Donald Whitfield has quickly become one of the shrewdest villains in 1923. After making a late entrance to the show, the cunning businessman manipulated the levers of power and became the Dutton's number one rival. The Yellowstone spinoff show, which is already a massive success thanks to its incredible cast, ended season one with the Duttons in quite a pickle with this guy so it's safe to say we're all waiting to see what he has in store for season 2!
If you need a bit of a refresher, Whitfield paid the taxes on the Dutton ranch, putting Cara and Jacob Dutton at risk of losing everything if they can't pay him back in time. And now, Spencer Dutton has to race a heck of a long way back to Montana to stop Whitfield and his awful cronies. But who is Timothy Dalton, the man behind Whitfield's sinister force?
If you think the British actor looks familiar, it's because he's already a bonafide movie star, just like his costars Hellen Mirren and Harrison Ford. Fans of James Bond movies will recognize the 1923 villain as one of the most famous good guys from the big screen, agent 007. Here's everything you need to know about Timothy Dalton and the character he plays in 1923.
Who is Timothy Dalton's character in '1923'?
Timothy Dalton plays Donald Whitfield, a character Paramount describes as a "powerful, self-confident man who reeks of wealth and the lack of empathy it requires to attain it." Whitfield entered the series in episode 4, "War and the Turquoise Tide," when Banner Creighton enlists him to help in his war against the Duttons. Over the course of the following four episodes, Whitfield reveals himself to be a classic '20's tycoon bent on acquiring every inch of Paradise Valley. Creighton remains a Dutton adversary, but Whitfield appears to be the main antagonist to watch out for in season 2.
In a recent interview, the Brit opened up about the difficulty of filming in the harsh Montana winter. "It was a nightmare…We are on top of a hill with a blasting wind coming at us…The cameras freeze up… Your toes freeze up," said Whitfield.
Still, his previous acting credits probably helped prepare him a bit for such a strenuous shooting schedule.
What movies and TV shows is Timothy Dalton famous for?
One of Dalton's prominent early roles was agent 007 in the 15th and 16th installments of the James Bond franchise. His portrayal of Bond was still dashingly handsome but also notably darker and more serious than his predecessors. This may have set him up to play other brooding or villainous characters in the future. Since Dalton has over 60 acting credits, here are a few of his most notable movies and tv show roles:
- Heathcliff: "Wuthering Heights" 1970
- Rochester: "Jane Eyre" 1983
- James Bond: "The Living Daylights" 1987
- James Bond: "Licence to Kill" 1989
- Neville Sinclair: ""The Rocketeer" 1991
- Simon Skinner: "Hot Fuzz" 2007
- Chief Inspector Jones: "The tourist" 2010
- Sir Malcolm Murray: "Penny Dreadful" 2014-2016
- Chief Niles Caulder: "Doom Patrol" 2019-2021
Why did Dalton only play Bond twice?
Let us just quickly say that Dalton's Bond was ahead of his time, and his tenure was cut way too short. Actors often play Bond for numerous installments—Sean Connery and Roger Moore tie with seven! While a couple of other actors only starred in one film, two is still on the short end of the spectrum.
Dalton's Bond was in many ways more faithful to the original book character, which was written as stoic and threatening due to the nature of his profession. Each actor makes the role his own, but the portrayal rubbed some viewers the wrong way since Dalton followed Moore and his wildly popular comedic Bond incarnation. Despite being cult favorites nowadays, The Living Daylights and License to Kill were the lowest-performing franchise installments. The issue was also partly out of Dalton's hands after legal disputes between MGM Studios and EON Productions delayed the production of his third Bond film and eventually wore out his patience and his contract.
Evidently, the move wasn't a career killer as he's now starring in one of the most popular shows on television!
Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.
