Billy Gilbert
Billy Gilbert ( born September 12, 1894 in Louisville, Kentucky, † September 23, 1971 in Hollywood, California; actually William Gilbert Baron ) was an American comedian and actor. His trademark, he performed in countless films, were loud outbursts and an unusual sneezing. He is not to be confused with the lesser known silent film comedian of the same name from the team of Mack Sennett.
Life
Billy Gilbert's father worked as a singer at the Metropolitan Opera. Also his son pulled it early into show business, Gilbert junior already she was twelve years as a vaudeville artist and later on Broadway. In a demonstration he was discovered by Stan Laurel, who introduced him at the comedy producer Hal Roach. Roach took Gilbert initially as a gag writer and director under contract, his film debut as an actor he gave in 1929 at age 35.
Gilbert was known primarily as an opponent of Laurel and Hardy in a total of nine films (another he contributed his voice in ). Among other things, he joined the Oscar-winning short film The grueling piano Transport ( 1932) as a choleric professor of Hoping for Black, who destroyed the tedious comedians from a long staircase up worn piano with an ax. In The Devil brothers to him ruin both his wedding because he is suspected of being mistaken to be a father of an illegitimate child. At the end of the block heads he suspects himself in the role of a short-tempered big game hunter Hardy, of having an affair with his wife, and opened the hunt for him. Gilbert also appeared alongside other Roach comedians like Todd & Pitts, the Little Rascals and Charley Chase, and in addition to the Three Stooges, the Marx Brothers, Wheeler & Woolsey and the East Side Kids on.
1937 Billy Gilbert borrowed the dwarf Sneezy in Walt Disney's animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs its characteristic sneezing, which was his trademark in numerous films. Ten years later he spoke also this giant Willie in the segment Mickey and the Beanstalk by Cheerful, Free, fun. One of his most famous roles was 1940, the Minister of War Herring in Charles Chaplin's masterpiece The Great Dictator, a parody of Hermann Goering. Other well-known films in which Gilbert was involved, were Destry Rides Again (1939 ), His Girl Friday (1940 ) and The Seven Sinners ( 1940). In the 1950s, the comedian turned increasingly on the movie business and worked in television or on Broadway. His last film appearance he graduated in 1962 in Irwin Allen's film adaptation of Jules Verne Five Weeks in a Balloon, in which he is to be seen in a double role as Sultan and as an auctioneer.
Billy Gilbert was married to his second wife from 1937 to his death with the actress Ella McKenzie ( 1911-1987 ). He died in 1971 at the age of 77 years after a stroke. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ( 6263 Hollywood Blvd. ).