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

Keystone Studios Keystone Studios was an early film studio founded in Edendale, California (which is now a part of Echo Park) on July 4, 1912 as the Keystone Pictures Studio by Mack Sennett with backing from actor-writer Adam Kessel (1866–1946) and Charl ...

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 feat ...

. He appeared in a series of films with

Mabel Normand Amabel Ethelreid Normand (November 9, 1893 – February 23, 1930), better known as Mabel Normand, was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. She was a popular star and collaborator of Mack Sennett in their ...

and worked closely with

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 conside ...

, 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 Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines ...

he found employment as a hotel

bellhop A bellhop (North America), or hotel porter (carrier), porter (international), is a hotel employee who helps patrons with their luggage while check-in, checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform (see bell-boy hat), like certain other Page (a ...

, but then moved to

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest c ...

, Nebraska, where his interest in theatre led to a career in comedic acting. In St. Louis, 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 ...

, 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 In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a compan ...

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 Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

, California during the 1913 winter break, the 27-year-old Conklin went to

, 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

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 at ...

'', ''

Mabel's New Job ''Mabel's New Job'' is a 1914 film starring Mabel Normand and co-directed by Normand and George Nichols. The film is presumed lost. Cast *Mabel Normand *Chester Conklin *Charley Chase Charles Joseph Parrott (October 20, 1893 – June 20, 19 ...

'', ''

Mabel's Busy Day ''Mabel's Busy Day'' is a 1914 short comedy film starring Mabel Normand and Charles Chaplin; the film was also written and directed by Mabel Normand. The supporting cast includes Chester Conklin, Slim Summerville, Edgar Kennedy, Al St. John, C ...

'' 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 mo ...

''. 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

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 onl ...

''. 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 ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' and ''

Love, Speed and Thrills ''Love, Speed and Thrills'' is a 1915 American short comedy film produced by Mack Sennett, directed by Walter Wright, starring Mack Swain, Chester Conklin and Minta Durfee, and featuring Billy Gilbert, Charley Chase and the Keystone Cops in supp ...

'', 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 t ...

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 Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim (born Erich Oswald Stroheim; September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was an Austrian-American director, actor and producer, most noted as a film star and avant-garde, visionary director of the silent era. H ...

's acclaimed 1924 MGM 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 a ...

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 h ...

, which had nothing to do with the 1914 Chaplin version (in which Conklin had also appeared) aside from the title.

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

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 star ...

'' (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 the c ...

'' (as a bartender), '' Three Little Twirps'' (as a Circus butcher), '' Phony Express'' (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 This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' 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 Veg ...

in 1965, the fourth marriage for both, they set up housekeeping in

Van Nuys Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1909, ...

, 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'', 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 The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

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

Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like " wanting", " wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of ...

'' (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 ''North of Nevada'' is a 1924 American silent Western film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Fred Thomson, Hazel Keener, and Josef Swickard Josef Swickard (26 June 1866 – 1 March 1940) was a Prussian-born veteran stage and screen c ...

'' (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 ''The Fire Patrol'' is surviving American 1924 silent melodrama film directed by Hunt Stromberg and starring Anna Q. Nilsson that was based upon the 1891 play of the same name by James W. Harkins and Edwin Barbour. Stromberg also produced the fi ...

'' (1924) - Fireman * '' Another Man's Wife'' (1924) - Rumrunner * ''

'' (1924) - 'Popper' Sieppe * '' Battling Bunyan'' (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 inve ...

'' (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, Gab ...

'' (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'' (1925) - Burke * '' The Great Love'' (1925) - Perkins * ''

Behind the Front ''Behind the Front'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Black Eyed Peas released on June 30, 1998 through Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group. Background Most of the tracks were demos for the '' Grass Roots'' album, ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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 a ...

'' (1926) - Hotel Manager * '' The Nervous Wreck'' (1926) - Mort * '' Midnight Lovers'' (1926) - Moriarity * ''

The Lady of the Harem ''The Lady of the Harem'' is a 1926 American silent adventure film directed by Raoul Walsh and written by James Elroy Flecker and James T. O'Donohoe. The film stars Ernest Torrence, William Collier, Jr., Greta Nissen, Louise Fazenda, George B ...

'' (1926) - Ali * ''

We're in the Navy Now ''We're in the Navy Now'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by A. Edward Sutherland and starring Wallace Beery and Raymond Hatton. An abridged version of the film survives. Beery and Hatton previously appeared as a comedy team in ...

'' (1926) - Navy Capt. Smithers * '' McFadden's Flats'' (1927) - Jock McTavish * '' A Kiss in a Taxi'' (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 dinin ...

'' (1927) - Jerry Trask * '' Rubber Heels'' (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, Fr ...

'' (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 Lu ...

'' (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'' (1928) - Angus Mactavish * ''

Marquis Preferred ''Marquis Preferred'' is a 1929 silent film comedy directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Adolphe Menjou. It was produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Cast *Adolphe Menjou - Marquis d'Argenville * Nora Lane - Peggy Winton * Chester Con ...

'' (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'' (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'' (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 "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum" (Roud 7992) is an American folk song, that responds with humorous sarcasm to unhelpful moralizing about the circumstance of being a hobo. "Hallelujah! I'm A Bum" Was the Marching Song of the IWW. (Harry McClintock song ...

'' (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 Merm ...

'' (1935) - Sewer Worker (uncredited) * '' Modern Times'' (1936) - Mechanic * '' The Preview Murder Mystery'' (1936) - Comedian * ''

Call of the Prairie ''Call of the Prairie'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Doris Schroeder and Vernon Smith. The film stars William Boyd, James Ellison, Muriel Evans, George "Gabby" Hayes, Chester Conklin, Al Bridge ...

'' (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 cit ...

'' (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 and Linda Hayes. It was released on July 28, 1939, by RKO ...

'' (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 ''Henry Goes Arizona'' is a 1939 American Western film starring Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for hi ...

'' (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 hillbillies in the impoverished mountain village of Dogpatch, USA. Written and drawn b ...

'' (1940) - Mayor Gurgle * ''

Sweetheart of the Campus ''Sweetheart of the Campus'' (also released as ''Broadway Ahead'') is a 1941 American musical comedy film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Ruby Keeler, Ozzie Nelson, and Harriet Hilliard. Plot Betty Blake (Ruby Keeler) is a lead vocalis ...

'' (1941) - The Prisoner-Vagrant (uncredited) * ''

Here Comes Mr. Jordan ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' is a 1941 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Alexander Hall, in which a boxer, mistakenly taken to Heaven before his time, is given a second chance back on Earth. It stars Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains ...

'' (1941) - Newsboy (uncredited) * ''

Harmon of Michigan ''Harmon of Michigan'' is a 1941 American film starring Anita Louise and Larry Parks. Ostensibly a biopic about University of Michigan football player Tom Harmon's post-collegiate career as a coach, it was actually filmed immediately upon his grad ...

'' (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 hills or 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 or streams over ...

'' (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'' (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 ''Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' is a 1901 novel by American author Alice Hegan Rice, about a southern family humorously coping with poverty. It was highly popular on its release,Lowell Hayes Harrison, ''A New History of Kentucky'' (1997), p. ...

'' (1942) - Drunk (uncredited) * '' X Marks the Spot'' (1942) - Vagrant (uncredited) * '' Hangmen Also Die!'' (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 B-movie directed by Howard Bretherton and starring Bob Steele, Tom Tyler, Jimmie Dodd. It is the 51st and final entry in the Three Mesquiteers film series. Cast * Bob Steele as Tucson S ...

'' (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 ''Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' is a 1943 Technicolor musical film about an American singer who attempts to better herself by marrying an English duke, but is harassed by a reporter. Directed by Irving Cummings, it stars Betty Grable and Robert Young. ...

'' (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 r ...

'' (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 Y ...

'' (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 Second W ...

'' (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'' (1944) - Western Union Man (uncredited) * '' Something for the Boys'' (1944) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Sunday Dinner for a Soldier'' (1944) - Photographer (uncredited) * '' Can't Help Singing'' (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 ''A Guy, a Gal and a Pal'' is a 1945 American comedy-drama romance film directed by Budd Boetticher (as Oscar Boetticher Jr.) and starring Ross Hunter and Lynn Merrick.Budd Boetticher: The Last Interview Wheeler, Winston Dixon. Film Criticism; Mea ...

'' (1945) - Station Owner (uncredited) * ''

Brewster's Millions ''Brewster's Millions'' is a comedic novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. The plot concerns a young man whose grandfather leaves him $1 million in a will, but a competing will from a ...

'' (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. ''The Great John L.'' is a 1945 American biographical drama film directed by Frank Tuttle and written by James Edward Grant. The film stars Linda Darnell, Barbara Britton, Greg McClure, Otto Kruger, Wallace Ford and George Mathews. The film was ...

'' (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'' (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 p ...

'' (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'' (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 Son ...

'' (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'' (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?'' (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 wit ...

'' (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'' (1950) - Chet (uncredited) * '' Right Cross'' (1950) - Haggerty's Waiter (uncredited) * '' The Milkman'' (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. We ...

'' (1952) - 2nd Bartender (uncredited) * '' Doc Corkle'' (1952, TV Series) * '' Private Hell 36'' (1954) - Murdered Man in Elevator (uncredited) * ''

The Beast with a Million Eyes ''The Beast with a Million Eyes'' (a.k.a. ''The Unseen'') is a 1955 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced and directed by David Kramarsky, that stars Paul Birch, Lorna Thayer, and Dona Cole. Some film sources ...

'' (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 * '' A Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (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.

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