Malcolm Atterbury

Biography

Malcolm MacLeod Atterbury (February 20, 1907 – August 16, 1992) was a versatile American actor known for his work across stage, film, television, and vaudeville.

Atterbury gained significant recognition for his memorable uncredited role in Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller, North by Northwest (1959), where he famously remarked, "That plane's dustin' crops where there ain't no crops!" He continued his collaboration with Hitchcock, playing the Deputy in The Birds (1963). His filmography also includes notable titles such as I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957), Crime of Passion (1957), Blue Denim (1959), Wild River (1960), Advise and Consent (1962), and Hawaii (1966). His final film appearance was in Emperor of the North Pole (1973).

On February 6, 1937, Atterbury married Ellen Ayres Hardies (1915–1994), who hailed from Amsterdam, New York. She was the daughter of Judge Charles E. Hardies Sr. and the sister of Charles Hardies Jr., who would later serve as the district attorney of Montgomery County.

Atterbury spent his later years in Beverly Hills, where he passed away at the age of 85 in 1992, leaving behind a rich legacy in American cinema and theater.