Acting
Franklin Pangborn
EN, IT cinema · 191 credits
Born
23 January 1889
Died
20 July 1958 (aged 69)
Birthplace
Newark, New Jersey, USA
Also known as Joseph Franklin Pangborn · Franklyn Pangborn · Frank Pangborn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in scores of feature films playing essentially the same character: prissy, polite, elegant, highly energetic, often officious, fastidious, somewhat nervous, prone to becoming flustered but essentially upbeat, and with immediately recognizable high-speed, patter-type speech. He typically played an officious desk clerk in a hotel, a self-important musician, a fastidious headwaiter, an enthusiastic birdwatcher, and the like, and was usually put in a situation of frustration or flustered by the antics of others. Pangborn was an effective foil for many major comedians.
Known for
Filmography
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
The Unchained Goddess
1958
The Unchained Goddess
as the Cloud Painter (voice)
The Story of Mankind
as Marquis de Varennes
My Dream Is Yours
as Sourpuss Manager
Addio Mimí!
1949
The Eternal Melody
as The Cat Lover
Down Memory Lane
as Gilbert Sinclair
Romance on the High Seas
as Rio Hotel Clerk
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Formfit Franklin
I'll Be Yours
as Barber
Calendar Girl
as Dilly Dillingsworth
Lover Come Back
as Hotel desk clerk
Two Guys from Milwaukee
as Theatre Manager
The Horn Blows at Midnight
as Radio Engineer / Sloan
Hollywood and Vine
as Reggie
Tell It to a Star
as Horace Lovelace
You Came Along
as Hotel Clerk
Hollywood Victory Caravan
as Railroad Agent
See My Lawyer
as B.J. Wagonhorn
Hail the Conquering Hero
as Reception Committee Chairman
The Great Moment
as Dr. Heywood
My Best Gal
as Mr. Porter
Allergic to Love
1944
Allergic to Love
as Stewart Ives III
Reckless Age
as Mr. Thurtle
Reveille with Beverly
as Vernon Lewis (uncredited)
Holy Matrimony
as Duncan Farll
Stage Door Canteen
as Franklin Pangborn
Never a Dull Moment
as Sylvester
Honeymoon Lodge
as Cathcart
Two Weeks to Live
as Mr. Pinkney
Crazy House
as Hotel Clerk
The Palm Beach Story
as Manager
Now, Voyager
as Mr. Thompson
George Washington Slept Here
as Mr. Gibney
Obliging Young Lady
as Professor Gibney
Call Out the Marines
as Wilbur
Moonlight Masquerade
as Fairchild
What's Cookin'?
as Professor Bistell
Strictly in the Groove
as Cathcart
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
as The Producer
Tillie the Toiler
as Perry Tweedale
The Flame of New Orleans
as Bellows
Sullivan's Travels
as Mr. Casalsis
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
as Pet Shop Owner
Weekend for Three
as Number Seven, Old Field Inn Waiter
Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case
as Charley Towne
Bachelor Daddy
as Williams
The Bank Dick
as J. Pinkerton Snoopington
Christmas in July
as Don Hartman - Radio Announcer
Spring Parade
as Wiedlemeyer
Turnabout
as Mr. Pingboom
Hit Parade of 1941
as Carter
Public Deb No. 1
as Bartender
The Villain Still Pursued Her
as Bartender (uncredited)
Fifth Avenue Girl
as Higgins
Broadway Serenade
as Gene, Collier's Composer
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8
as Franklin Pangborn
Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
as Assistant Hotel Manager
Carefree
as Roland Hunter
Just Around the Corner
as Waters
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
as Hamilton Montmarcy
Four's a Crowd
as Preston
Topper Takes a Trip
as Louis - Hotel Manager
The Girl Downstairs
as Adolf Pumpfel
Doctor Rhythm
as Mr. Stenchfield (Store Clerk)
Always Goodbye
as Bicycle Salesman
Three Blind Mice
as Clerk
Joy of Living
as Orchestra Leader
Vivacious Lady
as Apartment Manager
A Star Is Born
as Billy Moon (uncredited)
Stage Door
as Harcourt
Easy Living
as Van Buren
Danger – Love at Work
as Train dining car headwaiter
It Happened in Hollywood
as Mr. Forsythe
All Over Town
as The Costumer
High Hat
as Renaldo Breton
Dangerous Holiday
as Doffle
She's Dangerous
as Fashion Designer
Rich Relations
as Mr. Dwight
It's All Yours
as Schultz
Dangerous Number
as Hotel Desk Clerk
Living on Love
as Ogilvie O. Oglethorpe
We Have Our Moments
as Joe (uncredited)
I'll Take Romance
as Kane's Secretary
The Lady Escapes
as Pierre
Love on Toast
as Finley
When Love Is Young
as John Dorman
Thrill of a Lifetime
as Sam Williams
Bad Housekeeping
1937
Bad Housekeeping
as Piano Tuner
She Had to Eat
as Mr. Phoecian-Wylie
Step Lively, Jeeves!
as Head Waiter
Turn Off the Moon
as Mr. Perkins
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
as The Tailor (uncredited)
The Mandarin Mystery
as Mellish
Hats Off
as Mr. Churchill
Tango
1936
Tango
as Oscar, the Photographer
Doughnuts and Society
as Benson
Three Smart Girls
as Jeweler
Give Us This Night
as Forcellini's Secretary
To Mary - with Love
as Guest
Don't Gamble with Love
as Salesman
Swing Banditry
as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
My Man Godfrey
as Guthrie (uncredited)
Eight Bells
as Finch
She Married Her Boss
as Window Dresser (uncredited), as Window Dresser
$1,000 a Minute
as Reville
She Couldn't Take It
as Spot's Secretary
The Headline Woman
as Hamilton
King Kelly of the U.S.A.
as J. Ashton Brockton
Cockeyed Cavaliers
as Town Crier
Manhattan Love Song
as Garrett Wetherby
Tomorrow's Youth
as Thornton
Flirtation
as Veterinarian
Young and Beautiful
as Radio Announcer
My Grandfather's Clock
as Dr. Watkins
Unknown Blonde
as Male Co-Respondent
College Rhythm
as Peabody
Imitation of Life
as Mr. Carven (uncredited)
Many Happy Returns
as Allen's Secretary
Strictly Dynamite
as Mr. Bailey
That's Gratitude
1934
That's Gratitude
as Photographer
Trying Out Torchy
1933
Trying Out Torchy
as Office manager
Design for Living
as Mr. Douglas
Menu
as John Xavier Omsk (uncredited)
Sweepings
as Photographer (Uncredited)
Torchy's Kitty Coup
1933
Torchy's Kitty Coup
as Office Manager
Torchy's Loud Spooker
1933
Torchy's Loud Spooker
as Office Manager
Torchy Turns Turtle
1933
Torchy Turns Turtle
as Office Manager
Professional Sweetheart
as Herbert
Easy on the Eyes
1933
Easy on the Eyes
as Franklyn Pierce
Bed of Roses
as Floorwalker
Parachute Jumper
as Man in Private Office (uncredited)
International House
as Hotel Manager
Flying Down to Rio
as Hammerstein (uncredited)
Wild Poses
as Otto Phocus
Headline Shooter
as Adolphus G. Crocker
Sing, Bing, Sing
as Herbert
Only Yesterday
as Tom (Uncredited)
Divorce Sweets
1933
Divorce Sweets
as Uncle Jeremiah
The Half-Naked Truth
as Hotel Clerk
A Fool's Advice
as Egbert - Hotel Clerk
Jimmy's New Yacht
as Everett
Torchy Turns the Trick
1932
Torchy Turns the Trick
as Office Manager
Torchy's Night Cap
1932
Torchy's Night Cap
as Office Manager
Torchy's Two Toots
1932
Torchy's Two Toots
as Office Manager
Torchy Raises the Auntie
1932
Torchy Raises the Auntie
as Office Manager
Torchy Rolls His Own
1932
Torchy Rolls His Own
as Office Manager
Torchy's Busy Day
1932
Torchy's Busy Day
as Office Manager
Over the Counter
as Drake's Assistant
What Price Taxi
as Taxi Boy
Lighthouse Love
as Pvt. Jerry Stone
The Candid Camera
1932
The Candid Camera
as Jack Townes
Blue of the Night
as Gilbert Sinclair
Torchy Passes the Buck
1931
Torchy Passes the Buck
as Office Manager
Torchy
1931
Torchy
as Office Manager
Next Door Neighbors
as Landlord
Her Man
as Sport
Not So Dumb
as Leach
The Chumps
1930
The Chumps
as Eddie Gray
Cheer Up and Smile
as Professor
A Lady Surrenders
as Lawton
Sunny
as Party Guest (uncredited)
Poor Aubrey
as Aubrey Piper
The Sap
as Ed Mason
Lady of the Pavements
as M'sieu Dubrey, Dance Master
A Blonde for a Night
as Hector
On Trial
as Turnbull
My Friend from India
as William / Tommy Valentine
Cradle Snatchers
as Howard Drake
Getting Gertie's Garter
as Algy Brooks
The Girl in the Pullman
as Hector Brooks
Finger Prints
as The Bandoline Kid
The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary
as Melville
Exit Smiling
as Cecil Lovelace