Английская Википедия:Bobby Vernon

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Файл:Bobby Vernon with his daughter.jpg
Vernon with his daughter, Barbara, c. 1929

Bobby Vernon (born Sylvion de Jardin[1][2]) (March 9, 1897 – June 28, 1939) was an American comedic actor in silent films. He later became a writer and comedy supervisor at Paramount for W. C. Fields and Bing Crosby, when the sound era arrived. Blue-eyed with medium brown hair, he stood five feet and two-and-a-half inches, making him perfect for juvenile comedy roles.[3] His comedies were popular with children.[4][5]

Life and career

The Chicago-born son of entertainers Harry Burns and Dorothy Vernon (born Dorothy Baird), Bobby first worked as a newsboy in San Francisco. He was known as "Buttons," the singing newsboy. Sid Grauman recognized Vernon's talent and started him singing at the Empress Theatre at the age of eleven.[6] Later he became one of the stock actors in the vaudeville act Kolb and Dill. After three years of working with them, Max Dill broke his leg in their show "The Rollicking Girl." At the age of sixteen, Vernon replaced him for three weeks.[2][6]

His first experience in screen was at the age of sixteen in Universal Studios's Joker comedies. Early in his career, he was cast as an old man.[2] By 1915, he began working for Keystone Studios. He starred in many romantic comedies with Gloria Swanson as his leading lady. The pair became popular for their great screen chemistry. However, as director Charley Chase recalled, Swanson was "frightened to death" of her co-star's dangerous stunts.[7] He later described his Keystone days to Motion Picture Classic:

Шаблон:Quotation

In December 1917, he began working for the Christie Film Company.[8]

On September 9, 1918, Vernon left the Christie studio to serve during World War I at the submarine base at San Pedro, Los Angeles.[9]

Vernon's career never progressed to feature films. He was busy making two-reel comedies. In a 1929 interview, he said:

Шаблон:Quotation

A few months prior to the interview, he underwent a dangerous spine operation. The doctors claimed it was needed due to years of taking falls.[10]

Vernon sang and danced at Grauman's Theatre to great applause in February 1930.[11]

Vernon completed his 12-year contract with the Christie Film Company in 1929. He then began freelancing. His first sound comedy was Cry Baby, directed by Del Lord in 1930.[12][13] This was not his first sound film, as he made a brief cameo in The Voice of Hollywood #3 in 1929.

In 1933, after an acting career of 19 years, Vernon turned to writing. His last credited work in film was for Geronimo, released in 1940.[14]

Family

Vernon married Angelina Repetto (1898-1981) of St. Louis, Missouri; the couple had one child, Barbara Dorothy Vernon, born in 1922.[15] Angelina was the sister-in-law of Reggie Morris, thus making the two men brothers-in-law. Шаблон:Citation needed

Death

Vernon died of a heart attack on June 28, 1939, in Hollywood, California, aged 42.[16] He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Partial filmography

Файл:Bobby Vernon, Gloria Swanson, and Teddy the Dog.jpg
Vernon with Gloria Swanson, and Teddy the Dog in Teddy at the Throttle (1917)
Файл:Short and Snappy (1921) - 1.jpg
Vernon with Billy Bletcher (left) in Short and Sappy

References

External links

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