Mack Swain
Acting • Born 1876-02-15 – Died 1935-08-25
Biography
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.
Filmography
110 credits
The Gold Rush
Movie • 1925
Big Jim McKay
Laughing Gas
Movie • 1914
Patient
The Fatal Mallet
Movie • 1914
Rival Suitor (uncredited)
Tillie's Punctured Romance
Movie • 1914
Tillie's Father
Hands Up!
Movie • 1926
Silas Woodstock
The Idle Class
Movie • 1921
Edna's Father (uncredited)
Love and Gasoline
Movie • 1914
Yesterday and Today
Movie • 1953
(archive footage)
The Locked Door
Movie • 1929
Hotel Proprietor
Mabel’s Nerve
Movie • 1914
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
Movie • 1931
A Gambling Rube
Movie • 1914
(unconfirmed)
Hello, Mabel
Movie • 1914
The Married Flirt
Other People's Business
Movie • 1914
The Girl from Everywhere
Movie • 1927
Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
The Girl from Nowhere
Movie • 1928
Wilbur Ashcraft
Caught in the Rain
Movie • 1914
Husband (uncredited)
A Busy Day
Movie • 1914
Husband
Mabel's Married Life
Movie • 1914
Wellington, a Ladykiller
His Musical Career
Movie • 1914
Mike, Charlie's Partner
His Trysting Places
Movie • 1914
Ambrose
Getting Acquainted
Movie • 1914
Ambrose
Gentlemen of Nerve
Movie • 1914
Mr. Walrus
His Prehistoric Past
Movie • 1914
King Lowbrow
Pay Day
Movie • 1922
Foreman
The Pilgrim
Movie • 1923
Deacon
A Thief Catcher
Movie • 1914
Crook (uncredited)
A Texas Steer
Movie • 1927
Bragg
Mockery
Movie • 1927
Vladimir Gaidaroff
Pitfalls of a Big City
Movie • 1923
The Vamp's Husband
Torrent
Movie • 1926
Don Matías
Fatty's New Role
Movie • 1915
Ambrose Schnitz
Leading Lizzie Astray
Movie • 1914
Cafe Patron - In from the Mines
Ambrose's First Falsehood
Movie • 1914
Ambrose
A Rowboat Romance
Movie • 1914
(unconfirmed)
The Late Lamented
Movie • 1917
Boarder (unconfirmed)
Gussle, the Golfer
Movie • 1914
Ambrose
Double Crossed
Movie • 1914
The Belle's Boyfriend
Ambrose's Lofty Perch
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
Willful Ambrose
Movie • 1915
Pa Ambrose
Love, Speed and Thrills
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
Ambrose's Sour Grapes
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
Mabel Lost and Won
Movie • 1915
Mabel's Rival's Husband
Ambrose's Nasty Temper
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
When Ambrose Dared Walrus
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
Ambrose's Fury
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
Oh, What a Knight
Movie • 1919
The Sheriff
Cleaning Up
Movie • 1930
Mack
Heroic Ambrose
Movie • 1919
Ambrose Schnitz
Finn and Hattie
Movie • 1931
Le Bottin
Kiki
Movie • 1926
Pastryman (uncredited)
A Muddy Romance
Movie • 1913
Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant
Fatty Joins the Force
Movie • 1913
Cop at Station House
The Under-Sheriff
Movie • 1914
Villager
A Robust Romeo
Movie • 1914
The Sea Bat
Movie • 1930
Dutchy
A Movie Star
Movie • 1916
Handsome Jack
Saved by Wireless
Movie • 1915
The Spy
Redemption
Movie • 1930
Magistrate
His Bitter Pill
Movie • 1916
Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
Madcap Ambrose
Movie • 1916
Ambrose
Mabel at the Wheel
Movie • 1914
Race Spectator (uncredited)
Caught in a Cabaret
Movie • 1914
Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
The Knockout
Movie • 1914
Gambler (uncredited)
That Little Band Of Gold
Movie • 1915
Audience Member (uncredited)
Tillie's Punctured Romance
Movie • 1928
Tillie's Father
The Nervous Wreck
Movie • 1926
Jerome Underwood
The Eagle
Movie • 1925
Innkeeper (uncredited)
Caught in a Park
Movie • 1915
The Bartender
Full o' Spirits
Movie • 1920
The Gusher
Movie • 1913
Villager / Cop
Ye Olden Grafter
Movie • 1915
The Grafter
Footloose Widows
Movie • 1926
Ludwig
Her First False Hare
Movie • 1919
Unknown
Adventurous Ambrose
Movie • 1918
Ambrose
My Best Girl
Movie • 1927
Judge
Sea Horses
Movie • 1926
Bimbo-Bomba
Caught in the Fog
Movie • 1928
Detective Ryan
Soup to Nuts
Movie • 1930
First Fat Diner (uncredited)
The Shamrock and the Rose
Movie • 1927
Mike Kelly
The Beloved Rogue
Movie • 1927
Nicholas
The Last Warning
Movie • 1928
Robert Bunce
Fatty's Wine Party
Movie • 1914
Restaurant Proprietor
The Pullman Bride
Movie • 1917
Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
This Way Out
Movie • 1923
The Girl's Father
The Home Breakers
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
His Naughty Thought
Movie • 1917
Walter Ambrose
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Movie • 1928
Sir Francis Beekman
The Chaplin Revue
Movie • 1959
Various (archive footage)
Becky
Movie • 1927
Irving Spiegelberg
Innocent Ambrose
Movie • 1920
Ambrose Schnitz
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
Movie • 1943
(archive footage)
Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists
Movie • 1998
Big Jim McKay (archive footage)
Thirst
Movie • 1917
Ambrose
Whispering Wires
Movie • 1926
McCarthy
Ambrose's Little Hatchet
Movie • 1915
Ambrose
Lighthouse Love
Movie • 1932
Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
The Sea Nymphs
Movie • 1914
Ambrose
Hogan's Romance Upset
Movie • 1915
Fight Spectator
The Midnight Patrol
Movie • 1932
Bad Boy
Movie • 1935
Man on Rowing Machine
Lost: A Cook
Movie • 1917
Farmer Ambrose
A Missing Bride
Movie • 1914
Her Big Night
Movie • 1926
Myers, film producer
The Devil's Circus
Movie • 1926
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
Movie • 1931
Doctor
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
Movie • 1931
Doctor
The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City
Movie • 1929
Mr. Tom Kelly
See You in Jail
Movie • 1927
Slossom
Finnegan's Ball
Movie • 1927
Patrick Flannigan