David Torrence
BILL CROUCH profiles another actor in Bonnie Scotland
THE FILM DAILY of April 29 1935 reported that “ David Torrence will play a feature role in the Laurel and Hardy feature Bonnie Scotland in addition to Barry Norton and James Finlayson. Production will start next week with James Horne directing.”
(Barry Norton was replaced as juvenile lead by William Janney during filming.)
Born in Edinburgh on the 17th January 1864, David Torrence was 71 years of age when he contributed a clever little study of the Scottish lawyer, James S. Miggs in Bonnie Scotland. (Once again, like Bickerdike, Miggs is not a Scottish name)
His voice is that of a middle class, educated Scot - a very agreeable confident voice, ideal for this part.
As the word “lawyer” is a generic term, it is not wrong to use it. The sign “lawyer” on the door is there merely to set the scene. (In Scotland, headed notepaper, for example, would more correctly say “solicitor”.)
Many memorable lines of dialogue include:
“...and now, Mr McLaurel, I’d like to see your credentials”
“You’re a very lucky man, Mr McLaurel, and you’ll be the envy of many a true Scot”
David Torrence has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame under the "Motion Picture" category:
The Los Angeles Times, Hollywood Star Walk, reported:
“David Torrence and his younger brother Ernest were Scotsmen who made names for themselves as character actors in the United States.”
Torrence told the Times that he left Edinburgh family life to find fame and fortune as a cow puncher in the Midwest. He went broke and decided to try the stage and silent films. He made good and persuaded his brother to join him.
In film he played characters such as Mary Pickford’s father in the 1922 film Tess of Storm Country.
Torrence said that his motto was: "Take your work seriously, but not yourself.”
David Torrence played parts in over 100 films.
He died December 26 1951 aged 87, in Woodland Hills CA.
Younger brother Ernest was making a name for himself as a lead villain until he died after complications from gallstones in the early 1930s.