Mack Swain
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. 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
Credits
- 1998 · Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists as Big Jim McKay (archive footage)
- 1959 · The Chaplin Revue as Various (archive footage)
- 1953 · Yesterday and Today as (archive footage)
- 1943 · Happy Times and Jolly Moments as (archive footage)
- 1932 · Lighthouse Love as Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
- 1932 · The Midnight Patrol as
- 1931 · Stout Hearts and Willing Hands as
- 1931 · Finn and Hattie as Le Bottin
- 1930 · Soup to Nuts as First Fat Diner (uncredited)
- 1930 · Cleaning Up as Mack
- 1930 · The Sea Bat as Dutchy
- 1930 · Redemption as Magistrate
- 1929 · The Locked Door as Hotel Proprietor
- 1928 · The Last Warning as Robert Bunce
- 1928 · Caught in the Fog as Detective Ryan
- 1928 · The Girl from Nowhere as Wilbur Ashcraft
- 1928 · Tillie's Punctured Romance as Tillie's Father
- 1928 · Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as Sir Francis Beekman
- 1927 · The Girl from Everywhere as Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
- 1927 · A Texas Steer as Bragg
- 1927 · Becky as Irving Spiegelberg
- 1927 · My Best Girl as Judge
- 1927 · Mockery as Vladimir Gaidaroff
- 1927 · The Shamrock and the Rose as Mike Kelly
- 1927 · The Beloved Rogue as Nicholas
- 1926 · Whispering Wires as
- 1926 · The Nervous Wreck as Jerome Underwood
- 1926 · Footloose Widows as Ludwig
- 1926 · Kiki as Pastryman (uncredited)
- 1926 · Sea Horses as Bimbo-Bomba
- 1926 · Torrent as Don Matías
- 1926 · Hands Up! as Silas Woodstock
- 1925 · The Eagle as Innkeeper (uncredited)
- 1925 · The Gold Rush as Big Jim McKay
- 1923 · Pitfalls of a Big City as The Vamp's Husband
- 1923 · This Way Out as The Girl's Father
- 1923 · The Pilgrim as Deacon
- 1922 · Pay Day as Foreman
- 1921 · The Idle Class as Edna's Father (uncredited)
- 1920 · Full o' Spirits as
- 1920 · Innocent Ambrose as Ambrose Schnitz
- 1919 · Heroic Ambrose as Ambrose Schnitz
- 1919 · Her First False Hare as Unknown
- 1919 · Oh, What a Knight as The Sheriff
- 1918 · Adventurous Ambrose as Ambrose
- 1917 · The Late Lamented as Boarder (unconfirmed)
- 1917 · Thirst as Ambrose
- 1917 · His Naughty Thought as Walter Ambrose
- 1917 · The Pullman Bride as Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
- 1916 · Madcap Ambrose as Ambrose
- 1916 · His Bitter Pill as Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
- 1916 · A Movie Star as Handsome Jack
- 1915 · Saved by Wireless as The Spy
- 1915 · When Ambrose Dared Walrus as Ambrose
- 1915 · Mabel Lost and Won as Mabel's Rival's Husband
- 1915 · Ambrose's Nasty Temper as Ambrose
- 1915 · Ambrose's Lofty Perch as Ambrose
- 1915 · Ambrose's Fury as Ambrose
- 1915 · Ambrose's Little Hatchet as Ambrose
- 1915 · That Little Band Of Gold as Audience Member (uncredited)
- 1915 · Willful Ambrose as Pa Ambrose
- 1915 · Ambrose's Sour Grapes as Ambrose
- 1915 · Ye Olden Grafter as The Grafter
- 1915 · Hogan's Romance Upset as Fight Spectator
- 1915 · Caught in a Park as The Bartender
- 1915 · Fatty's New Role as Ambrose Schnitz
- 1915 · The Home Breakers as Ambrose
- 1915 · Love, Speed and Thrills as Ambrose
- 1914 · Gussle, the Golfer as Ambrose
- 1914 · Tillie's Punctured Romance as Tillie's Father
- 1914 · Ambrose's First Falsehood as Ambrose
- 1914 · His Prehistoric Past as King Lowbrow
- 1914 · Other People's Business as
- 1914 · Getting Acquainted as Ambrose
- 1914 · Leading Lizzie Astray as Cafe Patron - In from the Mines
- 1914 · The Sea Nymphs as Ambrose
- 1914 · Fatty's Wine Party as Restaurant Proprietor
- 1914 · His Trysting Places as Ambrose
- 1914 · His Musical Career as Mike, Charlie's Partner
- 1914 · Gentlemen of Nerve as Mr. Walrus
- 1914 · Hello, Mabel as The Married Flirt
- 1914 · Laughing Gas as Patient
- 1914 · A Rowboat Romance as (unconfirmed)
- 1914 · Mabel's Married Life as Wellington, a Ladykiller
- 1914 · A Gambling Rube as (unconfirmed)
- 1914 · The Knockout as Gambler (uncredited)
- 1914 · The Fatal Mallet as Rival Suitor (uncredited)
- 1914 · Mabel’s Nerve as
- 1914 · A Busy Day as Husband
- 1914 · Caught in the Rain as Husband (uncredited)
- 1914 · Caught in a Cabaret as Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
- 1914 · Mabel at the Wheel as Race Spectator (uncredited)
- 1914 · Love and Gasoline as
- 1914 · A Thief Catcher as Crook (uncredited)
- 1914 · A Robust Romeo as
- 1914 · Double Crossed as The Belle's Boyfriend
- 1914 · The Under-Sheriff as Villager
- 1913 · The Gusher as Villager / Cop
- 1913 · Fatty Joins the Force as Cop at Station House
- 1913 · A Muddy Romance as Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant