Si Jenks

Si Jenks (born Howard Hansell Jenkins; September 23, 1876 – January 6, 1970) was an American actor. He was involved in 224 films in a career spanning nearly two decades in vaudeville and films. His best known appearances include The Village Blacksmith, The Rider of the Law, Oregon Trail, The Cowboy Star, Zorro's Black Whip and The Great Train Robbery.

Early life Jenks was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on September 23, 1876, to parents John and Catherine Jenkins.

From April 1898 to October 1898, he served in the National Guard of the United States as a reserve volunteer.

Career Jenks began his career sometime around the early 1890s in theatre, having run away from home and joined Diamond Jack's medicine show in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He later travelled over the United States with circuses and was associated with Professor Gleason, a noted horse trainer of that time. He was a comedian with the 101 ranch in 1908 and later travelled with them to Mexico.

He found early success on a Broadway theatre production of Get Rich Quick Wallingford, They acted on stage together during the 1920s in the act of "Si Jenks and Lilian Hartford" and later moved to a retirement facility in 1965. She was the first resident of the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital to become a centenarian. The couple had two daughters who pre-deceased Lilian Jenks, who died in June 1983. Jenks and Allen were described as "two excellent acts of vaudeville" by the Logansport Pharos-Tribune in 1920 and were known as "The Small Town Wise Crackers".

Death On January 6, 1970, Jenks died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, of complications after suffering a heart disease. His gravesite is at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Filmography

The Village Blacksmith (1922) Picking Peaches (1924)*short Self Defense (1932) Lightning Range (1933) Rawhide Romance (1934) Sixteen Fathoms Deep (1934) Charlie Chan's Courage (1934) Judge Priest (1934) Stand Up and Cheer! (1934) The Rider of the Law (1934) Naughty Marietta (1935) Fighting Shadows (1935) Another Face (1935) Captain January (1936) The Ranger and the Lady (1940) as Freighter Frank Purdy