By 1900, they were living in Philadelphia, where Meek was employed as a dry goods salesman, according to the United States census of that year.

Meek, who had lost his hair due to yellow fever, was cast as timid, worried characters in many of his films, and is perhaps best known for his roles as Mr. Poppins in Frank Capra's You Can't Take It With You and as whiskey salesman Samuel Peacock in John Ford's Stagecoach.

[4] From 1931 through 1932, Meek was featured as criminologist Dr. Crabtree in a series of 12 Warner Bros. two-reel short subjects written by S.S. Van Dine.

By this marriage, the American-born Belle Meek lost her United States citizenship by taking her husband's British nationality.

[citation needed] Donald Meek died of leukaemia on 18 November 1946, in Los Angeles,[5] while filming the role of Mr. Twiddle in Magic Town.