Film Director. Prolific director of silent-era and sound comedy films, most notably associated in director roles with Mack Sennett, Buster Keaton, Ford Sterling, and W.C. Fields. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he moved to California and began appearing in films around 1913 as one of the Keystone Cops. By the early 1920's, he turned exclusively to directing feature films and comedy shorts. Known in Hollywood for his impeccable sense of timing and slapstick comedy, his directorial gifts were in regular demand during the 1920's at the studios of Fox (the "Sunshine" comedies), Universal, Pathé , First National, Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Paramount. In addition, he directed dozens of two-reel comedies for comedians such as Ben Turpin, Slim Summerville, Andy Clyde, Wheeler and Woolsey, and Olsen and Johnson. Over 170 films were credited to his role as a director or assistant director, including some of W.C. Field's most famous and successfully films: My Little Chickadee (1940) and The Bank Dick (1940). By the late 1940's, illness had forced him into semi-retirement, but he continued to work in television as a director and gag writer for Spike Jones and the City Slickers into the 1950's. He died from complications of pulmonary edema and cirrhosis of the liver in May 1961 at the age of 69.
Film Director. Prolific director of silent-era and sound comedy films, most notably associated in director roles with Mack Sennett, Buster Keaton, Ford Sterling, and W.C. Fields. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he moved to California and began appearing in films around 1913 as one of the Keystone Cops. By the early 1920's, he turned exclusively to directing feature films and comedy shorts. Known in Hollywood for his impeccable sense of timing and slapstick comedy, his directorial gifts were in regular demand during the 1920's at the studios of Fox (the "Sunshine" comedies), Universal, Pathé , First National, Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Paramount. In addition, he directed dozens of two-reel comedies for comedians such as Ben Turpin, Slim Summerville, Andy Clyde, Wheeler and Woolsey, and Olsen and Johnson. Over 170 films were credited to his role as a director or assistant director, including some of W.C. Field's most famous and successfully films: My Little Chickadee (1940) and The Bank Dick (1940). By the late 1940's, illness had forced him into semi-retirement, but he continued to work in television as a director and gag writer for Spike Jones and the City Slickers into the 1950's. He died from complications of pulmonary edema and cirrhosis of the liver in May 1961 at the age of 69.
Bio by: anonymous
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