Snub Pollard

Snub Pollard
Snub Pollard
	Pollard in 1925
Born	Harold Fraser; 9 November 1889; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	19 January 1962 (aged 72); Burbank, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actor, comedian
Years active	1913–1962

Harold Fraser (9 November 1889 – 19 January 1962), known professionally as Snub Pollard, was an Australian-born vaudevillian who became a silent film comedian in Hollywood, popular in the 1920s.

Career

Born in Melbourne, Australia, on 9 November 1889, young Harry Fraser began performing with Pollard's Lilliputian Opera Company. The company ran several highly successful professional children's troupes that traveled Australia and New Zealand in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Like many of the actors in the popular juvenile company -- among them Daphne Trott -- Fraser adopted Pollard as his stage name. In 1908, Harry Pollard joined the company tour to North America. After the completion of the tour, he returned to the United States.^[1] By 1915, he was regularly appearing in uncredited roles in movies, for example, Charles Epting notes that Pollard can clearly be seen in Chaplin's 1915 short By the Sea.^[2] In later years, Pollard said Hal Roach had discovered him while he was performing on stage in Los Angeles.^[3]

Pollard and Bebe Daniels played supporting roles in the early films of Harold Lloyd. The long-faced Pollard sported a Kaiser Wilhelm mustache turned upside-down; this became his trademark. When Lloyd advanced to feature films, Lloyd's producer Hal Roach conferred Lloyd's short-subject series to Pollard. The most famous Snub Pollard comedy is 1923's It's a Gift, in which he plays an inventor of many Rube Goldberg-like contraptions, including a car that runs by magnet power.

In early 1923, shortly after his second marriage, Pollard returned with his wife Elizabeth to see his relations in Australia. His visit attracted considerable attention, and he appeared again in several theaters to speak about the motion picture business.^[1]

Pollard's contract lapsed in 1925 and Roach did not renew it. (Roach continued to release new Pollard comedies and reprints of old ones into 1926.) Pollard turned to the vaudeville stage for employment, and embarked on a 12-month tour of personal appearances.^[4]

Pollard returned to motion pictures when he was signed by the low-budget Weiss Brothers-Artclass studio in May 1926.^[5] Weiss allowed Pollard to complete his vaudeville commitment. Motion Picture World reported that Pollard "will continue his two-a-day performances in between the new series of comedies to be produced, in order that his newly gained vaudeville popularity may be made effective for his forthcoming films."^[6] Pollard was the first star name to make comedies for Weiss; the studio's other series were all based on comic characters (Winnie Winkle, Hairbreadth Harry, Izzie and Lizzie) and the performers' names were not promoted.

Pollard's first two-reelers for Weiss were solo vehicles, but he was soon teamed with Mack Sennett "fat" comic Marvin Loback as a poor man's version of Laurel and Hardy. The "Snub and Fat" characters copied the plots and gags of "Stan and Ollie". Despite the inevitable comparisons, the silent-comedy series was successful within its smaller market and ran for three years. The series finale, Sock and Run, was released in December 1929. Pollard and Loback were never billed as a team; Pollard was always the headliner, and Loback led the supporting cast.

The new talking pictures were a challenge for many silent stars, but Pollard made the transition. Producer Louis Weiss did not have access to soundstages in Hollywood, so in July 1929 Weiss sent Pollard and director Leslie Goodwins to New York, to film a new series of 10 talking two-reelers at the Lee DeForest Phonofilm studio.^[7] Two shorts were completed -- Here We Are (1929) and Pipe Down (1929) -- before the stock market crash of October 1929 halted further production. Pipe Down was received poorly; Variety called it "third-rate vaude stuff trying to pass off as film comedy."^[8] The review noted that most of the action took place on a single interior set, reflecting the limited space of the DeForest studio.

The Weiss Bros. suspended production indefinitely and Pollard was again unemployed. In the wake of the crash, he announced plans for a series of talking comedies to be produced independently, at the Metropolitan Studio in Fort Lee, New Jersey.^[9] The plans fell through and Pollard returned to California, in hopes of landing work in feature films as a character comic. His first talking feature was Ex-Flame (1930) for the independent Liberty Pictures.^[10]

In the 1930s, Pollard said the Great Depression wiped out his investments and he could not adjust to the talkies.^[3] He played small speaking parts in comedies and comic relief in "B" westerns. Pollard remarried in 1935, to the former Ruth Bridges; the couple divorced in 1939.

His silent-comedy credentials guaranteed him work in slapstick revivals. He appeared with other film veterans in Hollywood Cavalcade (1939), The Perils of Pauline (1947), and Man of a Thousand Faces (1957). He also appeared regularly as a supporting player in Columbia Pictures' two-reel comedies of the mid-1940s, and was a latter-day member of the Keystone Cops in movies and personal appearances.

Forsaking his familiar mustache in his later years, he landed much steadier work in films as a mostly uncredited bit player. He played incidental roles in dozens of Hollywood features and shorts, almost always as a mousy, nondescript fellow, usually with no dialogue. In Wheeler & Woolsey's Cockeyed Cavaliers (1934), he plays a drunken doctor; at the end of Miracle on 34th Street (1947), when a squad of bailiffs hauling sacks of mail enters the courtroom, Pollard brings up the rear. In Singin' in the Rain, he receives the umbrella of Gene Kelly after his famous "Singin' in the Rain" scene. In Frank Capra's Pocketful of Miracles (1961), Pollard plays a Broadway beggar. Twist Around the Clock (1961) shows him reacting wordlessly to a curvaceous woman dancing energetically. His last picture was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (filmed in 1961; released 1962).

Death and recognition

Pollard died of cancer on 19 January 1962, aged 72, after nearly 50 years in the movie business.^[11] His interment was at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).^[12]

For his contributions to motion pictures, Pollard has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6415½ Hollywood Boulevard.^[13]

Selected filmography

Sally Scraggs: Housemaid (1913, Short) as Butler
A Coat Tale (1915, Short) (as Harry Pollard)
By the Sea (1915, Short) as Ice Cream Clerk (uncredited)
His Regeneration (1915, Short) as Extra (uncredited)
Giving Them Fits (1915, Short) as Luke's Co-Worker (as Harry Pollard)
Bughouse Bellhops (1915, Short) as Moke Morpheus (as Harry Pollard)
Tinkering with Trouble (1915, Short) as Sourball Joe (as Harry Pollard)
Great While It Lasted (1915, Short) as Hugo Snubb
Ragtime Snap Shots (1915, Short) as Snub Larkin (as Harry Pollard)
A Foozle at the Tee Party (1915, Short) (as Harry Pollard)
Ruses, Rhymes and Roughnecks (1915, Short) (as Harry Pollard)
Peculiar Patients' Pranks (1915, Short) (as Harry Pollard)
Lonesome Luke, Social Gangster (1915, Short) as Tin-Horn Tommy (as Harry Pollard)
Police (1916, Short) as First Flophouse Customer (uncredited)
Lonesome Luke Leans to the Literary (1916, Short)
Luke Lugs Luggage (1916, Short)
Lonesome Luke Lolls in Luxury (1916, Short) as Snub
Luke, the Candy Cut-Up (1916, Short)
Luke Foils the Villain (1916, Short)
Luke and the Rural Roughnecks (1916, Short)
Luke Pipes the Pippins (1916, Short)
Lonesome Luke, Circus King (1916, Short)
Luke's Double (1916, Short)
Them Was the Happy Days! (1916, Short) as Snub
Luke and the Bomb Throwers (1916, Short)
Luke's Late Lunchers (1916, Short)
Luke Laughs Last (1916, Short)
Luke's Fatal Flivver (1916, Short)
Luke's Society Mixup (1916, Short)
Luke's Washful Waiting (1916, Short)
Luke Rides Roughshod (1916, Short)
Luke's Lost Lamb (1916, Short)
Luke, Crystal Gazer (1916, Short)
Luke Does the Midway (1916, Short)
Luke Joins the Navy (1916, Short)
Luke and the Mermaids (1916, Short)
Luke's Speedy Club Life (1916, Short) as Bellhop
Luke and the Bang-Tails (1916, Short)
Luke, the Chauffeur (1916, Short)
Luke's Preparedness Preparations (1916, Short)
Luke, the Gladiator (1916)
Luke, Patient Provider (1916, Short)
Luke's Newsie Knockout (1916, Short)
Luke's Movie Muddle (1916, Short) as Projectionist
Luke, Rank Impersonator (1916, Short)
Luke's Fireworks Fizzle (1916, Short)
Luke Locates the Loot (1916, Short)
Luke's Shattered Sleep (1916, Short)
Lonesome Luke's Lovely Rifle (1917, Short)
Luke's Lost Liberty (1917, Short)
Luke's Busy Day (1917, Short)
Luke's Trolley Troubles (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke, Lawyer (1917, Short)
Luke Wins Ye Ladye Faire (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke's Lively Life (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke on Tin Can Alley (1917, Short) as Cafe Waiter
Lonesome Luke's Honeymoon (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke, Plumber (1917, Short)
Stop! Luke! Listen! (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke, Messenger (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke, Mechanic (1917, Short)
Lonesome Luke's Wild Women (1917, Short)
Over the Fence (1917, Short) as Snitch, Another
Lonesome Luke Loses Patients (1917, Short)
Pinched (1917, Short) as Crook
By the Sad Sea Waves (1917, Short) as Snub
Birds of a Feather (1917, Short)
Bliss (1917, Short) as Snub
From Laramie to London (1917, Short)
Rainbow Island (1917, Short) as Snub
Love, Laughs and Lather (1917, Short)
The Flirt (1917, Short) as Restaurant Owner
Clubs Are Trump (1917, Short) as Snub
All Aboard (1917, Short) as Passenger with trunk
We Never Sleep (1917, Short)
Move On (1917, Short)
Bashful (1917, Short) as Snub the Butler
The Big Idea (1917, Short) as Snub
Step Lively (1917, Short)
The Tip (1918, Short)
The Lamb (1918, Short)
Hit Him Again (1918, Short)
Beat It (1918, Short)
A Gasoline Wedding (1918, Short) as Snub
Look Pleasant, Please (1918, Short) as Snub (as Harry Pollard)
Here Come the Girls (1918, Short)
Let's Go (1918, Short) as Man on beach
On the Jump (1918, Short) as Snoopy Sam, The House Detective
Follow the Crowd (1918, Short) as Snub
Pipe the Whiskers (1918, Short)
It's a Wild Life (1918, Short) as Snub
Hey There! (1918, Short) as The New Director
Kicked Out (1918, Short)
The Non-Stop Kid (1918, Short) as Snub, the butler
Two-Gun Gussie (1918, Short) as Snub
Fireman Save My Child (1918, Short)
The City Slicker (1918, Short) as Snub
Sic 'Em, Towser (1918, Short)
Somewhere in Turkey (1918, Short) as His Assistant
Are Crooks Dishonest? (1918, Short) as Snub (as Harry Pollard)
An Ozark Romance (1918, Short)
Kicking the Germ Out of Germany (1918, Short)
That's Him (1918, Short) as Robber
Triple Trouble (1918, Short) as Flop House Tramp (uncredited)
Bride and Gloom (1918, Short)
Two Scrambled (1918, Short)
Bees in His Bonnet (1918, Short)
Swing Your Partners (1918, Short) as Boys' Neighbor
Why Pick on Me? (1918, Short) as Harry Ham
Nothing But Trouble (1918, Short) as Beach Voyeur
Back to the Woods (1918, Short)
Hear 'Em Rave (1918, Short)
Take a Chance (1918, Short) as Simplex Joe (as Harry Pollard)
She Loves Me Not (1918, Short)
The Danger Game (1918, Short)
Wanted – $5,000 (1919, Short)
Going! Going! Gone! (1919, Short) as Snub
Ask Father (1919, Short) as The Corn-Fed Secretary
On the Fire, aka. The Chef (1919, Short) as The Assistant Chef
I'm on My Way (1919, Short) as The Neighbor
Look Out Below (1919, Short) as Snub
The Dutiful Dub (1919, Short)
Next Aisle Over (1919, Short) as The Henpecked Husband
A Sammy in Siberia (1919, Short) as Count Pop-up-skyvitch, the Bolshevik Officer
Just Dropped In (1919, Short)
Young Mr. Jazz (1919, Short) as Snub (as Harry Pollard)
Crack Your Heels (1919, Short) as Snub
Ring Up the Curtain, aka. Back-Stage! (1919, Short) as The Leading Man
Si, Senor (1919, Short)
Before Breakfast (1919, Short)
The Marathon (1919, Short) as Snub
Pistols for Breakfast (1919, Short)
Swat the Crook (1919, Short)
Off the Trolley (1919, Short) as Streetcar Conductor
Spring Fever (1919, Short) as The Unwelcome Suitor
Billy Blazes, Esq. (1919, Short) as Sheriff 'Gun Shy' Gallagher
Just Neighbors (1919, Short) as The Neighbor
At the Old Stage Door (1919, Short)
Never Touched Me (1919, Short) as Jealous Admirer
A Jazzed Honeymoon (1919, Short)
Count Your Change (1919, Short) as Billy Bullion
Chop Suey & Co. (1919, Short)
Heap Big Chief (1919, Short)
Don't Shove (1919, Short) (uncredited)
Be My Wife (1919, Short)
The Rajah (1919, Short)
He Leads, Others Follow (1919, Short)
Soft Money (1919, Short)
Count the Votes (1919, Short)
Pay Your Dues (1919, Short)
His Only Father (1919, Short)
Bumping into Broadway (1919, Short) as Director of Musical Comedy
Captain Kidd's Kids (1919, Short) as The Valet
From Hand to Mouth (1919, Short) as The Kidnapper
Call for Mr. Caveman (1919, Short) as Hatchet Face
Looking for Trouble (1919, Short) as The Dandy
All Lit Up (1920, Short) as The Dandy
The Dippy Dentist (1920, Short) as The Dandy
Raise the Rent (1920, Short) as Husband
Fresh Paint (1920, Short) as Bicycle Messenger
His Royal Slyness (1920, Short) as Prince of Roquefort
Any Old Port (1920, Short) as Captain Dandy
Run 'Em Ragged (1920, Short) as First Tramp
Cash Customers (1920, Short) as The Chap
Whirl o' the West (1921, Short) as Tenderfoot
Rush Orders (1921, Short) as Marquis Marmalade
It's a Gift (1923, Short) as Inventor Pollard
All Wet (1926)^[14] as Snub
The Yokel (1926, Short)
The Doughboy (1926, Short)
Double Trouble (1927, Short)
Mitt the Prince (1927, Short) as Snub
The Big Shot (1929, Short) as Snub
Ex-Flame (1930) as Boggins
The Road to Singapore (1931) as Photographer at Birthday Party (uncredited)
The Strange Love of Molly Louvain (1932) as B.J. Pratt (uncredited)
The Midnight Patrol (1932)
Bars of Hate (1935) as Danny, the pickpocket
Just My Luck (1936) as Frank Smith
Riders of the Rockies (1937) as Pee Wee McDougal
Tex Rides with the Boy Scouts (1937) as Pee Wee
Hittin' the Trail (1937) as Bartender
Special Agent K-7 (1937)
Sing, Cowboy, Sing (1937) as Prisoner
Nation Aflame (1937) as Edgar Wolfe
Frontier Town (1938) as Peewee
The Utah Trail (1938) as Pee Wee
Hollywood Cavalcade (1939) as Keystone Kop
Phony Express (1943) as Sheriff
Bowery to Broadway (1944) as Lamb's Club Diner
The Hoodlum Saint (1946) as Parade Spectator
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) as Mail-bearing Court Officer
Back Trail (1948) as Goofy
Johnny Belinda (1948) as Juror (uncredited)
Adam's Rib (1949) as Man in courtroom (uncredited)
All About Eve (1950) (?)
Singin' in the Rain (1952) as the Man receiving umbrella from Lockwood after the song "Singin' in the Rain" (uncredited)
Limelight (1952) as Street Musician
The Fast and the Furious (1954) as Park Caretaker
Man of a Thousand Faces (1957) as Comedy Waiter
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1959) (Season 5 Episode 11: "Road Hog") as Bar Patron (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960) (Season 6 Episode 7: "Outlaw in Town") as Bar Patron (uncredited)
Heller in Pink Tights (1960) as Cheyenne Audience Member (uncredited)
Twelve Hours to Kill (1960) as News Vendor at Train Depot (uncredited)
Who Was That Lady? (1960) as Tattoo Artist (uncredited)
Inherit the Wind (1960) as Townsman (uncredited)
Studs Lonigan (1960) as Vendor (uncredited)
Pepe (1960) as Sands Patron
One-Eyed Jacks (1961) as Townsman (uncredited)
Master of the World (1961) as Man at Balloon Society Meeting (uncredited)
The Ladies Man (1961)
Homicidal (1961) as Eddie the Bellhop (uncredited)
The Errand Boy (1961) as 'Snub' (uncredited)
Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Knuckles (uncredited)
Twist Around the Clock (1961) as Twist Dancer in Alpine Peaks (uncredited)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) as Statehood Audience Member (uncredited)

References

^ ^a ^b "An Australian off the Screen – SNUB POLLARD COMES BACK – Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885–1939) – 5 Apr 1923". Trove. 5 April 1923. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^ Epting, C.L. (2016). Bebe Daniels: Hollywood's Good Little Bad Girl. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-4766-2532-4. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^ ^a ^b "SILENT FILM DAY STAR LOOKS BACK" Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld.) Fri 11 May 1951, p. 3. Retrieved 17 December 2016
^ Motion Picture World, June 5, 1926, p. 479.
^ Film Daily, "Snub Pollard with Artclass", May 26, 1926, p. 2.
^ Motion Picture World, June 5, 1926, p. 479.
^ Film Daily, "Weiss Bros. Plan Several Talker Series in East", June 26, 1929, p. 2.
^ Variety, Sept. 18, 1929, p. 15.
^ Variety, November 27, 1929.
^ Inside Facts of Stage and Screen, Sept. 27, 1930, p. 9.
^ Blum, D. (1963). Daniel Blum's Screen World 1963. Screen World 1976. Biblo-Moser. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-8196-0304-3. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^ Davis, L. (25 May 2020). CHASE! A Tribute to the Keystone Cop. BearManor Media. p. 240. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^ "Snub Pollard". Hollywood Walk of Fame. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^ Drew, Bernard A. (4 December 2013). Motion Picture Series and Sequels: A Reference Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-92893-5.