Nelson McDowell

{{Short description|American actor (1870–1947)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Nelson McDowell

| image = Portrait of Nelson McDowell.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1870|8|14}}

| birth_place = Greenville, Missouri, US

| death_date = {{death date and age|1947|11|3|1870|8|14}}

| death_place = Hollywood, California, US

| yearsactive = 1917-1945

| education = Northwestern University (A.B. and D.D.S.)

}}

Nelson McDowell (August 14, 1870 – November 3, 1947) was an American actor.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xWlZAAAAMAAJ&q=Nelson+McDowell+actor|title=Eighty Silent Film Stars: Biographies and Filmographies of the Obscure to the Well Known|first=George A.|last=Katchmer|date=June 1, 1991|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780899504940|access-date=June 1, 2019|via=Google Books}} He appeared in more than 170 films between 1917 and 1945.

McDowell was born in Greenville, Missouri. His parents were N. B. McDowell and Anne Hampton. He attended Leadville (Colorado) High School and Normal College in Freemont, Nebraska, before earning A.B. and D.D.S. degrees from Northwestern University in Chicago.{{cite book |last1=Katchmer |first1=George A. |title=A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses |date=May 20, 2015 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-0905-8 |pages=248–249 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VnGeCQAAQBAJ&q=%22a+drooping+walrus+mustache+and+a+sagging+chin+that+gave+him+a%22&pg=PA248 |access-date=January 18, 2021 |language=en}} Prior to embarking on a theatrical career, McDowell had a career in dentistry. In 1901, he was appointed professor of orthodontics at the University of Illinois.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/587563475/?terms=%22James+Nelson+McDowell%22|title=7 Nov 1901, 3 - The Greenfield Vidette at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}

In 1902, McDowell acted on stage in Chicago and in Lincoln, Nebraska. His film debut came in 1910 with Biograph.

McDowell died in Hollywood, California after he shot himself.