Mack Swain
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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.
Acted in
Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists
1998
as Big Jim McKay (archive footage)
The Chaplin Revue
1959
as Various (archive footage)
Yesterday and Today
1953
as (archive footage)
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
1943
as (archive footage)
Lighthouse Love
1932
as Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
The Midnight Patrol
1932
Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
1931
Finn and Hattie
1931
as Le Bottin
Soup to Nuts
1930
as First Fat Diner (uncredited)
Cleaning Up
1930
as Mack
The Sea Bat
1930
as Dutchy
Redemption
1930
as Magistrate
The Locked Door
1929
as Hotel Proprietor
The Last Warning
1928
as Robert Bunce
Caught in the Fog
1928
as Detective Ryan
The Girl from Nowhere
1928
as Wilbur Ashcraft
Tillie's Punctured Romance
1928
as Tillie's Father
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1928
as Sir Francis Beekman
The Girl from Everywhere
1927
as Wilfred Ashcraft - Director
A Texas Steer
1927
as Bragg
Becky
1927
as Irving Spiegelberg
My Best Girl
1927
as Judge
Mockery
1927
as Vladimir Gaidaroff
The Shamrock and the Rose
1927
as Mike Kelly
The Beloved Rogue
1927
as Nicholas
Whispering Wires
1926
The Nervous Wreck
1926
as Jerome Underwood
Footloose Widows
1926
as Ludwig
Kiki
1926
as Pastryman (uncredited)
Sea Horses
1926
as Bimbo-Bomba
Torrent
1926
as Don Matías
Hands Up!
1926
as Silas Woodstock
The Eagle
1925
as Innkeeper (uncredited)
The Gold Rush
1925
as Big Jim McKay
Pitfalls of a Big City
1923
as The Vamp's Husband
This Way Out
1923
as The Girl's Father
The Pilgrim
1923
as Deacon
Pay Day
1922
as Foreman
The Idle Class
1921
as Edna's Father (uncredited)
Full o' Spirits
1920
Innocent Ambrose
1920
as Ambrose Schnitz
Heroic Ambrose
1919
as Ambrose Schnitz
Her First False Hare
1919
as Unknown
Oh, What a Knight
1919
as The Sheriff
Adventurous Ambrose
1918
as Ambrose
The Late Lamented
1917
as Boarder (unconfirmed)
Thirst
1917
as Ambrose
His Naughty Thought
1917
as Walter Ambrose
The Pullman Bride
1917
as Rover Peabody - the Chosen One
Madcap Ambrose
1916
as Ambrose
His Bitter Pill
1916
as Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
A Movie Star
1916
as Handsome Jack
Saved by Wireless
1915
as The Spy
When Ambrose Dared Walrus
1915
as Ambrose
Mabel Lost and Won
1915
as Mabel's Rival's Husband
Ambrose's Nasty Temper
1915
as Ambrose
Ambrose's Lofty Perch
1915
as Ambrose
Ambrose's Fury
1915
as Ambrose
Ambrose's Little Hatchet
1915
as Ambrose
That Little Band Of Gold
1915
as Audience Member (uncredited)
Willful Ambrose
1915
as Pa Ambrose
Ambrose's Sour Grapes
1915
as Ambrose
Ye Olden Grafter
1915
as The Grafter
Hogan's Romance Upset
1915
as Fight Spectator
Caught in a Park
1915
as The Bartender
Fatty's New Role
1915
as Ambrose Schnitz
The Home Breakers
1915
as Ambrose
Love, Speed and Thrills
1915
as Ambrose
Gussle, the Golfer
1914
as Ambrose
Tillie's Punctured Romance
1914
as Tillie's Father
Ambrose's First Falsehood
1914
as Ambrose
Other People's Business
1914
His Prehistoric Past
1914
as King Lowbrow
Getting Acquainted
1914
as Ambrose
Leading Lizzie Astray
1914
as Cafe Patron - In from the Mines
The Sea Nymphs
1914
as Ambrose
Fatty's Wine Party
1914
as Restaurant Proprietor
His Trysting Places
1914
as Ambrose
His Musical Career
1914
as Mike, Charlie's Partner
Gentlemen of Nerve
1914
as Mr. Walrus
Hello, Mabel
1914
as The Married Flirt
Laughing Gas
1914
as Patient
A Rowboat Romance
1914
as (unconfirmed)
Mabel's Married Life
1914
as Wellington, a Ladykiller
A Gambling Rube
1914
as (unconfirmed)
The Knockout
1914
as Gambler (uncredited)
The Fatal Mallet
1914
as Rival Suitor (uncredited)
Mabel’s Nerve
1914
A Busy Day
1914
as Husband
Caught in the Rain
1914
as Husband (uncredited)
Caught in a Cabaret
1914
as Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
Mabel at the Wheel
1914
as Race Spectator (uncredited)
Love and Gasoline
1914
A Thief Catcher
1914
as Crook (uncredited)
A Robust Romeo
1914
Double Crossed
1914
as The Belle's Boyfriend
The Under-Sheriff
1914
as Villager
The Gusher
1913
as Villager / Cop
Fatty Joins the Force
1913
as Cop at Station House
A Muddy Romance
1913
as Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant