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Donald Chaffin

Donald Chaffin

Actor, Other Crew

Born October 9, 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA

Died August 2, 1999

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Biography

Donald Chaffin's entire life was spent working in motion pictures. He started out as juvenile actor in the 1930s playing kids and newsboys. It was through this he really started to establish a lot of connections with various casting directors at MGM studios.

Like many extras of the day, Chaffin faced a unique problem. His natural appearance wasn't considered dignified enough to appear as a dress extra in socialite scenes but he also didn't really have an appearance that would lend himself to be cast in westerns. Through his connections with MGM, he was able to receive work as a stand-in which meant he was constantly working and he would usually be allowed to appear in the production as an extra or occasionally upgraded to a speaking role.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Chaffin's appearance led him to appear in various bartender type roles but usually he stayed attached to a production where he'd be standing in for a start. By the mid 1960s, he caught a break and became the stand-in for Gary Collins in Iron Horse. Unlike most shows, Iron Horse had a reputation for giving their stand-ins credited roles when they could as long as it wasn't too frequent where they became noticeable. Chaffin would appear in various roles during the show's run.

It wasn't until the 1970s that Chaffin caught a real break. He became the stand-in for Telly Savalas on the hit series Kojak. He also became one of the regular detectives that were usually seen around the squad room and was given the character name Det. Tracy. This not only meant that Chaffin worked steadily but that he actually became an established figure on set so he was occasionally given dialog or at the very least upgraded to a "silent bit" where he interacted with a primary character and got a large increase in pay.

After Kojak ended, Chaffin spent several more years appearing as a stand-in on various shows but he finally called it quits by the late 1980s leaving behind more than 50 years' worth of various roles and occupations throughout most of what are considered by many the golden ages of film and television.

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Filmography

Actor

52

Type

Year

Fletch Feature Film1985Banquet Guest

Beverly Hills Cop Poster

Beverly Hills Cop Feature Film1984Detective

Murder, She Wrote Poster

Murder, She Wrote TV Series1984Reporter

Just Our Luck Poster

Just Our Luck TV Series19831 episode, 1983

The Sting II Poster

The Sting II Feature Film1983Club Patron

Americathon Poster

Americathon Feature Film1979Spectator at Inauguration

Charlie's Angels Poster

Charlie's Angels TV Series1976Roller Derby Spectator

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood Poster

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood Feature Film1976Party Guest

Blazing Saddles Poster

Blazing Saddles Feature Film1974Townsman

The Rockford Files Poster

The Rockford Files TV Series1974Pool Player

Zandy's Bride Poster

Zandy's Bride Feature Film1974Man

Kojak TV Series1973Det. Tracy

The Marcus-Nelson Murders Poster

The Marcus-Nelson Murders TV Movie1973Detective

Banacek TV Series1972Restaurant Patron

What's Up, Doc? Poster

What's Up, Doc? Feature Film1972Musicologist

Columbo TV Series1971Bar Patron

There Was a Crooked Man... Poster

There Was a Crooked Man... Feature Film1970Prisoner

Death of a Gunfighter Poster

Death of a Gunfighter Feature Film1969Barfly

Star! Feature Film1968Show Spectator

The Love Bug Poster

The Love Bug Feature Film1968Official

Batman TV Series1966Juror

Iron Horse Poster

Iron Horse TV Series1966Fireman

Brainstorm Poster

Brainstorm Feature Film1965Orderly

How to Murder Your Wife Poster

How to Murder Your Wife Feature Film1965Waiter

The Best Man Poster

The Best Man Feature Film1964Supporter

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Poster

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour TV Series1962Audience Member

Hazel TV Series1961Bowling Match Spectator

The Honeymoon Machine Poster

The Honeymoon Machine Feature Film1961Diplomat

Bonanza TV Series1959Townsman

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Poster

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis TV Series1959Replacement Quarterback

The Untouchables Poster

The Untouchables TV Series1959Party Guest

Yancy Derringer Poster

Yancy Derringer TV Series1958Bartender

Maverick Poster

Maverick TV Series1957Irishman

Tales of Wells Fargo Poster

Tales of Wells Fargo TV Series1957Townsman

The Tattered Dress Poster

The Tattered Dress Feature Film1957Undetermined Secondary Role

The Wings of Eagles Poster

The Wings of Eagles Feature Film1957Spectator at Screening

Playhouse 90 Poster

Playhouse 90 TV Series1956Poker Player

Gunsmoke Poster

Gunsmoke TV Series1955Townsman

Trial Feature Film1955Prospective Juror

Climax! TV Series1954Minor Role

Rose Marie Poster

Rose Marie Feature Film1954Woodsman in Saloon

White Christmas Poster

White Christmas Feature Film1954Anniversary Party Guest

Bad for Each Other Poster

Bad for Each Other Feature Film1953Intern

Houdini Feature Film1953Workman

Miss Sadie Thompson Poster

Miss Sadie Thompson Feature Film1953Marine

The Kid from Broken Gun Poster

The Kid from Broken Gun Feature Film1952Courtroom Deputy

Come Fill the Cup Poster

Come Fill the Cup Feature Film1951First Male Nurse

Letter from an Unknown Woman Poster

Letter from an Unknown Woman Feature Film1948Pedestrian

Moonrise Poster

Moonrise Feature Film1948Townsman

A Slight Case of Murder Poster

A Slight Case of Murder Feature Film1938Orphan

Boys Town Poster

Boys Town Feature Film1938Newsboy

Mad About Music Poster

Mad About Music Feature Film1938Schoolboy

Other Crew

4

Type

Year

The Gangster Chronicles Poster

The Gangster Chronicles Mini-Series1981

Kojak TV Series1973

Iron Horse Poster

Iron Horse TV Series1966

Montana Territory Poster

Montana Territory Feature Film1952

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