Billy Bevan
Billy Bevan ( born September 29, 1887 in Orange, New South Wales, Australia, † November 26, 1957 in Escondido, California; actually William Bevan Harris) was an Australian film actor and comedian who appeared in over 250 films 1916-1950. He is best known for its many silent short films that he made in the 1920s for Mack Sennett.
Life
William Bevan was already in the earliest childhood on the stage. He toured for eight years as an actor in the comic operas of Australian Pollard 's Opera Company, where he did his in the USA and Canada. This was originally composed of children ensemble brought out the comedian Snub Pollard and colleagues Daphne Pollard as well as the director Alf Goulding. Subsequently, Bevan joined the theater company of Isabelle Fletcher in Vancouver. His first film appearances, he completed 1916/17 for Henry teaching Mans L -KO Kompany.
1919 Bevan was at a performance of the play "A Knight for a Day " discovered by the former Keystone boss Mack Sennett, who hired him on the spot. Initially supporting actor in films by Ben Turpin, Louise Fazenda and others, the comedian became the end of 1921 the star 's own Sennett comedies. That is driven by melon and mustache appearance, he offered basically not a very remarkable film character and possessed, unlike many of his colleagues do not possess special acrobatic or dance skills. These shortcomings, however, he knew to be offset by its relatively subtle facial expressions and good timing.
Mid-1920s, Bevan was often combined with the Scottish comedian Andy Clyde, and directed by Del Lord was the duo to see in some of the fastest short film comedies of the second Sennett era, including Lizzies of the Field (1924 ), Super - Hooper -Dyne Lizzies (1925) and Wandering Willies ( 1926). The fashions of the time following (see Hal Roach Studios), located Bevan removed from 1926 sometimes from pure slapstick and now also played in no less ludicrous relationship comedies like The Best Man (1928 ). He was supported by Vernon Dent as the " Straight man " or opponent and director Harry Edwards, who had both previously part of the team at the Sennett apostates Harry Langdon.
The introduction of sound ended the careers of many silent film stars, including that of Billy Bevan. No longer in demand as the main attraction, he made 1929 a second career as a character and a bit player. For twenty years he played Schaffner, taxi drivers, bartenders, rowdy Cockneys and charming Englishman in the most diverse films. Thus he divided apparently the fate of colleagues such as Chester Conklin or Snub Pollard, but in fact he only played for the fun of Freud in movies: Since 1925, owner of a thriving avocado farm near the California Escondido, Bevan did not need the money. He worked for names such as Lubitsch, Whale, Ford, Capra, Hawks, Hitchcock, Wyler and Clair and retired in 1950 from the film back.
Billy Bevan died a month before Robert Youngson with The Golden Age of Comedy the first compilation of his films on silent film comedy released, which allowed younger contemporaries to rediscover the stars of yesteryear. The utter oblivion, had fallen into the Bevan at this time, was underlined by the fact that its on " seven" rhyming name was mispronounced in Youngsons documentaries.
In Germany, the films of the comedian in the 1970s and 1980s, part of the television series of oldies fathers were men without nerves and Klamottenkiste, respectively, as was customary. Annotated in and heavily mutilated form For the opening and closing credits of the fathers of oldies found various scenes from Bevans short films use, especially of Wandering Willie.