Donald Curtis
Donald Curtis (born Curtis D. Rudolf; February 27, 1915 – May 22, 1997) was an American actor who had roles in dozens of films and television series.
Donald Curtis

Photographer not credited · Radio-TV Mirror, January 1953 · Public domain
- Name
- Donald Curtis
- Birth Name
- Curtis D.
- Born
- 27 February 1915
- Birthplace
- Spokane, Washington, U.S.
- Died
- 22 May 1997
- Place of death
- Desert Hot Springs, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
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Documentary connections
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q3036004 · wikipedia · Donald Curtis
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Donald Curtis • Birth Name — Curtis D. Rudolf • Born — 27 February 1915 • Birthplace — Spokane, Washington, U.S. • Died — 22 May 1997 • Place of death — Desert Hot Springs, California, U.S. • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1940–1967
Biography
Biography
Curtis was born in Spokane, Washington, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl W. Rudolph. Before he began acting in films, he taught at Northwestern University, Allegheny College, and Duquesne University. Curtis's early acting experience included work at the Pasadena Community Playhouse. He also was in two Broadway plays, Caribbean Carnival (1947) and Anybody Home (1949). In the summer of 1950, Curtis portrayed Adam Conway in the comedy Detective's Wife on CBS television. Curtis resumed using his birth name when he became a religious leader. As Curtis D. Rudolf, he ministered in the First Church of Religious Science in New York City before he became leader-director of the Church of Religious Science in Philadelphia. He also was pastor of the Church of Religious Science in Santa Barbara, California and the First Church of Religious Science in Dallas, Texas. Curtis married Margaret Jennings in 1940. On May 22, 1997, Curtis died in Desert Hot Springs, California.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1940 — Emergency Squad — Ambulance Intern — Uncredited • 1940 — Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe — Ronal — Serial, [Chs. 1-12], Uncredited • 1940 — Tear Gas Squad — Second Cadet — Uncredited • 1940 — Murder in the Air — Quartermaster — Uncredited • 1940 — Junior G-Men — Henchman Akin — Serial, Uncredited • 1940 — Knute Rockne All American — West Point Football Player — Uncredited • 1940 — North West Mounted Police — Mountie Secretary — Uncredited • 1940 — Take Me Back to Oklahoma — Henchman Snapper • 1940 — The Son of Monte Cristo — Guard — Uncredited • 1940 — Texas Rangers Ride Again — Ranger Stafford — Uncredited • 1941 — Secret Evidence — Detective Murphy • 1941 — City of Missing Girls — Reporter — Uncredited • 1941 — Hands Across the Rockies — Dade Crawley • 1941 — Criminals Within — Lt. John Harmon • 1941 — The Son of Davy Crockett — Jack Ringe - Henchman • 1941 — Thunder Over the Prairie — Henchman Taylor • 1941 — We Go Fast — The Real Nabob of Borria — Uncredited • 1941 — The Royal Mounted Patrol — Frenchy Duvalle • 1941 — Today I Hang — Ticket Agent — Uncredited • 1942 — Code of the Outlaw — Taggart - Henchman • 1942 — Hello, Annapolis — Chief Petty Officer — Uncredited • 1942 — Westward Ho — Rick West • 1942 — In Old California — Pike - Dawson's Henchman — Uncredited • 1942 — Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die — Phineas Clanton • 1942 — Friendly Enemies — Soldier — Uncredited • 1942 — Joan of Ozark — Leonard Jones • 1942 — Invisible Agent — German Sentry — Uncredited • 1942 — War Dogs — Fred • 1942 — A Tornado in the Saddle — Steve Duncan - aka Slim Stevens • 1943 — Law of the Northwest — Frank Mason • 1943 — Bataan — Lieutenant • 1943 — Salute to the Marines — Randall James • 1943 — Swing Shift Maisie — Joe Peterson • 1943 — Swing Fever — Reporter — Uncredited • 1943 — The Cross of Lorraine — Marcel • 1943 — Lost Angel — Mounted Policeman — Uncredited • 1944 — See Here, Private Hargrove — Sgt. Heldon • 1944 — Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo — Lieut. Randall • 1944 — Meet Me in St. Louis — Dr. Girard — Uncredited • 1944 — National Velvet — American — Uncredited • 1945 — This Man's Navy — Operations Officer • 1945 — Without Love — Prof. Ellis — Uncredited • 1945 — Son of Lassie — Sergeant Eddie Brown • 1945 — Thrill of a Romance — K.O. Karny • 1945 — Spellbound — Harry • 1945 — They Were Expendable — Lt. (J.G.) 'Shorty' Long / Radio Announcer • 1946 — A Letter for Evie — Capt. Budlowe • 1946 — Bad Bascomb — John Fulton • 1946 — Courage of Lassie — Charlie • 1946 — White Tie and Tails — Nate Romero • 1946 — Gallant Bess — Lt. Bridgeman • 1947 — Night Song — George • 1947 — Dangerous Years — Jeff Carter • 1948 — I Love Trouble — Martin • 1948 — The Fuller Brush Man — Gregory Cruckston • 1948 — The Amazing Mr. X — Paul Faber • 1949 — Stampede — Stanton • 1950 — Two Flags West — Uncredited • 1954 — The Shanghai Story — Leader — Uncredited • 1954 — Phffft — Rick Vidal • 1955 — It Came from Beneath the Sea — Dr. John Carter • 1955 — All That Heaven Allows — Howard Hoffer • 1956 — Flame of the Islands — Johnny • 1956 — Earth vs. the Flying Saucers — Maj. Huglin • 1956 — The Ten Commandments — Mered • 1956 — 7th Cavalry — Lt. Bob Fitch • 1957 — Night Passage — Jubilee • 1967 — Warning Shot — Dr. James B. Ruston — Uncredited

Left to right: Donald Curtis, Cathy O'Donnell, Turhan Bey, and Lynn Bari in The Amazing Mr. X (1948) - publicity still
unknown (Benjamin Stoloff Prod. / Eagle-Lion Films)
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.
Cheney.
Birth place
Desert Hot Springs.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Donald Curtis”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3036004: Donald Curtis
General reference · Wikidata
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Donald Curtis, revision 1299110715 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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.Zylstra, Freida. Don Curtis, Ex Professor. Chicago Tribune. 102. July 7, 1946.
- 2.Donald Curtis. Internet Broadway Database.
- 3.Bundy, June. The Detective's Wife. Billboard. 9–10. July 22, 1950.
- 4.Religious Leader to Deliver Speech. Spokane Chronicle. 6. December 26, 1953.
- 5.Thomas, Bob. Actor Who Plays Tipsy Lothario During Week Is A Preacher On Sunday. Lubbock Evening Journal. Associated Press. 20. February 2, 1955.
- 6.Dr. Donald Curtis, Former Film Actor, Church Speaker. The Spokesman-Review. 6. April 26, 1968.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 19 August 2026.
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