Horace McMahon (1906-1971) was elected to The Lambs in 1934 as a Professional member.
McMahon was a Connecticut-born character actor who fell easily into his career while pursuing a law career at Fordham University. A former news reporter, his dark, streetwise mug and attitude proved perfect for playing assorted New York characters — thugs, cabbies, henchmen, bouncers — in a slew of late 1930s and 1940s crime yarns.
On Broadway from 1931, McMahon scored his best stage role in 1949 with Detective Story and was able to solidify it on film in 1951 to critical acclaim. Thereafter his crusty cops and detectives could be found all over, including TV, where he earned an Emmy nomination for his regular role on the Naked City (1958) series.
In 1938 he married actress Louise Campbell.
He died in 1971. After his death, The Lambs admitted women to the Club as full members. His widow and their daughter, Martha, joined The Lambs.
Horace McMahon’s film biography is here.