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Eddie Laughton (20 June 190321 March 1952) was an American film actor. Laughton appeared in more than 200 films between
1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart bec ...
and 1952, and is best known for his work with
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 appear ...
.


Career

Laughton's family immigrated to the United States in 1909 and settled in Detroit. He started in
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 compositio ...
and managed a vaudeville theatre where
Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 5, 1902 – January 24, 1975), known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Early life Fine was born to a Russian Je ...
, later of the Stooges trio, once played. The pencil-mustached Laughton was placed under contract by
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...
in 1935, almost certainly thanks to Fine. Laughton worked at Columbia almost exclusively for 10 years, in features, westerns, short subjects, and serials throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Modern viewers will remember Laughton for his role as "Percy Pomeroy, convict 41144" in the Stooge comedies ''
So Long Mr. Chumps ''So Long Mr. Chumps'' is a 1941 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 53rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...
'' and ''
Beer Barrel Polecats ''Beer Barrel Polecats'' is a 1946 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 88th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...
'', or as the happy drunk in '' Loco Boy Makes Good''. Laughton was an excellent utility player, useful in good-guy and bad-guy roles alike. (He and fellow Columbia stock player John Tyrrell shared many scenes.) Laughton was also a convincing dialect comedian, playing a
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
nobleman in Buster Keaton's '' She's Oil Mine'', and an English big-game hunter plastered with pies in the Stooges' '' In the Sweet Pie and Pie''.imdb.com
/ref> In addition to his roles in the Stooge shorts, Laughton traveled with the team between filming schedules, acting as their straight man in personal appearances.


Death

Laughton died of
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
on March 21, 1952 just two months after the death of
Curly Howard Jerome Lester Horwitz (; October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), known professionally as Curly Howard, was an American actor and comedian. He was best known as a member of the American comedy team the Three Stooges, which also featured his elder ...
, who died of a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Both Curly and Eddie were born in the same year and were both 48 years old when they died within two months of each other.


Selected filmography

* ''
Three Little Beers ''Three Little Beers'' is a 1935 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 11th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the ...
'' (1935) * '' Disorder in the Court'' (1936) - Man Sitting by Letterpress (uncredited) * '' A Pain in the Pullman'' (1936) * '' Slippery Silks'' (1936) * ''
3 Dumb Clucks ''3 Dumb Clucks'' is a 1937 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 22nd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the ...
'' (1937) * '' Goofs and Saddles'' (1937) * '' It Happened in Hollywood'' (1937) * '' Cash and Carry'' (1937) * ''
No Time to Marry ''No Time to Marry'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Harry Lachman and starring Richard Arlen, Mary Astor and Lionel Stander.Goble p.888 Partial cast * Richard Arlen as Perry Brown * Mary Astor as Kay McGowan * Lionel Stande ...
'' (1938) * '' Special Inspector'' (1938) * '' Squadron of Honor'' (1938) * '' We Want Our Mummy'' (1939) - Cab Driver (uncredited) * '' Pest from the West'' (1939) * '' Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise'' (1939) * '' Three Sappy People'' (1939) * ''
Beware Spooks! ''Beware Spooks!'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Joe E. Brown, Mary Carlisle and Clarence Kolb.Gehring p.100 Synopsis Rookie cop Roy L. Gifford is kicked off the force after he accidentally assists a b ...
'' (1939) * '' Scandal Sheet'' (1939) * '' Girls of the Road'' (1940) *'' The Secret Seven'' (1940) * ''
You Nazty Spy! ''You Nazty Spy!'' is a 1940 comedy film directed by Jules White and starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly Howard). It is the 44th short film released by Columbia Pictures starring the comed ...
'' (1940) * ''
A Plumbing We Will Go ''A Plumbing We Will Go'' is a 1940 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 46th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...
'' (1940) * '' Boobs in Arms'' (1940) * ''
So Long Mr. Chumps ''So Long Mr. Chumps'' is a 1941 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 53rd entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring t ...
'' (1941) * '' Dutiful But Dumb'' (1941) * '' Meet Boston Blackie'' (1941) * '' I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island'' (1941) * '' In the Sweet Pie and Pie'' (1941) * '' Across the Sierras'' (1941) * '' Tillie the Toiler'' (1941) * '' Outlaws of the Panhandle'' (1941) * '' The Boogie Man Will Get You'' (1942) * '' Loco Boy Makes Good'' (1942) * ''
Cactus Makes Perfect ''Cactus Makes Perfect '' is a 1942 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may ...
'' (1942) * '' What's the Matador?'' (1942) * ''
Parachute Nurse ''Parachute Nurse'' is a 1942 Columbia Pictures film about the Aerial Nurse Corps. The film was directed by Charles Barton. Plot Inspired by a visit from their old friend Lieutenant Mullins, an officer in the Aerial Nurse Corps, nurses Glenda W ...
'' (1942) * ''
Atlantic Convoy ''Atlantic Convoy'' is a 1942 American war film directed by Lew Landers. The story follows naval patrols based on the Icelandic coast battling the German U-boats during World War II, and the German efforts to infiltrate their operations with s ...
'' (1942) * '' Alias Boston Blackie'' (1942) * ''
Stand By All Networks ''Stand by All Networks'' is a 1942 American thriller film directed by Lew Landers and starring Florence Rice, John Beal and Margaret Hayes.Shull p.248 The films sets were designed by Lionel Banks. Synopsis Before Pearl Harbor, a radio reporter ...
'' (1942) * '' Three Smart Saps'' (1942) * '' Daring Young Man'' (1942) * ''
Bullets for Bandits ''Bullets for Bandits'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Wallace W. Fox, starring Wild Bill Elliott, Tex Ritter, and Frank Mitchell. Plot Queen Katey is the owner of a large ranch. There is the beginning of a movement among the ...
'' (1942) * '' Busy Buddies'' (1944) * '' Sailor's Holiday'' (1944) * '' Idle Roomers'' (1944) * '' Idiots Deluxe'' (1945) - Courtroom spectator (uncredited) * ''
Beer Barrel Polecats ''Beer Barrel Polecats'' is a 1946 short subject directed by Jules White starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 88th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring ...
'' (1946, in footage from ''So Long, Mr. Chumps'') * '' The Perils of Pauline'' (1947) * '' Chicken Every Sunday'' (1949)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Laughton, Eddie 1903 births 1952 deaths English male film actors Deaths from pneumonia in California British expatriate male actors in the United States 20th-century English male actors 20th-century American comedians Eaton family