Billy Gilbert

William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. Leonard Maltin praised Gilbert in his Movie Encyclopedia: "One of the screen's most beloved character actors, Billy Gilbert is remembered for two particular talents: his skill as a dialectician and his ability to stretch a simple sneeze into a hilarious routine." He appeared in more than 200 feature films, short subjects, and television shows, beginning in 1929.

Career

Early life and vaudeville career The child of singers with the Metropolitan Opera, he was born on September 12, 1894, in a dressing room at the Hopkins Opera House in Louisville, Kentucky. As a child, he lived in San Francisco, and left school to join a troupe of singing children. His early work included a female-impersonation act and professional boxing. Among his first productions were comedy shorts with burlesque comedians Billy Gilbert and Gene Schuler. The physical plant was very small for a movie studio; surviving Cinephone shorts restrict the camera movement to one cramped soundstage.

Gilbert joined a stage revue, Sensations of 1929. Comedian Stan Laurel, then working for comedy producer Hal Roach, was in the audience at one performance (probably in London, where the show was playing in August 1929 during the Roach studio's summer layoff). Laurel went backstage to meet Gilbert and was so impressed that he introduced Gilbert to Roach. Gilbert worked for Roach as a gag writer, actor, and director.

Gilbert also established himself at the Vitaphone studio in 1930 – he appears without billing in the Joe Frisco comedy The Happy Hottentots (restored and released on DVD). Gilbert's burly frame and gruff voice made him a good comic villain, and within the year he was working consistently for Hal Roach. He appeared in support of Roach's comedy stars Laurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, Thelma Todd, and Our Gang. He was featured in the Academy Award-winning Laurel and Hardy featurette The Music Box (1932). Gilbert generally played blustery tough guys in the Roach comedies, but could play other comic characters, from fey couturiers to pompous radio announcers to roaring drunks. Gilbert's skill at dialects prompted Roach to give him his own series: big Billy Gilbert teamed with little Billy Bletcher as the Dutch-comic "Schmaltz Brothers." The best known of these offbeat musical-comedy shorts is Rhapsody in Brew (which Gilbert also directed). Gilbert regularly starred in Roach's short-comedy series The Taxi Boys, opposite comedians Clyde Cook, Billy Bevan, Franklin Pangborn, and Ben Blue.

Like many other Roach contractees, Gilbert found similar work at other studios. He appears in the early comedies of the Three Stooges at Columbia Pictures, as well as in RKO short subjects. These led to featured roles in full-length films, and from 1934 Gilbert became one of the screen's most familiar faces. In 1944, Billy signed with the prestigious William Morris Agency, which led to starring roles and prominent supporting roles in numerous films.

Feature films One of his standard routines was introduced in burlesque and had become established in his act by 1929: Gilbert would progressively get excited or nervous about something, and his speech would break down into facial spasms, culminating in a big, loud sneeze. Gilbert did the sneeze routine in a memorable cameo in the Paramount comedy Million Dollar Legs (1932) starring W. C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Susan Fleming, and Ben Turpin. He used this bit so frequently that Walt Disney thought of him immediately when casting the voice of Sneezy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Gilbert and Disney would later work together again in the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" sequence in Fun and Fancy Free (1947), In the 1950s, Billy Gilbert worked frequently in television, including a memorable pantomime sketch with Buster Keaton on You Asked for It. He appeared regularly on the children's program Andy's Gang with Andy Devine, and starred as the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk (1956), with Celeste Holm, and Joel Grey as Jack, in a Producers' Showcase TV episode. He retired from the screen following his appearance in the feature Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962).

Personal life Gilbert married actress Ella McKenzie. She had appeared as an ingenue in short-subject comedies. Fellow film comedian Charley Chase was the best man. In 1941, Billy and Ella adopted an 11-year-old son, Barry, who died in a 1943 shooting accident.

Ella Baxter McKenzie was an Ulster-Scot whose grandfather John McKenzie was a prominent member of the Orange Order in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Her father was Robert Baxter McKenzie, who always wore an orange flower on the Twelfth of July, Orangeman's Day in Northern Ireland, in remembrance of the family background and cultural heritage. Ella's sister was film actress Fay McKenzie. The family moved to America and settled in Oregon when he was nine years old. In late 1943, Gilbert appeared with Ella in a USO show, entertaining the US Marines stationed in Derry, Northern Ireland. Ella and Billy visited Ballymena in 1943; an account of their visit is reported in the Larne Times of December 9, 1943.

Death Gilbert died on September 23, 1971, in North Hollywood at the age of 77, after suffering a stroke.

Selected filmography

The Woman from Hell (1929) as Minor Role (uncredited) Noisy Neighbors (1929) as Third Son The Happy Hottentots (1930, short) as Stage Manager Sea Legs (1930) as Naval Officer (uncredited) First Aid (1931) as Jenkins Chinatown After Dark (1931) as Dooley Shiver My Timbers (1931 short) as Sea Captain The Music Box (1932 short) as Professor Theodore von Schwarzenhoffen (uncredited) The Chimp (1932 short) as The Landlord (uncredited) Million Dollar Legs (1932) as Secretary of the Interior (uncredited) Skyscraper Souls (1932) as Second Ticket Agent (uncredited) Blondie of the Follies (1932) as Kinskey's Friend (uncredited) Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) as Mr. Hathaway County Hospital (1932 short) as The Doctor The Taxi Boys - What Price Taxi (1932 short) as Cabbie The Taxi Boys - Strange Innertube (1932 short) as Cabbie The Taxi Boys - Hot Spot (1932 short) as Cabbie The Taxi Boys - Taxi for Two (1932 short) as Cabbie The Taxi Boys - Bring 'Em Back a Wife (1933 short) as Billy Gilbert The Taxi Boys - Wreckety Wrecks (1933 short) as Billy The Taxi Boys - Taxi Barons (1933 short) as Billy The Taxi Boys - Call Her Sausage (1933 short) as Heinie Schmaltz The Taxi Boys - The Rummy (1933 short) as Schmaltz Made on Broadway (1933) as Commissioner Jerry Allesandro (uncredited) The Girl in 419 (1933) as Sneezing Patient (uncredited) So and Sew (1933 short) as Rudolfo This Day and Age (1933) as Manager of Nightclub (uncredited) Sons of the Desert (1933) as Mr. Rutledge (voice, uncredited) Cockeyed Cavaliers (1934) as Innkeeper (uncredited) Music in Your Hair (1934) as husband (with Billy Bletcher and Ty Parvis) Peck's Bad Boy (1934) (uncredited) Happy Landing (1934) as Husband (uncredited) Men in Black (1934, Three Stooges short) as Dangerous Patient (uncredited) Evelyn Prentice (1935) as First Chef (uncredited) Escapade (1935) as Singer (uncredited) Mad Love (1935) as Autograph Seeker on Train (uncredited) Pardon My Scotch (1935, Three Stooges short) as opera singer Signor Louis Bellero Cantino (uncredited) Curly Top (1935) as The Cook (uncredited) Here Comes the Band (1935) as Oswald Carroll (uncredited) Hi, Gaucho! (1935) as Cappa Rosa - Del Campo's Foreman (uncredited) A Night at the Opera (1935) as Orchestra Member asking Fiorello not to play the piano (uncredited) Coronado (1935) as Waiter (uncredited) I Dream Too Much (1935) as Cook at Cafe (uncredited) Millions in the Air (1935) as Nikolas Popadopolis Dangerous Waters (1936) as Carlos (uncredited) Sutter's Gold (1936) as Gen. Ramos (uncredited) Love on a Bet (1936) as New York Policeman (uncredited) The First Baby (1936) as Italian in Park (uncredited) One Rainy Afternoon (1936) as Courtroom Doorman (uncredited) Three of a Kind (1936) as The Tailor Early to Bed (1936) as Burger Parole! (1936) as Salvatore Arriolo (uncredited) Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) as Waiter (uncredited) Kelly the Second (1936) as Fur trader (role deleted) (uncredited) The Bride Walks Out (1936) as Mr. Donovan The Devil-Doll (1936) as Matin's Butler (uncredited) Grand Jury (1936) as Otto, Janitor (uncredited) My American Wife (1936) as French Chef (uncredited) Pepper (1936) as Man Eating Sandwich (uncredited) Bulldog Edition (1936) as George Poppupoppalas (uncredited) The Big Game (1936) as Fisher (uncredited) Love on the Run (1936) as Maitre d' (uncredited) Night Waitress (1936) as Torre - Cafe Owner On the Avenue (1937) as Joe Papaloupas We're on the Jury (1937) as Mr. Ephraim Allen When You're in Love (1937) as Jose the Bartender (uncredited) Sea Devils (1937) as Billy (policeman) Espionage (1937) as Turk China Passage (1937) as Ship's Bartender Maytime (1937) as Drunk (uncredited) The Man Who Found Himself (1937) as Fat Hobo The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1937) as Charley - the Bartender Captains Courageous (1937) as Soda Steward (uncredited) The Toast of New York (1937) as Photographer Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937) as George Papaloopas The Firefly (1937) as Inn Keeper The Life of the Party (1937) as Dr. Molnac One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937) as Garage Owner Music for Madame (1937) as Krause Fight for Your Lady (1937) as Boris Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) as Sneezy (voice, uncredited) Rosalie (1937) as Oloff She's Got Everything (1937) as Chaffee - a Creditor Once Over Lightly (1938 short) as Professor Dimitrius Kapouris Happy Landing (1938) as Counter Man Maid's Night Out (1938) as Mr. Papalapoulas Joy of Living (1938) as Cafe Owner Army Girl (1938) as Cantina Pete Block-Heads (1938) as Mr. Gilbert My Lucky Star (1938) as Nick Breaking the Ice (1938) as Mr. Small Mr. Doodle Kicks Off (1938) as Professor Minorous Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus (1938) as Bud Boggs The Girl Downstairs (1938) as Garage Proprietor Forged Passport (1939) as Nick Mendoza Million Dollar Legs (1939) as Dick Schultz (uncredited) The Under-Pup (1939) as Tolio The Star Maker (1939) as Steel Worker Rio (1939) as Manuelo Destry Rides Again (1939) as Loupgerou His Girl Friday (1940) as Joe Pettibone Sandy Is a Lady (1940) as Billy Pepino Women in War (1940) as Pierre, the Cobbler Safari (1940) as Mondehare Queen of the Mob (1940) as Mr. Reier Cross-Country Romance (1940) as Orestes Scatterbrain (1940) as Hoffman Lucky Partners (1940) as Charles (uncredited) Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot (1940) as Hector A Little Bit of Heaven (1940) as Tony The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940) as Master of Ceremonies The Great Dictator (1940) as Herring Seven Sinners (1940) as Tony Tin Pan Alley (1940) as Sheik A Night at Earl Carroll's (1940) as Machinist's Mate No, No, Nanette (1940) as Styles The Great Awakening (1941) as Dominic Reaching for the Sun (1941) as Amos One Night in Lisbon (1941) as Popopopoulos Angels with Broken Wings (1941) as Billy Wilson New Wine (1941) as Poldi Week-End in Havana (1941) as Arbolado Song of the Islands (1942) as Palola's Father Valley of the Sun (1942) as Judge Homer Burnaby Mr. Wise Guy (1942) as Knobby Sleepytime Gal (1942) as Chef Popodopolis Arabian Nights (1942) as Ahmad Shantytown (1943) as Papa Ferrelli Spotlight Scandals (1943) as Himself Always a Bridesmaid (1943) as Nick Neopolitan Crazy House (1943) as Sid Drake Three of a Kind (1944) as Billy Ever Since Venus (1944) as Tiny Lewis Three Is a Family (1944) (uncredited) Crazy Knights (1944) as Billy Trouble Chasers (1945) as Billy Anchors Aweigh (1945) as Cafe Manager Fun and Fancy Free (1947) as Willie the Giant (voice) The Kissing Bandit (1948) as General Felipe Toro Bride of Vengeance (1949) as Beppo (uncredited) Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1953) as King Jilouili Paradise Alley (1962) as Julius Wilson Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) as Sultan / Auctioneer (final film role)