CINEFILER

Mack Swain

Born
February 15, 1876
Died
August 25, 1935
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mack Swain (born Moroni Swain, February 16, 1876 – August 25, 1935) was an early American film actor, who appeared in many of Mack Sennett's comedies at Keystone Studios, including the Keystone Cops series. He also appeared in major features by Charlie Chaplin. In the early 1900s Swain had his own stock theater company, which performed in the western and midwestern United States. Swain worked in vaudeville before starting in silent film at Keystone Studios under Mack Sennett. While with Keystone, he was teamed with Chester Conklin to make a series of comedy films. With Swain as "Ambrose" and Conklin as the grand mustachioed "Walrus", they performed these roles in several films including The Battle of Ambrose and Walrus and Love, Speed and Thrills, both made in 1915. Besides these comedies, the two appeared together in a variety of other films, 26 all told, and they also appeared separately and/or together in films starring Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle and most of the rest of the roster of Keystone players. Swain later took his Ambrose character with him to the L-KO Kompany. Having already worked with Charles Chaplin at Keystone, Swain began working with him again at First National in 1921, appearing in The Idle Class, Pay Day, and The Pilgrim. He is also remembered for his large supporting role as Big Jim McKay in the 1925 film The Gold Rush, for United Artists, written by and starring Chaplin. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Mack Swain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1500 Vine Street.
Known For
The Pilgrim
(1923)
Deacon
The Gold Rush
(1925)
Big Jim McKay
Pay Day
(1922)
Foreman
The Eagle
(1925)
Innkeeper (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
Fatty Joins the Force
(1913)
Cop at Station House
A Muddy Romance
(1913)
Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant
The Gusher
(1913)
Villager / Cop
Tillie's Punctured Romance
(1914)
Tillie's Father
Laughing Gas
(1914)
Patient
A Busy Day
(1914)
Husband
Caught in the Rain
(1914)
Husband (uncredited)
Mabel's Married Life
(1914)
Wellington, a Ladykiller
The Fatal Mallet
(1914)
Rival Suitor (uncredited)
Gentlemen of Nerve
(1914)
Mr. Walrus
His Musical Career
(1914)
Mike, Charlie's Partner
His Trysting Places
(1914)
Ambrose
Getting Acquainted
(1914)
Ambrose
His Prehistoric Past
(1914)
King Lowbrow
Double Crossed
(1914)
The Belle's Boyfriend
Gussle, the Golfer
(1914)
Ambrose
A Thief Catcher
(1914)
Crook (uncredited)
Other People's Business
(1914)
A Robust Romeo
(1914)
Hello, Mabel
(1914)
The Married Flirt
Leading Lizzie Astray
(1914)
Cafe Patron - In from the Mines
Ambrose's First Falsehood
(1914)
Ambrose
The Knockout
(1914)
Gambler (uncredited)
Caught in a Cabaret
(1914)
Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
Fatty's Wine Party
(1914)
Restaurant Proprietor
Mabel’s Nerve
(1914)
The Sea Nymphs
(1914)
Ambrose
Mabel at the Wheel
(1914)
Race Spectator (uncredited)
Love and Gasoline
(1914)
A Rowboat Romance
(1914)
(unconfirmed)
A Gambling Rube
(1914)
(unconfirmed)
The Under-Sheriff
(1914)
Villager
Love, Speed and Thrills
(1915)
Ambrose
Ambrose's Sour Grapes
(1915)
Ambrose
When Ambrose Dared Walrus
(1915)
Ambrose
Willful Ambrose
(1915)
Pa Ambrose
Mabel Lost and Won
(1915)
Mabel's Rival's Husband
Ambrose's Lofty Perch
(1915)
Ambrose
Ye Olden Grafter
(1915)
The Grafter
Ambrose's Nasty Temper
(1915)
Ambrose
Ambrose's Fury
(1915)
Ambrose
Ambrose's Little Hatchet
(1915)
Ambrose
Fatty's New Role
(1915)
Ambrose Schnitz
Saved by Wireless
(1915)
The Spy
Hogan's Romance Upset
(1915)
Fight Spectator
The Home Breakers
(1915)
Ambrose
Caught in a Park
(1915)
The Bartender
That Little Band Of Gold
(1915)
Audience Member (uncredited)
A Movie Star
(1916)
Handsome Jack
Madcap Ambrose
(1916)
Ambrose
His Bitter Pill
(1916)
Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
His Naughty Thought
(1917)
Walter Ambrose
Thirst
(1917)
Ambrose
The Pullman Bride
(1917)
Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
The Late Lamented
(1917)
Boarder (unconfirmed)
Oh, What a Knight
(1919)
The Sheriff
Heroic Ambrose
(1919)
Ambrose Schnitz
Innocent Ambrose
(1920)
Ambrose Schnitz
Full o' Spirits
(1920)
The Idle Class
(1921)
Edna's Father (uncredited)
Pay Day
(1922)
Foreman
The Pilgrim
(1923)
Deacon
Pitfalls of a Big City
(1923)
The Vamp's Husband
This Way Out
(1923)
The Girl's Father
The Gold Rush
(1925)
Big Jim McKay
The Eagle
(1925)
Innkeeper (uncredited)
Sea Horses
(1926)
Bimbo-Bomba
Footloose Widows
(1926)
Ludwig
The Nervous Wreck
(1926)
Jerome Underwood
Kiki
(1926)
Pastryman (uncredited)
Hands Up!
(1926)
Silas Woodstock
Torrent
(1926)
Don Matías
Whispering Wires
(1926)
The Shamrock and the Rose
(1927)
Mike Kelly
The Beloved Rogue
(1927)
Nicholas
My Best Girl
(1927)
Judge
The Girl from Everywhere
(1927)
Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
A Texas Steer
(1927)
Bragg
Mockery
(1927)
Vladimir Gaidaroff
Becky
(1927)
Irving Spiegelberg
The Last Warning
(1928)
Robert Bunce
Caught in the Fog
(1928)
Detective Ryan
Tillie's Punctured Romance
(1928)
Tillie's Father
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
(1928)
Sir Francis Beekman
The Girl from Nowhere
(1928)
Wilbur Ashcraft
The Locked Door
(1929)
Hotel Proprietor
Soup to Nuts
(1930)
First Fat Diner (uncredited)
Redemption
(1930)
Magistrate
Cleaning Up
(1930)
Mack
The Sea Bat
(1930)
Dutchy
Finn and Hattie
(1931)
Le Bottin
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
(1931)
The Midnight Patrol
(1932)
Lighthouse Love
(1932)
Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
(1943)
(archive footage)
Yesterday and Today
(1953)
(archive footage)
The Chaplin Revue
(1959)
Various (archive footage)
Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists
(1998)
Big Jim McKay (archive footage)
Directing
Data provided by TMDB