David Landau
David Landau (born David Magee; March 9, 1879 – September 20, 1935) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in 33 films from 1931 to 1935. He appeared on Broadway in 12 plays from 1919 to 1929.
David Landau

Warner Bros. · source · Public domain
- Name
- David Landau
- Birth Name
- David H.
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Born
- 9 March 1879
- Died
- 20 September 1935
- Place of death
- Hollywood, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
David Landau (born David Magee; March 9, 1879 – September 20, 1935) was an American stage and film actor who appeared in 33 films from 1931 to 1935. He appeared on Broadway in 12 plays from 1919 to 1929.
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David Landau (1879–1935) was an actor, of American nationality. The actor was born in Philadelphia and died in Hollywood. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — David Landau • Birth Name — David H. Magee • Birthplace — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Born — 9 March 1879 • Died — 20 September 1935 • Place of death — Hollywood, California, U.S. • Resting Place — Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1919–1935 • Partner — Delight Howell
Early life and start of film career
Early life and start of film career
Landau was born in Philadelphia, the son of Robert Magee, who emigrated from County Londonderry, Ireland and listed his occupation as a gardener on the 1880 census. His mother, Maryann, was Pennsylvania-born of Irish and English descent. Landau studied law at the University of Pennsylvania. To improve his diction, he took a class in dramatics and later abandoned his law studies. He performed on Broadway and in many other stage productions, including beginning at the Burbank and Belasco theatres in Los Angeles in 1931. For at least three years, he performed in Street Scene, beginning in New York and then in other cities, including London. He made his film debut in 1931.
Personal life and death
Personal life and death
Landau's first wife was legally concluded by a court to have been actress Frances Landau (born Sarah Frances Newhall), whom he married on April 14, 1903, in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. In his will, he questioned whether Frances had obtained a legal divorce from her previous husband, Edwin T. Emory, in 1900, before she had married him in 1903. Landau directed in his will that if Frances could prove her legal divorce from her previous husband, she should receive "the smallest legal amount" possible. His will left his estate ($3,803) to Delight Howell, "the best friend I ever had … in payment for her loyalty in spite of adversity". According to the 1930 U.S. census, he was living with her in New York at that time. Howell is listed as "Lodger". Frances Landau claimed that Howell had taken advantage of her husband to make him believe that he and Frances had never been legally married. His funeral announcement in the Los Angeles Times referred to him as "[the] beloved husband of Delight Landau"; his obituary in The New York Times cited "Mrs. Delight Landau, his widow, survives". In 1934, Landau suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. He died of a heart attack at his home on September 20, 1935. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Partial filmography
Partial filmography
• Bondwomen (1915) - David Power • I Take This Woman (1931) - Circus Boss • Street Scene (1931) - Mr. Frank Maurrant • Arrowsmith (1931) - State Veterinarian • This Reckless Age (1932) - Matthew Daggett • Union Depot (1932) - Kendall • Taxi! (1932) - Buck Gerard • Polly of the Circus (1932) - Beef • It's Tough to Be Famous (1932) - Chief Petty Officer Steve Stevens • Amateur Daddy (1932) - Sam Pelgram • The Roadhouse Murder (1932) - Kraft • The Purchase Price (1932) - Bull McDowell • Horse Feathers (1932) - Jennings • 70,000 Witnesses (1932) - Dan McKenna • The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) - Tom Blake • Heritage of the Desert (1932) - Judson Holderness • False Faces (1932) - McCullough • Air Mail (1932) - 'Pop' • I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) - The Warden • Under-Cover Man (1932) - Inspector Conklin • They Just Had to Get Married (1932) - Montrose • Lawyer Man (1932) - John Gilmurry • She Done Him Wrong (1933) - Dan Flynn • The Crime of the Century (1933) - Police Lt. Frank Martin • Gabriel Over the White House (1933) - John Bronson • The Nuisance (1933) - Kelley • No Marriage Ties (1933) - Mr. Zimmer, Editor of 'The Reflector' • One Man's Journey (1933) - McGinnis • Bedside (1934) - Smith • As the Earth Turns (1934) - Mark Shaw • Wharf Angel (1934) - Moore • The Man With Two Faces (1934) - Curtis • Death on the Diamond (1934) - 'Pop' Clark • Judge Priest (1934) - Bob Gillis (final film role)
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Philadelphia.
Birth place
Hollywood.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Ellenberger, Allan R. Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. May 1, 2001. 9780786450190.
- 2.David Landau, the Pre-Code Era's Own Bitter Man. immortalephemera.com. September 24, 2012.
- 3.Actor's widow bares poverty. Oakland Tribune. Associated Press. 17. September 24, 1935.
- 4.Erickson, Hal. David Landau. AllMovie.
- 5.Some sources cite 1878
- 6.Profile, Internet Broadway Database; accessed August 26, 2017.
- 7.Villains, not heroes, win. Los Angeles Times. 43. April 26, 1931.
- 8.David Landau Dies. Motion Picture Herald. 168. September 28, 1935.
- 9.David Landau, actor, dead in Hollywood. The New York Times. N 11. September 22, 1935.
- 10.Last rites held for David Landau. Reading Times. Associated Press. 8. September 24, 1935.
References
Citations
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