.
  • 1920 census - living on Twentieth Street, Manhattan, New York City were 41 year old John J. Foley [sic] (born new York; occupation "Truck Driver"), his 38 year old wife Annie (born Ireland), 8 year old son Daniel (born New York), and several other family members: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJY7-Y7T?lang=en
  • 42 year old John Fowley (born Ireland; occupation "Foreman - Milk Co.") passed away on September 17, 1920 in Queens, New York City: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W22-4Q7?lang=en
  • Death notice in the September 19, 1920 New York Tribune for his father - "On Friday, September 17, 1920, John J., beloved husband of Annie Fowley (nee O'Connor), father of William, Loretta and Daniel." ; "Funeral from his late residence, 228 West 20th st., Monday, September 20 ": https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-tribune-death-notice-for-john-j/182402485/
  • No luck finding Douglas and his mother Annie in the 1930 census.
  • 1940 census - renting in Beverly Hills Judicial Township, Los Angeles, California were 28 year old Douglas V. Fowley (born New York; occupation "Actor - Motion Picture"), his 22 year old wife Shelby (born Oregon; no occupation listed), 8 month old son Kim V. (born Nebraska), and a servant. And in 1939, Fowley earned $5,000.00+.: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K97D-CST?lang=en
  • World War II draft registration dated October 16, 1941 for Daniel Vincent Fowley. He was born May 30, 1911 in New York City; lived in Los Angeles; was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and 164 pounds; and contact was Gene Mann, Manager: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGXB-8FFM?lang=en
  • Death certificate: Douglas Vincent Fowley (occupation "Actor - Motion Pictures") was born May 30, 1911 in New York, and parents were John and Annie Fowley. He passed away May 21, 1998 at the Motion Picture Hospital, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles County, California, and cause of death was heart disease and heart attack. Dementia was listed as a medical condition. Wife Jean was the informant, and they lived in Murriata, Riverside County, California. Burial at Laurel Cemetery, Murriata, California.
  • Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Douglas Vincent Fowley, born 5/30/1911 in New York, Mother's maiden name of O'Connor, and he passed away on 5/21/1998 in the Los Angeles area: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JGQJ-MTB?lang=en
  • Death notice for Fowley in the May 28, 1998 Los Angeles Times, and survivors were wife Jean, sons Kim, Douglas Jr. and Daniel, and daughters Gretchen and Kip.: https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-death-notice-for-a/181394063/
  • Find A Grave website notes that Fowley is interred at the Laurel Cemetery, Murrieta, Riverside County, California: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10539053/douglas-fowley

Links

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on:
Douglas Fowley: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0288830/
Actress Shelby Payne: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0668433/

Wikipedia on Kim Fowley, son of Douglas Crowley and actress Shelby Payne: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Fowley

Video clips (and these will open in a separate window / tab):

Video clips from the Wyatt Earp TV show (and these will open in a separate window / tab):
  • Before becoming Doc Holliday, Fowley took out his teeth and wore a wig and whiskers as doctor and coroner 'Doc Fabrique'. Here he is in 'Wyatt Earp Comes to Wichita' (Season 1, Episode 5): https://youtu.be/8qgAbuYTppo?t=778
  • Wyatt and Doc in a saloon gunflight with Frank Richards in 'Wyatt Meets Doc Holliday' (Season 2, Episode 33): https://youtu.be/9olGw4cJVNk?t=226
  • The Earp show finale was 'Outlaws Cry Murder' (Season 6, Episode 37), and was after the O. K. Corral shootout. This clip has Hugh O'Brian, Fowley, John Anderson (as Virgil Earp in far bed), and Ray Boyle / AKA Dirk London (as Morgan Earp in front bed), and has the closing titles and theme song. Methinks they expected to do season 7 to properly close out the series. But that didn't happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO8gtHTIWD4&t=1457s

Getty Images has many photos and lobby cards with Fowley (and these will open in a separate window / tab):

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