MacDonald began his career as a stage actor. In 1923 he appeared in his first feature film, Slow as Lightning. He came to Hollywood in the early 1930s, where he played small roles in low-budget, independent productions. In 1939 Kenneth MacDonald was signed by Columbia Pictures for the studio's Charles Starrett westerns. MacDonald perfected a cool, debonair demeanor, which usually masked an evil side as a con man, outlaw, or thief. His speaking voice was rich and well modulated, often being gentle and ominous at the same time, in the Boris Karloff manner. Also, like Karloff, he seldom raised his voice, making his characters both dominant and dangerous. This quality made MacDonald an effective villain in Columbia's adventure serials. He was also adept at playing sympathetic roles, usually as calm authority figures. Actors in Columbia's stock companyalmost always worked in the studio's two-reel comedy shorts as well as features and serials, but Kenneth MacDonald did not join the short-subject fraternity until 1945, when he appeared opposite comedy stars Gus Schilling and Richard Lane. He is probably best known today for his work with The Three Stooges. MacDonald developed a flair for comedy, and he made memorable appearances in Stooge comedies including Monkey Businessmen, Hold That Lion!, Crime on Their Hands, Punchy Cowpunchers, and Loose Loot. Beginning in 1953, the comedy in the Columbia shorts became even more physical under producer-director Jules White, and MacDonald obligingly got plastered with pies, fruit, and other missiles. He also returned to Columbia's serial unit, which was then filming low-budget remakes of his older serials using much of the original footage; MacDonald appeared in new scenes to match his old ones. He left the Columbia shorts department in 1955.
Television
MacDonald was a frequent guest star from 1951 to 1953, mostly as a sheriff, in the syndicatetelevision series, The Range Rider, with Jock Mahoney and Dick Jones. He appeared in a 1949 episode and a 1955 episode of The Lone Ranger. He had a recurring role as Judge Carter on CBS's Perry Mason between 1957 and 1966. He appeared six times as Colonel Parker in the ABCwestern series Colt.45. In 1960 MacDonald appeared as Duggan on the TV western Laramie in the episode titled "Duel at Parkinson Town." MacDonald still appeared occasionally in motion pictures, including a bit role as Jerry Lewis's father in the 1961 feature, The Ladies' Man, and as a member of the court martial board in The Caine Mutiny.
