Samuel S. Hinds

Biography

Samuel Southey Hinds (April 4, 1875 – October 13, 1948) was an American actor and former attorney, known for portraying benevolent authority figures in over 200 films throughout his career. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Joseph E. Hinds and Mary A. Beetham Hinds, he attended Phillips Andover Academy and graduated from Harvard Law School. Hinds spent over three decades practicing law before transitioning to acting following the financial downturn of 1929, which significantly impacted his finances.

At the age of 54, he embarked on his acting career at the Pasadena Community Playhouse and made his Broadway debut. Hinds gained widespread recognition for his roles in classic films directed by Frank Capra, most notably as Peter Bailey, the father of James Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), and as Paul Sycamore in "You Can't Take It With You" (1938). He also featured prominently in several Abbott & Costello comedies, including "Buck Privates" (1941) and "Ride 'Em Cowboy" (1942), and played Lew Ayres' father in the "Dr. Kildare" series during the early 1940s.

Hinds' film career began with "If I Had a Million" (1932), followed by his portrayal of President Woodrow Wilson in "The Road Is Open Again" (1933). His final film, "The Bribe," was released posthumously in 1949. Hinds passed away from pneumonia in Pasadena, California, at the age of 73. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy Cruickshank, and their two children.