Curtis 'Snowball' McHenry
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Curtis McHenry
Born Date: April 4, 1899
Born Place: Ruston, Louisiana
Died Date: July 24, 1934
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Stuntman, comedian
Brief Biography: Curtis McHenry was one of the first African Americans to successfully break into the silent film industry. Active primarily during the 1920s, McHenry is best known today for his recurring collaborations with silent film star Larry Semon, most notably playing Snowball and the Cowardly Lion in the 1925 production of The Wizard of Oz.
Career Beginnings:
Early Performance: He began his entertainment career performing in traditional circuses before transitioning to the screen.
Film Debut: He made his way to Hollywood and entered the motion picture industry around 1920.
Silent Film Career and Stereotypes:
McHenry became a frequent supporting player in slapstick comedies, regularly working alongside prominent comedians such as Larry Semon, Jimmie Adams, Will Rogers, and the Our Gang cast. Because he broke into Hollywood a decade before mainstream Black stars like Stepin Fetchit, the industry heavily limited his roles.
Screen Names: He was frequently credited under the highly offensive pseudonym "G. Howe Black" or simply as "Snowball".
Role Types: His roles were almost entirely limited to menials, servants, porters, or elevator operators.
Gag Formats: His scenes usually relied on egregious racial stereotypes of the era, such as visual gags involving extreme fear, or comedic routines where his character was covered in white substances like flour or talcum powder.
Historical Confusion: For many years, film historians frequently misidentified and confused McHenry with his contemporary Black silent film comedian Spencer Bell.
Major Filmography:
McHenry appeared in dozens of silent shorts and feature-length films throughout the 1920s. Some of his most notable appearances include:
The Counter Jumper (1922): An early collaboration supporting Larry Semon and Oliver Hardy, Robinson Crusoe (1924): Played the character of Friday, The Wizard of Oz (1925): His most enduring historical credit, where he pulled triple duty as the characters Rastus, Snowball, and the Cowardly Lion, The Perfect Clown (1925): Played Snowball alongside Larry Semon and Oliver Hardy, Stop, Look and Listen (1926): Credited under his actual name as a porter and The Great K & A Train Robbery (1926): A popular silent western starring Tom Mix.
Born Date: April 4, 1899
Born Place: Ruston, Louisiana
Died Date: July 24, 1934
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Stuntman, comedian
Brief Biography: Curtis McHenry was one of the first African Americans to successfully break into the silent film industry. Active primarily during the 1920s, McHenry is best known today for his recurring collaborations with silent film star Larry Semon, most notably playing Snowball and the Cowardly Lion in the 1925 production of The Wizard of Oz.
Career Beginnings:
Early Performance: He began his entertainment career performing in traditional circuses before transitioning to the screen.
Film Debut: He made his way to Hollywood and entered the motion picture industry around 1920.
Silent Film Career and Stereotypes:
McHenry became a frequent supporting player in slapstick comedies, regularly working alongside prominent comedians such as Larry Semon, Jimmie Adams, Will Rogers, and the Our Gang cast. Because he broke into Hollywood a decade before mainstream Black stars like Stepin Fetchit, the industry heavily limited his roles.
Screen Names: He was frequently credited under the highly offensive pseudonym "G. Howe Black" or simply as "Snowball".
Role Types: His roles were almost entirely limited to menials, servants, porters, or elevator operators.
Gag Formats: His scenes usually relied on egregious racial stereotypes of the era, such as visual gags involving extreme fear, or comedic routines where his character was covered in white substances like flour or talcum powder.
Historical Confusion: For many years, film historians frequently misidentified and confused McHenry with his contemporary Black silent film comedian Spencer Bell.
Major Filmography:
McHenry appeared in dozens of silent shorts and feature-length films throughout the 1920s. Some of his most notable appearances include:
The Counter Jumper (1922): An early collaboration supporting Larry Semon and Oliver Hardy, Robinson Crusoe (1924): Played the character of Friday, The Wizard of Oz (1925): His most enduring historical credit, where he pulled triple duty as the characters Rastus, Snowball, and the Cowardly Lion, The Perfect Clown (1925): Played Snowball alongside Larry Semon and Oliver Hardy, Stop, Look and Listen (1926): Credited under his actual name as a porter and The Great K & A Train Robbery (1926): A popular silent western starring Tom Mix.