Wheeler Oakman (born Vivian Eichelberger; February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor.
Early years Oakman was born as Vivian Eichelberger in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools—specifically Henry School and William McKinley Manual Training School"School Year Closes; Promotions to High School; Second Division. The Evening Star. June 20, 1905. p. 12. Retrieved July 4, 2023.—after having spent the bulk of his childhood in Fairfax, Virginia.
Career
Before acting in films, Oakman was active in stock theater in the eastern United States.
Oakman appeared in over 280 films between 1912 and 1948. In silent films, he was often a leading man. Among his leading ladies were Priscilla Dean, Kathlyn Williams, Colleen Moore and Annette Kellerman. One of his features was Mickey, a 1918 comedy-drama, in which he played the love interest of Mabel Normand. It was the second feature-length comedy motion picture ever made. The first was Tillie's Punctured Romance, which was a slapstick comedy starring Marie Dressler, Charles Chaplin, and Mabel Normand. Mabel chose Wheeler Oakman to be her leading man. The film was shot in 1916 and 1917, and finally released in 1918.
In 1928, he portrayed the crime boss in the first all-talking feature movie ever made, Lights of New York. One clip from this feature has often been revived in compilations, with gang boss Oakman speaking deliberately into a microphone disguised as a telephone: "Take... him for... a ride."Crafton, Donald (1997). The Talkies: American Cinema's Transition to Sound, 1926-1931. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. p. 117. .
Wheeler Oakman, usually wearing a dapper mustache, generally portrayed villains, gangsters, or henchmen, frequently appearing in crime thrillers, melodramas, and westerns. In 1932, he appeared alongside Buck Jones in Sundown Rider and John Wayne in Texas Cyclone.
He worked steadily throughout the 1930s, usually in low-budget westerns and serials, but he did work at the major studios in important feature films like Operator 13 (M-G-M, 1934) and G Men (Warner Bros., 1935).
In 1941 he accepted a leading role in J. D. Kendis's very-low-budget exploitation feature Escort Girl, opposite another silent-screen veteran, Betty Compson. Their performances were noted by Monogram Pictures, a prolific producer of budget features for neighborhood theaters, and the Kendis film extended their careers. Oakman in particular became a fixture at Monogram, working with Bela Lugosi, ZaSu Pitts, Harry Langdon, Gale Storm, Kay Francis, Shemp Howard, and The East Side Kids, among others.
Oakman became a favorite of Monogram producer Sam Katzman, and when Katzman moved to Columbia Pictures, Oakman followed him. Oakman, now in his late fifties, continued to work in Katzman's Columbia serials despite declining health -- in Jack Armstrong he was visibly frail, and was relieved of much of the action by last-minute replacement Charles Middleton.
Later years Just prior to his death, Oakman was the assistant manager of a North Hollywood theater.
Personal life and death In 1920, Oakman married popular actress Priscilla Dean, his costar in Outside the Law (1920) and The Virgin of Stamboul (1920). They were divorced in 1926. On September 22, 1927, he married Virginia Jennings in Los Angeles. On December 27, 1932, he married Frances I. Jones in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 1949, at age 59, Oakman died in Van Nuys, California.
Selected filmography
Alas! Poor Yorick! (1913, Short) - Montgomery Irving - the Real Actor The Spoilers (1914) - The Broncho Kid, alias of Drury Shotgun Jones (1914, Short) - Shotgun Jones Chip of the Flying U (1914, Short) - Weary In the Days of the Thundering Herd (1914) - Chief Swift Wing The Carpet from Bagdad (1915) - George P.A. Jones The Melting Pot (1915) - Minor Role (uncredited) The Rosary (1915) - Bruce Wilton Sweet Alyssum (1915) - Wynne Garlan Hell's Hinges (1916) - Rowdy Townsman (uncredited) The Ne'er-Do-Well (1916) - Kirk Anthony, the Ne're-Do-Well The Cycle of Fate (1916) - Joe Strong The Battle of Hearts (1916) - Jo Sprague The Crisis (1916) Betrayed (1917) - William Jerome Princess Virtue (1917) - Basil Demarest Face Value (1917) - Bertram Van Twiller I Love You (1918) - Armand de Gautier Revenge (1918) - Dick Randall The Claim (1918) - John MacDonald Mickey (1918) - Herbert Thornhill False Evidence (1919) - Burr Gordon The Splendid Sin (1919) - Stephen Hartley Back to God's Country (1919) - Peter Burke A Woman of Pleasure (1919) - Bobby Ralston Eve in Exile (1919) - Paul Armitage The Virgin of Stamboul (1920) - Capt. Carlisle Pemberton What Women Love (1920) - Willy St. John Outside the Law (1920) - Dapper Bill Ballard Peck's Bad Boy (1921) - Dr. Jack Martin - the Man in the Case Penny of Top Hill Trail (1921) - Kurt Walters A Wise Fool (1921) - (uncredited) The Son of the Wolf (1922) - Scruff Mackenzie The Half Breed (1922) - Delmar Spavinaw (the halfbreed) Slippy McGee (1923) - Slippy McGee Mine to Keep (1923) - Clint Mowbray The Love Trap (1923)- Grant Garrison Other Men's Daughters (1923) - 'Winnie' Lilies of the Streets (1925) - Frank Delmore The Pace That Thrills (1925) - Director In Borrowed Plumes (1926) - Jack Raymond Fangs of Justice (1926) - Paul Orr Heroes of the Night (1927) - Jack Nichols The Snarl of Hate (1927) - Boy Maxson Hey! Hey! Cowboy (1927) - John Evans Out All Night (1927) - Kerrigan Top Sergeant Mulligan (1928) - The captain The Broken Mask (1928) - Dr. Gordon White The Heart of Broadway (1928) - 'Dandy Jim' Doyle Danger Patrol (1928) - George Gambler Black Feather (1928) The Masked Angel (1928) - Luther Spence Lights of New York (1928) - 'Hawk' Miller The Good-Bye Kiss (1928) - Sgt. Hoffman While the City Sleeps (1928) - Eddie 'Mile-Away' Skeeter Carlson The Power of the Press (1928) - Van What a Night! (1928) - Mike Corney Morgan's Last Raid (1929) - John Bland The Devil's Chaplain (1929) - Nicholay The Shakedown (1929) - Manager The Donovan Affair (1929) - Porter Father and Son (1929) - Anton Lebau On with the Show! (1929) - Durant Handcuffed (1929) - Tom Bennett Hurricane (1929) - First Mate (uncredited) The Girl from Woolworth's (1929) - Lawrence Mayfield Shanghai Lady (1929) - Repen Little Johnny Jones (1929) - Wyman The Show of Shows (1929) - Performer in 'The Pirate' Number (uncredited) Roaring Ranch (1930) - Ramsey Kane The Big Fight (1930) - Steve The Bad Man (1930) On Your Back (1930) - 'Lucky' Jim Seymour The Costello Case (1930) - Mile-Away-Harry The Lawless Woman (1931) - 'Poker' Wilson Sky Raiders (1931) - Willard The Good Bad Girl (1931) - Moreland The Back Page (1931, Short) First Aid (1931) - Michael Rush Devil on Deck (1932) - Shanghai Morgan Texas Cyclone (1932) - Utah Becker The Airmail Mystery (1932, Serial) - Judson Ward The Riding Tornado (1932) - Hatch Engall Two-Fisted Law (1932) - Bob Russell Beauty Parlor (1932) - Fremont The Honor of the Press (1932) - Roger Bradley The Boiling Point (1932) - Holt Norbo - Bank Cashier Gorilla Ship (1932) - Philip Wells The Western Code (1932) - Nick Grindell The Heart Punch (1932) - Spike Patterson Speed Demon (1932) - Pete Stenner Guilty or Not Guilty (1932) - Joe End of the Trail (1932) - Major Jenkins Sundown Rider (1932) - Laughing Maxey Man of Action (1933) - Sheriff Clem Norton Revenge at Monte Carlo (1933) - Spike Maguire Silent Men (1933) - Ed Wilder Soldiers of the Storm (1933) - George Rusty Rides Alone (1933) - Poe Powers Hold the Press (1933) - Hugh Abbott Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933) - Sam (uncredited) Blood Money (1933) - Gangster with Shotgun (uncredited) Palooka (1934) - Rafferty (uncredited) Paradise Valley (1934) - 'Smiley' Mason The Lost Jungle (1934) - Kirby One Is Guilty (1934) - Toledo Eddie Marchetti Operator 13 (1934) - Scout (uncredited) In Old Santa Fe (1934) - Tracy Frontier Days (1934) - Henry Jethrow Undercover Men (1934) - Insp. A.R. McCrae Murder in the Clouds (1934) - Joe Square Shooter (1935) - Jim Thorne The Phantom Empire (1935) - Lord Argo The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) - Detective Jones (uncredited) G Men (1935) - Gangster at Lodge Wanting to Quit (uncredited) The Headline Woman (1935) - Panther Fielding Motive for Revenge (1935) - Doane Code of the Mounted (1935) - Duval Death from a Distance (1935) - Langsdale, aka George Fremont Born to Gamble (1935) - Jeff Drugan (uncredited) Trails of the Wild (1935) - Hardy The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935) - Henchman Wheeler The Man from Guntown (1935) - Henry DeLong Annapolis Farewell (1935) - Cmdr. Lawson Special Agent (1935) - Julie's Kidnapper (uncredited) Timber War (1935) - Murdock The Mysterious Avenger (1936) - Brophy Roarin' Guns (1936) - Walton Darkest Africa (1936, Serial) - Durkin Song of the Trail (1936) - Bob Arnold Thoroughbred (1936) - Duke Foster Aces and Eights (1936) - Ace Morgan Kelly the Second (1936) - Bookie (uncredited) Ghost Patrol (1936) - Kincaid Gambling with Souls (1936) - 'Lucky' Wilder Death in the Air (1936) - Lt. Douglas Thompson Bank Alarm (1937) - Joe Karlotti Slaves in Bondage (1937) - Jim Murray Radio Patrol (1937, Serial) - Stevens Land of Fighting Men (1938) - Wallace Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938, Serial) - Tarnak Code of the Rangers (1938) - Blackie Miller The Texans (1938) - Union Captain (uncredited) Red Barry (1938, Serial) Weaver In Old Montana (1939) - Jim Dawson The Lone Ranger Rides Again (1939, Serial) - Manny - Fake Drunk (Ch. 9) (uncredited) Buck Rogers (1939, Serial) - Lieutenant Patten Wolf Call (1939) - Carson Mutiny in the Big House (1939) - Prison Guard Benson Torture Ship (1939) - John Ritter Buried Alive (1939) - Manning Power Dive (1941) - Sam - 1st Bartender (uncredited) The Medico of Painted Springs (1941) - Fred Burns Escort Girl (1941) - Gregory Stone Double Trouble (1941) - Kimble So's Your Aunt Emma (1942) - Blackie Hale, Henderson's Triggerman (uncredited) Bowery at Midnight (1942) - Stratton Fall In (1942) - Army Officer (uncredited) The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943, Serial) - Freighter Mate [Chs. 7-8] (uncredited) The Fighting Buckaroo (1943) - Sam Thatcher (uncredited) Kid Dynamite (1943) - Tony - Bookie The Ape Man (1943) - Police Detective Brady Saddles and Sagebrush (1943) - Henchman Ace Barko Ghosts on the Loose (1943) - Tony Spotlight Scandals (1943) - Promoter The Girl from Monterrey (1943) - Fight Announcer Campus Rhythm (1943) - Sponsor (uncredited) What a Man! (1944) - Tim - 1st Detective Sundown Valley (1944) - Cab Baxter (uncredited) Riding West (1944) - Captain Amos Karnes Three of a Kind (1944) - Oliver Bowery Champs (1944) - Tom Wilson Mom and Dad (1945) - Bourbon Drinker on Train Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Serial) - Joe Heller / Lew Heller (uncredited) Rough Ridin' Justice (1945) - Virgil Trent (uncredited) Trouble Chasers (1945) - Dek Sharp Allotment Wives (1945) - Bartender (uncredited) Who's Guilty? (1945, Serial) - Smiley Hop Harrigan (1946, Serial) - Alex Ballard In Fast Company (1946) - Cabbie-Henchman with graying mustache (uncredited) Son of the Guardsman (1946, Serial) - Lord Markham (uncredited) Jack Armstrong (1947, Serial) - Prof. Hobart Zorn Brick Bradford (1947, Serial) - Louis Walthar Superman (1948, Serial) - Dr. Fredrick Larkin (uncredited) (final film role)
References
External links