Actor. He was a prominent stage and film character actor of the 1930s. His film career spanned from 1915 to 1944 and appeared in over 90 films, most of then uncredited. His father was a minstrel and he made his stage debut at the age of 12 in his father's minstrel troupe called Barlow, Wilson, Primrose, and West. In 1899 he joined the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War. By other accounts he also served in the US Army during the Spanish-American War and World War I. In the early part of his stage career he landed leading roles in "The Silver King," "Monte Cristo," "The Sign of the Cross," "Old Lady 31," and "The Little Princess." He also worked as a director of play companies prior to switching to films. Among his notable early silent films were "Monsieur Lecoq' (1915), "The Cinema Murder" (1919), "Love's Flame" (1920), and in the comedy "Clothes Make the Pirate" (1925). After the advent of sound films, he usually played men of means, such as military officers, senators, and bankers, turning up as a chaplain in "Ann Vickers" (1933), the sheriff in "Tower of London" (1939), and the Professor Warwick ostracizing mad scientist George Zucco in "The Mad Monster" (1942). His last films were "The World Owes Me a Living" and "Headline," both in 1944, released a year after his death.
Actor. He was a prominent stage and film character actor of the 1930s. His film career spanned from 1915 to 1944 and appeared in over 90 films, most of then uncredited. His father was a minstrel and he made his stage debut at the age of 12 in his father's minstrel troupe called Barlow, Wilson, Primrose, and West. In 1899 he joined the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War. By other accounts he also served in the US Army during the Spanish-American War and World War I. In the early part of his stage career he landed leading roles in "The Silver King," "Monte Cristo," "The Sign of the Cross," "Old Lady 31," and "The Little Princess." He also worked as a director of play companies prior to switching to films. Among his notable early silent films were "Monsieur Lecoq' (1915), "The Cinema Murder" (1919), "Love's Flame" (1920), and in the comedy "Clothes Make the Pirate" (1925). After the advent of sound films, he usually played men of means, such as military officers, senators, and bankers, turning up as a chaplain in "Ann Vickers" (1933), the sheriff in "Tower of London" (1939), and the Professor Warwick ostracizing mad scientist George Zucco in "The Mad Monster" (1942). His last films were "The World Owes Me a Living" and "Headline," both in 1944, released a year after his death.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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