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Mack Swain

Acting 59 (deceased) years old Salt Lake City, Utah, USA ★ 0.3
Born: February 15, 1876
Died: August 25, 1935

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. 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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

The Gold Rush
The Gold Rush Big Jim McKay 1925
The Knockout
The Knockout Gambler (uncredited) 1914
Bad Boy
Bad Boy Man on Rowing Machine 1935
The Pilgrim
The Pilgrim Deacon 1923
Soup to Nuts
Soup to Nuts First Fat Diner (uncredited) 1930

Filmography

Acting Credits (111)

Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists
Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists Big Jim McKay (archive footage) 1998
The Chaplin Revue
The Chaplin Revue Various (archive footage) 1959
Yesterday and Today
Yesterday and Today (archive footage) 1953
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
Happy Times and Jolly Moments (archive footage) 1943
Bad Boy
Bad Boy Man on Rowing Machine 1935
Lighthouse Love
Lighthouse Love Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper 1932
Lighthouse Love
Lighthouse Love Captain Wiggins—the Lighthouse Keeper 1932
The Midnight Patrol
The Midnight Patrol 1932
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands Kop(as the Original Keystone Kops) 1931
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1 Doctor 1931
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2 Doctor 1931
Finn and Hattie
Finn and Hattie Le Bottin 1931
Soup to Nuts
Soup to Nuts First Fat Diner (uncredited) 1930
Cleaning Up
Cleaning Up Mack 1930
The Sea Bat
The Sea Bat Dutchy 1930
Redemption
Redemption Magistrate 1930
The Locked Door
The Locked Door Hotel Proprietor 1929
The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City
The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City Mr. Tom Kelly 1929
The Last Warning
The Last Warning Robert Bunce 1928
Caught in the Fog
Caught in the Fog Detective Ryan 1928
The Girl from Nowhere
The Girl from Nowhere Wilbur Ashcraft 1928
Tillie's Punctured Romance
Tillie's Punctured Romance Tillie's Father 1928
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Sir Francis Beekman 1928
The Girl from Everywhere
The Girl from Everywhere Wilfred Ashcraft - Director 1927
A Texas Steer
A Texas Steer Bragg 1927
Becky
Becky Irving Spiegelberg 1927
My Best Girl
My Best Girl Judge 1927
Finnegan's Ball
Finnegan's Ball Patrick Flannigan 1927
Mockery
Mockery Vladimir Gaidaroff 1927
See You in Jail
See You in Jail Slossom 1927
The Shamrock and the Rose
The Shamrock and the Rose Mike Kelly 1927
The Beloved Rogue
The Beloved Rogue Nicholas 1927
Whispering Wires
Whispering Wires McCarthy 1926
Her Big Night
Her Big Night Myers, film producer 1926
The Nervous Wreck
The Nervous Wreck Jerome Underwood 1926
Footloose Widows
Footloose Widows Ludwig 1926
Kiki
Kiki Pastryman (uncredited) 1926
Sea Horses
Sea Horses Bimbo-Bomba 1926
Torrent
Torrent Don Matías 1926
The Devil's Circus
The Devil's Circus 1926
Hands Up!
Hands Up! Silas Woodstock 1926
The Eagle
The Eagle Innkeeper (uncredited) 1925
The Gold Rush
The Gold Rush Big Jim McKay 1925
Pitfalls of a Big City
Pitfalls of a Big City The Vamp's Husband 1923
This Way Out
This Way Out The Girl's Father 1923
The Pilgrim
The Pilgrim Deacon 1923
Pay Day
Pay Day Foreman 1922
The Idle Class
The Idle Class Edna's Father (uncredited) 1921
Full o' Spirits
Full o' Spirits 1920
Innocent Ambrose
Innocent Ambrose Ambrose Schnitz 1920
Heroic Ambrose
Heroic Ambrose Ambrose Schnitz 1919
Her First False Hare
Her First False Hare Unknown 1919
Oh, What a Knight
Oh, What a Knight The Sheriff 1919
Adventurous Ambrose
Adventurous Ambrose Ambrose 1918
The Late Lamented
The Late Lamented Boarder (unconfirmed) 1917
Lost: A Cook
Lost: A Cook Farmer Ambrose 1917
Thirst
Thirst Ambrose 1917
His Naughty Thought
His Naughty Thought Walter Ambrose 1917
The Pullman Bride
The Pullman Bride Rover Peabody - the Chosen One 1917
Madcap Ambrose
Madcap Ambrose Ambrose 1916
His Bitter Pill
His Bitter Pill Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff 1916
A Movie Star
A Movie Star Handsome Jack 1916
Saved by Wireless
Saved by Wireless The Spy 1915
When Ambrose Dared Walrus
When Ambrose Dared Walrus Ambrose 1915
Mabel Lost and Won
Mabel Lost and Won Mabel's Rival's Husband 1915
Ambrose's Nasty Temper
Ambrose's Nasty Temper Ambrose 1915
Ambrose's Lofty Perch
Ambrose's Lofty Perch Ambrose 1915
Ambrose's Fury
Ambrose's Fury Ambrose 1915
Ambrose's Little Hatchet
Ambrose's Little Hatchet Ambrose 1915
That Little Band Of Gold
That Little Band Of Gold Audience Member (uncredited) 1915
Willful Ambrose
Willful Ambrose Pa Ambrose 1915
Ambrose's Sour Grapes
Ambrose's Sour Grapes Ambrose 1915
Ye Olden Grafter
Ye Olden Grafter The Grafter 1915
Hogan's Romance Upset
Hogan's Romance Upset Fight Spectator 1915
Caught in a Park
Caught in a Park The Bartender 1915
Fatty's New Role
Fatty's New Role Ambrose Schnitz 1915
The Home Breakers
The Home Breakers Ambrose 1915
Love, Speed and Thrills
Love, Speed and Thrills Ambrose 1915
Gussle, the Golfer
Gussle, the Golfer Ambrose 1914
Tillie's Punctured Romance
Tillie's Punctured Romance Tillie's Father 1914
Ambrose's First Falsehood
Ambrose's First Falsehood Ambrose 1914
Other People's Business
Other People's Business 1914
His Prehistoric Past
His Prehistoric Past King Lowbrow 1914
Getting Acquainted
Getting Acquainted Ambrose 1914
Leading Lizzie Astray
Leading Lizzie Astray Cafe Patron - In from the Mines 1914
The Sea Nymphs
The Sea Nymphs Ambrose 1914
Fatty's Wine Party
Fatty's Wine Party Restaurant Proprietor 1914
His Trysting Places
His Trysting Places Ambrose 1914
His Musical Career
His Musical Career Mike, Charlie's Partner 1914
Gentlemen of Nerve
Gentlemen of Nerve Mr. Walrus 1914
Hello, Mabel
Hello, Mabel The Married Flirt 1914
Laughing Gas
Laughing Gas Patient 1914
A Rowboat Romance
A Rowboat Romance (unconfirmed) 1914
Mabel's Married Life
Mabel's Married Life Wellington, a Ladykiller 1914
A Missing Bride
A Missing Bride 1914
A Gambling Rube
A Gambling Rube (unconfirmed) 1914
The Knockout
The Knockout Gambler (uncredited) 1914
The Fatal Mallet
The Fatal Mallet Rival Suitor (uncredited) 1914
Mabel’s Nerve
Mabel’s Nerve 1914
A Busy Day
A Busy Day Husband 1914
Caught in the Rain
Caught in the Rain Husband (uncredited) 1914
Caught in a Cabaret
Caught in a Cabaret Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited) 1914
Mabel at the Wheel
Mabel at the Wheel Race Spectator (uncredited) 1914
Love and Gasoline
Love and Gasoline 1914
A Thief Catcher
A Thief Catcher Crook (uncredited) 1914
A Robust Romeo
A Robust Romeo 1914
Double Crossed
Double Crossed The Belle's Boyfriend 1914
The Under-Sheriff
The Under-Sheriff Villager 1914
The Gusher
The Gusher Villager / Cop 1913
Fatty Joins the Force
Fatty Joins the Force Cop at Station House 1913
A Muddy Romance
A Muddy Romance Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant 1913

Directing Credits (2)

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