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 Gold Rush
(1925)
Big Jim McKay
The Pilgrim
(1923)
Deacon
Tillie's Punctured Romance
(1914)
Tillie's Father
Pay Day
(1922)
Foreman
Mabel's Married Life
(1914)
Wellington, a Ladykiller
Torrent
(1926)
Don Matías
The Eagle
(1925)
Innkeeper (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
A Muddy Romance
(1913)
Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant
Fatty Joins the Force
(1913)
Cop at Station House
The Gusher
(1913)
Villager / Cop
The Fatal Mallet
(1914)
Rival Suitor (uncredited)
Laughing Gas
(1914)
Patient
Tillie's Punctured Romance
(1914)
Tillie's Father
Mabel's Married Life
(1914)
Wellington, a Ladykiller
Caught in the Rain
(1914)
Husband (uncredited)
A Busy Day
(1914)
Husband
Gentlemen of Nerve
(1914)
Mr. Walrus
His Musical Career
(1914)
Mike, Charlie's Partner
His Trysting Places
(1914)
Ambrose
His Prehistoric Past
(1914)
King Lowbrow
Getting Acquainted
(1914)
Ambrose
A Thief Catcher
(1914)
Crook (uncredited)
A Robust Romeo
(1914)
Ambrose's First Falsehood
(1914)
Ambrose
Leading Lizzie Astray
(1914)
Cafe Patron - In from the Mines
Double Crossed
(1914)
The Belle's Boyfriend
Gussle, the Golfer
(1914)
Ambrose
The Under-Sheriff
(1914)
Villager
Caught in a Cabaret
(1914)
Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
Mabel at the Wheel
(1914)
Race Spectator (uncredited)
The Knockout
(1914)
Gambler (uncredited)
Fatty's Wine Party
(1914)
Restaurant Proprietor
The Sea Nymphs
(1914)
Ambrose
Love and Gasoline
(1914)
Mabel’s Nerve
(1914)
A Gambling Rube
(1914)
(unconfirmed)
Hello, Mabel
(1914)
The Married Flirt
Other People's Business
(1914)
A Rowboat Romance
(1914)
(unconfirmed)
Fatty's New Role
(1915)
Ambrose Schnitz
Ambrose's Lofty Perch
(1915)
Ambrose
Love, Speed and Thrills
(1915)
Ambrose
Mabel Lost and Won
(1915)
Mabel's Rival's Husband
Ambrose's Sour Grapes
(1915)
Ambrose
When Ambrose Dared Walrus
(1915)
Ambrose
Ambrose's Nasty Temper
(1915)
Ambrose
Ambrose's Fury
(1915)
Ambrose
Willful Ambrose
(1915)
Pa Ambrose
That Little Band Of Gold
(1915)
Audience Member (uncredited)
Caught in a Park
(1915)
The Bartender
Ye Olden Grafter
(1915)
The Grafter
The Home Breakers
(1915)
Ambrose
Ambrose's Little Hatchet
(1915)
Ambrose
Hogan's Romance Upset
(1915)
Fight Spectator
Saved by Wireless
(1915)
The Spy
A Movie Star
(1916)
Handsome Jack
Madcap Ambrose
(1916)
Ambrose
His Bitter Pill
(1916)
Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
The Pullman Bride
(1917)
Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
His Naughty Thought
(1917)
Walter Ambrose
Thirst
(1917)
Ambrose
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
This Way Out
(1923)
The Girl's Father
Pitfalls of a Big City
(1923)
The Vamp's Husband
The Gold Rush
(1925)
Big Jim McKay
The Eagle
(1925)
Innkeeper (uncredited)
Torrent
(1926)
Don Matías
Kiki
(1926)
Pastryman (uncredited)
Footloose Widows
(1926)
Ludwig
The Nervous Wreck
(1926)
Jerome Underwood
Sea Horses
(1926)
Bimbo-Bomba
Whispering Wires
(1926)
Hands Up!
(1926)
Silas Woodstock
Mockery
(1927)
Vladimir Gaidaroff
My Best Girl
(1927)
Judge
The Shamrock and the Rose
(1927)
Mike Kelly
The Beloved Rogue
(1927)
Nicholas
Becky
(1927)
Irving Spiegelberg
The Girl from Everywhere
(1927)
Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
A Texas Steer
(1927)
Bragg
Tillie's Punctured Romance
(1928)
Tillie's Father
Caught in the Fog
(1928)
Detective Ryan
The Last Warning
(1928)
Robert Bunce
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
(1928)
Sir Francis Beekman
The Girl from Nowhere
(1928)
Wilbur Ashcraft
The Locked Door
(1929)
Hotel Proprietor
Cleaning Up
(1930)
Mack
The Sea Bat
(1930)
Dutchy
Redemption
(1930)
Magistrate
Soup to Nuts
(1930)
First Fat Diner (uncredited)
Finn and Hattie
(1931)
Le Bottin
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
(1931)
Lighthouse Love
(1932)
Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
The Midnight Patrol
(1932)
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