Edward Frank Dunn (March 31, 1896 – May 5, 1951) was an American actor best known for his roles in comedy films, supporting many comedians such as

Charley Chase Charles Joseph Parrott (October 20, 1893 – June 20, 1940), known professionally as Charley Chase, was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director. He worked for many pioneering comedy studios but is chiefly associated with pro ...

(with whom he co-directed several short films),

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

W. C. Fields William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler, and writer. Fields's comic persona was a misanthropic and hard-drinking egotist who remained a sympathe ...

and

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

. Dunn was born in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

. As a high school student in Waco, Texas, he began performing with some fellow students on a local radio station. He broke into films with the

Vitagraph Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...

studio in 1915, working with the studio's star comedians

Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Drew were an American comedy team on stage and screen. The team initially consisted of Sidney Drew (August 28, 1863 – April 9, 1919) and his first wife Gladys Rankin (October 8, 1870 – January 9, 1914). After Gladys died in 19 ...

and

Larry Semon Lawrence Semon (February 9, 1889 – October 8, 1928) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working ...

. By 1927 he was working with stop-motion animator

Charley Bowers Charles R. Bowers (June 6, 1887 – November 26, 1946) was an American cartoonist and slapstick comedian during the silent film and early "talkie" era. He was forgotten for decades and his name was notably absent from most histories of the Sil ...

Educational Pictures Educational Pictures, also known as Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. or Educational Films Corporation of America, was an American film production and film distribution company founded in 1916 by Earle (E. W.) Hammons (1882–1962). Educational pr ...

, as a supporting player in Bowers's live-action comedies. In 1929 his career took a decided turn for the better when he signed with the

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

studio. He became a member of the Roach stock company, appearing prominently in short subjects and featurettes starring

Thelma Todd Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy". Appearing in about 120 feature films and shorts between 1926 and 1935, sh ...

, and

. Dunn and Chase worked so closely that Dunn was allowed to co-direct six Chase shorts. The affable Eddie Dunn was an all-purpose talent: he could play butlers, bandleaders, radio announcers, cab drivers, waiters, soldiers, and sailors. He was often cast as an authority figure opposite the Roach comedians -- a policeman or detective -- which led to more work in feature films. He began freelancing at various studios in 1933, playing character roles in hundreds of feature films. He had recurring featured roles in

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

's ''

Mexican Spitfire ''Mexican Spitfire'' refers to a series of eight comedy films released by RKO Pictures between 1940 and 1943 starring Lupe Vélez and Leon Errol. The movies featured the character of ''Carmelita Lindsay'' (Lupe Vélez), a sympathetic and tempera ...

'' series (as a sneaky advertising executive) and in '' The Falcon'' series (as a plainclothes detective). Today's audiences may know him as the unfortunate chauffeur trying to repair a car in the

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 ...

feature ''

The Bank Dick ''The Bank Dick'', released as ''The Bank Detective'' in the United Kingdom, is a 1940 American comedy film starring W. C. Fields. Set in Lompoc, California, Fields plays Egbert Sousé, a drunk who accidentally thwarts a bank robbery and ends up ...

'', the policeman arresting Laurel and Hardy in '' Nothing but Trouble'', or the bartender in '' Mighty Joe Young''. Like many movie character players, Dunn also worked in radio and later in television. Dunn hosted the radio quiz show ''True or False'' and was the announcer on '' The Jack Berch Show''. This led to other TV assignments as a master of ceremonies in the very early days of the medium: '' Spin the Picture'', ''

Leave It to the Girls ''Leave It to the Girls'' is an American radio and television talk show, created by Martha Rountree, and broadcast, in various forms, from the 1940s through the 1980s. Broadcast details Radio version The series was originally a radio program ...

'' and '' Face to Face''. He appeared in a 1950 episode of the TV series, ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in ...

'', "Man Without a Gun". Eddie Dunn worked steadily in motion pictures and broadcasting until his death in 1951.

Selected filmography

* ''The Vanishing Vault'' (1915, Short) * ''The Shop Girl'' (1916) - Floorwalker * ''

My Own United States ''My Own United States'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by John W. Noble and starring Arnold Daly, Charles E. Graham, and Duncan McRae. It is based on the short story ''The Man Without a Country'' by Edward Everett Hale. It was d ...

'' (1918) - Gen. Wilkinson * ''The Moonshine Trail'' (1919) - Eddie Cassidy * ''Dawn'' (1919) - John McGuire * '' The Blood Barrier'' (1920) - Eddie Brown * ''

The Sorrows of Satan ''The Sorrows of Satan'' is an 1895 Faustian novel by Marie Corelli. It is widely regarded as one of the world's first best-sellers – partly due to an upheaval in the system British libraries used to purchase their books, and partly due to its ...

'' (1926) - Marriage Clerk (uncredited) * '' The Road to Ruin'' (1928) - Strip Poker Player * ''

The Fleet's In ''The Fleet's In'' is a 1942 movie musical produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Victor Schertzinger, and starring Dorothy Lamour and William Holden. Although sharing the title of the 1928 Paramount film starring Clara Bow and Jack Oakie, ...

'' (1928) - Al Pearce * ''

The Saturday Night Kid ''The Saturday Night Kid'' is a 1929 American pre-Code romantic comedy film about two sisters and the man they both want. It stars Clara Bow, Jean Arthur, James Hall, and in her first credited speaking role, Jean Harlow. The film was based on ...

'' (1929) - Jim (uncredited) * ''

The Hoose-Gow ''The Hoose-Gow'' is a 1929 short film starring Laurel and Hardy, directed by James Parrott and produced by Hal Roach. Synopsis Stan and Ollie arrive as new inmate A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is depri ...

'' (1929, Short) - Prisoner (uncredited) * ''

True to the Navy ''True to the Navy'' is a 1930 romantic comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle for Paramount Pictures. The film stars Clara Bow as a counter girl at a San Diego drugstore with a predilection for sailors. Eventually she sets her sights on Bull's Eye ...

'' (1930) - Albert * ''

The Land of Missing Men ''The Land of Missing Men'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western film written and directed by John P. McCarthy – with a script from Bob Quigley – and produced by Trem Carr for his studio Trem Carr Productions. Starring Bob Steele, Al St. J ...

'' (1930) - Sheriff Bower * '' Headin' North'' (1930) - Palace Master of Ceremonies * ''

Another Fine Mess ''Another Fine Mess'' is a 1930 short comedy film directed by James Parrott and starring Laurel and Hardy. It is based on the 1908 play ''Home from the Honeymoon'' by Arthur J. Jefferson, Stan Laurel's father, and is a remake of their earl ...

'' (1930, Short) - Meadows (uncredited) * ''

The Gang Buster ''The Gang Buster'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code comedy film directed by A. Edward Sutherland, and written by Percy Heath and Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The film stars Jack Oakie, Jean Arthur, William "Stage" Boyd, Wynne Gibson, William Morris and ...

'' (1931) - Cab Driver (uncredited) * '' Finn and Hattie'' (1931) - N. Y. Taxi Driver * '' The Sunrise Trail'' (1931) - Rand Kennedy * ''

June Moon ''June Moon'' is a play by George S. Kaufman and Ring Lardner. Based on the Lardner short story "Some Like Them Cold," about a love affair that loses steam before it ever gets started, it includes songs with words and music by Lardner but is not ...

'' (1931) - Joe McCloskey * ''

Riders of the North ''Riders of the North'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western (genre), Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Bob Custer, Blanche Mehaffey and Eddie Dunn (actor), Eddie Dunn. Cast * Bob Custer as Mountie Sergeant Stone * Blanche Meha ...

'' (1931) - Tim 'Mac' McGuire * ''

Pardon Us ''Pardon Us'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Laurel and Hardy film. It was the duo's first starring feature-length comedy film, produced by Hal Roach and Stan Laurel, directed by James Parrott, and originally distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1 ...

'' (1931) - Insurgent Convict (uncredited) * '' South of Santa Fe'' (1932) - Lankey * ''

What Price Hollywood? ''What Price Hollywood?'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett with Lowell Sherman. The screenplay by Gene Fowler, Rowland Brown, Jane Murfin and Ben Markson is based on a story by A ...

'' (1932) - Doorman at Grauman's Theater (uncredited) * '' Million Dollar Legs'' (1932) - Coachman / Guard (uncredited) * '' Me and My Pal'' (1933, Short) - Cab driver (uncredited) * ''

Private Detective 62 ''Private Detective 62'' is a 1933 American pre-Code detective film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring William Powell as a private detective who falls for a woman whom he has been hired to frame in a scandal. Plot In France, United St ...

'' (1933) - Doorman (uncredited) * ''

The Midnight Patrol ''The Midnight Patrol'' is a short American pre-Code comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy released August 3, 1933. Plot Laurel and Hardy play two policemen on night patrol, hence the title. They are given instructions to investigate a reporte ...

'' (1933, Short) - Police Sergeant (uncredited) * '' Voice in the Night'' (1934) - Henchman (uncredited) * '' Let Freedom Ring'' (1939) * ''

'' (1940) * ''

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 ...

'' (1940) * ''

Hello, Frisco, Hello ''Hello, Frisco, Hello'' is a 1943 American musical film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Alice Faye, John Payne, Lynn Bari, and Jack Oakie. The film was made in Technicolor and released by 20th Century-Fox. This was one of the last ...

'' (1943) * ''

The Falcon in Danger ''The Falcon in Danger'' is a 1943 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Amelita Ward and Elaine Shepard.Jewell and Harbin 1982, p. 185. The film was the sixth of thirteen The Falcon detective f ...

'' (1943) - Det. Grimes * ''

San Diego, I Love You ''San Diego, I Love You'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Reginald Le Borg and starring Jon Hall, Louise Allbritton and Edward Everett Horton.McLaughlin p.249 Synopsis Philip McCooley, a widowed high school teacher in small-town Cali ...

'' (1944) * '' Nothing but Trouble'' (1944) * ''

Call Northside 777 ''Call Northside 777'' is a 1948 reality-based newspaper drama directed by Henry Hathaway. The film parallels the true story of a Chicago reporter who proved that a man jailed for murder was wrongly convicted 11 years before. James Stewart stars ...

'' (1947) * ''

The Big Punch ''The Big Punch'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by John Ford. No copy of the film is known to survive in either a public repository or private collection, so it is currently presumed to be a lost film. In France, the film was ...

'' (1948) * '' The Checkered Coat'' (1948) * ''

I Shot Jesse James ''I Shot Jesse James'' is a 1949 American Western film directed by Samuel Fuller about the murder of Jesse James by Robert Ford and Robert Ford's life afterwards. The story is built around a fictional rivalry between Ford and his eventual kill ...

'' (1949) * '' Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas'' (1951)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dunn, Eddie 1896 births 1951 deaths Hal Roach Studios actors People from Brooklyn Male actors from New York City