James Donlan

James Donlan (July 23, 1888 – June 7, 1938) was an American actor born in San Francisco, California, whose career spanned stage and screen across several decades. He is also known as the father of actress Yolande Donlan.

Early in his career, Donlan served as the actor-manager of a theatre company known as The Permanent Players. During a tour in Winnipeg, Canada, he encountered singer Theresa Mollot, who joined his company and subsequently relocated with him to New York City.

Donlan's Broadway career ran from 1918 to 1924 and included appearances in Home Again and The Lady Killer. Alongside his stage work in New York, he also worked in silent films during this period, including projects involving actor-writer J.C. Nugent.

Donlan eventually relocated from New York to Hollywood, California, with his wife Theresa and their child Yolande. His first role in a talking picture came in Big News in 1929, and he went on to appear in 107 films between 1929 and 1939. Working as a character actor, Donlan appeared in scenes opposite a number of prominent Hollywood figures, including Mae West in Belle of the Nineties (1934) and Harold Lloyd in Professor Beware (1938).

Donlan died on June 7, 1938, from a heart attack at the age of 49.