Daniel Vincent Fowley (1911-98) apparently worked as a singing waiter before making his first screen appearance in 1933’s The Woman Who Dared. In a career lasting almost fifty years, he made at least 220 films, as well as dozens of television appearances.
Fowley generally appeared in low-budget programmers, but the more notable pictures included Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938), Merton of the Movies (1947), The Sea of Grass (1948), Mighty Joe Young (1949), Armored Car Robbery (1950) and The 7 Faces of Dr Lao (1964).
After losing his teeth in an explosion while doing military service, Fowley was able to play older characters, in the Walter Brennan style, by removing his dentures.
Fowley appeared in five MGM musicals. He had a supporting role in Student Tour and appeared uncredited in Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Then came the best part he ever had, as Roscoe, the exasperated director in Singin’ in the Rain. He then had uncredited roles in The Band Wagon (as the auctioneer) and Deep in My Heart.
