Frank Alexander was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 silent film

Silent film

A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...

 comedian

Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

 and actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

. Alexander, who was morbidly obese (350 pounds), was best known for playing villains in the films of Larry Semon

Larry Semon

Lawrence "Larry" Semon was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era. In his day, Semon was considered a major movie comedian, but he is now remembered mainly for working with both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy before they started working together.He is also...

, who are often the father

Father

A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...

 of Semon's love interest.

He is best known to contemporary audiences for portraying a villainous interpretation of Uncle Henry

Uncle Henry (Oz)

Uncle Henry is a fictional character from The Oz Books by L. Frank Baum. He is the uncle of orphan Dorothy Gale and husband of Aunt Em, and lived with them on a farm in Kansas.-Oz Books:...

, eventually proclaimed "Prince of Whales" upon reaching the Emerald City

Emerald City

The Emerald City is the fictional capital city of the Land of Oz in L. Frank Baum's Oz books, first described in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...

 in Semon's Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz (1925 film)

Wizard of Oz is a 1925 silent film directed by Larry Semon, who also appears in a lead role. The first major film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this film features a young Oliver Hardy as the "Tin Woodsman."-Plot:...

. He was also part of the comedy team called "A Ton Of Fun" with two other large actors, Kewpie Ross and Hilliard Karr.

Richard M. Roberts's article in Classic Images

Classic Images

Classic Images is a monthly American mail-subscription newspaper in tabloid format, founded in 1962 by film collector Sam Rubin, dedicated to film and television of the "Golden Age." Its offices are located in Muscatine, Iowa and it is published by the Muscatine Journal division of Lee Enterprises,...

listed the top ten ingredients of a Larry Semon film, which began with these four:

1. Larry Semon
2. A heroine (usually Larry's current girlfriend or wife)
3. A fat guy (usually Oliver Hardy
   Oliver Hardy
   Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
   
   , to play the villain)
4. A really fat guy (usually Frank Alexander, to play Larry's current girlfriend's father)

He was proclaimed at the time as one of the three fattest actors ever to appear on the screen, with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle as one of the others. His interment was located at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Hollywood Forever Cemetery, originally called Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, California. It is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood...

.

Selected filmography

• By the Sad Sea Waves
  By the Sad Sea Waves
  By the Sad Sea Waves is a 1917 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Frank Alexander - Bather* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Rudolph Bylek* Billy Fay - * Florence Gibson...
  
  (1917)
• Rainbow Island
  Rainbow Island
  Rainbow Island is a 1917 short comedy film featuring Harold Lloyd.-Cast:* Harold Lloyd* Snub Pollard* Bebe Daniels* Frank Alexander* Carl Barbesgaard* William Blaisdell* Sammy Brooks* Walter Crompton* Billy Evans* Billy Fay -...
  
  (1917)
• Huns and Hyphens
  Huns and Hyphens
  Huns and Hyphens is a 1918 silent comedy film featuring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry* Madge Kirby - Vera Bright* Stan Laurel - Gang member* Mae Laurel - Woman* William McCall - Customer...
  
  (1918)
• Bears and Bad Men
  Bears and Bad Men
  Bears and Bad Men is a 1918 silent comedy film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Stan Laurel.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry Cutshaw* Madge Kirby - The Slawson Daughter* Stan Laurel - Pete* William McCall - Stranded actor...
  
  (1918)
• Dull Care
  Dull Care
  Dull Care is a 1919 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a Detective* William Hauber - Chief Crook * Frank Alexander - Chief of Police* Lucille Carlisle - Chief of Police's Wife...
  
  (1919)
• The Stage Hand
  The Stage Hand
  The Stage Hand is a 1920 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The Stage Hand* Lucille Carlisle - The Leading Lady* Frank Alexander - The Stage Manager* Thelma Percy - The Animal Trainer* Al Thompson - The Show Manager...
  
  (1920)
• The Bakery
  The Bakery
  The Bakery is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, a Bakery Clerk* Oliver Hardy - Foreman * Frank Alexander - Bakery Owner* Norma Nichols - Bakery Owner's Daughter...
  
  (1921)
• The Rent Collector
  The Rent Collector
  The Rent Collector is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Rent Collector* Norma Nichols - Leader of the Society Girl Settlement Workers* Oliver Hardy - The Big Boss * Eva Thatcher - Landlady...
  
  (1921)
• The Fall Guy
  The Fall Guy (film)
  The Fall Guy is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Fall Guy* Norma Nichols - Prima Donna* Oliver Hardy - Gentleman Joe, alias Black Bart * Frank Alexander - Sheriff* William Hauber...
  
  (1921)
• The Bell Hop
  The Bell Hop
  The Bell Hop is a 1921 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The bellhop* Oliver Hardy - Hotel manager * Frank Alexander - A government official* Al Thompson* Pete Gordon* Norma Nichols - A maid...
  
  (1921)
• The Sawmill
  The Sawmill
  The Sawmill is a 1922 film directed by Larry Semon and featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - The dumb-bell* Oliver Hardy - The foreman * Frank Alexander - Mill owner* Kathleen O'Connor - The boss's daughter...
  
  (1922)
• The Show
  The Show (1922 film)
  -Cast:* Larry Semon - The Prop Man/Gentle Onlooker* Oliver Hardy - Stage manager/Audience Member * Frank Alexander - Ballet dancer/Wife of Man with Family* Lucille Carlisle - Leading lady* Betty Young - Dancer* Alice Davenport - Audience member...
  
  (1922)
• Her Boy Friend
  Her Boy Friend
  Her Boy Friend is a 1924 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Larry Semon - Larry, the Chief's son* Dorothy Dwan - Iva Method, the girl detective* Alma Bennett - The Vamp* Oliver Hardy - Killer Kid...
  
  (1924)
• Kid Speed
  Kid Speed
  -Cast:* Dorothy Dwan - Lou DuPoise* James J. Jeffries - Blacksmith/Tailor* Oliver Hardy - Dangerous Dan McGraw * Frank Alexander - Mr. Avery DuPoys* William Hauber - Sheriff Phil O'Delfa* Grover G. Ligon* Larry Semon - The Speed Kid...
  
  (1924)
• Wizard of Oz
  Wizard of Oz (1925 film)
  Wizard of Oz is a 1925 silent film directed by Larry Semon, who also appears in a lead role. The first major film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this film features a young Oliver Hardy as the "Tin Woodsman."-Plot:...
  
  (1925)
• Hop to It!
  Hop to It!
  Hop to It! is a 1925 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Bobby Ray - A bellhop* Oliver Hardy - A bellhop * Janet Dawn - Saleswoman* Frank Alexander - Hotel guest...
  
  (1925)
• The Perfect Clown
  The Perfect Clown
  The Perfect Clown is a 1925 silent slapstick comedy motion picture starring Larry Semon and Kate Price. It features an early screen appearance by Oliver Hardy. Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer, the screenplay was written by Thomas J...
  
  (1925)

External links