Francis Lumsden Hare (17 October 1874 – 28 August 1964) was an Irish-born American film and theatre actor. He was also a theatre director and theatrical producer.
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Early years
Hare was born in County Tipperary, Ireland. He studied at St. Dunstan's College in London.
Career
Hare appeared in more than 35 Broadway productions between 1900 and 1942. In 1908, he made his Broadway debut in the play What Every Woman Knows, starring Maude Adams. Throughout his career, he occasionally also did double duty as director (Peter's Mother [1918]) or producer (What Every Woman Knows [1926 revival], Elmer Gantry [1928], etc.)
He began appearing in films in 1916. The New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall praised his performances repeatedly:
Scotland Yard (1930): "Lumsden Hare's interpretation of the knowledgeful Scotland Yard commissioner is intelligent and well-spoken."
Svengali (1931): "with Dundreary whiskers, is splendid as Taffy."
The World Moves On (1934): "plays Mary's father with a gratifying authority."
During the 1940s, he appeared in several mostly uncredited small and supporting roles for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
By his final screen appearance in 1961, Hare had amassed over 140 film credits and appeared on television in over a dozen productions.
Personal life and death
Hare was married to actress Selene Johnson. He died 28 August 1964, aged 89, in Beverly Hills, California.