Don Bailey

born: 10 May 1865 Utica, New York, United States of America

died: 10 December 1927 Los Angeles, California, United States of America (heart disease/possible poisoning, age 62)

Older American actor who formerly played in grand opera under the name "George Devani" (according to a newspaper article on his death; I have yet to find any results under that name or any other possible variants I can think of). A bit of mystery surrounded his sudden passing on 10 December 1927. Shortly after drinking coffee at his home (4511 Prospect Avenue, Los Angeles), he complained to his wife that it felt like he was "being choked to death" before he died shortly after. His death was initially chalked up to mere heart disease, but then the next day, the now-widowed Mrs. Bailey, her daughter (Don's stepdaughter) Mrs. Blanche Olivares, and Blanche's sister-in-law Tomasa "Tommy" Olivares were drinking coffee from the same home pot when they suddenly felt violently ill; "Tommy" even complained, like Don, that it felt like she was being choked. (Some reports state that it was "Tommy" and a Mrs. Jessie Adams -- either Don's daughter or sister-in-law -- who were incapacitated; the reports also continually misspelled Blanche and "Tommy's" surname, Olivares.) It then became a possibility that Don may have, in fact, been poisoned; an autopsy was ordered, and the specimens of the coffee were turned to the police for chemical analysis, but the "final result" does not appear to have been announced in the papers. (The three women survived, by the way, although "Tommy's" prognosis reportedly looked bleak at one point.)

Real name: George Downing Bailey Height: 6'0"

Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography.

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1927 Putting Pants On Philip [?] 1928 Should Tall Men Marry? [?] MISCELLANEOUS (click any image to enlarge) Acknowledgements: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNF-FGPS (1865 NY State Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8V7-M8Y (1870 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNJS-Y6C (1875 NY State Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24MT-6BL (1888 marriage) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYDL-4DN (CA Great Registers, 1895) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M953-HBW (1900 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGR2-STTN (death certificate) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK91-W7HV (CA Death Index) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103778017 (Find a Grave) https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LKMZ-RJG (family tree, FamilySearch) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380400272/ (Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380402572/ (Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/700337718/ (Venice Evening Vanguard, 12 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/606143478/ (Monrovia Daily News, 12 Dec 1927) https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SPNP19271212.2.5 (San Pedro Daily Pilot, 12 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/556454942/ (Brooklyn Daily Times, 12 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380402911/ (Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380403809/ (Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381261336/ (Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381266310/ (Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec 1927) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381267571/ (Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec 1927) 1923 L.A. City Dir.: Bailey Geo D photo player h355 N Occidental blvd 1924 L.A. City Dir.: Bailey Geo D slsmn h355 N Occidental blvd 1924 CA Voter Reg.: Bailey, George Downing, slsmn, 355 N Occidental blvd, R 1925 L.A. City Dir.: Bailey Geo D photo player h355 N Occidental blvd 1928 L.A. City Dir.: Bailey Donald actor r4511 Prospect av Jesse Brisson (research and bio notes) Steve Rydzewski (information) This page was last updated on: 19 April 2023