Snub Pollard
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Born Name:
Harold Fraser
Born Date: 9 November 1889
Born Place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died Date: 19 January 1962
Died Place: Burbank, California
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: Snub Pollard (born Harold Fraser) became a major star of the silent screen in 1920s Hollywood. Known for his walrus mustache, derby hat, and eccentric inventor characters, he appeared in over 500 films across a career that spanned five decades.
Early Life and Vaudeville:
Pollard began performing as a child with the touring Pollard Lilliputian Opera Company. It was with this troupe that he adopted the professional surname "Pollard". In 1910, he toured the United States with a vaudeville show and ultimately decided to stay in the country.
Silent Film Stardom:
Pollard entered the film industry in 1915, getting his start as a bit player with Broncho Billy Anderson and making brief appearances with the Keystone Cops. He soon became a vital supporting player and foil for comedy icons like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. Working with producer Hal Roach, Pollard found great success co-starring with Harold Lloyd and Bebe Daniels in the popular Lonesome Luke series. By 1919, Roach awarded Pollard his own starring series of one- and two-reel shorts. During this era, he established his signature on-screen persona—an earnest, slender fellow with a droopy, upside-down "Kaiser Wilhelm" mustache. His most celebrated solo film is the 1923 comedy It's a Gift, where he plays an eccentric inventor who drives a "magneto car".
Transition to Sound and Later Years:
Like many silent film stars, Pollard faced a difficult transition to the "talkies". When his solo starring roles dried up, he adapted by working as a reliable, often uncredited extra and bit player. He transitioned easily into B-Westerns, frequently playing the sidekick to cowboy stars like Tex Ritter. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, he made uncredited cameo appearances in Hollywood classics, including Miracle on 34th Street and Singin' in the Rain. He continued acting until shortly before his death. For his massive contribution to the motion picture industry, he was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6415½ Hollywood Boulevard.
Born Date: 9 November 1889
Born Place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died Date: 19 January 1962
Died Place: Burbank, California
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: Snub Pollard (born Harold Fraser) became a major star of the silent screen in 1920s Hollywood. Known for his walrus mustache, derby hat, and eccentric inventor characters, he appeared in over 500 films across a career that spanned five decades.
Early Life and Vaudeville:
Pollard began performing as a child with the touring Pollard Lilliputian Opera Company. It was with this troupe that he adopted the professional surname "Pollard". In 1910, he toured the United States with a vaudeville show and ultimately decided to stay in the country.
Silent Film Stardom:
Pollard entered the film industry in 1915, getting his start as a bit player with Broncho Billy Anderson and making brief appearances with the Keystone Cops. He soon became a vital supporting player and foil for comedy icons like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd. Working with producer Hal Roach, Pollard found great success co-starring with Harold Lloyd and Bebe Daniels in the popular Lonesome Luke series. By 1919, Roach awarded Pollard his own starring series of one- and two-reel shorts. During this era, he established his signature on-screen persona—an earnest, slender fellow with a droopy, upside-down "Kaiser Wilhelm" mustache. His most celebrated solo film is the 1923 comedy It's a Gift, where he plays an eccentric inventor who drives a "magneto car".
Transition to Sound and Later Years:
Like many silent film stars, Pollard faced a difficult transition to the "talkies". When his solo starring roles dried up, he adapted by working as a reliable, often uncredited extra and bit player. He transitioned easily into B-Westerns, frequently playing the sidekick to cowboy stars like Tex Ritter. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, he made uncredited cameo appearances in Hollywood classics, including Miracle on 34th Street and Singin' in the Rain. He continued acting until shortly before his death. For his massive contribution to the motion picture industry, he was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6415½ Hollywood Boulevard.