Actor. He will be best remembered for his role as the 'Spirit of Christmas Past' in the classic holiday film, "A Christmas Carol" (1951), which was based on the book by Charles Dickens. The film also starred actor Alastair Sim as the crotchety title character, the miser, 'Ebenezer Scrooge.' He was born as Michael J. Dolan in Dublin, Ireland, on April 8, 1886, to Patrick Dolan and his wife Kate Dolan. He was a distinguished actor having started his career during the early 1900s. He began his career in stage productions and went to New York City on several occasions over the years where he appeared in numerous stage plays on Broadway. He appeared in the stage productions, "The Well Of The Saints" (1911), "The Magnanimous Lover" (1913), "Things That Are Caesar's (1932), "The Far-Off Hills" (1932, 1934, and 1937), "Look At The Heffernans" (1934), "Church Street"(1934), "The Resurrection" (1934), "The Playboy Of The Western World" (1934, and 1937), "The New Gossoon" (1932, 1934, and 1937), "Juno And The Paycock" (1934, and 1937), "Drama At Inish" (1934, and 1937), "The Plough And The Stars" (1934, and 1937), "In A Train" (1937), and "Katie Roche" (1937). He was a mainstay for many years also at the famed Abbey Theatre in his native Dublin, Ireland, and besides his appearances in films and on Broadway in New York City, he appeared in many stage productions for the Irish theatre. He took over the management of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, from the dramatist, poet, and theatre producer, and director Lennox Robinson (1886-1958), beginning in December of 1923, and was stage manager, general manager, and director. He appeared in numerous stage productions that were written by the deaf Irish playwright Teresa Deevy (1894-1964). His many plays for the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, include, "The King Of Spain's Daughter" (1936), "Katie Roche" (1937, which toured to the Arts Theatre in Cambridge, England), "Temporal Powers" (1937), "The King Of Spain's Daughter" (1939), "Katie Roche" (1949), "Katie Roche" (1953, this was played at the Queen's Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, pending the rebuilding and enlargement of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland). He then transitioned to films and made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Twiss' in the film, "Another Shore" (1948). The film which was directed by Charles Crichton and which also starred Moira Lister, Stanley Holloway, and Robert Beatty, tells the story of a young Irishman who comes up with an unusual plan to get the money to emigrate to Tahiti. Besides, "Another Shore" (1948), and "A Christmas Carol" (1951), his many other film credits include, "Saints And Sinners" (1949), "Talk Of A Million" (1951), and as 'Surgeon Gundarson' in the adventure film, "Captain Horatio Hornblower" (1951), which also starred Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo. He continued to act until his death. He was married to Margaret Kathleen Fogarty Dolan (1895-1950), with whom he had four children, Doreen, Jeffrey, Sheila, and Patricia. He passed away in his native Dublin, Ireland, on October 21, 1954, at the age of 70. His funeral was conducted by the Reverend T. Menton and held at the Church of Three Patrons in Dublin, Ireland, and he was buried in an unmarked grave at Mount Jerome Cemetery and Crematorium in Harold's Cross, County Dublin, Ireland. He was predeceased by his parents, and his wife, but he was survived by his four children. His career with the theatre can be seen in the Teresa Deevy Archives which are held at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland.