Born Name:  Aaron Crawford Ross

Born Date:  November 8, 1868

Born Place:  Springfield, Illinois

Died Date:  March 19, 1932

Died Place:  Los Angeles, California

Occupations:  Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter

Brief Biography:  Aaron Crawford "Bud" Ross achieved prominence as a prolific performer in vaudeville, musical theatre, and silent film comedies.

Early Career and Theatre:
Vaudeville Beginnings: Ross started his performance career in the 1880s. He honed his physical comedy chops traveling the vauvdeville and musical comedy circuits.
Broadway Debut: In 1900, he starred as a principal performer in the Broadway musical Aunt Hannah at the Bijou Theatre.

Silent Film Era:
Screen Debut: Ross transitioned from stage to screen in 1912 with the Biograph Company's silent film The Burglar's Dilemma.
Keystone and King-Bee: He worked closely with major comedy empires of the era, including Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Company and the Christie Film Company.
Collaborations: Starting in 1917, he served as a core supporting actor for King-Bee Films Corporation. There, he frequently shared the screen with Charlie Chaplin impersonator Billy West and a young, pre-fame Oliver Hardy.
Writing Credits: Beyond acting, Ross was an active screenwriter. He co-wrote and starred in Tootsies and Tamales (1919) alongside Oliver Hardy, and wrote numerous "Peggy" comedy shorts in 1925.
W.C. Fields Films: Ross holds a distinct place in film history for providing support roles in W.C. Fields' first two cinematic projects, Pool Sharks and His Lordship's Dilemma (both released in 1915).