Walter Scott Kolk (May 16, 1905 – December 1, 1993) was an American actor in the 1920s and 1930s. He is most notable for his roles in All Quiet on the Western Front and Secret Agent X-9.[citation needed] During his years as an entertainer at clubs, he was sometimes billed as Walter Kolk.[1][2]
Scot Kolk | |
|---|---|
| Born | Walter Scott Kolk May 16, 1905 |
| Died | December 1, 1993 (aged 88) Canton, Maine, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1924–1938 |
| Spouses | Azadia Newman
(m. 1938; div. 1943)
|
Early years edit
Kolk was born on May 16, 1905,[3] in Baltimore, Maryland, but he considered Maine his home state. He attended Summer Street Grammar School in South Portland, Maine, Maine, before going bck to Maryland for four years at a military school.[4] His mother was Mrs. Anna E. Kolk, and he had two sisters[5] and a brother.[6]
Career edit
Kolk was a professional musician before he became an actor. He played drums for orchstras on the Keith Circuit[5] and for Meyer Davis's orchestra and introduced the Black Bottom dance to Washington, D. C., when that orchestra played at Club Chanticleer there.[7] He also was a "favorite singer and entertainer" at the Le Paradis supper club in Washington, and he headed the first revue at the Silver Slipper supper club when it opened in that city.[8]
Actress Marion Davies saw Kolk perform musically in Venice, Italy, while she was on a tour of Europe. She suggested that he try performing in films, which led him to take screen tests at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. As a result of those tests, he was cast in Davies's first sound film.[5]
In the early 1930s, Kolk left the film business. He had grown disenchanted with the lifestyle associated with film people and with himself, saying "I got so I couldn't live with myself."[9] He bought a farm in Maine with his savings and lived alone with minimal contact with neighbors. He spent time with the land, including plowing, harvesting, and hunting. About 1+1⁄2 years later, he returned to Hollywood.[9]
Kolk's Broadway roles include Lieutenant Dale in Take the Air (1928) and George Armstrong in Baby Pompadour (1934).[3] His work in films included having the starring role in the 12-part serial Secret Agent X-9 (1937).[6]
Death edit
Kolk died on December 1, 1993, in Canton, Maine.[3]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | Marianne | Lieutenant Frane | (silent and musical versions) |
| 1929 | Hold Your Man | Jack | |
| 1929 | Dynamite | Radio Announcer | Uncredited |
| 1930 | All Quiet on the Western Front | Leer | |
| 1930 | For the Defense | Jack Defoe | |
| 1931 | My Sin | Larry Gordon | |
| 1937 | Secret Agent X-9 | Agent Dexter (X-9) | Serial |
| 1937 | The Wildcatter | 'Lucky' Conlon | |
| 1937 | It's All Yours | 2nd Photographer | Uncredited |
| 1937 | The Awful Truth | Mr. Barnsley | Uncredited |
| 1937 | Murder in Greenwich Village | Larry Foster | |
| 1937 | All American Sweetheart | Lance Corbett | |
| 1938 | Little Miss Roughneck | Al Patridge | |
| 1938 | Women in Prison | Bob Wayne | |
| 1938 | Extortion | Larry Campbell | |
| 1938 | I Am the Law | Law Student | Uncredited, (final film role) |
References edit
- ^ "Capital Sideshows". Evening Star. District of Columbia, Washington. October 3, 1926. p. 72. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Italy to have Meyer Davis Orchestra". Times Herald. District of Columbia, Washington. June 25, 1928. p. 7. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Scott Kolk". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ Taylor, Elizabeth I. (October 3, 1930). "Juvenile Star, Cape City Bred, Likes Maine And Hunting Life". Evening Express. Maine, Portland. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Scott Kolk Joins Portland's Actors In Motion Pictures". Evening Express. Maine, Portland. October 2, 1929. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Scott Kolk, Brother of Local Man, to Be Seen in Movie Serial". Burlington Daily News. March 20, 1937. p. 5. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ Hynes, Elizabeth (November 21, 1932). "Scott Kolk, Who Left Drums For Movie Fame, Is Back Again". The Washington Herald. p. 11. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Silver Slipper' Stars Kolk". Times Herald. District of Columbia, Washington. November 22, 1932. p. 26. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Coons, Robbin (January 25, 1937). "Scott Kolk, 'Man's Man,' Lived Alone, And Liked It". Evening Express. Maine, Portland. p. 8. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
External links edit
- Scott Kolk at IMDb