Murdock MacQuarrie (August 25, 1877 – August 20, 1942) was an American silent film actor and director. His name was also seen as Murdock McQuarrie.
MacQuarrie was born in San Francisco, California, and attended school there. He had five brothers who acted on stage, perhaps including Albert MacQuarrie, Frank MacQuarrie, and George MacQuarrie.
MacQuarrie acted on stage for 28 years.
After acting on stage, MacQuarrie began acting in films in 1902 with Biograph. Around 1912-1913, he was acting for the Kinemacolor Company of America. His film work included The Count of Monte Cristo (1913), before becoming a director at Universal. He is perhaps best-remembered by modern audiences as J. Widdecombe Billows, the eccentric inventor of the eating machine, in Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times (1936).
In the 1910s, MacQuarrie directed at Universal, and in the early 1920s he returned to acting.
He diversified his activities in 1919, joining his wife in her real-estate business in Hollywood.
On August 20, 1942, MacQuarrie died in Los Angeles, California, aged 63.
Filmography
Actor
1910s The Hand of Mystery (1912, Short) The Ways of Fate (1913, Short) The Scarlet Letter (1913, Short) .... Roger Chillingworth Mission Bells (1913, Short) Mother (1913, Short) The Trap (1913, Short) .... Chance The Echo of a Song (1913, Short) .... A modern fagin Criminals (1913, Short) .... Richard Wainwright / John Dick The Thumb Print (1913, Short) .... The Cook (credited as Malcolm J. MacQuarrie) When Death United (1913, Short) .... (credited as Malcolm MacQuarrie) The Count of Monte Cristo (1913) .... Danglars The Boob's Dream Girl (1913, Short) .... Count Alberti (credited as Malcolm MacQuarrie) Red Margaret, Moonshiner (1913, Short) .... Government Agent Bloodhounds of the North (1913, Short) .... Mountie The Lie (1914, Short) .... Auld MacGregor The Honor of the Mounted (1914, Short) .... Mountie Remember Mary Magdalen (1914, Short) .... The Minister Discord and Harmony (1914, Short) .... The Composer The Menace to Carlotta (1914, Short) .... Tony's Father The Embezzler (1914, Short) .... John Spencer The Lamb, the Woman, the Wolf (1914, Short) .... The Lamb The End of the Feud (1914, Short) .... Hen Dawson The Tragedy of Whispering Creek (1914, Short) .... The Stranger The Unlawful Trade (1914, Short) .... The Revenue Man Heart Strings (1914, Short) The Forbidden Room (1914, Short) .... Dr. Gibson The Old Cobbler (1914, Short) .... The Cobbler The Hopes of Blind Alley (1914, Short) .... Jean Basse A Ranch Romance (1914, Short) .... Jack Deering Her Grave Mistake (1914, Short) .... Roger Grant By the Sun's Rays (1914, Short) .... John Murdock The Oubliette (1914, Short) .... François Villon A Miner's Romance (1914, Short) .... Bob Jenkins The Higher Law (1914, Short) .... François Villon Be Neutral (1914, Short) Richelieu (1914) .... Cardinal Richelieu The Old Bell-Ringer (1914, Short) .... Thomas Drake - the Old Organist Monsieur Bluebeard (1914, Short) .... François Villon The Nihilists (1914, Short) .... Thomas Madison - Prosecuting Attorney The Wall of Flame (1914, Short) .... Old Fenton - the Father The Star Gazer (1914, Short) .... The Old Astronomer Two Thieves (1914, Short) .... The Burglar Ninety Black Boxes (1914, Short) .... François Villon As We Journey Through Life (1914, Short) .... Old Uncle Eli The Foundlings of Father Time (1914, Short) .... Daddy Ross - the Aged Husband The Widow's Last (1914, Short) .... The Old Shoemaker The Christmas Spirit (1914, Short) .... Harry the Hobo For I Have Toiled (1914, Short) .... Hiram Marshall When It's One of Your Own (1914, Short) .... Heinrich Gerhardt His Last Performance (1915, Short) .... Old Doc Jackson The Clutch of the Emperor (1915, Short) The Useless One (1915, Short) A Small Town Girl (1915, Short) .... The Snob's Father The Dear Old Hypocrite (1915, Short) .... Wealthy Uncle George Alias Mr. Smith (1915, Short) .... Frank Wilson alias Mr. Smith Seven and Seventy (1915, Short) .... Captain John Brent Dad (1915, Short) .... Dad An Example (1915, Short) .... Ex-Sheriff Joseph Bohn The Prayer of a Horse or: His Life Story Told by Himself (1915, Short) .... Tom Collins Wheels Within Wheels (1915, Short) .... Von Ludwig The Truth About Dan Deering (1915, Short) .... Dan Deering At His Own Terms (1915, Short) .... John Marsh - Backwoodsman Number 239 (1915, Short) .... John Anders The Cameo Ring (1915, Short) .... John Brown Putting One Over (1915, Short) .... Bad Louis The Old Tutor (1915, Short) .... The Old Tutor The Troubadour (1915, Short) .... Joe Trinidad - the Troubadour The Fear Within (1915, Short) .... Brother Gregoire The Faith of Her Fathers (1915, Short) .... Rabbi Tamor The Stronger Mind (1915, Short) .... A Crook Where Brains Are Needed (1915, Short) .... Old Tom Sharpleigh - the Detective The Old Doctor (1915, Short) .... Old Doctor Jones The Swinging Doors (1915, Short) .... Jean Dumont In His Mind's Eye (1915, Short) .... Peter von Helm - Blind Beggar The Tinker of Stubbenville (1915, Short) .... Will Harvey - the Tinkerof Stubbinville The Old Grouch (1915, Short) .... John Agnew The Closing Chapter (1915, Short) .... Hamilton Walker - the Grandfather Mein Friendt Schneider (1915, Short) .... David Hoffman - the Pawnbroker (as Murdock McQuarrie) His Beloved Violin (1915, Short) .... Von Wagner Ethel's Burglar (1915, Short) .... Norton - the Burglar The Mystery of the Tapestry Room (1915, Short) .... Tom Sharpleigh - Detective The Tam o' Shanter (1915, Short) .... Tam O' Shanter The Finest Gold (1915, Short) .... Scrooge McQuoil The Sheriff of Red Rock Gulch (1915, Short) .... Bill Borden The $50,000 Jewel Theft (1915, Short) .... Detective Tom Sparks (as M.J. MacQuarrie) The Flag of Fortune (1915, Short) .... Grandpa The Trap That Failed (1915, Short) .... Frank Harwood The Sacrifice of Jonathan Gray (1915, Short) .... Jonathan Gray Colonel Steel, Master Gambler (1915, Short) .... Colonel Steele Babbling Tongues (1915, Short) .... Martin Lowe X-3 (1916, Short) .... Henshaw The Fatal Introduction (1916, Short) .... Jim Claverling On Dangerous Ground (1916, Short) .... Louis Goldenberg The Stain in the Blood (1916) .... Bill Jenkins (as Murdock J. MacQuarrie) Nancy's Birthright (1916) .... John Martingale The Narrow Creed (1916, Short) .... Dr. Hendricks Life's Maelstrom (1916, Short) .... John Barclay Accusing Evidence (1916, Short) Panthea (1917) .... Police Agent John Bates' Secret (1917, Short) .... John Bates, a.k.a. Edward Stevenson John Osborne's Triumph (1917, Short) .... John Osborne Fear Not (1917) .... Allen Mornington The Kingdom of Love (1917) .... Buck, Dance Hall Owner Loyalty (1917) .... Randell Humility (1918) .... Stuart Hamilton Her Moment (1918) .... Mr. Johnson (credited as Murdock McQuarrie) Riders of the Purple Sage (1918) .... Tull Gambling in Souls (1919) .... Thomas Philborn When a Woman Strikes (1919) Jacques of the Silver North (1919) .... Jim Blake The Little Diplomat (1919) .... Raymond Brownleigh
1920s The Silver Horde (1920) .... Richard Jones Sure Fire (1921) .... Major Parker Cheated Hearts (1921) .... Ibrahim The Unfoldment (1922) .... Mayor of Avenue A The Hidden Woman (1922) .... Iron MacLoid If I Were Queen (1922) .... Duke of Wortz Canyon of the Fools (1923) .... Sproul Ashes of Vengeance (1923) .... Carlotte The Only Woman (1924) .... Yacht Captain A Gentleman Roughneck (1925) The High Hand (1926) .... Martin Shaler Going the Limit (1926) .... Simson Windsor Hair-Trigger Baxter (1926) .... Joe Craddock The Jazz Girl (1926) .... Henry Wade The Long Loop on the Pecos (1927) The Man from Hard Pan (1927) .... Henry Hardy Black Jack (1927) .... Holbrook The Apache Raider (1928) .... Don Felix Beinal .45 Calibre War (1929) .... Mark Blodgett The Love Parade (1929) .... First Radio Announcer (uncredited)
1930s Troopers Three (1930) .... Army Officer Captain of the Guard (1930) .... Pierre Pardon My Gun (1930) .... Rancher (uncredited) The Lottery Bride (1930) .... Captain Larsen (uncredited) Command Performance (1931) .... Blondel The Drums of Jeopardy (1931) .... Stephen (uncredited) Hell Bound (1931) Two Gun Man (1931) .... Rancher Markham Law of the Rio Grande (1931) .... Saloon Gambler (uncredited) Sundown Trail (1931) .... Executor of the Estate Arizona Terror (1931) .... Joe Moore Near the Trail's End (1931) .... Dan Cather Grief Street (1931) .... 2nd Theater Doorman (uncredited) Lariats and Sixshooters (1931) .... Townsman (uncredited) The Devil Plays (1931) .... Butler The Wide Open Spaces (1931, Short) .... Townsman at Wedding (as Murdock McQuarrie) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) .... Dissenting doctor in crowd (uncredited) One Man Law (1932) .... Ed Grimm (credited as Murdock McQuarrie) The Shadow of the Eagle (1932, Serial) .... Frank - Watchman (uncredited) Forty-Five Calibre Echo (1932) .... Old man in saloon (uncredited) Cross-Examination (1932) .... Court Officer (uncredited) Texas Cyclone (1932) .... Courtroom Spectator (uncredited) The Saddle Buster (1932) .... Doc (uncredited) Border Devils (1932) .... Townsman (uncredited) Rule 'Em and Weep (1932, Short) Daring Danger (1932) .... 'Pa' Norris Ride Him, Cowboy (1932) .... Doctor attending Webb (uncredited) Fighting for Justice (1932) .... Sheriff (uncredited) Two Lips and Juleps; or, Southern Love and Northern Exposure (1932, Short) Wild Girl (1932) .... Jess Larabee (uncredited) The Gambling Sex (1932) .... Thompson The Penal Code (1932) .... Lefty Phantom Thunderbolt (1933) .... Townsman (uncredited) Son of the Border (1933) .... Townsman (uncredited) The Lone Avenger (1933) .... Townsman (uncredited) Cross Fire (1933) .... Sheriff Jim Wells Easy Millions (1933) Stolen by Gypsies or Beer and Bicycles (1933, Short) .... Sheriff One Year Later (1933) .... Well-Wisher at Train Station (uncredited) Girl Trouble (1933) .... Townsman (uncredited) Roman Scandals (1933) .... Senator Fool (uncredited) Potluck Pards (1934, Short) .... 'Pop' Hennessey The House of Rothschild (1934) .... Man at Stock Exchange (uncredited) Romance Revier (1934, Short) .... Banker William Carter Randy Rides Alone (1934) .... Murder victim (uncredited) Smoking Guns (1934) .... Townsman (uncredited) Going Bye-Bye! (1934, Short) .... Jury Foreman Fighting Hero (1934) .... Prosecutor The Tonto Kid (1934) .... 'Pop' Slawson (as Murdock McQuarrie) The Man from Hell (1934) .... Sheriff Jake Klein The Dude Ranger (1934) .... Doc Welsh (uncredited) The Return of Chandu (1934, Serial) .... The "Voice" of Ubasti [Chs. 4-12] Terror of the Plains (1934) .... Foreman Cole (as Murdock McQuarrie) When Lightning Strikes (1934) .... Jim Caldwell The Mighty Barnum (1934) .... Husband at Table (uncredited) Clive of India (1935) .... Sneering Man (uncredited) North of Arizona (1935) .... Marshal Herron Outlaw Rule (1935) .... Coroner Williamson (uncredited) Les Misérables (1935) .... Fauchelevant (uncredited) Stone of Silver Creek (1935) .... George J. Mason Bride of Frankenstein (1935) .... Sympathetic villager (uncredited) Gun Smoke (1935) .... Card Player (uncredited) Silent Valley (1935) .... Elmer Barnes (rancher) The Laramie Kid (1935) .... Dad Bland Outlawed Guns (1935) .... Banker Honeycutt (uncredited) Bonnie Scotland (1935) .... Recruiting Clerk (uncredited) Diamond Jim (1935) .... Stockbroker (uncredited) The Dark Angel (1935) .... Waiter at Inn (uncredited) The New Frontier (1935) .... Tom Lewis Nevada (1935) .... Watson (uncredited) Lawless Riders (1935) .... Townsman (uncredited) The Shadow of Silk Lennox (1935) .... Haskell, Silk's Lawyer (uncredited) Sunset of Power (1935) .... Doctor I'll Name the Murderer (1936) .... Wreck Witness (uncredited) Modern Times (1936) .... J. Widdecombe Billows (as Murdoch McQuarrie)