Matt McHugh


Matthew O. McHugh was an American film actor who appeared in more than 200 films between 1931 and 1955, primarily in small parts.

Career

McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents ran a stock theatre company and, as a young child, he performed on stage. His brother, Frank, who went on to become part of the Warner Bros. stock company in the 1930s and 1940s, and sister Kitty performed an act with him by the time he was fourteen years old, but the family quit the stage around 1930. His brother Ed became an agent in New York.
McHugh made his Broadway debut in Elmer Rice's Street Scene in 1929, along with his brother Ed, and also appeared in Swing Your Lady in 1936.
Despite his actual origins, McHugh usually performed his roles with a Brooklyn accent, and was often cast as characters explicitly from Brooklyn. In Star Spangled Rhythm, his one scene is a protracted monologue during the climactic "Old Glory" sequence, in which McHugh plays a character who literally embodies the spirit of Brooklyn.

Partial filmography

Street Scene as Vincent JonesThe Woman from Monte Carlo as Chief Petty Officer VincentFreaks as One of the Rollo BrothersThe Loud Mouth as Loud MouthHypnotized as DrummerThe Devil's Brother as FrancescoBed of Roses as "Jones"The Last Trail as Looney McGannThe Mad Game as McGeeThe Prizefighter and the Lady as Bar PatronLost in the Stratosphere as Matt O'TooleShe Loves Me Not as AndyThe Cat's-Paw as Taxi DriverMurder in the Private Car as Policeman Stopping John Wings in the Dark Ladies Crave Excitement Party Wire as Bert WestIf You Could Only Cook as PeteMannequin The Big Broadcast of 1937 as a Cafe diner The Mad Miss Manton as Driscoll "from Headquarters"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington The Boys from Syracuse The Wild Man of Borneo as Buggy DriverDon't Talk as Plant EmployeeA Gentleman at Heart Sappy Birthday San Diego, I Love You Secret Command Vacation in Reno Pardon My Clutch Bodyhold