Joseph Kenneth Shovlin (June 30, 1902 – April 14, 1974), known professionally as Michael Whalen, was an American actor who starred in motion pictures and television, including Son of a Badman and Wee Willie Winkie.
The young Joe Shovlin was headed for a career in retail; he managed a Woolworth's department store in his native Pennsylvania until he resigned the post in 1925. A visit to New York led to his working on the stage and in radio; he sang on stations WGBS and WABC.Motion Picture Almanac, Terry Ramsaye, ed., Quigley Publications, 1947, p. 416. He moved to Los Angeles in 1933 to continue his stage career, and was signed as a potential leading man by 20th Century-Fox in 1935. He adopted his mother's maiden name Whalen professionally.
Fox cast Whalen as the juvenile lead in four big-budget "A" pictures, where the darkly handsome actor registered pleasantly but not outstandingly. From then on Fox gave Whalen leading roles in lower-budget "B" pictures, in which he worked steadily. During the 1938-39 season, Whalen starred in three "Roving Reporters" features as crime-busting newspaperman Barney Callahan, but the series didn't catch on (the advertising for these films actually emphasized the supporting character players over Whalen). Whalen left Fox in 1939.
He freelanced at smaller studios for the next few years, before quitting the movies and returning to the Broadway stage. He returned to Hollywood in 1947 and worked in "B" pictures, mostly for producer Robert L. Lippert. With the major studios cutting back on their low-budget productions, many established players found themselves underemployed. Lippert could sign them economically for flat fees, giving his modest productions some luster for the marquee. Whalen also worked in television throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s.
Selected filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1935Professional Soldier George Foster 1936Song and Dance Man Alan Davis 1936White Fang Gordon Weedon Scott 1936Poor Little Rich Girl Richard Barry 1936 Sing, Baby, Sing Ted Blake1937 The Lady EscapesMichael Hilton 1937 Wee Willie Winkie Lt. "Coppy" Brandes1937Time Out for RomanceBob Reynolds1938While New York SleepsBarney Callahan 1941 I'll Sell My Life Mordecai Breen 1947 Gas House Kids in Hollywood Lance Carter1948 Parole, Inc. Kid Redmond1948 Blonde Ice Atty. Stanley Mason1949 Batman and Robin (serial) Dunne1949 Tough Assignment Hutchinson1949 Treasure of Monte CristoLt. Michael Perry1950SarumbaSeñor Valdez 1952 Waco 1955 The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues King1958Missile to the MoonDirk Green 1959 Bat Masterson Marshall S1E11 "General Sherman’s March Through Dodge City" 1960 Elmer Gantry Rev. Phillips 1961 Sea Hunt (TV series) Season 4, Episode 27
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