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Mack Swain
Actor

Mack Swain

15 Feb 1876Born
25 Aug 1935Died
59Age at death
110Credits

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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 features by Charlie Chaplin.

In the early 1900s Swain had his own stock theater company, which performed in the western and midwestern United States.

Swain worked in vaudeville before starting in silent film at Keystone Studios under Mack Sennett. While with Keystone, he was teamed with Chester Conklin to make a series of comedy films.

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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 and Love, Speed and Thrills, both made in 1915.

Besides these comedies, the two appeared together in a variety of other films, 26 all told, and they also appeared separately and/or together in films starring Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle and most of the rest of the roster of Keystone players.

Swain later took his Ambrose character with him to the L-KO Kompany. Having already worked with Charles Chaplin at Keystone, Swain began working with him again at First National in 1921, appearing in The Idle Class, Pay Day, and The Pilgrim. He is also remembered for his large supporting role as Big Jim McKay in the 1925 film The Gold Rush, for United Artists, written by and starring Chaplin.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Mack Swain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1500 Vine Street.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 110 credits.

  1. 1998Star Power: The Creation Of United ArtistsFilm: Big Jim McKay (archive footage)
  2. 1959The Chaplin RevueFilm: Various (archive footage)
  3. 1953Yesterday and TodayFilm: (archive footage)
  4. 1943Happy Times and Jolly MomentsFilm: (archive footage)
  5. 1935Bad BoyFilm: Man on Rowing Machine
  6. 1932Lighthouse LoveFilm: Captain Wiggins—the Lighthouse Keeper
  7. 1932The Midnight PatrolFilm
  8. 1931Stout Hearts and Willing HandsFilm: Kop(as the Original Keystone Kops)
  9. 1931Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1Film: Doctor
  10. 1931Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2Film: Doctor
  11. 1931Finn and HattieFilm: Le Bottin
  12. 1930Soup to NutsFilm: First Fat Diner (uncredited)
  13. 1930Cleaning UpFilm: Mack
  14. 1930The Sea BatFilm: Dutchy
  15. 1930RedemptionFilm: Magistrate
  16. 1929The Locked DoorFilm: Hotel Proprietor
  17. 1929The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic CityFilm: Mr. Tom Kelly
  18. 1928The Last WarningFilm: Robert Bunce
  19. 1928Caught in the FogFilm: Detective Ryan
  20. 1928The Girl from NowhereFilm: Wilbur Ashcraft
  21. 1928Tillie's Punctured RomanceFilm: Tillie's Father
  22. 1928Gentlemen Prefer BlondesFilm: Sir Francis Beekman
  23. 1927The Girl from EverywhereFilm: Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
  24. 1927A Texas SteerFilm: Bragg
  25. 1927BeckyFilm: Irving Spiegelberg
  26. 1927My Best GirlFilm: Judge
  27. 1927Finnegan's BallFilm: Patrick Flannigan
  28. 1927MockeryFilm: Vladimir Gaidaroff
  29. 1927See You in JailFilm: Slossom
  30. 1927The Shamrock and the RoseFilm: Mike Kelly
  31. 1927The Beloved RogueFilm: Nicholas
  32. 1926Whispering WiresFilm: McCarthy
  33. 1926Her Big NightFilm: Myers, film producer
  34. 1926The Nervous WreckFilm: Jerome Underwood
  35. 1926Footloose WidowsFilm: Ludwig
  36. 1926KikiFilm: Pastryman (uncredited)
  37. 1926Sea HorsesFilm: Bimbo-Bomba
  38. 1926TorrentFilm: Don Matías
  39. 1926The Devil's CircusFilm
  40. 1926Hands Up!Film: Silas Woodstock
  41. 1925The EagleFilm: Innkeeper (uncredited)
  42. 1925The Gold RushFilm: Big Jim
  43. 1923Pitfalls of a Big CityFilm: The Vamp's Husband
  44. 1923This Way OutFilm: The Girl's Father
  45. 1923The PilgrimFilm: Deacon
  46. 1922Pay DayFilm: Foreman
  47. 1921The Idle ClassFilm: Edna's Father (uncredited)
  48. 1920Full o' SpiritsFilm
  49. 1920Innocent AmbroseFilm: Ambrose Schnitz, Director
  50. 1919Heroic AmbroseFilm: Ambrose Schnitz, Director
  51. 1919Her First False HareFilm: Unknown
  52. 1919Oh, What a KnightFilm: The Sheriff
  53. 1918Adventurous AmbroseFilm: Ambrose
  54. 1917The Late LamentedFilm: Boarder (unconfirmed)
  55. 1917Lost: A CookFilm: Farmer Ambrose
  56. 1917ThirstFilm: Ambrose
  57. 1917His Naughty ThoughtFilm: Walter Ambrose
  58. 1917The Pullman BrideFilm: Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
  59. 1916Madcap AmbroseFilm: Ambrose
  60. 1916His Bitter PillFilm: Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
  61. 1916A Movie StarFilm: Handsome Jack
  62. 1915Saved by WirelessFilm: The Spy
  63. 1915When Ambrose Dared WalrusFilm: Ambrose
  64. 1915Mabel Lost and WonFilm: Mabel's Rival's Husband
  65. 1915Ambrose's Nasty TemperFilm: Ambrose
  66. 1915Ambrose's Lofty PerchFilm: Ambrose
  67. 1915Ambrose's FuryFilm: Ambrose
  68. 1915Ambrose's Little HatchetFilm: Ambrose
  69. 1915That Little Band Of GoldFilm: Audience Member (uncredited)
  70. 1915Willful AmbroseFilm: Pa Ambrose
  71. 1915Ambrose's Sour GrapesFilm: Ambrose
  72. 1915Ye Olden GrafterFilm: The Grafter
  73. 1915Hogan's Romance UpsetFilm: Fight Spectator
  74. 1915Caught in a ParkFilm: The Bartender
  75. 1915Fatty's New RoleFilm: Ambrose Schnitz
  76. 1915The Home BreakersFilm: Ambrose
  77. 1915Love, Speed and ThrillsFilm: Ambrose
  78. 1914Gussle, the GolferFilm: Ambrose
  79. 1914Tillie's Punctured RomanceFilm: Tillie's Father
  80. 1914Ambrose's First FalsehoodFilm: Ambrose

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.