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.
Movie | Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists | Big Jim McKay (archive footage) | 1998-01-01 |
Movie | The Chaplin Revue | Various (archive footage) | 1959-09-01 |
Movie | Yesterday and Today | (archive footage) | 1953-12-02 |
Movie | Happy Times and Jolly Moments | (archive footage) | 1943-01-01 |
Movie | The Midnight Patrol | 1932-04-10 | |
Movie | Finn and Hattie | Le Bottin | 1931-02-04 |
Movie | Redemption | Magistrate | 1930-04-05 |
Movie | The Sea Bat | Dutchy | 1930-07-05 |
Movie | Cleaning Up | Mack | 1930-09-27 |
Movie | Soup to Nuts | First Fat Diner (uncredited) | 1930-09-28 |
Movie | The Locked Door | Hotel Proprietor | 1929-11-16 |
Movie | Gentlemen Prefer Blondes | Sir Francis Beekman | 1928-01-22 |
Movie | Tillie's Punctured Romance | Tillie's Father | 1928-03-03 |
Movie | Caught in the Fog | Detective Ryan | 1928-08-25 |
Movie | The Last Warning | Robert Bunce | 1928-12-25 |
Movie | Mockery | Vladimir Gaidaroff | 1927-08-13 |
Movie | The Beloved Rogue | Nicholas | 1927-03-12 |
Movie | My Best Girl | Judge | 1927-10-31 |
Movie | The Shamrock and the Rose | Mike Kelly | 1927-04-14 |
Movie | Becky | Irving Spiegelberg | 1927-11-12 |
Movie | The Girl from Everywhere | Wilfred Ashcraft - Director | 1927-12-11 |
Movie | A Texas Steer | Bragg | 1927-12-04 |
Movie | Torrent | Don MatÃas | 1926-02-21 |
Movie | Hands Up! | Silas Woodstock | 1926-01-11 |
Movie | Sea Horses | Bimbo-Bomba | 1926-02-22 |
Movie | The Nervous Wreck | Jerome Underwood | 1926-10-09 |
Movie | Whispering Wires | 1926-10-24 | |
Movie | Footloose Widows | Ludwig | 1926-06-19 |
Movie | Kiki | Pastryman (uncredited) | 1926-04-04 |
Movie | The Gold Rush | Big Jim McKay | 1925-07-13 |
Movie | The Eagle | Innkeeper (uncredited) | 1925-11-08 |
Movie | The Pilgrim | Deacon | 1923-02-19 |
Movie | This Way Out | The Girl's Father | 1923-05-27 |
Movie | Pay Day | Foreman | 1922-04-02 |
Movie | The Idle Class | Edna's Father (uncredited) | 1921-09-25 |
Movie | Innocent Ambrose | Ambrose Schnitz | 1920-01-11 |
Movie | Oh, What a Knight | The Sheriff | 1919-01-25 |
Movie | The Pullman Bride | Rover Peabody - the Chosen One | 1917-01-01 |
Movie | His Naughty Thought | Walter Ambrose | 1917-05-06 |
Movie | Thirst | Ambrose | 1917-07-29 |
Movie | The Late Lamented | Boarder (unconfirmed) | 1917-09-23 |
Movie | A Movie Star | Handsome Jack | 1916-01-26 |
Movie | His Bitter Pill | Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff | 1916-04-30 |
Movie | Madcap Ambrose | Ambrose | 1916-07-16 |
Movie | Ye Olden Grafter | The Grafter | 1915-02-18 |
Movie | Ambrose's Sour Grapes | Ambrose | 1915-03-01 |
Movie | Hogan's Romance Upset | Fight Spectator | 1915-02-13 |
Movie | The Home Breakers | Ambrose | 1915-02-01 |
Movie | Love, Speed and Thrills | Ambrose | 1915-01-18 |
Movie | Willful Ambrose | Pa Ambrose | 1915-03-01 |
Movie | Caught in a Park | The Bartender | 1915-02-06 |
Movie | Fatty's New Role | Ambrose Schnitz | 1915-02-01 |
Movie | That Little Band Of Gold | Audience Member (uncredited) | 1915-03-14 |
Movie | When Ambrose Dared Walrus | Ambrose | 1915-07-11 |
Movie | Ambrose's Nasty Temper | Ambrose | 1915-04-16 |
Movie | Mabel Lost and Won | Mabel's Rival's Husband | 1915-06-02 |
Movie | Ambrose's Fury | Ambrose | 1915-03-24 |
Movie | Ambrose's Little Hatchet | Ambrose | 1915-03-15 |
Movie | Ambrose's Lofty Perch | Ambrose | 1915-04-02 |
Movie | A Busy Day | Husband | 1914-05-07 |
Movie | Caught in the Rain | Husband (uncredited) | 1914-05-04 |
Movie | The Fatal Mallet | Rival Suitor (uncredited) | 1914-06-01 |
Movie | Caught in a Cabaret | Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited) | 1914-04-27 |
Movie | The Knockout | Gambler (uncredited) | 1914-06-11 |
Movie | Mabel's Married Life | Wellington, a Ladykiller | 1914-06-20 |
Movie | A Robust Romeo | 1914-02-12 | |
Movie | A Rowboat Romance | (unconfirmed) | 1914-07-06 |
Movie | The Under-Sheriff | Villager | 1914-01-08 |
Movie | Double Crossed | The Belle's Boyfriend | 1914-01-25 |
Movie | A Thief Catcher | Crook (uncredited) | 1914-02-19 |
Movie | Mabel at the Wheel | Race Spectator (uncredited) | 1914-04-18 |
Movie | Leading Lizzie Astray | Cafe Patron - In from the Mines | 1914-11-30 |
Movie | His Prehistoric Past | King Lowbrow | 1914-12-07 |
Movie | Ambrose's First Falsehood | Ambrose | 1914-12-12 |
Movie | Tillie's Punctured Romance | Tillie's Father | 1914-12-21 |
Movie | Gussle, the Golfer | Ambrose | 1914-12-27 |
Movie | Laughing Gas | Patient | 1914-07-09 |
Movie | Getting Acquainted | Ambrose | 1914-12-05 |
Movie | Gentlemen of Nerve | Mr. Walrus | 1914-10-29 |
Movie | The Sea Nymphs | Ambrose | 1914-11-23 |
Movie | His Musical Career | Mike, Charlie's Partner | 1914-11-07 |
Movie | His Trysting Places | Ambrose | 1914-11-09 |
Movie | Fatty's Wine Party | Restaurant Proprietor | 1914-11-21 |
Movie | A Muddy Romance | Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant | 1913-11-19 |
Movie | The Gusher | Villager / Cop | 1913-12-14 |
Movie | Fatty Joins the Force | Cop at Station House | 1913-11-23 |