William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his comic

sneeze A sneeze (also known as sternutation) is a semi-autonomous, convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs through the nose and mouth, usually caused by foreign particles irritating the nasal mucosa. A sneeze expels air forcibly from the mouth a ...

routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects and television shows beginning in 1929.

Career

Early life and vaudeville career

The child of singers with the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

, he was born on September 12, 1894, in a dressing room at the Hopkins Opera House in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

."Billy Gilbert", Hollywood Star Walk, ''Los Angeles Times'', September 24, 1971
/ref> As a child, he lived in San Francisco, and he left school to be in a troupe of singing children. His early work included a female-impersonation act and professional boxing. Gilbert began working in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

at the age of 12, and later played in burlesque on the Columbia and Mutual wheels.

Big break in films

Gilbert was spotted by

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, director and writer who was in the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 sh ...

, who was in the audience of Gilbert's show ''Sensations of 1929''. Laurel went backstage to meet Gilbert and was so impressed by him he introduced him to comedy producer

Hal Roach Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. 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 and screenwriter, ...

. Gilbert was employed as a gag writer, actor and director, and at the age of 35 he appeared in his first film for the

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox (producer), William Fox. It was the corporate successor to ...

in 1929. Gilbert broke into comedy short subjects with the

Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National Pictures, First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone is the last major analog sound-on-disc sys ...

studio in 1930 – he appears without billing in the

Joe Frisco Joe Frisco (born Louis Wilson Joseph; November 4, 1889 – February 18, 1958) was an American vaudeville performer who first made his name on stage as a jazz dancer, but later incorporated his stuttering voice to his act and became a popular ...

comedy ''The Happy Hottentots'' (restored and released on DVD). Gilbert's burly frame and gruff voice made him a good comic villain, and within the year he was working consistently for producer Roach. He appeared in support of Roach's comedy stars

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American double act, comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

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 ...

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, she ...

, and ''

Our Gang ''Our Gang'' (also known as ''The Little Rascals'' or ''Hal Roach's Rascals'') is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, who also pr ...

''. One of his Laurel and Hardy appearances was the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning featurette ''

The Music Box ''The Music Box'' is a Laurel and Hardy short film comedy released in 1932. It was directed by James Parrott, produced by Hal Roach and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, which depicts the pair attempting to move a piano up a long ...

'' (1932). Gilbert generally played blustery tough guys in the Roach comedies, but could play other comic characters, from fey couturiers to pompous radio announcers to roaring drunks. Gilbert's skill at dialects prompted Roach to give him his own series: big Billy Gilbert teamed with little

Billy Bletcher William Bletcher (September 24, 1894 – January 5, 1979) was an American actor. He was known for voice roles for various classic animated characters, most notably Pete in Walt Disney's ''Mickey Mouse'' short films and the Big Bad Wolf in Di ...

as the Dutch-comic "Schmaltz Brothers." in offbeat musical shorts like "Rhapsody in Brew" (which Gilbert also directed). Gilbert regularly starred in Roach's short-comedy series ''The Taxi Boys'', opposite comedians Clyde Cook,

Billy Bevan Billy Bevan (born William Bevan Harris; 29 September 1887 – 26 November 1957) was an Australian-born vaudevillian who became an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 American films from 1916 to 1952. He died just before new audie ...

Franklin Pangborn Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Inter ...

, and finally

Ben Blue Ben Blue (born Benjamin Bernstein; 9 December 1901 – 7 March 1975) was a Canadian-American actor and comedian whose varied career on stage, in movies, and in television appearances, spanned nearly 50 years. Early life Benjamin Bernste ...

. Like many other Roach contractees, Gilbert found similar work at other studios. He appears in the early comedies of 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 comedy. Six total ...

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

, as well as in

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

short subjects. These led to featured roles in full-length films, and from 1934 Gilbert became one of the screen's most familiar faces. In 1944, Billy signed with the prestigious

William Morris Agency The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best-known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ...

, which led to starring roles and prominent supporting roles in numerous films.

Feature films

One of his standard routines had Gilbert progressively getting excited or nervous about something, and his speech would break down into facial spasms, culminating in a big, loud sneeze. He used this bit so frequently that

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

thought of him immediately when casting the voice of Sneezy in ''

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White" is a German fairy tale, first written down in the early 19th century. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', numbered as Tale 53. The original title was ''Sneewittch ...

'' (1937). Gilbert and Disney would later work together again in the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" sequence in ''

Fun and Fancy Free ''Fun and Fancy Free'' is a 1947 American animated musical fantasy anthology film produced by Walt Disney and Ben Sharpsteen and released on September 27, 1947, by RKO Radio Pictures. The film is a compilation of two stories: ''Bongo'', narrate ...

'' (1947), with Gilbert voicing

Willie the Giant The Mickey Mouse universe is a fictional universe, fictional shared universe which is the setting for stories involving The Walt Disney Company, Disney cartoon characters, including Mickey Mouse, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Donald and ...

in a very similar way to Sneezy. Gilbert did the sneeze routine in a memorable cameo in the Paramount comedy '' Million Dollar Legs'' (1932) starring

W. C. Fields William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American actor, comedian, juggler and writer. His career in show business began in vaudeville, where he attained international success as a ...

Jack Oakie Jack Oakie (born Lewis Delaney Offield; November 12, 1903 – January 23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage, radio and television. He portrayed Napaloni in Chaplin's ''The Great Dictator'' (1940) ...

, Susan Fleming, and

Ben Turpin Bernard "Ben" Turpin (September 19, 1869 – July 1, 1940) was an American comedian and actor, best remembered for his work in silent films. His trademarks were his Esotropia, cross-eyed appearance and adeptness at vigorous physical comedy ...

Red Skelton Billy Gilbert Red Skelton Show 1956

Gilbert is prominent in most of the movies he appeared in, and he often used dialects. He appeared as "Herring" – a parody of

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

official

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...

– the minister of war in

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (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 considered o ...

's ''

The Great Dictator ''The Great Dictator'' is a 1940 American political satire black comedy film written, directed, produced by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. Having been the only Hollywood filmmaker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound f ...

''. He danced with

Alice Faye Alice Faye (born Alice Jeanne Leppert; May 5, 1915 – May 9, 1998) was an American actress and singer. A musical star of 20th Century-Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Faye starred in such films as '' On the Avenue'' (1937) and ''Alexander's Ragtime ...

and

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million, and for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she p ...

in ''

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

''; he stole scenes as a dim-witted process server in the fast-paced comedy ''

His Girl Friday ''His Girl Friday'' is a 1940 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell and featuring Ralph Bellamy and Gene Lockhart. It was released by Columbia Pictures. The plot centers on a newspaper ...

''; playing an Italian character, he played opposite singer

Gloria Jean Gloria Jean (born Gloria Jean Schoonover; April 14, 1926 – August 31, 2018) was an American actress and singer who starred or co-starred in 26 feature films from 1939 to 1959, and made numerous radio, television, stage, and nightclub app ...

in ''

The Under-Pup ''The Under-Pup'' is a 1939 American feature film by Richard Wallace that introduced soprano singing star Gloria Jean to the screen. Plot Pip-Emma Binns is a New York tomboy with 11 uncles, who wear uniforms and teach her the professional tric ...

'' and '' A Little Bit of Heaven''. He was also the soda server to

Freddie Bartholomew Frederick Cecil Bartholomew (March 28, 1924 – January 23, 1992), known for his acting work as Freddie Bartholomew, was an English-American child actor who was very popular in 1930s Hollywood films. His most famous starring roles are in '' Cap ...

in ''

Captains Courageous ''Captains Courageous: A Story of the Grand Banks'' is an 1897 novel by Rudyard Kipling that follows the adventures of fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr., the spoiled son of a railroad tycoon, after he is saved from drowning by a Portuguese f ...

''. He was featured in the

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...

and

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however, Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

film '' Seven Sinners''. All of these were choice Gilbert roles, and all filmed within a single year, demonstrating how prolific and talented he was. Gilbert seldom starred in movies but did have occasional opportunities to play leads. In 1943, he headlined a brief series of two-reel comedies for

. That same year,

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

teamed him with the urbane stage comedian Frank Fay for a comedy series; Fay left the series after the first entry. Gilbert asked his closest friend, vaudeville veteran

Shemp Howard Shemp Howard (born Samuel Horwitz; March 11, 1895 – November 22, 1955) was an American comedian and actor. He is best known as the third Stooge in The Three Stooges, a role he played when the act began in the early 1920s (1923–1932), while i ...

, to replace him. Howard had been the original third member of the

before leaving to pursue a solo career.

Later years

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Gilbert worked on Broadway in several productions as an actor, writer and director. These include acting roles in '' Fanny'', ''

The Chocolate Soldier ''The Chocolate Soldier'' (German: ''Der tapfere Soldat'' he courageous soldieror ''Der Praliné-Soldat'') is an operetta composed in 1908 by Oscar Straus based on George Bernard Shaw's 1894 play, '' Arms and the Man''. The German language li ...

'', and ''Gypsy Lady'', and directing roles in ''

The Red Mill ''The Red Mill'' is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. The farcical story concerns two American vaudevillians who wreak havoc at an inn in the Netherlands, interfering with two marriages; but all ends well. Th ...

'' and other plays. In the 1950s, Billy Gilbert worked frequently in television, including a memorable pantomime sketch with

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently ...

on ''

You Asked for It ''You Asked for It'' is a human interest television show created and hosted by Art Baker (actor), Art Baker. Initially titled ''The Art Baker Show'', the program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959. Later versions of ...

''. He appeared regularly on the children's program ''

Andy's Gang ''Andy's Gang'' is a children's television program broadcast on NBC from August 20, 1955, to December 31, 1960, hosted by the actor Andy Devine. It was the successor to the radio and television program ''Smilin' Ed McConnell and His Buster Brown ...

'' with

Andy Devine Andrew Vabre Devine (October 7, 1905 – February 18, 1977) was an American character actor known for his distinctive raspy, crackly voice and roles in American frontier, Western films, including his role as Cookie, the sidekick of Roy Rogers ...

, and starred as the giant in the ''

Producers' Showcase ''Producers' Showcase'' is an American anthology television series that was telecast live during the 1950s in compatible color by NBC. With top talent, the 90-minute episodes, covering a wide variety of genres, aired under the title every fou ...

'' TV episode of ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' (1956), along with

Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American actress. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in '' Come to the Stable'' (1949) and ''A ...

and

Joel Grey Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer, and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret (musical), Cabaret'' on Broadway theatre, ...

as Jack. He retired from the screen following his appearance in the feature ''

Five Weeks in a Balloon ''Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, A Journey of Discovery by Three Englishmen in Africa'' () is an adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in 1863. It is the first novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of his later work, skillfully mixing ...

'' (1962).

Personal life

Gilbert married actress Ella McKenzie. She had appeared as an ingenue in short-subject comedies. Fellow film comedian

was the

best man A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be selected. From his groomsmen, the groom usuall ...

. In 1941, Billy and Ella adopted an 11-year-old son, Barry, who died in a 1943 shooting accident. Ella Baxter McKenzie was an Ulster-Scot whose grandfather John McKenzie was a prominent member of the Orange Order in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Her father was Robert Baxter McKenzie, who always wore an orange flower on the Twelfth of July, Orangeman's Day in Northern Ireland, in remembrance of the family background and cultural heritage. Ella's sister was film actress

Fay McKenzie Eunice Fay McKenzie (February 19, 1918 – April 16, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She starred in silent films as a child, and then sound films as an adult, but perhaps she is best known for her leading roles opposite Gene Autry in ...

. The family moved to America and settled in Oregon when he was nine years old. In late 1943, Gilbert appeared with Ella in a

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

show, entertaining the

US Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the Marines, maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expedi ...

stationed in

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. Ella and Billy visited Ballymena in 1943; an account of their visit is reported in the ''Larne Times'' of December 9, 1943.

Death

Gilbert died on September 23, 1971, in

North Hollywood North Hollywood is a neighborhood and district in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, El Portal Theater, several art galleries, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Th ...

at the age of 77, after suffering a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

. He is buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery.

Legacy

For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Gilbert has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

at 6263

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollyw ...

Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic, film historian, and author. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, '' Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'', published from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film criti ...

lauded him in his Movie Encyclopedia, "One of the screen's most beloved character actors, Billy Gilbert is remembered for two particular talents: his skill as a dialectician and his ability to stretch a simple sneeze into a hilarious routine."

Selected filmography

* '' The Woman from Hell'' (1929) as Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Noisy Neighbors'' (1929) as Third Son * ''The Happy Hottentots'' (1930, short) as Stage Manager * '' Sea Legs'' (1930) as Naval Officer (uncredited) * ''First Aid'' (1931) as Jenkins * '' Chinatown After Dark'' (1931) as Dooley * ''

Shiver My Timbers "Shiver me timbers" (or "shiver my timbers" in Standard English) is an exclamation in the form of a mock oath usually attributed to the speech of pirates in works of fiction. It is employed as a literary device by authors to express shock, surp ...

'' (1931 short) as Sea Captain * ''

'' (1932 short) as Professor Theodore von Schwarzenhoffen (uncredited) * '' The Chimp'' (1932 short) as The Landlord (uncredited) * '' Million Dollar Legs'' (1932) as Secretary of the Interior (uncredited) * ''

Skyscraper Souls ''Skyscraper Souls'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic drama film starring Warren William, Anita Page, Maureen O'Sullivan, Gregory Ratoff, and Verree Teasdale. Directed by Edgar Selwyn, it is based on the 1931 novel ''Skyscraper'' by Fait ...

'' (1932) as Second Ticket Agent (uncredited) * ''

Blondie of the Follies ''Blondie of the Follies'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Edmund Goulding and written by Anita Loos and Frances Marion. Plot In a crowded New York tenement on the upper east side, Blondie and Lottie are neighbors and best ...

'' (1932) as Kinskey's Friend (uncredited) * '' Pack Up Your Troubles'' (1932) as Mr. Hathaway * '' County Hospital'' (1932 short) as The Doctor * ''The Taxi Boys - What Price Taxi'' (1932 short) as Cabbie * ''The Taxi Boys - Strange Innertube'' (1932 short) as Cabbie * ''The Taxi Boys - Hot Spot'' (1932 short) as Cabbie * ''The Taxi Boys - Taxi for Two'' (1932 short) as Cabbie * ''The Taxi Boys - Bring 'Em Back a Wife'' (1933 short) as Billy Gilbert * ''The Taxi Boys - Wreckety Wrecks'' (1933 short) as Billy * ''The Taxi Boys - Taxi Barons'' (1933 short) as Billy * ''The Taxi Boys - Call Her Sausage'' (1933 short) as Heinie Schmaltz * ''The Taxi Boys - The Rummy'' (1933 short) as Schmaltz * ''

Made on Broadway ''Made on Broadway'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and written by Courtney Terrett. The film stars Robert Montgomery, Sally Eilers, Madge Evans, Eugene Pallette, C. Henry Gordon and Jean Parker. The film wa ...

'' (1933) as Commissioner Jerry Allesandro (uncredited) * ''

The Girl in 419 ''The Girl in 419'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Alexander Hall and George Somnes and written by Allen Rivkin, Manuel Seff and P.J. Wolfson. The film stars James Dunn, Gloria Stuart, David Manners, William Harrigan, ...

'' (1933) as Sneezing Patient (uncredited) * ''So and Sew'' (1933 short) as Rudolpho * '' This Day and Age'' (1933) as Manager of Nightclub (uncredited) * ''

Sons of the Desert ''Sons of the Desert'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. Directed by William A. Seiter, it was released in the United States on December 29, 1933. In the United Kingdom, the film was originally released under ...

'' (1933) as Mr. Rutledge (voice, uncredited) * '' Cockeyed Cavaliers'' (1934) as Innkeeper (uncredited) * '' Music in your Hair'' (1934) as husband (with

and Ty Parvis) * ''

Peck's Bad Boy Henry "Hennery" Peck, popularly known as Peck's Bad Boy, is a fictional character created by George Wilbur Peck (1840–1916). First appearing in the 1883 novel ''Peck's Bad Boy and His Pa'', the Bad Boy has appeared in numerous print, stage, an ...

'' (1934) (uncredited) * '' Happy Landing'' (1934) as Husband (uncredited) * ''

Men in Black In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are government agents dressed in dark suits, who question, interrogate, harass, and threaten unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesses to keep them silent about what they have ...

'' (1934, Three Stooges short) as Dangerous Patient (uncredited) * ''

Evelyn Prentice ''Evelyn Prentice'' is a 1934 American crime drama film starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, and featuring Una Merkel and Rosalind Russell in her film debut. The movie was based on the 1933 novel of the same name by W. E. Woodward. Filmed betw ...

'' (1935) as First Chef (uncredited) * ''

Escapade Escapade or Escapades may refer to: Transportation *Beneteau Escapade, a French sailboat design * HMS ''Escapade'', a 1934 Royal Navy destroyer that served in World War II *'' Just Escapade'', an American two-seat kit-built light aircraft Films ...

'' (1935) as Singer (uncredited) * ''

Mad Love __NOTOC__ Mad Love may refer to: Books *''Mad Love'' (French ''L'amour fou''), collection of poems by André Breton *'' The Batman Adventures: Mad Love'', an Eisner and Harvey award-winning comic by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm * Mad Love (publisher), ...

'' (1935) as Autograph Seeker on Train (uncredited) * '' Pardon My Scotch'' (1935, Three Stooges short) as opera singer Signor Louis Bellero Cantino (uncredited) * ''

Curly Top Curly top is a viral disease that affects many crops. This disease causes plants to become smaller in size, have shriveled petals and leaves, and are twisted and pulled out of shape. They are often caused by curtoviruses (genus ''Curtovirus''), m ...

'' (1935) as The Cook (uncredited) * '' Here Comes the Band'' (1935) as Oswald Carroll (uncredited) * ''

Hi, Gaucho! ''Hi, Gaucho!'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Tommy Atkins (who also wrote the story), from a screenplay by Adele Buffington. Released by RKO Radio Pictures on October 11, 1935, the film stars John Carroll (in his first credited ro ...

'' (1935) as Cappa Rosa - Del Campo's Foreman (uncredited) * '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935) as Orchestra Member asking Fiorello not to play the piano (uncredited) * ''

Coronado Coronado may refer to: People * Coronado (surname) Coronado is a Spanish surname derived from the village of Cornado, near A Coruña, Galicia. People with the name * Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1510–1554), Spanish explorer often referred t ...

'' (1935) as Waiter (uncredited) * '' I Dream Too Much'' (1935) as Cook at Cafe (uncredited) * ''

Millions in the Air ''Millions in the Air'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Ray McCarey and written by Sig Herzig and Jane Storm. The film stars John Howard, Wendy Barrie, Willie Howard, George Barbier, Benny Baker, Eleanore Whitney and Robert Cumming ...

'' (1935) as Nikolas Popadopolis * '' Dangerous Waters'' (1936) as Carlos (uncredited) * ''

Sutter's Gold ''Sutter's Gold'' is a 1936 American Western film. It is a fictionalized version of the aftermath of the discovery of gold on Sutter's property, spurring the California Gold Rush of 1849. Edward Arnold plays John Sutter. The supporting cast in ...

'' (1936) as Gen. Ramos (uncredited) * ''

Love on a Bet ''Love on a Bet'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Leigh Jason using a screenplay by P. J. Wolfson and Philip G. Epstein, based on a story by Kenneth Earl. The film stars Gene Raymond, Wendy Barrie, and Helen Broderick, and ...

'' (1936) as New York Policeman (uncredited) * '' The First Baby'' (1936) as Italian in Park (uncredited) * ''

One Rainy Afternoon ''One Rainy Afternoon'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Rowland V. Lee, starring Francis Lederer and Ida Lupino, and featuring Hugh Herbert, Roland Young, and Erik Rhodes. It also marked the last film appearance by actres ...

'' (1936) as Courtroom Doorman (uncredited) * '' Three of a Kind'' (1936) as The Tailor * ''

Early to Bed Early may refer to: Places in the United States * Early, Iowa, a city * Early, Texas, a city * Early Branch, a stream in Missouri * Early County, Georgia * Fort Early, Georgia, an early 19th century fort Music * Early B, stage name of Jamaican d ...

'' (1936) as Burger * '' Parole!'' (1936) as Salvatore Arriolo (uncredited) * '' Poor Little Rich Girl'' (1936) as Waiter (uncredited) * ''

Kelly the Second ''Kelly the Second'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Gus Meins and starring Patsy Kelly, Guinn Williams, and Charley Chase. This Hal Roach studio film was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The title is a pun, "Second" refer ...

'' (1936) as Fur trader (role deleted) (uncredited) * ''

The Bride Walks Out ''The Bride Walks Out'' is a 1936 American romantic comedy film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Raymond, and Robert Young. Based on an original story by Howard Emmett Rogers, the film is about a woman forced to gi ...

'' (1936) as Mr. Donovan * ''

The Devil-Doll ''The Devil-Doll'' is a 1936 American horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan. The film was adapted from the novel ''Burn Witch Burn!'' (1932) by Abraham Merritt. It has become a cult film.Paul ...

'' (1936) as Matin's Butler (uncredited) * ''

Grand Jury A grand jury is a jury empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a person to testify. A grand ju ...

'' (1936) as Otto, Janitor (uncredited) * '' My American Wife'' (1936) as French Chef (uncredited) * ''

Pepper Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanacea ...

'' (1936) as Man Eating Sandwich (uncredited) * ''

Bulldog Edition ''Bulldog Edition'' is a 1936 American crime drama film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Evalyn Knapp, Ray Walker and Regis Toomey. The film is also known as ''Lady Reporter'' in the United Kingdom. Plot Newspaper editors Ken Dwyer and ...

'' (1936) as George Poppupoppalas (uncredited) * '' The Big Game'' (1936) as Fisher (uncredited) * '' Love on the Run'' (1936) as Maitre d' (uncredited) * ''

Night Waitress ''Night Waitress'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and written by Marcus Goodrich. The film stars Margot Grahame, Gordon Jones, Vinton Hayworth, Marc Lawrence and Billy Gilbert. The film was released on December 18, 1936, b ...

'' (1936) as Torre - Cafe Owner * ''

On the Avenue ''On the Avenue'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Dick Powell, Madeleine Carroll, Alice Faye, George Barbier, and The Ritz Brothers. Many of the songs were composed by Irving Berlin. Many of the plo ...

'' (1937) as Joe Papaloupas * '' We're on the Jury'' (1937) as Mr. Ephraim Allen * '' When You're in Love'' (1937) as Jose the Bartender (uncredited) * '' Sea Devils'' (1937) as Billy (policeman) * ''

Espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information ( intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ...

'' (1937) as Turk * ''

China Passage ''China Passage'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Edward Killy from a screenplay by Edmund Hartmann, Edmund L. Hartmann and J. Robert Bren, based on a story by Taylor Caven. RKO Radio Pictures produced the film, which stars Constance ...

'' (1937) as Ship's Bartender * '' Maytime'' (1937) as Drunk (uncredited) * ''

The Man Who Found Himself ''The Man Who Found Himself'', also known as ''Wings of Mercy'', is a 1937 American aviation film based on the unpublished story "Wings of Mercy" by Alice B. Curtis. The film marked the first starring role for 19-year-old Joan Fontaine, who was ...

'' (1937) as Fat Hobo * '' The Outcasts of Poker Flat'' (1937) as Charley - the Bartender * ''

'' (1937) as Soda Steward (uncredited) * ''

The Toast of New York ''The Toast of New York'' is a 1937 American biographical film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Edward Arnold, Cary Grant, Frances Farmer, and Jack Oakie. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of financiers James Fisk and ...

'' (1937) as Photographer * ''

Broadway Melody of 1938 ''Broadway Melody of 1938'' is a 1937 American musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film is essentially a backstage musical revue, featuring high-budget sets and cinematography in the MGM musical traditi ...

'' (1937) as George Papaloopas * '' The Firefly'' (1937) as Inn Keeper * '' The Life of the Party'' (1937) as Dr. Molnac * ''

One Hundred Men and a Girl ''One Hundred Men and a Girl'' (styled 100 Men and a Girl in advertising) is a 1937 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin and the maestro Leopold Stokowski. Written by Charles Kenyon, Bruce Manning, a ...

'' (1937) as Garage Owner * '' Music for Madame'' (1937) as Krause * ''

Fight for Your Lady Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is resorted to either as a method of ...

'' (1937) as Boris * ''

'' (1937) as Sneezy (voice, uncredited) * '' Rosalie'' (1937) as Oloff * '' She's Got Everything'' (1937) as Chaffee - a Creditor * ''Once Over Lightly'' (1938 short) as Professor Dimitrius Kapouris * '' Happy Landing'' (1938) as Counter Man * '' Maid's Night Out'' (1938) as Mr. Papalapoulas * ''

Joy of Living ''Joy of Living'' is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with supporting performances from Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Jean Dixon, Eric Blore and Lucille Ball. It features th ...

'' (1938) as Cafe Owner * '' Army Girl'' (1938) as Cantina Pete * ''

Block-Heads ''Block-Heads'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Laurel and Hardy, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It was produced by Hal Roach Studios for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, a reworking of elements from the Lau ...

'' (1938) as Mr. Gilbert * '' My Lucky Star'' (1938) as Nick * '' Breaking the Ice'' (1938) as Mr. Small * '' Mr. Doodle Kicks Off'' (1938) as Professor Minorous * ''

Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus ''Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline, based on the book of the same name by George W. Peck, one of his stories of Peck's Bad Boy. Plot summary Bill Peck receives ten dollars from his ...

'' (1938) as Bud Boggs * '' The Girl Downstairs'' (1938) as Garage Proprietor * '' Forged Passport'' (1939) as Nick Mendoza * '' Million Dollar Legs'' (1939) as Dick Schultz (uncredited) * ''

'' (1939) as Tolio * '' The Star Maker'' (1939) as Steel Worker * ''

Rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese and Spanish word for "river". The word also exists in Italian, but is largely obsolete and used in a poetical or literary context to mean "stream". Rio, RIO or Río may also refer to: Places United States * Rio, Fl ...

'' (1939) as Manuelo * ''

Destry Rides Again ''Destry Rides Again'' is a 1939 American Western comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart. The supporting cast includes Mischa Auer, Charles Winninger, Brian Donlevy, Allen Jenkins, Irene Her ...

'' (1939) as Loupgerou * ''

'' (1940) as Joe Pettibone * '' Sandy Is a Lady'' (1940) as Billy Pepino * ''

Women in War ''Women in War'' is a 1940 American war film about the nurses of the British Voluntary Aid Detachment during the Battle of France. Directed by John H. Auer and starring Wendy Barrie, Elsie Janis and Patric Knowles, it was nominated for an Os ...

'' (1940) as Pierre, the Cobbler * ''

Safari A safari (; originally ) is an overland journey to observe wildlife, wild animals, especially in East Africa. The so-called big five game, "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, African leopard, leopard, rhinoceros, African elephant, elep ...

'' (1940) as Mondehare * ''

Queen of the Mob ''Queen of the Mob'' is a 1940 American film (also known as ''The Woman from Hell''), directed by James P. Hogan. The source material here was a book attributed to Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover entitled ''Persons in ...

'' (1940) as Mr. Reier * '' Cross-Country Romance'' (1940) as Orestes * '' Scatterbrain'' (1940) as Hoffman * ''

Lucky Partners ''Lucky Partners'' is a 1940 American romantic comedy film starring Ronald Colman and Ginger Rogers. Directed by Lewis Milestone for RKO Radio Pictures, it is based on the 1935 Sacha Guitry film '' Good Luck''. The picture was the only film pairi ...

'' (1940) as Charles (uncredited) * '' Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot'' (1940) as Hector * '' A Little Bit of Heaven'' (1940) as Tony * '' The Villain Still Pursued Her'' (1940) as Master of Ceremonies * ''

'' (1940) as Herring * '' Seven Sinners'' (1940) as Tony * ''

'' (1940) as Sheik * ''

A Night at Earl Carroll's ''A Night at Earl Carroll's'' is a 1940 American musical film directed by Kurt Neumann and written by Lynn Starling. The film stars Ken Murray, Rose Hobart, Elvia Allman, Blanche Stewart, Earl Carroll, J. Carrol Naish, and Lela Moore. The film ...

'' (1940) as Machinist's Mate * ''

No, No, Nanette ''No, No, Nanette'' is a musical with a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play ''My Lady Friends''; lyrics by Irving Caesar and Harbach; and music by Vincent Youmans. The farcical story centers on three coup ...

'' (1940) as Styles * '' The Great Awakening'' (1941) as Dominic * '' Reaching for the Sun'' (1941) as Amos * '' One Night in Lisbon'' (1941) as Popopopoulos * ''

Angels with Broken Wings ''Angels with Broken Wings'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Jane Frazee and Binnie Barnes. The screenplay was written by George Carleton Brown and Bradford Ropes. It was released by Republic Pictures. Pl ...

'' (1941) as Billy Wilson * ''

New Wine New Wine is a not-for-profit Christian charismatic evangelical organisation based in England, United Kingdom. It equips Christian churches and leaders in spiritual renewal, worship and church planting. Overview The purpose of New Wine is "loc ...

'' (1941) as Poldi * ''

Week-End in Havana ''Week-End in Havana'' is a 1941 American Technicolor musical film directed by Walter Lang and starring Alice Faye, John Payne and Carmen Miranda. The film was produced and distributed by Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox. It was the second of ...

'' (1941) as Arbolado * ''

Song of the Islands ''Song of the Islands'' is a 1942 musical comedy film starring Betty Grable and Victor Mature. It was directed by Walter Lang and released through 20th Century Fox. Plot Jeff Harper sails to the tropical paradise Ahmi-Oni with his sidekick Rusty ...

'' (1942) as Palola's Father * ''

Valley of the Sun A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing 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 a ve ...

'' (1942) as Judge Homer Burnaby * '' Mr. Wise Guy'' (1942) as Knobby * ''

Sleepytime Gal ''Sleepytime Gal'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Art Arthur, Albert Duffy and Max Lief. The film stars Judy Canova, Tom Brown, Billy Gilbert, Ruth Terry, Thurston Hall, Elisha Cook Jr., Jerry Leste ...

'' (1942) as Chef Popodopolis * ''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...

'' (1942) as Ahmad * ''

Shantytown A shanty town, squatter area, squatter settlement, or squatter camp is a settlement of improvised buildings known as shanties or shacks, typically made of materials such as mud and wood, or from cheap building materials such as corrugated iron s ...

'' (1943) as 'Papa' Ferrelli * '' Spotlight Scandals'' (1943) as Himself * '' Always a Bridesmaid'' (1943) as Nicholas 'Nick' Neopolitan * '' Crazy House'' (1943) as Sid Drake * '' Three of a Kind'' (1944) as Billy * ''

Ever Since Venus ''Ever Since Venus'' is a 1944 American comedy directed by Arthur Dreifuss, in his first effort for Columbia Pictures, and stars Ina Ray Hutton, Hugh Herbert, Ann Savage, and Billy Gilbert. It was Hutton's first major film role; she had becom ...

'' (1944) as Tiny Lewis * '' Three Is a Family'' (1944) (uncredited) * '' Crazy Knights'' (1944) as Billy * '' Trouble Chasers'' (1945) as Billy * '' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945) as Cafe Manager * ''

'' (1947) as Willie the Giant (voice) * '' The Kissing Bandit'' (1948) as General Felipe Toro * ''

Bride of Vengeance ''Bride of Vengeance'' is a 1949 American historical drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Paulette Goddard, John Lund and Macdonald Carey. Produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is set in the Italian Renaissance era. R ...

'' (1949) as Beppo (uncredited) * '' Down Among the Sheltering Palms'' (1953) as King Jilouili * ''

Paradise Alley ''Paradise Alley'' is a 1978 American sports drama film written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone (in his feature directorial debut). The film tells the story of three Italian American brothers in Hell's Kitchen in the 1940s who be ...

'' (1962) as Julius Wilson * ''

'' (1962) as Sultan / Auctioneer (final film role)

References

External links

* *
Literature on Billy Gilbert
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Billy 1894 births 1971 deaths American male comedians American comedy writers Film directors from Kentucky American male voice actors Hal Roach Studios actors Male actors from Louisville, Kentucky American vaudeville performers 20th-century American male actors Hal Roach Studios short film series Comedians from Louisville, Kentucky Comedians from California 20th-century American comedians

Career

Early life and vaudeville career

Big break in films

Feature films

Later years

Personal life

Death

Legacy

Selected filmography

See also

References

Further reading

External links