Chester Cooper Conklin (January 11, 1886 – October 11, 1971) was an early American film comedian who started at Keystone Studios as one of

Mack Sennett Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...

’s

Keystone Cops The Keystone Cops (often spelled "Keystone Kops") are fictional, humorously incompetent policemen featured in silent film slapstick comedies produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company between 1912 and 1917. History The idea for th ...

, often paired with

Mack Swain Mack Swain (born Moroni Swain; February 16, 1876 – August 25, 1935) was an early American film actor, who appeared in many of Mack Sennett’s comedies at Keystone Studios, including the Keystone Cops series. He also appeared in major fea ...

. He appeared in a series of films with Mabel Normand and worked closely with Charlie Chaplin, both in silent and sound films.

Early life

Conklin was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa. One of three children, he grew up in a violent household. When he was eight, his mother was found burned to death in the family garden. Although first judged a suicide, his father, a devoutly religious man who hoped his son would be a minister, was eventually charged with murder, but found not guilty at trial. Conklin won first prize when he gave a recitation at a community festival. A few years later, he ran away from home after vowing to a friend he would never return, a promise he kept. Heading to Des Moines he found employment as a hotel bellhop, but then moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where his interest in theatre led to a career in comedic acting. In

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, Missouri, he saw a performance by the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

team of Joe Weber and

Lew Fields Lew Fields (born Moses Schoenfeld, January 1867 – July 20, 1941) was an American actor, comedian, vaudeville star, theatre manager, and producer. He was part of a comedy duo with Joe Weber. He also produced shows on his own and starred in c ...

, which prompted Conklin to develop a character based on his boss at the time, a man with a thick accent and a bushy

walrus The walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus'') is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the fami ...

moustache. With this character, Conklin broke into vaudeville, and spent several years touring with various stock companies, doing vaudeville shows and

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century. Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spec ...

s. He also performed as a clown with the Al G. Barnes Wild Animal Show.

Career

After seeing several

comedies while in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

, California during the 1913 winter break, the 27-year-old Conklin went to Keystone Studios, applied for a job and was hired as a

Keystone Kop The Keystone Cops (often spelled "Keystone Kops") are fictional, humorously incompetent policemen featured in silent film slapstick comedies produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company between 1912 and 1917. History The idea for th ...

with a salary of $3 a day. Sennett directed him in his first film, a comedy short titled '' Hubby's Job''.TC
Biography
/ref> In 1914, Conklin co-starred with Mabel Normand in a series of films: ''

Mabel's Strange Predicament ''Mabel's Strange Predicament'' is a 1914 American film starring Mabel Normand and Charles Chaplin, notable for being the first film for which Chaplin donned the costume of The Tramp, although his appearance in the costume in Kid Auto Races a ...

'', '' Mabel's New Job'', '' Mabel's Busy Day'' and ''

Mabel at the Wheel ''Mabel at the Wheel'' is a 1914 American motion picture starring Charles Chaplin and Mabel Normand, and directed by Mabel Normand and Mack Sennett. The film is also known as ''Hot Finish''. Plot Charlie offers Mabel a ride on his two-seater ...

''. In that same year he appeared in ''

Making a Living ''Making a Living'' (also known as ''Doing His Best'', ''A Busted Johnny'', ''Troubles'', and ''Take My Picture'') is the first film starring Charlie Chaplin. A one-reel comedy short, it was completed in three days at Keystone Studios in Los An ...

'', in which Charlie Chaplin made his film debut. He would go on to make more than a dozen films with Chaplin while at Keystone and the two became lifelong friends. Years later, Conklin would perform with Chaplin in two more feature-length films, first in 1936 in '' Modern Times'' and in 1940's ''

The Great Dictator ''The Great Dictator'' is a 1940 American anti-war political satire black comedy film written, directed, produced, scored by, and starring British comedian Charlie Chaplin, following the tradition of many of his other films. Having been the o ...

''. During this time, Chaplin kept Conklin on year-round salary.Erickson, Ha
Biography (Allmovie)
While at Keystone, Conklin became most famous when he was teamed up with the robust comic

to make a series of comedies. With Swain as "Ambrose" and Conklin as the grand mustachioed "Walrus", they performed these roles in several films including '' The Battle of Ambrose and Walrus'' and '' Love, Speed and Thrills'', both made in 1915. Beyond these "Ambrose & Walrus" comedies, the two appeared together in twenty-six different films. In 1920, when Sennett refused to discuss a contract renewal with Conklin and insisted on referring him to an underling, Conklin quit and went to

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

, which had earlier approached him about doing a series of comedy shorts. He also worked at the

Famous Players-Lasky Corporation Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

studio. In between, he had a significant role as

ZaSu Pitts Zasu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas, including Erich von Stroheim's epic 1924 silent film ''Greed'', and comedies, transitioning successfully to mostly comedy films with the ...

' father in director Erich von Stroheim's acclaimed 1924

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

production, ''

Greed Greed (or avarice) is an uncontrolled longing for increase in the acquisition or use of material gain (be it food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions); or social value, such as status, or power. Greed has been identified as und ...

'', although the part was cut from the film and the footage is now lost, and in 1928 in the

Christie Film Company Christie Film Company was an American pioneer motion picture company founded in Hollywood, California by Al Christie and Charles Christie, two brothers from London, Ontario, Canada. It made comedies. While Charles served almost exclusively in ...

version of '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' with

W.C. Fields WC or wc may refer to: * Water closet or flush toilet Arts and entertainment * ''W.C.'' (film), an Irish feature film * WC (band), a Polish punk rock band * WC (rapper), a rapper from Los Angeles, California * Westside Connection, former ...

, which had nothing to do with the 1914 Chaplin version (in which Conklin had also appeared) aside from the title. Paramount Pictures teamed up Conklin and Fields for a series of comic films between 1927 and 1931. Conklin made the transition to

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

and, although he would continue to act for another thirty years, age and the shift in moviegoing tastes to more sophisticated comedy saw his roles limited to secondary or smaller parts in shorts, including the

Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeare ...

shorts ''

Flat Foot Stooges ''Flat Foot Stooges'' is a 1938 short subject directed by Charley Chase starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 35th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...

'' (as a fire chief), ''

Dutiful But Dumb ''Dutiful but Dumb'' is a 1941 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 54th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring th ...

'' (as a bartender), ''

Three Little Twirps ''Three Little Twirps'' is a 1943 short subject directed by Harry Edwards starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 71st entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures star ...

'' (as a Circus butcher), ''

Phony Express ''Phony Express'' is a 1943 short film, short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 75th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...

'' (as a bartender), and ''

Micro-Phonies ''Micro-Phonies'' is a 1945 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 87th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring th ...

'' (as a drunken pianist who answers a song request with "''Know'' it? I ''wrote'' it!"). Conklin also appeared in films that appealed to nostalgia for the silent era, such as ''

Hollywood Cavalcade ''Hollywood Cavalcade'' is a 1939 American film featuring Alice Faye as a young performer making her way in the early days of Hollywood, from slapstick silent pictures through the transition from silent to sound. Production In the wake of Alic ...

'' (1939) and '' The Perils of Pauline'' (1947). In

Soundies Soundies are three-minute American musical films, and each short displays a performance. The shorts were produced between 1940 and 1946 and have been referred to as "precursors to music videos" by UCLA. Soundies exhibited a variety of musical gen ...

musicals, he appeared with other silent-comedy alumni as The Keystone Kops, as well as on the televised '' This Is Your Life'' tribute to Mack Sennett. Conklin was part of

Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film '' The Great McGinty'' (1940), h ...

' unofficial "stock company" of character actors in the 1940s, appearing in cameo parts in six films written by Sturges. In 1957, he was a guest challenger on the TV panel show '' To Tell The Truth'', dressed in his Keystone Kops uniform.

Decline

Conklin's career hit bottom in the 1950s, and he took work as a department-store Santa Claus to make ends meet. In the 1960s, Conklin was living at the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital when he fell in love with another patient there, June Gunther. The two got married in

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

in 1965, the fourth marriage for both, they set up housekeeping in Van Nuys, California; the groom was seventy-nine and the bride sixty-five. Conklin made one last film after that, a Western comedy, ''

A Big Hand for the Little Lady ''A Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (released in the UK under the misleading title ''Big Deal at Dodge City'', as the film is set in Laredo, Texas) is a 1966 American Western film made by Eden Productions Inc. and released by Warner Bros. The ...

'', released in 1966.

Personal life

On April 12, 1933, Conklin was divorced from Minnie V. Conklin after a marriage of 18 years and nine months. He married Margherita Rouse on May 5, 1934, in Hollywood. She died on May 14, 1937. On June 17, 1965, Conklin married former actress June Gunther in Las Vegas. Conklin died October 11, 1971 in California at the age of 85. He was cremated, and his ashes were given to his family. Following his death, his great nephew, Robert Stoltz, along with his sisters, scattered Conklin's ashes in the Pacific Ocean.

Legacy

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Conklin has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine Street.

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1914 short) - Policeman / Bum (film debut, uncredited) * ''

'' (1914 short) - Husband * ''

'' (1914 short) - Mabel's Father * ''

Caught in a Cabaret ''Caught in a Cabaret'' is a 1914 short comedy film written and directed by Mabel Normand and starring Normand and Charles Chaplin. Plot Chaplin plays a waiter who fakes being the Prime Minister of Greenland to impress a girl. He then is inv ...

'' (1914 short) - Waiter / Footman (uncredited) * '' The Masquerader'' (1914 short) - Film Actor * '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' (1914) - Mr. Whoozis / Singing Waiter (uncredited) * ''A Bird's A Bird'' (1915 short) - Husband * ''The Love Thief'' (1916) - Minor Role * ''

Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U ...

'' (1918) * ''

Yankee Doodle in Berlin ''Yankee Doodle in Berlin'' is a 1919 American silent comedy and World War I propaganda film from producer Mack Sennett. It was Sennett's most expensive production up to that time. Hiram Abrams was the original State's Rights marketer before th ...

'' (1919) - Officer of Death's Head Hussars * ''

Skirts A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards. At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as pareos). However, most skirts are ...

'' (1921) * ''Tea: With a Kick!'' (1923) - Jiggs - Taxi Driver * '' Desire'' (1923) - Oland Young * ''

Anna Christie ''Anna Christie'' is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. It made its Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 2, 1921. O'Neill received the 1922 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this work. According to historian Paul Avrich, the ...

'' (1923) - Tommy * '' North of Nevada'' (1924) - Lem Williams * ''

The Galloping Fish ''The Galloping Fish'' is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Del Andrews and starring Louise Fazenda, Syd Chaplin, Ford Sterling, Chester Conklin, Lucille Ricksen, and John Steppling. It is based on the 1917 novel ''Friend Wife'' ...

'' (1924) - Jonah * '' The Fire Patrol'' (1924) - Fireman * '' Another Man's Wife'' (1924) - Rumrunner * ''

'' (1924) - 'Popper' Sieppe * ''

Battling Bunyan ''Battling Bunyan'' is a 1924 American silent film, silent sports film, sports comedy film directed by Paul Hurst (actor), Paul Hurst and starring Wesley Barry, Frank Campeau, and Molly Malone (actress), Molly Malone. In order to raise cash in a ...

'' (1924) - A Stranger * ''

One Year to Live ''One Year to Live'' is a 1925 American drama film directed by Irving Cummings and written by J.G. Hawks and Robert E. Hopkins. The film stars Aileen Pringle, Dorothy Mackaill, Sam De Grasse, Rosemary Theby, Leo White and Joseph Kilgour. The fi ...

'' (1925) - Froquin * '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1925) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...

'' (1925) - Orderly (uncredited) * ''

My Neighbor's Wife ''My Neighbor's Wife'' is a 2011 Filipino drama film directed by Jun Lana, starring Dennis Trillo, Lovi Poe, Jake Cuenca, and Carla Abellana. The film premiered nationwide on September 14, 2011, under Regal Films. The movie was distribute ...

'' (1925) - Cameraman * ''

Under the Rouge ''Under the Rouge'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Lewis H. Moomaw and starring Eileen Percy, Tom Moore and Eddie Phillips. After being arrested for safe-breaking, a man goes home to try and patch things up with his former g ...

'' (1925) - Mr. Fleck * '' Where Was I?'' (1925) - Elmer * '' The Winding Stair'' (1925) - Onery * ''

The Great Jewel Robbery ''The Great Jewel Robbery'' is a 1925 American silent crime drama film directed by John Ince and starring Herbert Rawlinson, Grace Darmond, and Frank Brownlee. Plot As described in a film magazine review, private detective A private inv ...

'' (1925) - Cootie Joe * ''

The Masked Bride ''The Masked Bride'' is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring Mae Murray, Francis X. Bushman, and Basil Rathbone. It is currently a lost film. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Ga ...

'' (1925) - Wine Waiter * ''

A Woman of the World ''A Woman of the World'' is a 1925 American silent comedy-drama film starring Pola Negri, directed by Mal St. Clair, produced by Famous Players-Lasky, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, ...

'' (1925) - Sam Poore * ''

The Pleasure Buyers ''The Pleasure Buyers'' is a 1925 American silent mystery drama film directed by Chester Withey and starring Irene Rich, Clive Brook, and Gayne Whitman. It was made by Warner Bros. In 1926 it was released in Britain by Gaumont British Distrib ...

'' (1925) - Burke * '' The Great Love'' (1925) - Perkins * '' Behind the Front'' (1926) - Scottie * ''

Fascinating Youth ''Fascinating Youth'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Sam Wood. It starred Charles "Buddy" Rogers (in his feature debut), along with Thelma Todd and Josephine Dunn in supporting roles. Many well-known personalities ma ...

'' (1926) - Himself * ''

A Social Celebrity ''A Social Celebrity'' is a 1926 American silent comedy drama film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and starred Louise Brooks as a small town manicurist who goes to New York City with her boyfriend (Adolphe Menjou), a barber who poses as a French ...

'' (1926) - Johann Haber * '' The Wilderness Woman'' (1926) - 'Kodiak' MacLean * '' Say It Again'' (1926) - Prince Otto V * ''

The Duchess of Buffalo ''The Duchess of Buffalo'' is a 1926 American silent romantic comedy film produced by and starring Constance Talmadge and released through First National Pictures. It is based on the 1916 Broadway stage musical ''Sybil'', which is this film's ...

'' (1926) - Hotel Manager * ''

The Nervous Wreck ''The Nervous Wreck'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent comedy film, comedy adventure film directed by Scott Sidney and starring Harrison Ford (silent film actor), Harrison Ford, Phyllis Haver and Chester Conklin.Connelly p.182 It is based ...

'' (1926) - Mort * '' Midnight Lovers'' (1926) - Moriarity * '' The Lady of the Harem'' (1926) - Ali * '' We're in the Navy Now'' (1926) - Navy Capt. Smithers * ''

McFadden's Flats McFadden's Flats may refer to: * McFadden's Flats (1927 film), an American silent film * McFadden's Flats (1935 film) ''McFadden's Flats'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Arthur Caesar, Edward Kaufman, A ...

'' (1927) - Jock McTavish * ''

A Kiss in a Taxi ''A Kiss In A Taxi'' is a lost 1927 American silent comedy film starring Bebe Daniels and directed by Clarence Badger. It is based on a French play, ''A Kiss in a Taxi'', produced on Broadway in 1925. Famous Players-Lasky produced and Paramount P ...

'' (1927) - Maraval * ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining o ...

'' (1927) - Jerry Trask * ''

Rubber Heels ''Rubber Heels'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It stars stage comedian Ed Wynn in his first motion picture.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: ...

'' (1927) - Tennyson Hawks * ''

Tell It to Sweeney ''Tell It to Sweeney'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and written by Monte Brice, Kerry Clarke, George Marion Jr. and Percy Heath. The film stars Chester Conklin, George Bancroft, Jack Luden, Doris Hill, F ...

'' (1927) - Luke Beamish * ''

Two Flaming Youths ''Two Flaming Youths'' is a lost 1927 American silent comedy film directed by John Waters and written by John W. Conway, Donald Davis, Percy Heath, and Herman J. Mankiewicz. The film stars W. C. Fields, Chester Conklin, Mary Brian, Jack Luden ...

'' (1927) - Sheriff Ben Holden * '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1928) - Judge * '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' (1928) - Circus Owner * '' The Big Noise'' (1928) - John Sloval * ''

Fools for Luck ''Fools for Luck'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Charles Reisner and written by Harry Fried, George Marion Jr., Sam Mintz, and J. Walter Ruben. The film stars W.C. Fields, Chester Conklin, Sally Blane, Jack Luden, Mary ...

'' (1928) - Samuel Hunter * '' Beau Broadway'' (1928) * '' Varsity'' (1928) - Pop Conlan * '' The Haunted House'' (1928) - Mr. Rackham * ''

Taxi 13 ''Taxi 13'' is a 1928 silent film comedy produced and distributed by Film Booking Offices of America and directed by Marshall Neilan. The film stars Chester Conklin in what is FBO's first film with a pre-recorded soundtrack. Once thought lost ...

'' (1928) - Angus Mactavish * '' Marquis Preferred'' (1929) - Mr. Gruger * '' Sunset Pass'' (1929) - Windy * '' House of Horror'' (1929) - Chester * ''

The Studio Murder Mystery ''The Studio Murder Mystery'' is a 1929 American mystery film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by Ethel Doherty, A. Channing Edington, Carmen Ballen Edington, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Frank Tuttle. The film stars Neil Hamilton, Doris Hill, ...

'' (1929) - George (Studio Gateman) * ''

Stairs of Sand ''Stairs of Sand'' is a 1929 American silent Western film starring Wallace Beery, Jean Arthur and Phillips Holmes, made by Paramount Pictures, directed by Otto Brower, and written by Agnes Brand Leahy, Sam Mintz and J. Walter Ruben, based on ...

'' (1929) - Tim * ''

Fast Company ''Fast Company'' is a monthly American business magazine published in print and online that focuses on technology, business, and design. It publishes six print issues per year. History ''Fast Company'' was launched in November 1995 by Alan Web ...

'' (1929) - Chamber of Commerce President * '' The Virginian'' (1929) - Uncle "Pa" Hughey * ''

The Show of Shows ''The Show of Shows'' is a 1929 American pre-Code musical revue film directed by John G. Adolfi and distributed by Warner Bros. The all-talking Vitaphone production cost $850,000 and was shot almost entirely in Technicolor. ''The Show o ...

'' (1929) - Traffic Cop in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number * '' Swing High'' (1930) - Sheriff * ''

The Love Trader ''The Love Trader'' is an early talkie pre-Code American romantic drama film preserved at the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', pg. 1 ...

'' (1930) - Nelson * ''The Master Sweeper'' (1930) * ''

Her Majesty, Love ''Her Majesty, Love'' is a 1931 American pre-Code musical comedy drama film directed by William Dieterle for First National Pictures, starring Broadway stars Marilyn Miller and Ben Lyon, and in his talking feature debut, W. C. Fields. It is ...

'' (1931) - Emil * '' Hallelujah, I'm a Bum'' (1933) - Sunday * ''

The Big Broadcast of 1936 ''The Big Broadcast of 1936'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Norman Taurog, and is the second in the series of ''Big Broadcast'' movies. The musical comedy starred Jack Oakie, Bing Crosby, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ethel Merman, T ...

'' (1935) - Sewer Worker (uncredited) * '' Modern Times'' (1936) - Mechanic * ''

The Preview Murder Mystery ''The Preview Murder Mystery'' is a 1936 American mystery-comedy, directed by Robert Florey and shot in the Paramount studio. The plot follows a studio public relations man who attempts to trap a killer using television technology, allowing on ...

'' (1936) - Comedian * '' Call of the Prairie'' (1936) - Sheriff Sandy McQueen * ''

Hotel Haywire ''Hotel Haywire'' is a 1937 American comedy film written by Preston Sturges with uncredited rewrites by Lillie Hayward. It was directed by George Archainbaud and stars Leo Carrillo, Lynne Overman, Spring Byington, Benny Baker and Colette Lyons. ...

'' (1937) - O'Shea (uncredited) * '' Forlorn River'' (1937) - Sheriff Alec Grundy * '' Every Day's a Holiday'' (1937) - Cabby * ''

Zenobia Septimia Zenobia ( Palmyrene Aramaic: , , vocalized as ; AD 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city ...

'' (1939) - Farmer (uncredited) * ''

The Spellbinder ''The Spellbinder'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Jack Hively, written by Thomas Lennon and Joseph Fields, and starring Lee Tracy, Barbara Read, Patric Knowles, Allan Lane Allan "Rocky" Lane (born Harry Leonard Albershardt; Sept ...

'' (1939) - Courtroom Extra (uncredited) * ''

'' (1939) - Sheriff * '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939) - Man in Press Section of Senate Gallery (uncredited) * ''

Chip of the Flying U ''Chip of the Flying U'' is a 1926 American silent Western comedy film based on a novel by Bertha Muzzy Sinclair. It was directed by Lynn Reynolds and starred Hoot Gibson. Universal Pictures produced and released the film. A print is preser ...

'' (1939) - Joe (uncredited) * '' Henry Goes Arizona'' (1939) - Bus Driver (uncredited) * ''

'' (1940) - Barber's Customer * ''

Li'l Abner ''Li'l Abner'' is a satirical American comic strip that appeared in many newspapers in the United States, Canada and Europe. It featured a fictional clan of hillbilly, hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written a ...

'' (1940) - Mayor Gurgle * '' Sweetheart of the Campus'' (1941) - The Prisoner-Vagrant (uncredited) * '' Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' (1941) - Newsboy (uncredited) * '' Harmon of Michigan'' (1941) - Gasoline Chuck * ''

One Foot in Heaven ''One Foot in Heaven'' is a 1941 American biographical film starring Fredric March, Martha Scott, Beulah Bondi, Gene Lockhart and Elisabeth Fraser. The film was adapted by Casey Robinson from the autobiography by Hartzell Spence. It was directed ...

'' (1941) - Man Crying During Baptism (uncredited) * ''

Jesse James at Bay ''Jesse James at Bay'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane starring Roy Rogers and George "Gabby" Hayes. Plot When Jesse learns that crooked banker Krager is cheating settlers, he and his gang rob trains to obtain cash for ...

'' (1941) - Town Drunk (uncredited) * ''

Sullivan's Travels ''Sullivan's Travels'' is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. A satire on the film industry, it follows a famous Hollywood comedy director (Joel McCrea) who, longing to make a socially relevant drama, sets out to ...

'' (1941) - Old Bum (uncredited) * ''

Honolulu Lu ''Honolulu Lu'' is a 1941 American musical film directed by Charles Barton and written by Eliot Gibbons. The film stars Lupe Vélez, Bruce Bennett, Leo Carrillo, Marjorie Gateson, Don Beddoe and Forrest Tucker. The film was released December 11 ...

'' (1941) - Joe - Keystone Kop (uncredited) * ''

Valley of the Sun A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...

'' (1942) - Soldier at Hitching Rail (uncredited) * '' The Remarkable Andrew'' (1942) - Shopkeeper (uncredited) * '' Romance on the Range'' (1942) - Lynch Mob Member (uncredited) * '' In Old California'' (1942) - Town Drunk (uncredited) * ''

Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music perf ...

'' (1942) - Old-Timer * ''

The Palm Beach Story ''The Palm Beach Story'' is a 1942 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced variati ...

'' (1942) - Sixth Member Ale and Quail Club * ''

I Married a Witch ''I Married a Witch'' is a 1942 American fantasy romantic comedy film, directed by René Clair, and starring Veronica Lake as a witch whose plan for revenge goes comically awry, with Fredric March as her foil. The film also features Robert Benchl ...

'' (1942) - Party Bartender (uncredited) * '' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (1942) - Drunk (uncredited) * '' X Marks the Spot'' (1942) - Vagrant (uncredited) * ''

Hangmen Also Die! ''Hangmen Also Die!'' is a 1943 noir war film directed by the Austrian director Fritz Lang and written by John Wexley from a story by Bertolt Brecht (credited as Bert Brecht) and Lang. The film stars Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Brian Donlevy, W ...

'' (1943) - Cook (uncredited) * ''

Sagebrush Law ''Sagebrush Law'' is a 1943 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Sam Nelson and starring Tim Holt (''The Magnificent Ambersons (film), The Magnificent Ambersons'', ''The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (film), The Treasure of the Sier ...

'' (1943) - Horse Owner (uncredited) * ''

The Avenging Rider ''The Avenging Rider'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Sam Nelson and starring Tim Holt Charles John "Tim" Holt III (February 5, 1919 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He was a popular Western star during the 1940 ...

'' (1943) - Town Drunk (uncredited) * ''

Riders of the Rio Grande ''Riders of the Rio Grande'' is a 1943 American Western (genre), Western B-movie directed by Howard Bretherton and starring Bob Steele (actor), Bob Steele, Tom Tyler, Jimmie Dodd. It is the 51st and final entry in the Three Mesquiteers film seri ...

'' (1943) - Barfly (uncredited) * ''

So This Is Washington ''So This Is Washington'' is a 1943 American film directed by Ray McCarey starring Chester Lauck. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound Recording ( James L. Fields). It is also known as ''Dollar A Year Man''. Plot Abner ...

'' (1943) - Inventor with Pocket Machine Gun (uncredited) * '' Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' (1943) - Customer at Flugelman's (uncredited) * ''

My Kingdom for a Cook ''My Kingdom for a Cook'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Richard Wallace, which stars Charles Coburn, Marguerite Chapman, and Bill Carter. Synopsis A visiting British emissary on a goodwill tour of the United States struggles to re ...

'' (1943) - Taxicab Driver (uncredited) * '' Around the World'' (1943) - Waiter (uncredited) * ''

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek ''The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'' is a 1944 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton, and featuring Diana Lynn, William Demarest and Porter Hall. Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamir ...

'' (1943) - Pete (uncredited) * ''

Knickerbocker Holiday ''Knickerbocker Holiday'' is a 1938 musical written by Kurt Weill (music) and Maxwell Anderson (book and lyrics); based loosely on Washington Irving's ''Knickerbocker's History of New York'' about life in 17th-century New Netherland (old New ...

'' (1944) - Town Trumpeter (uncredited) * '' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) - Frog-Jumping Contest Judge (uncredited) * ''

Man from Frisco ''Man from Frisco'' (1944) is a United States feature-length spy and war film by Republic Pictures directed by Robert Florey and starring Michael O'Shea (1906–1973) and Anne Shirley. Plot Matt Braddock is a civil engineer during the Secon ...

'' (1944) - Baggage Man (uncredited) * '' Goodnight, Sweetheart'' (1944) - Bottle Man * '' The Yellow Rose of Texas'' (1944) - Drunken Gambler (uncredited) * ''

A Fig Leaf for Eve ''A Fig Leaf for Eve'' is a 1944 American film directed by Don Brodie. The film is also known as ''Desirable Lady'', ''Flaming Girls'', ''Hollywood Nights'', ''Not Enough Clothes'', ''Reckless Youth'', ''Room for Love'', and ''Strips and Blondes ...

'' (1944) - Waiter * '' The Great Moment'' (1944) - Frightened Patient (uncredited) * ''

Hail the Conquering Hero ''Hail the Conquering Hero'' (1944) is a satirical comedy-drama film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines and William Demarest, and featuring Raymond Walburn, Franklin Pangborn, Elizabeth Patterson ...

'' (1944) - Western Union Man (uncredited) * ''

Something for the Boys ''Something for the Boys'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields. Produced by Mike Todd, the show opened on Broadway in 1943 and starred Ethel Merman in her fifth Cole Porter musical. P ...

'' (1944) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Sunday Dinner for a Soldier ''Sunday Dinner for a Soldier'' is a 1944 American drama romance war film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Anne Baxter and John Hodiak. It is based on a novelette by Martha Cheavens. Plot A poor family in Florida saves all the money they c ...

'' (1944) - Photographer (uncredited) * ''

Can't Help Singing ''Can't Help Singing'' is a 1944 American musical Western film directed by Frank Ryan and starring Deanna Durbin, Robert Paige, and Akim Tamiroff. Based on a story by John D. Klorer and Leo Townsend, the film is about a senator's daughter who ...

'' (1944) - Poker Player (uncredited) * ''

Betrayal from the East ''Betrayal from the East'' is a 1945 American spy drama film starring Lee Tracy and Nancy Kelly. The film was directed by William A. Berke and based on the book ''Betrayal from the East: The Inside Story of Japanese Spies in America'' by Alan ...

'' (1945) - (uncredited) * '' A Guy, a Gal and a Pal'' (1945) - Station Owner (uncredited) * '' Brewster's Millions'' (1945) - Stage Doorman (uncredited) * ''

Having Wonderful Crime ''Having Wonderful Crime'' is a 1945 American screwball comedy and mystery film directed by Eddie Sutherland from a screenplay by Howard J. Green, Stewart Sterling, and Parke Levy, based on the novel of the same name by Craig Rice. In her s ...

'' (1945) - Motel Proprietor (uncredited) * '' The Great John L.'' (1945) - Haggerty (uncredited) * ''

Road to Utopia ''Road to Utopia'' is a 1946 American semi-musical comedy film directed by Hal Walker and starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour. Filmed in 1943 but not released until 1946, ''Road to Utopia'' is the fourth film of the "'' Road to � ...

'' (1945) - Amateur Contestant Banjo Player (uncredited) * ''

Little Giant ''Little Giant'' is a 1946 American comedy drama film directed by William A. Seiter and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The film was released in the UK with the title ''On the Carpet''. Plot A naïve country boy named Benny Mil ...

'' (1946) - Hotel Valet (uncredited) * ''

Smooth as Silk ''Smooth as Silk'' is a 1946 American noir film directed by Charles Barton and starring Kent Taylor, Virginia Grey, and Milburn Stone. The film is also known as ''Notorious Gentleman'' as it is a version of 1935 film '' A Notorious Gentleman''. ...

'' (1946) - Doorman (uncredited) * ''

Fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...

'' (1946) - Railroad Switchman (uncredited) * ''

The Hoodlum Saint ''The Hoodlum Saint'' is a 1946 American drama film starring William Powell and Esther Williams. Plot Major Terry O'Neill (William Powell) returns to Baltimore in 1919, after the end of World War I, expecting to get his old newspaper night edit ...

'' (1946) - Cop (uncredited) * '' Two Sisters from Boston'' (1946) - Street Cleaner (uncredited) * ''

She Wrote the Book ''She Wrote the Book'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Joan Davis, Jack Oakie, and Mischa Auer.Stephens p.261 The screenplay concerns a shy midwestern professor who travels to New York City to visit a pub ...

'' (1946) - Man at Bar (uncredited) * ''Singin' in the Corn'' (1946) - Austin Driver * ''

Song of Scheherazade ''Song of Scheherazade'' is a 1947 American musical film directed by Walter Reisch. It tells the story of an imaginary episode in the life of the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Jean-Pierre Aumont), in 1865, when he was a young naval ...

'' (1947) - Sailor (uncredited) * ''

Song of the Wasteland ''Song of the Wasteland'' is a 1947 American Western film directed by Thomas Carr and written by J. Benton Cheney. The film stars Jimmy Wakely, Lee White, Dottye Brown, Henry Hall, John James and Mike Ragan. The film was released on May 31, 1 ...

'' (1947) - The Jailer * '' The Trouble with Women'' (1947) - Comedian (uncredited) * '' The Perils of Pauline'' (1947) - Comic Chef * ''

Springtime in the Sierras ''Springtime in the Sierras'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Trigger, Jane Frazee and Andy Devine. The film is now in the public domain. Plot Singing cowboy Roy Rogers and the So ...

'' (1947) - Old-Timer * ''

Jesse James Rides Again ''Jesse James Rides Again'' is a 1947 American Republic Western film serial. Plot Gunfighter Jesse James is framed for a Missouri bank job and murder by a black-cowled outlaw gang, known as "The Black Raiders". Unable to clear his name, him a ...

'' (1947, Serial) - Roy (uncredited) * ''The Son of Rusty'' (1947) - Bakery Clerk (uncredited) * '' Merton of the Movies'' (1947) - Keystone Kop (uncredited) * ''

My Wild Irish Rose ''My Wild Irish Rose'' is a 1947 film directed by David Butler. It stars Dennis Morgan and Arlene Dahl (in her debut film). It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1948. Plot A fictionalized biopic of Chauncey Olcott, the movie traces the rise ...

'' (1947) - Man Escorted Out of Theatre by Police (uncredited) * ''

The Wreck of the Hesperus "The Wreck of the Hesperus" is a narrative poem by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, first published in ''Ballads and Other Poems'' in 1842. It is a story that presents the tragic consequences of a skipper's pride. On an ill-fated voyag ...

'' (1948) - Hostler (uncredited) * ''

Isn't It Romantic? "Isn't It Romantic?" is a popular song and part of the Great American Songbook. The music was composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It has a 32-bar chorus in A–B–A–C form. Alec Wilder, in his book ''American Popular Song: ...

'' (1948) - Townsman (uncredited) * '' One Sunday Afternoon'' (1948) - Clerk (uncredited) * ''

Knock on Any Door ''Knock on Any Door'' is a 1949 American courtroom trial film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart. The picture gave actor John Derek his breakthrough role, and was based on the 1947 novel of the same name by Willard Motley ...

'' (1949) - Barber (uncredited) * ''

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...

'' (1949) - Gambling Casino Patron (uncredited) * ''

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend ''The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend'' is a 1949 romantic comedy Western film starring Betty Grable and featuring Cesar Romero and Rudy Vallee. It was directed by Preston Sturges and written by him based on a story by Earl Felton. The film ...

'' (1949) - Messenger Boy * '' Brimstone'' (1949) - Drunk (uncredited) * ''

Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters ''Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Joe Yule, Renie Riano and George McManus. It was the third of four films in the '' Jiggs and Maggie'' film series, spun off from ''Br ...

'' (1949) - Jiggs' Friend (uncredited) * ''

My Friend Irma ''My Friend Irma'' is a media franchise that was spawned by a top-rated, long-running radio situation comedy created by writer-director-producer Cy Howard. The radio show was so popular in the late 1940s that its success escalated the films, ...

'' (1949) - Gypsy Tea Room Waiter (uncredited) * '' The Golden Stallion'' (1949) - Old Man * '' The Good Humor Man'' (1950) - Bush-Cutting Gardener (uncredited) * ''

Joe Palooka in Humphrey Takes a Chance ''Joe Palooka in Humphrey Takes a Chance'' is a 1950 American film directed by Jean Yarbrough. It was part of the '' Joe Palooka'' series. Plot Knobby Walsh manages the champ, but unless he agrees to promoter Gordon Rogers' demand for 30 percent ...

'' (1950) - Prentice * '' Fancy Pants'' (1950) - Guest (uncredited) * '' Never a Dull Moment'' (1950) - Albert (uncredited) * ''

Shakedown Shakedown may refer to: * Shakedown (continuum mechanics), a type of plastic deformation * Shakedown (testing) or a shakedown cruise, a period of testing undergone by a ship, airplane or other craft before being declared operational * Extortion, ...

'' (1950) - Chet (uncredited) * ''

Right Cross ''Right Cross'' is a 1950 sports drama film released by MGM, directed by John Sturges, written by Charles Schnee and starring June Allyson, Ricardo Montalban, Dick Powell, Lionel Barrymore and (in a small uncredited role) Marilyn Monroe. Plot ...

'' (1950) - Haggerty's Waiter (uncredited) * ''

The Milkman ''The Milkman'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring Donald O'Connor, Jimmy Durante and Piper Laurie. Plot Roger Bradley is denied a milkman job at his father's company because of his postwar trauma; when he ...

'' (1950) - Man (uncredited) * '' Let's Dance'' (1950) - Watchman (uncredited) * '' My Favorite Spy'' (1951) - Short Comic (uncredited) * ''

Son of Paleface ''Son of Paleface'' is a 1952 American Comedy Western film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Bob Hope, Jane Russell, and Roy Rogers. The film is a sequel to '' The Paleface'' (1948). Written by Tashlin, Joseph Quillan, and Robert L. Welch ...

'' (1952) - 2nd Bartender (uncredited) * ''

Doc Corkle ''Doc Corkle'' is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC Television from October 5 through October 19, 1952. The show was cancelled after 3 episodes and replaced by ''Mister Peepers''. Insufficient ratings were reported to be the cause of the ...

'' (1952, TV Series) * ''

Private Hell 36 ''Private Hell 36'' is a 1954 American crime film noir directed by Don Siegel starring Ida Lupino, Steve Cochran, Howard Duff, Dean Jagger and Dorothy Malone. The picture was one of the last feature-length efforts by Filmakers, an independent c ...

'' (1954) - Murdered Man in Elevator (uncredited) * '' The Beast with a Million Eyes'' (1955) - Ben Webber * '' Apache Woman'' (1955) - Dick Mooney * ''

Rock-A-Bye Baby "Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top" (sometimes "Hush-a-bye baby in the tree top") is a nursery rhyme and lullaby. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 2768. Words First publication The rhyme is believed to have first appeared in print in ...

'' (1958) - Bit Role (uncredited) * ''Paradise Alley'' (1962) - Mr. Gregory * ''

'' (1966) - Old Man in Saloon (final film)

Miscellania

Contrary to some sources Conklin was not born

Jules Cowles Jules Cowles (October 18, 1877 – May 22, 1943) was an American film actor.Munden p.193 He was also billed as J. D. Cowles and Julius D. Cowles. Born in Farmington, Connecticut, Cowles attended Yale and was a writer in addition to being an actor ...

who was another

silent actor A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, whe ...

References

External links

* * * *
Chester Conklin
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Conklin, Chester 1886 births 1971 deaths Male actors from Iowa American male film actors American male silent film actors People from Oskaloosa, Iowa Silent film comedians Vaudeville performers American circus performers 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American comedians American male comedy actors