Acting
Mack Swain
EN, JA cinema · 110 credits
Born
15 February 1876
Died
25 August 1935 (aged 59)
Birthplace
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Also known as Moroni Swain · Мак Свейн
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
Filmography
Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists
as Big Jim McKay (archive footage)
The Chaplin Revue
as Various (archive footage)
Yesterday and Today
as (archive footage)
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
as (archive footage)
Bad Boy
as Man on Rowing Machine
Lighthouse Love
as Captain Wiggins—the Lighthouse Keeper
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
1931
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
as Kop(as the Original Keystone Kops)
Finn and Hattie
as Le Bottin
The Sea Bat
as Dutchy
Redemption
as Magistrate
Soup to Nuts
as First Fat Diner (uncredited)
The Locked Door
as Hotel Proprietor
The Cohens and Kellys in Atlantic City
as Mr. Tom Kelly
The Girl from Nowhere
as Wilbur Ashcraft
Tillie's Punctured Romance
as Tillie's Father
Caught in the Fog
as Detective Ryan
The Last Warning
as Robert Bunce
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
as Sir Francis Beekman
The Girl from Everywhere
as Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
A Texas Steer
as Bragg
Mockery
as Vladimir Gaidaroff
My Best Girl
as Judge
The Shamrock and the Rose
as Mike Kelly
The Beloved Rogue
as Nicholas
Becky
as Irving Spiegelberg
See You in Jail
as Slossom
Finnegan's Ball
as Patrick Flannigan
Hands Up!
as Silas Woodstock
Torrent
as Don Matías
Kiki
as Pastryman (uncredited)
The Nervous Wreck
as Jerome Underwood
Footloose Widows
as Ludwig
Sea Horses
as Bimbo-Bomba
Whispering Wires
as McCarthy
Her Big Night
as Myers, film producer
The Gold Rush
as Big Jim
The Eagle
as Innkeeper (uncredited)
The Pilgrim
as Deacon
Pitfalls of a Big City
as The Vamp's Husband
This Way Out
1923
This Way Out
as The Girl's Father
Pay Day
as Foreman
The Idle Class
as Edna's Father (uncredited)
Innocent Ambrose
1920
Innocent Ambrose
as Ambrose Schnitz, Director
Oh, What a Knight
1919
Oh, What a Knight
as The Sheriff
Heroic Ambrose
1919
Heroic Ambrose
as Ambrose Schnitz, Director
Her First False Hare
as Unknown
The Late Lamented
as Boarder (unconfirmed)
The Pullman Bride
as Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
His Naughty Thought
as Walter Ambrose
Thirst
as Ambrose
Lost: A Cook
as Farmer Ambrose
A Movie Star
as Handsome Jack
His Bitter Pill
as Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
Madcap Ambrose
as Ambrose
Fatty's New Role
as Ambrose Schnitz
Ambrose's Lofty Perch
as Ambrose
Willful Ambrose
as Pa Ambrose
Love, Speed and Thrills
as Ambrose
Mabel Lost and Won
as Mabel's Rival's Husband
Ambrose's Nasty Temper
as Ambrose
When Ambrose Dared Walrus
as Ambrose
That Little Band Of Gold
as Audience Member (uncredited)
Caught in a Park
1915
Caught in a Park
as The Bartender
Ye Olden Grafter
1915
Ye Olden Grafter
as The Grafter
The Home Breakers
as Ambrose
Ambrose's Little Hatchet
as Ambrose
Hogan's Romance Upset
as Fight Spectator
Laughing Gas
as Patient
The Fatal Mallet
as Rival Suitor (uncredited)
Tillie's Punctured Romance
as Tillie's Father
A Gambling Rube
1914
A Gambling Rube
as (unconfirmed)
Hello, Mabel
as The Married Flirt
Caught in the Rain
as Husband (uncredited)
A Busy Day
as Husband
Mabel's Married Life
as Wellington, a Ladykiller
His Musical Career
as Mike, Charlie's Partner
His Trysting Places
as Ambrose
Getting Acquainted
as Ambrose
Gentlemen of Nerve
as Mr. Walrus
His Prehistoric Past
as King Lowbrow
A Thief Catcher
as Crook (uncredited)
Leading Lizzie Astray
as Cafe Patron - In from the Mines
Ambrose's First Falsehood
as Ambrose
A Rowboat Romance
1914
A Rowboat Romance
as (unconfirmed)
Double Crossed
as The Belle's Boyfriend
Mabel at the Wheel
as Race Spectator (uncredited)
Caught in a Cabaret
as Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
The Knockout
as Gambler (uncredited)
Fatty's Wine Party
1914
Fatty's Wine Party
as Restaurant Proprietor
A Muddy Romance
as Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant
Fatty Joins the Force
as Cop at Station House
The Gusher
as Villager / Cop