Mack Swain
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.
Known For
Acting
1925
asBig Jim McKay
1914
asPatient
1914
asRival Suitor (uncredited)
1914
asTillie's Father
1926
asSilas Woodstock
1921
asEdna's Father (uncredited)
1914
as
1953
as(archive footage)
1929
asHotel Proprietor
1914
as1931
as1914
as(unconfirmed)
1914
asThe Married Flirt
1914
as
1927
asWilfred Ashcraft - Director
1928
asWilbur Ashcraft
1914
asHusband
1914
asHusband (uncredited)
1914
asAmbrose
1914
asMike, Charlie's Partner
1914
asWellington, a Ladykiller
1914
asAmbrose
1914
asKing Lowbrow
1914
asMr. Walrus
1922
asForeman
1923
asDeacon
1914
asCrook (uncredited)
1927
asBragg
1927
asVladimir Gaidaroff
1923
asThe Vamp's Husband
1926
asDon Matías
1914
asCafe Patron - In from the Mines
1915
asAmbrose Schnitz
1914
asAmbrose
1914
as(unconfirmed)
1917
asBoarder (unconfirmed)
1914
asAmbrose
1915
asMabel's Rival's Husband
1914
asThe Belle's Boyfriend
1915
asAmbrose
1915
asAmbrose
1915
asPa Ambrose
1915
asAmbrose
1915
asAmbrose
1915
asAmbrose
1915
asAmbrose
1919
asThe Sheriff
1930
asMack
1919
asAmbrose Schnitz
1931
asLe Bottin
1926
asPastryman (uncredited)
1913
asDesk Sergeant / Park Attendant
1913
asCop at Station House
1914
asVillager
1914
as
1930
asDutchy
1916
asHandsome Jack
1915
asThe Spy
1930
asMagistrate
1916
asJim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
1916
asAmbrose
1914
asRace Spectator (uncredited)
1914
asTough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
1914
asGambler (uncredited)
1915
asAudience Member (uncredited)
1928
asTillie's Father
1926
asJerome Underwood
1925
asInnkeeper (uncredited)
1915
asThe Bartender
1920
as
1913
asVillager / Cop
1915
asThe Grafter
1926
asLudwig
1919
asUnknown
1918
asAmbrose
1927
asJudge
1926
asBimbo-Bomba
1928
asDetective Ryan
1930
asFirst Fat Diner (uncredited)
1927
asMike Kelly
1927
asNicholas
1928
asRobert Bunce
1917
asRover Peabody - the Chosen One
1914
asRestaurant Proprietor
1923
asThe Girl's Father
1915
asAmbrose
1917
asWalter Ambrose
1928
asSir Francis Beekman
1959
asVarious (archive footage)
1927
asIrving Spiegelberg
1920
asAmbrose Schnitz
1943
as(archive footage)
1998
asBig Jim McKay (archive footage)
1917
asAmbrose
1926
asMcCarthy
1915
asAmbrose
1932
asCaptain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
1914
asAmbrose
1915
asFight Spectator
1932
as
1935
asMan on Rowing Machine
1917
asFarmer Ambrose
1914
as1926
asMyers, film producer
Production
Crew
Directing
1919
as1920
as
