Beery, Wallace

Beery, Wallace

(1889–1949) movie actor; born in Kansas City, Mo. (half-brother of Noah Beery.) After working in the circus and in Broadway musicals, he went to Hollywood and began his long movie career in 1913. At first he played tough villains but with sound movies he assumed a new persona as a rough-edged but lovable character. He won an Oscar for best actor in The Champ (1931) and although he did not retain the popularity he enjoyed during the 1930s, he continued in movies until his death.