Victor Potel
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Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38-year career.
Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1889, and his acting career goes back almost to the beginning of the commercial film industry in the United States. He made his first silent film in 1910, a comedy short filmed in Chicago by Essanay Film Manufacturing Company called A Dog on Business. Potel continued to make films for Essanay, appearing in dozens of films every year, including most of the Broncho Billy series, and played a character called "Slippery Slim" in 80 movies. He also appeared in Universal Pictures' "Snakeville" series.
Potel's first talking picture was Melody of Love, starring Walter Pidgeon, made for Universal in 1928. and in the sound era he continued to work continuously and constantly, playing small parts and sometimes uncredited bit parts, all primarily comic roles due to his height (6 ft 1 in or 1.85 m) and gawkiness.
In addition to acting, on several occasions Potel also wrote and directed. In the 1920s he directed two silent shorts, The Rubber-Neck in 1924 and Action Craver in 1927, and contributed the story for Saxophobia in 1927. In the following decade, in the sound era, he was the dialogue director for The Big Chance (1933), and wrote the story for Inside Information in 1934). In 1935 he provided continuity and dialogue for Million Dollar Haul and the screenplay for Hot Off the Press. In the 1940s, Potel was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in nine films written and directed by Sturges.
Potel continued to work right up until his death on 8 March 1947. The final film he worked on, Relentless finished filming on 28 February of that year.
Acted in
The Egg and I
1947
as Crowbar
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
1947
as Prof. Potelle
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
1947
The Glass Alibi
1946
as Gas Attendant (as Vic Potel)
Rhythm Round-Up
1945
as Slim Jensen
Flame of Barbary Coast
1945
as Train Fireman
A Medal for Benny
1945
as Pantera Pepster Club Member (uncredited)
The Great Moment
1944
as First Dental Patient
It Happened Tomorrow
1944
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
1943
as Newspaper Editor
Wagon Wheels West
1943
as Posse Rider (uncredited)
The Good Fellows
1943
as Branders (uncredited)
The Man in the Trunk
1942
as Deaf Floor Man (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
1942
as Mr. McKeewie
Sullivan's Travels
1941
as Cameraman
Ride on Vaquero
1941
as Ole
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941
as Lem
Pot o' Gold
1941
as Olaf Svenson (uncredited)
The Lady Eve
1941
as Second Steward (uncredited)
Trail of the Vigilantes
1940
as Conductor
Li'l Abner
1940
as Fantastic Brown
Christmas in July
1940
as Davenola Salesman
The Villain Still Pursued Her
1940
as Policeman (uncredited)
The Great McGinty
1940
as Cook (uncredited)
Girl from God's Country
1940
as Barber
Three Faces West
1940
as Postman
Young Tom Edison
1940
as Mr. Tompkins
Slightly Honorable
1939
as Gasoline Station Proprietor (Uncredited)
Chip of the Flying U
1939
as Station Agent
Rovin' Tumbleweeds
1939
as Man in Store
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939
as Lars (uncredited)
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
1939
as Ranch Hand
The Housekeeper's Daughter
1939
as Suspect
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
as Slim
Second Fiddle
1939
as Steve - Crane Operator
Down the Wyoming Trail
1939
as Slim
Let Freedom Ring
1939
as Ole Swensen (uncredited)
Stand Up and Fight
1939
as Coach Driver
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
1938
as Steve
On the Great White Trail
1938
as Lyons
The Girl of the Golden West
1938
as Lem - Stagecoach Driver
Adventure's End
1937
as Tall Sailor (uncredited)
Small Town Boy
1937
as Abner Towner
Western Gold
1937
as Jasper
White Bondage
1937
as Luke Stacey
Two Gun Law
1937
as Cassius
God's Country and the Woman
1937
as Turpentine
The Captain's Kid
1936
as Deputy Jake Hutchinson
Fury
1936
as Jorgeson (uncredited)
Down to the Sea
1936
as Andy
O'Malley of the Mounted
1936
as Gabby - the Cook
Yellow Dust
1936
as Jugger - the Bartender
Three Godfathers
1936
as 'Buck Tooth'
Song of the Saddle
1936
as Little Casino
Man Hunt
1936
as Townsman Pointing Out Shefiff's Office (uncredited)
The Broken Coin
1936
Gun Play
1935
as Brawler (uncredited)
The Fighting Marines
1935
as Fake Native Chief [Ch. 12]
The Last of the Clintons
1935
as Jed Clinton
Moonlight on the Prairie
1935
as Tall Saloon Cowboy
Shipmates Forever
1935
as Loafer (uncredited)
She Couldn't Take It
1935
as Farmer
Waterfront Lady
1935
as Alex
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
1935
as Kinso
Western Frontier
1935
as Slim
Whispering Smith Speaks
1935
as Bill Prouty
The Drunkard
1935
as Farmer Gates
The Cowboy and the Bandit
1935
as Lanky
Mississippi
1935
as Guest
Ruggles of Red Gap
1935
as Curly - Cowboy
Big Boy Rides Again
1935
as Ranch Foreman Scarface
Frontier Days
1934
as Deputy Tex Hatch
Thunder Over Texas
1934
as Dick
Inside Information
1934
as Rice - Thin Detective
Twisted Rails
1934
as Tom Watson
Damaged Lives
1933
as Undetermined Role
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
1933
as The General
Face in the Sky
1933
as Ed Burns, Carnival Patron (uncredited)
Partners
1932
as Deputy Lem
Selling Shorts
1931
as Slim Bassil
The Squaw Man
1931
as Andy
King of the Wild
1931
as Peterson
Scandal Sheet
1931
as Reporter
Ten Cents a Dance
1931
as Smith, a Sailor
Forward, March!
1930
The Virtuous Sin
1930
as Sentry
Doughboys
1930
as Svendenburg
Paradise Island
1930
as Swede
Call of the West
1930
as Trig Peters
The Bad One
1930
as Sailor
The Virginian
1929
as Nebrasky
Border Romance
1929
as Slim
Captain Swagger
1928
as Jean
Melody of Love
1928
as The Gawk
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
1928
as Tom Turner
Uneasy Payments
1927
as Press Agent
Racing Romance
1926
as Constable
The Lodge in the Wilderness
1926
as Goofus
Morganson's Finish
1926
as Ole Jensen
Below the Line
1925
as 'Cuckoo' Niles
Ten Days
1925
Reno
1923
as Detective McRae
Quincy Adams Sawyer
1922
as Hiram Maxwell
The Loaded Door
1922
as Slim
A Tailor-Made Man
1922
as Peter
Step on It!
1922
as Noisy Johnson
At the Sign of the Jack'O Lantern
1922
as The Poet
One a Minute
1921
as Jingo Pitts
Lavender and Old Lace
1921
as Joe Pendleton
Bob Hampton of Placer
1921
as Willie McNeil
Billions
1920
as Pushkin
The Heart of a Child
1920
as Charley Peastone
Mary's Ankle
1920
as Johnny Stokes
Water, Water, Everywhere
1920
as Steve Brainard
A Petal on the Current
1919
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
1919
Full of Pep
1919
as Beanpole
Captain Kidd, Jr.
1919
as Constable Sam
Who's Your Father?
1918
as Comedy Role
Baseball Madness
1917
Hearts and Saddles
1917
What Darwin Missed
1916
as Professor Alonzo Bozzle
Just a Few Little Things
1916
as Archie
Broncho Billy and the Card Sharp
1915
Versus Sledge Hammers
1915
as The Count
Broncho Billy Steps In
1915
Broncho Billy and the Land Grabber
1915
The Bachelor's Burglar
1915
The Revenue Agent
1915
as The Minister
His Regeneration
1915
as Pawn Shop Clerk
Ingomar of the Hills
1915
Broncho Billy and the Vigilante
1915
as A Cattle Owner
Slim the Brave and Sophie the Fair
1915
as Slippery Slim
Sophie's Home-Coming
1915
as Slippery Slim
When Slippery Slim Bought the Cheese
1915
as Slippery Slim
Sentimental Sophie
1915
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy and the Sisters
1915
as The Minister
When Slippery Slim Went for the Eggs
1915
as Slippery Slim
The Battle of Snakeville
1915
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Rising Sons
1914
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Office
1914
Slippery Slim Gets Square
1914
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Blind Pig
1914
as Slippery Slim
Sophie's Sweetheart
1914
as Slippery Slim
Sophie's Fatal Wedding
1914
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Reform Wave
1914
as Slippery Slim
A Horse on Sophie
1914
as Slippery Slim
Sophie and the Man of Her Choice
1914
as Slippery Slim
Slippery Slim and the Impersonator
1914
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville and the Corset Demonstrator
1914
as Slippery Slim
Slippery Slim, The Mortgage and Sophie
1914
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy Rewarded
1914
as The Hotel Proprietor
Snakeville's Peace-Maker
1914
as Slippery Slim
When Slippery Slim Met the Champion
1914
as Slippery Slim
Slippery Slim Gets Cured
1914
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy, a Friend in Need
1914
Broncho Billy, the Vagabond
1914
Broncho Billy's Wild Ride
1914
Broncho Billy Wins Out
1914
as The School Trustee
Snakeville's New Waitress
1914
as Slippery Slim
Slippery Slim -- Diplomat
1914
as Slippery Slim
Sophie Gets Stung
1914
as Slippery Slim
Sophie Finds a Hero
1914
as Slippery Slim
The Wooing of Sophie
1914
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy and the Mine Shark
1914
as The Hotel Clerk
The Snakeville Volunteer
1914
as Slippery Slim
The Good-for-Nothing
1914
as Old Clerk
Sophie Pulls a Good One
1914
as Slippery Slim
Sophie Starts Something
1914
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy's Leap
1914
Broncho Billy's Sermon
1914
as The Sheriff
Pie for Sophie
1914
as Snicklefritz
A Gamblers' Way
1914
as The Bartender
Broncho Billy and the Red Man
1914
What Came to Bar Q
1914
as Bartender
Broncho Billy and the Bad Man
1914
as The Storekeeper
A Night on the Road
1914
as Sheriff's Assistant
Broncho Billy-Guardian
1914
Snakeville's New Doctor
1914
as Slippery Slim
A Snakeville Courtship
1913
as Slippery Slim
That Pair from Thespia
1913
as Second Actor
Sophie's New Foreman
1913
as Slippery Slim
The Three Gamblers
1913
Broncho Billy's Squareness
1913
A Romance of the Hills
1913
Sophie's Hero
1913
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy's First Arrest
1913
The Last Laugh
1913
Alkali Ike and the Wildman
1913
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy's Oath
1913
Why Broncho Billy Left Bear County
1913
as The Druggist
Broncho Billy Reforms
1913
as A Thief
Broncho Billy and the Western Girls
1913
as Outlaw
Alkali Ike and the Hypnotist
1913
as Slippery Slim
Alkali Ike's Misfortunes
1913
as Slippery Slim
Alkali Ike's Homecoming
1913
as Slippery Slim
The Accusation of Broncho Billy
1913
Broncho Billy's Gratefulness
1913
as Dr. Huff
Broncho Billy and the Squatter's Daughter
1913
Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Kid
1913
as Jailer
The Making of Broncho Billy
1913
Broncho Billy's Gun Play
1913
Broncho Billy's Promise
1912
Broncho Billy's Mexican Wife
1912
Alkali Ike's Close Shave
1912
as Slippery Slim
An Indian's Friendship
1912
The Tomboy on Bar Z
1912
Alkali Ike Stung!
1912
An Indian Sunbeam
1912
as A Cowboy
Alkali Ike's Pants
1912
The Tenderfoot Foreman
1912
Broncho Billy for Sheriff
1912
Alkali Ike Plays the Devil
1912
Broncho Billy's Pal
1912
A Story of Montana
1912
Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape
1912
On the Cactus Trail
1912
Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy
1912
The Ranch Girl's Mistake
1912
The Biter Bitten
1912
The Prospector's Legacy
1912
Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress
1912
The Oath of His Office
1912
Widow Jenkins' Admirers
1912
The Loafer
1912
A Child of the West
1912
Broncho Billy's Adventure
1911
as Cowboy
Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner
1911
The Forester's Plea
1911
Town Hall, Tonight
1911
as The Tall Schultz Brother
The Strike at the Little Jonny Mine
1911
Broncho Bill's Last Spree
1911
as Slippery Slim
The Two Fugitives
1911
The Corporation and the Ranch Girl
1911
A Hungry Pair
1911
as Skinny
The Infant at Snakeville
1911
Alkali Ike's Auto
1911
The Puncher's New Love
1911
The Bunco Game at Lizardhead
1911
The Indian Maiden's Lesson
1911
Across the Plains
1911
The Sheriff's Chum
1911
The Bad Man's Downfall
1911
Hank and Lank: They Make a Mash
1911
as Lank
The Two Reformations
1911
The Border Ranger
1911
The Count and the Cowboys
1911
as The Count
The Bad Man's Christmas Gift
1910
Hank and Lank: Blind Men
1910
as Lank
The Tenderfoot Messenger
1910
A Cowboy's Vindication
1910
Circle C Ranch's Wedding Present
1910
Hank and Lank: As Sandwich Men
1910
as Lank
Hank and Lank: Lifesavers
1910
as Lank
A Westerner's Way
1910
The Silent Message
1910
Hank and Lank: Uninvited Guests
1910
as Lank
A Cowboy's Mother-in-Law
1910
Hank and Lank: They Get Wise to a New Scheme
1910
as Lank
The Bearded Bandit
1910
Patricia of the Plains
1910
Hank and Lank: They Dude Up Some
1910
as Lank
The Tout's Remembrance
1910
Hank and Lank: Joyriding
1910
as Lank
A Dog on Business
1910