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Born · August 1, 1870
Died · November 2, 1939 (69 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Louisiana, Missouri, USA
Tall, balding character actor in US films from 1921 until the year he died, usually portraying obstinate or irascible types. A man so disagreeable on celluloid, Claude Gillingwater's characters seemed to subsist on a steady diet of persimmons. Fondly recalled as the cranky old skinflint whose seemingly cold heart could only be warmed by the actions of a cute little tyke, the tall and rangy Gillingwater invariably played much older than he was. He, with the omnipresent bushy brows, crop of silver hair and perpetually sour puss, had a much more versatile career than perhaps realized -- on both stage and in film. Most assuredly, this caustic screen image he perfected belied a softer, gentler off-screen demeanor for he was a kind and sympathetic gent and devoted husband to wife Carlyn Stiletz (or Stellith). Their only child, Claude Gillingwater Jr., briefly became an actor himself. Sadly, Gillingwater Sr.'s thriving character career ended on a grim and tragic note in 1939. A serious accident on the movie set of the picture Florida Special (1936) (he fell from a platform and injured his back) damaged his health and threatened his career, and the death of his long-time wife Carlyn left him irrevocably depressed. Fearing the possibility of becoming an invalid and wishing not to become a serious burden to anyone, the 69-year-old actor committed suicide at his Beverly Hills home with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Gillingwater left a fine Hollywood legacy and the fun of some of his old films is watching his vinegar turn to sugar. Date of Birth 2 August 1870, Louisiana, Missouri Date of Death 2 November 1939, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California (suicide)
Old Christopher West
6.0
1939
Samuel G. Henshaw
5.5
1938
Cyrus W. Butterfield
7.2
1938
Judge
6.6
1938
Ben Dalton
6.7
1938
Stephan
6.6
1937
William Borden
5.2
1937
Col. Robert Peachtree
0.0
1936
Mr. Gossamer
0.0
1936
Simon Peck
6.6
1936
Robert Forbes
6.0
1936
Tom Perkins
6.0
1936
Simeon Stafford
6.0
1936
Colonel Dyer
6.8
1936
Jarvis Lorry
6.8
1935
Dick
0.0
1935
Col. Allenby
4.5
1935
Colton
4.8
1935
General Rumford
6.7
1935
Grandpa Wyatt
6.1
1935
Guggins
0.0
1934
Judge Griswold
6.5
1934
Steven Kester
5.0
1934
Morley
5.0
1934
Papa Van Brunt, Sr.
1.0
1934
Tom Oliver
4.0
1934
J.B. Preston
5.7
1934
Asa Cabot - Banker
7.0
1934
John Fry
4.0
1933
Sam Webster
6.2
1933
Banker (uncredited)
4.8
1933
John Beaumont
5.2
1933
Witt
6.0
1933
Judge Bingham
5.5
1933
Frederick Garfield Sr
6.0
1932
Claude Gillingwater
0.0
1932
Judge
0.0
1931
John Brock
1.0
1931
0.0
1931
John Aberdeen Arnold
3.0
1931
Riggs
4.0
1931
Jim Nabours
5.0
1931
Richard Ives Sr.
5.8
1931
Count de St. Cyr
6.0
1931
Faraday
4.0
1930
Uncle Roger
4.0
1930
(uncredited)
5.2
1929
Uncle Claude Davis
5.9
1929
Winthrop Amesbury
4.8
1929
Michael O'Connor
0.0
1929
Sam Underlane
0.0
1929
H.A. Lambert Sr.
5.0
1929
James Rutherford - Expedition Leader
3.0
1929
Judge Appleton
0.0
1928
Grandfather Mervin
0.0
1928
Sir Reginald Knight
0.0
1927
Cyrus Townsend
0.0
1927
Jean Moreau
6.2
1927
Judge J. R. Altewood
0.0
1927
Smithfield
1.0
1927
Old Man in Hotel Bed (uncredited)
5.0
1926
Ivan
0.0
1926
John Raynor
0.0
1926
Jim Bailey
0.0
1925
Sir Robert Sundale
0.0
1925
Pious Joe McDowell
6.0
1925
Tom Linton
4.8
1925
Noel Jardine
6.0
1925
Riddle
0.0
1925
Judge Daniel Webster Copeland
0.0
1924
Lord Patrington
0.0
1924
Henry Bancks
0.0
1924
James Crockett
5.0
1924
Hector McCollins
4.5
1923
Mr. Everingham
5.5
1923
Mr. Forbes
0.0
1923
Theodore Findley
0.0
1923
Self - Celebrity Actor (uncredited)
6.2
1923
Col. Charles E. Cavanaugh
0.0
1923
Lord Storm
0.0
1923
Uncle Sam
0.0
1922
John P. Grout
0.0
1922
Denton Drew
0.0
1922
Captain Bill
5.9
1921
Earl of Dorincourt
7.0
1921
Virgil Adams
0.0