Malcolm Lee Beggs

Malcolm Lee Beggs (1907 – December 10, 1956) was an American actor whose career spanned stage, television, and film. He began performing professionally at the age of five and appeared in two silent films early in his life: The Silent Plea (1914) and In Bridal Attire (1915).

Beggs made his Broadway debut in 1936, playing Don Abacchio in Bitter Stream. Over the following two decades, he accumulated a range of Broadway credits that included the comedy Devils Galore (1945), Metropole (1949), and the musical The Vamp. In 1947 he took on the role of William M. Tweed in a Broadway revival of the musical Up in Central Park. His later Broadway appearances included Seventh Heaven (1955) and Mr. Wonderful (1956), with his stage career spanning from 1936 to 1956.

Alongside his theater work, Beggs maintained an active presence in television during the early years of the medium. His guest appearances included Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1949), Lux Video Theatre (1951), Hopalong Cassidy (1952), and three episodes of Hallmark Hall of Fame between 1952 and 1953. He also appeared in four episodes of Kraft Theatre between 1949 and 1953, as well as Campbell Summer Soundstage (1954), Robert Montgomery Presents (1954), Ponds Theater (1954), and The Elgin Hour (1955). His film credits included Love Island (1952), It Grows on Trees (1952), Botany Bay (1953), Houdini (1953), and Edge of Fury (1958).

On December 10, 1956, Beggs was beaten to death with whisky and beer bottles in his Chicago hotel room at the age of 48 or 49. Two men were responsible for his death: Robert Mitchell, 17, also known as Melvin Manes, and Haskell Kellems, 18. Beggs was interred at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.