Jewish and German-American actor Felix Bressart was highly recognizable in his time due to his rather large nose, toothbrush moustache, and horn-rimmed glasses he often wore. His unique look set him up very well for a life in comedy. Bressart began his acting career in Germany, where he honed his abilities in the specific areas of political parody, musical comedy, and slapstick farce. He also made his way into a few German films, but he was forced leave the country after the rise of the Nazis to power.
Luckily for Bressart, there was already a large established German community in Hollywood, so he found himself at home under the direction of names such as Ernst Lubitsch, Henry Koster, and Willhelm Thiele. However, in Bressart's work with MGM, which signed him to a studio contract, he was immediately typecast as token ethnic characters, especially characters that were specifically Jewish or European. Even still, for a man of Bressart's descent, he made a name for himself as well as a lasting impact on the industry. |
Examples of Work:
Die Drei von der Tankstelle (1930) Die Privatsekretärin (1931) Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939) Ninotchka (1939) The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Edison, the Man (1940) To Be or Not to Be (1942) |
Edward Everett Horton was an American character actor with an extensive career in film, television, theatre, radio, and voiceover for cartoons. He got his start singing, dancing, and playing small parts in vaudeville and Broadway productions. Once he moved to Hollywood, however, his career took off as a comedic film actor. Horton became well-established as a strong counterpart for the leading men of Hollywood at the time due to his iconic crackling voice and his comedic talents. Horton didn't seem to mind these casting patterns, however. "I have my own little kingdom. I do the scavenger parts no one else wants, and I get well paid for it," he said, "It's not that I really need the money, it's simply that I like money--lots of it. I must admit I'm sometimes over-frugal."
|
Examples of Work:
The Front Page (1931) Trouble in Paradise (1932) Design for Living (1933) The Gay Divorcee (1934) Lost Horizon (1937) |
Scottish character actor Donald Meek was interested in acting starting at a very early age, performing comic pantomime in public at the age of eight. Clearly, he was destined for a career in comedy. Before his life as an actor, began, however, Meek fought in the Spanish-American War and contracted yellow fever but survived. While in Cuba, Meek learned to imitate American accents and subsequently lost his Scottish accent, allowing him to focus less on typecasting by ethnicity and more on his skills especially in droll comical roles. Meek became one of the most sought-after character actors in the film business, and he was primarily cast as timid, nervous, and eccentric characters.
|
Examples of Work:
The Clyde Mystery (1931) You Can't Take It with You (1938) Stagecoach (1939) |
Victor Moore was an American actor, comedian, writer, and director who appeared in over 50 films and 21 Broadway shows. He began in a vaudeville duo with his first wife until she died, and after that he went on to become successful both on stage and screen. Moore made his movie debut in 1915, starring in three films that same year. He also worked with Ginger Rogers twice in his career and made an appearance in Ziegfeld Follies (1946).
|
Examples of Work:
Rosemary (1896) Of Thee I Sing (1931) Anything Goes (1934) Swing Time (1936) It Happened on 5th Avenue (1952) |