Roger Imhof

Frederick Roger Imhof was an American film actor, vaudeville, burlesque and circus performer, sketch writer, and songwriter.

Early years Imhof was born in Rock Island, Illinois, on April 15, 1875, to Nicholas Imhoff, from Switzerland, and Susan McCluen Imhoff, from Ireland.

Career Imhof began his career as a clown with the Mills Orton Circus, and as an "Irish" comedian. He "toured in vaudeville and burlesque between 1895 and 1930." "The Pest House" was "the most popular and longest running of several sketches starring the portly pair Roger Imhof and Marcel Corinne". According to an October 1920 edition of the Oregon Daily Journal, the sketch involved Imhof playing an Irish peddler who spends a mishap-filled night at an inn. In 1923, he appeared in the Broadway play Jack and Jill.

He reportedly invested in Chicago and Los Angeles real estate, but lost most of his money in the stock market and during the Great Depression.

He became involved early on in the nascent Hollywood film industry, apparently "as a presenter, promoter, or agent". As an actor, he appeared in films from 1932 to 1944, including San Francisco (1936), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and This Gun for Hire (1942).

Of the songs he composed, eleven are extant, including the 1906 "Old Broadway".

Imhof died on April 15, 1958, and was buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.

Papers Collections of his papers and other material are held by the Green Library (Special Collections M0611), Department of Special Collections, Stanford University, and the Spencer Research Library (MS 121), University of Kansas.

Partial filmography

Me and My Gal (1932) - Down and Outer (uncredited) Paddy the Next Best Thing (1933) - Micky Charlie Chan's Greatest Case (1933) - The Beachcomber Hoop-La (1933) - Colonel Gowdy David Harum (1934) - Edwards Ever Since Eve (1934) - Dave Martin Sleepers East (1934) - MacGowan Wild Gold (1934) - James 'Pop' Benson Grand Canary (1934) - Jimmie Corcoran Handy Andy (1934) - Doc Burmeister Judge Priest (1934) - Billy Gaynor Love Time (1934) - Innkeeper Music in the Air (1934) - Burgomaster Under Pressure (1935) - George Breck One More Spring (1935) - Mr. Sweeney Life Begins at 40 (1935) - Pappy Smithers George White's 1935 Scandals (1935) - Officer Riley (uncredited) The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935) - Samson 'Sam' Weaver Steamboat Round the Bend (1935) - Pappy Riffraff (1936) - 'Pops' Three Godfathers (1936) - Sheriff Roaming Lady (1936) - Captain Murchison San Francisco (1936) - Alaska A Son Comes Home (1936) - Detective Kennedy In His Steps (1936) - Adams North of Nome (1936) - Judge Bridle Red Lights Ahead (1936) - Pa Wallace Girl Loves Boy (1937) - Charles Conrad Sweetheart of the Navy (1937) - Commander Lodge High, Wide, and Handsome (1937) - Pop Bowers There Goes the Groom (1937) - Hank Every Day's a Holiday (1937) - Trigger Mike The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1939) - Judge Logan at Jim's Trial (uncredited) Tell No Tales (1939) - Taxi Driver (uncredited) Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939) - Sheriff Barney Riggs They Shall Have Music (1939) - Michael - Deputy (uncredited) No Place to Go (1939) - Old Soldier (uncredited) Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) - Gen. Nicholas Herkimer Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) - Mr. Crimmin The Grapes of Wrath (1940) - Mr. Thomas Little Old New York (1940) - John Jacob Astor I Was an Adventuress (1940) - Henrich Von Korgen The Way of All Flesh (1940) - Franz Henzel Lady with Red Hair (1940) - Pat - the Lamplighter (uncredited) Victory (1940) - Captain Davidson (uncredited) The Lady from Cheyenne (1941) - Uncle Bill Man Hunt (1941) - Captain Jensen Mystery Ship (1941) - Capt. Randall This Woman Is Mine (1941) - John Jacob Astor (replaced by Sig Ruman) (uncredited) This Gun for Hire (1942) - Senator Burnett It Happened in Flatbush (1942) - Mr. Maguire Tennessee Johnson (1942) - Hannibal Hamlin (uncredited) Casanova in Burlesque (1944) - Joseph M. Kelly Sr. Home in Indiana (1944) - Roger - Old Timer (uncredited) Wilson (1944) - minor role (uncredited) (final film role)