Jack Oakie
Encyclopedia
Jack Oakie was an American
actor
, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage
, radio
and television
.
, Missouri
. He grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma
, the source of his "Oakie" nickname. His adopted first name, Jack, was the name of the first character he played on stage.
, New York
, and narrowly escaped being killed in the Wall Street bombing
of 16 September 1920. While in New York, he also started appearing in amateur theatre as a mimic and a comedian
, finally making his professional debut on Broadway
in 1923 as a chorus boy in a production of Little Nellie Kelly
by George M. Cohan
.
Oakie worked in various musicals and comedies on Broadway from 1923 to 1927, when he moved to Hollywood to work in movies at the end of the silent film
era. Oakie appeared in five silent films during 1927 and 1928. As the age of the "talkies" began, he signed with Paramount Pictures
, making his first talking film, The Dummy, in 1929.
theme. He was also known for refusing to wear screen make-up of any kind, and the frequent use of double-take in his comedy. Oakie was quoted as saying of his studio career:
Oakie is probably most notable for his portrayal of Benzino Napaloni, the boisterous dictator
of Bacteria, in Charlie Chaplin
's The Great Dictator
(1940), for which he received an Oscar
nomination for the Best Supporting Actor Award
. This role was a broad parody
of the fascist dictator of Italy
, Benito Mussolini
.
Late in his career he appeared in various episodes of a number of television
shows, including The Real McCoys
(1957), Breaking Point (Episode #22 A Child of the Center Ring,1964), Daniel Boone
(1966), and Bonanza
(1966).
at Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
).
Oakie's second marriage was to actress Victoria Horne
in 1950, with whom he lived at "Oakridge" until his death in 1978.
Jack Oakie died on 23 January 1978 in Los Angeles
, California
at the age of 74 from an aortic aneurysm
. His remains were interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
(top of the hill, Whispering Pines section), in Los Angeles County.
, a suburb Los Angeles
in the San Fernando Valley
. They acquired the former "Marwyck" estate of actress Barbara Stanwyck
in 1950. Stanwyck commissioned the original residence designed by Paul Williams
. Oakie planted a citrus orchard and bred Afghan Hound
s, at one time having up to 100 dogs on the property.
Victoria Oakie continued to live there after her husband's death and bequeathed the estate to the University of Southern California
, who sold it to developers. After two failed attempts to develop the property, Oakridge was acquired by the City of Los Angeles in 2010. Oakridge is considered to be one of the last remnants of the large Northridge equestrian estates, famed for former thoroughbred
breeding. The city plans to use the property as a park and community event center. The Paul Williams house and the grounds are Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #484.
. At the inaugural presentation, Oakie was described as "a master of comic timing and a beloved figure in the industry."
Jack Oakie's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
is at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard
, and his hand and footprints can be found at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
A small display celebrating the comedy and fame of Jack Oakie is at Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
in Woodland Hills, California. There is a plaque in the ground in front of the home where he was born in Sedalia, Missouri
.
Jack Oakie is mentioned in the Coen Brothers
film Barton Fink
, which is set in Hollywood during the 1940s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Early life
Oakie was born as Lewis Delaney Offield in SedaliaSedalia, Missouri
Sedalia is a city located about south of the Missouri River in Pettis County, Missouri. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65 intersect in the city. As of 2006, the city had a total population of 20,669. It is the county seat of Pettis County. The Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
, the source of his "Oakie" nickname. His adopted first name, Jack, was the name of the first character he played on stage.
Early career
Oakie worked as a runner on Wall StreetWall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and narrowly escaped being killed in the Wall Street bombing
Wall Street bombing
The Wall Street bombing occurred at 12:01 p.m. on Thursday, September 16, 1920, in the Financial District of New York City. The blast killed 38 and seriously injured 143...
of 16 September 1920. While in New York, he also started appearing in amateur theatre as a mimic and a 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...
, finally making his professional debut on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1923 as a chorus boy in a production of Little Nellie Kelly
Little Nellie Kelly
Little Nellie Kelly is a 1940 musical comedy film based on the stage musical by George M. Cohan which was a hit on Broadway in 1922 and 1923. The film was written by Jack McGowan and directed by Norman Taurog...
by George M. Cohan
George M. Cohan
George Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....
.
Oakie worked in various musicals and comedies on Broadway from 1923 to 1927, when he moved to Hollywood to work in movies at the end of the 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...
era. Oakie appeared in five silent films during 1927 and 1928. As the age of the "talkies" began, he signed with Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, making his first talking film, The Dummy, in 1929.
Film career
When his contract with Paramount ended in 1934, Oakie decided to freelance. He was remarkably successful, appearing in 87 films, most made in the 1930s and 1940s. In the film Too Much Harmony (1933), the part of Oakie's on-screen mother was played by his real mother Mary Evelyn Offield. During the 1930s he was known as "The World's Oldest Freshman", as a result of appearing in numerous films with a collegiateCollege
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
theme. He was also known for refusing to wear screen make-up of any kind, and the frequent use of double-take in his comedy. Oakie was quoted as saying of his studio career:
Oakie is probably most notable for his portrayal of Benzino Napaloni, the boisterous dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of Bacteria, in Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
's The Great Dictator
The Great Dictator
The Great Dictator is a comedy film by Charlie Chaplin released in October 1940. Like most Chaplin films, he wrote, produced, and directed, in addition to starring as the lead. Having been the only Hollywood film maker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound films, this was...
(1940), for which he received an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
nomination for the Best Supporting Actor Award
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
. This role was a broad parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the fascist dictator of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
.
Television and radio
Not being limited by a film studio contract, Oakie branched into radio and had his own radio show between 1936 and 1938.Late in his career he appeared in various episodes of a number of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
shows, including The Real McCoys
The Real McCoys
The Real McCoys is an American situation comedy co-produced by Danny Thomas' "Marterto Productions", in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's "Westgate" company...
(1957), Breaking Point (Episode #22 A Child of the Center Ring,1964), Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (TV series)
Daniel Boone is an American action/adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel Boone that aired from September 24, 1964 to September 10, 1970 on NBC for 165 episodes, and was made by 20th Century Fox Television. Ed Ames co-starred as Mingo, Boone's Native American friend, for the...
(1966), and Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
(1966).
Personal life
Oakie was married twice. His first marriage to Venita Varden in 1936 ended in 1938 when Venita got an interlocutory decree of divorce. They reconciled, but ultimately got finally divorced in 1944. (She died in 1948 in the crash of United Airlines Flight 624United Airlines Flight 624
United Airlines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6 airliner, registration NC37506, was a scheduled passenger flight that originated in San Diego, California with stops in Los Angeles and Chicago en route to LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The four-engine propeller-driven airplane crashed at 1:41 p.m...
at Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
Mount Carmel is the name of a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6390 at the 2000 census. It is located 88 miles northwest of Philadelphia and 71 miles northeast of Harrisburg, in the Anthracite Coal Region...
).
Oakie's second marriage was to actress Victoria Horne
Victoria Horne
Victoria Horne was an American character-actress, appearing in 49 films during the 1940s and 1950s.-Career:...
in 1950, with whom he lived at "Oakridge" until his death in 1978.
Jack Oakie died on 23 January 1978 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at the age of 74 from an aortic aneurysm
Aortic aneurysm
An aortic aneurysm is a general term for any swelling of the aorta to greater than 1.5 times normal, usually representing an underlying weakness in the wall of the aorta at that location...
. His remains were interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
(top of the hill, Whispering Pines section), in Los Angeles County.
Oakridge estate
Jack and Victoria Oakie lived their entire married life at "Oakridge", their 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) estate at 18650 Devonshire Street (just west of Reseda Boulevard) in NorthridgeNorthridge, Los Angeles, California
Northridge is a community located in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States.The 1994 Northridge earthquake is named for the place based on early estimates of the location of the quake's epicenter; however, further refinements showed it to be technically...
, a suburb Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. They acquired the former "Marwyck" estate of actress Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck
Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress. She was a film and television star, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors including Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
in 1950. Stanwyck commissioned the original residence designed by Paul Williams
Paul Williams (architect)
Paul Revere Williams, FAIA was a Los Angeles-based, American architect. He practiced largely in Southern California and designed the homes of numerous stars including Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz, Lon Chaney, and Charles Correll...
. Oakie planted a citrus orchard and bred Afghan Hound
Afghan Hound
The Afghan Hound is one of the oldest sighthound dog breeds. Distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl at the end, the breed acquired its unique features in the cold mountains of Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt hares and gazelles by coursing them....
s, at one time having up to 100 dogs on the property.
Victoria Oakie continued to live there after her husband's death and bequeathed the estate to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, who sold it to developers. After two failed attempts to develop the property, Oakridge was acquired by the City of Los Angeles in 2010. Oakridge is considered to be one of the last remnants of the large Northridge equestrian estates, famed for former thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
breeding. The city plans to use the property as a park and community event center. The Paul Williams house and the grounds are Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #484.
Legacy
In 1981, the "Jack Oakie Lecture on Comedy in Film" was established as an annual event of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
. At the inaugural presentation, Oakie was described as "a master of comic timing and a beloved figure in the industry."
Jack Oakie's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
is at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
, and his hand and footprints can be found at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.
A small display celebrating the comedy and fame of Jack Oakie is at Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
The Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital is a retirement community, with individual cottages, and a fully licensed, acute-care hospital, located at 23388 Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills, California...
in Woodland Hills, California. There is a plaque in the ground in front of the home where he was born in Sedalia, Missouri
Sedalia, Missouri
Sedalia is a city located about south of the Missouri River in Pettis County, Missouri. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65 intersect in the city. As of 2006, the city had a total population of 20,669. It is the county seat of Pettis County. The Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of...
.
Jack Oakie is mentioned in the Coen Brothers
Coen Brothers
Joel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
film Barton Fink
Barton Fink
Barton Fink is a 1991 American film, written, directed, and produced by the Coen brothers. Set in 1941, it stars John Turturro in the title role as a young New York City playwright who is hired to write scripts for a movie studio in Hollywood, and John Goodman as Charlie, the insurance salesman who...
, which is set in Hollywood during the 1940s.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | His Children's Children | ||
| 1928 | Road House | Sam | |
| Someone to Love | Michael Casey | ||
| The Fleet's In | Searchlight Doyle | ||
| 1929 | Fast Company Fast Company (1929 film) Fast Company is a 1929 American comedy film directed by A. Edward Sutherland and starring Evelyn Brent.-Preservation status:According to the Internet Movie Database entry, the UCLA Film and Television Archive has reels 1, 2, and 3 of this film, with reel 4 having disintegrated in 1990.- Cast :*... |
Elmer Kane | |
| Sweetie | Tap-Tap Thompson | ||
| Hard to Get | Marty Martin | ||
| Street Girl Street Girl Street Girl is a musical comedy/drama film directed by Wesley Ruggles and released by RKO Radio Pictures, it's the first official production of RKO but was released soon after Syncopation the second production of RKO.-Plot summary:... |
Joe Spring | (USA title: Barber John's Boy) | |
| The Man I Love | Lew Layton | ||
| Close Harmony Close Harmony (1929 film) Close Harmony is a black and white American comedy-drama musical film released by Paramount Pictures.-Plot:A musically talented young woman named Marjorie who is part of a stage show, meets a warehouse clerk named Al West who has put together an unusual jazz band... |
Ben Barney | ||
| The Wild Party The Wild Party (1929 film) The Wild Party is a Pre-Code film directed by Dorothy Arzner, released by Paramount Pictures, and known as Clara Bow's first talkie.-Plot:... |
Al | ||
| The Dummy The Dummy "The Dummy" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:The episode opens with ventriloquist Jerry Etherson and his dummy Willie in the middle of one of his acts, somewhere in New York City. After the act, he goes back to his dressing room and begins to... |
Dopey Hart | ||
| Sin Town | "Chicken" O'Toole | ||
| 1930 | Sea Legs | Searchlight Doyle | |
| Let's Go Native Let's Go Native Let's Go Native, is a 1930 American black-and-white musical comedy film, directed by Leo McCarey and released by Paramount Pictures.A very memorable, witty quote is when Jerry comments on being the only man on an island populated by women... |
Voltaire McGinnis | ||
| The Sap From Syracuse | Littleton Looney | (aka The Sap from Abroad from Abroad) | |
| Paramount on Parade Paramount on Parade Paramount on Parade is a all-star revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Victor Heerman, Lothar Mendes, Otto Brower, Edwin H... |
Himself | (as one of the MC Master of Ceremonies A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving.... 's of the film) |
|
| The Social Lion | Marco Perkins | ||
| Hit the Deck Hit the Deck (1930 film) Hit the Deck is a 1930 musical film directed by Luther Reed, starred Jack Oakie, and featured Technicolor sequences. It was based on the musical Hit the Deck. It was one of the most expensive productions of RKO Radio Pictures up to that time, and one of the most expensive productions of 1930. This... |
Bilge | ||
| 1931 | Touchdown | Babe Barton | (UK title: Playing the Game) |
| Dude Ranch | Jennifer | ||
| June Moon June Moon June Moon is a play by George S. Kaufman and Ring Lardner. Based on the Lardner short story "Some Like Them Cold," about a love affair that loses steam before it ever gets started, it includes songs with words and music by Lardner but is not considered a musical per se.At its center is Fred... |
Frederick Martin Stevens | ||
| The Gang Buster | "Cyclone" Case | ||
| 1932 | If I Had a Million If I Had A Million If I Had a Million is a Paramount Studios anthology film. There were seven directors: Ernst Lubitsch, Norman Taurog, Stephen Roberts, Norman Z. McLeod, James Cruze, William A. Seiter, and H. Bruce Humberstone... |
Pvt. Mulligan | |
| Uptown New York Uptown New York Uptown New York is a 1932 American film directed by Victor Schertzinger and starring Jack Oakie, Shirley Grey, and Leon Ames. It is based on the story by Vina Delmar.- Plot summary :... |
Eddie Doyle | ||
| Madison Sq. Garden | Eddie Burke | ||
| Once in a Lifetime | George Lewis | ||
| Million Dollar Legs | Migg Tweeny | ||
| Sky Bride | Alec Dugan | ||
| Dancers in the Dark Dancers in the Dark Dancers in the Dark is a 1932 film about a taxi dancer , a big band leader , and a gangster . The movie was written by Herman J... |
Duke Taylor | ||
| 1933 | Alice in Wonderland Alice in Wonderland (1933 film) Alice in Wonderland is a 1933 film version of the famous Alice novels of Lewis Carroll. The film was produced by Paramount Pictures, featuring an all-star cast. It is all live-action, except for the Walrus and The Carpenter sequence, which was animated by Leon Schlesinger Productions.Stars featured... |
Tweedledum | |
| Sitting Pretty Sitting Pretty (1933 film) This article is about the 1933 motion picture. For other articles about other uses of the phrase "Sitty Pretty", see the disambiguation page Sitting Pretty .... |
Chick Parker | ||
| Too Much Harmony Too Much Harmony Too Much Harmony , aka Musik skal der til in Denmark, is a black and white American musical film directed by A. Edward Sutherland and released by Paramount Pictures... |
Benny Day | ||
| College Humor College Humor (1933 film) College Humor is a 1933 musical comedy film starring Bing Crosby, Jack Oakie, Richard Arlen, Mary Carlisle, George Burns, and Gracie Allen, and directed by Wesley Ruggles.-Cast:*Bing Crosby as Prof... |
Barney Shirrel | ||
| The Eagle and the Hawk The Eagle and the Hawk (1933 film) The Eagle and the Hawk is a war film starring Fredric March and Cary Grant as World War I Royal Air Force fighter pilots. The supporting cast includes Jack Oakie and Carole Lombard. March gave an outstanding performance as a pilot who cracks under the strain of war. Aerial scenes are brief but... |
Mike Richards | ||
| Sailor Be Good | Kelsey Jones | ||
| From Hell to Heaven | Charlie Bayne | ||
| 1934 | College Rhythm | Francis J. Finnegan | |
| Shoot the Works | Nicky Nelson | (UK title: Thank Your Stars) | |
| Murder at the Vanities Murder at the Vanities Murder at the Vanities is a musical film based on the 1933 Broadway musical with music by Victor Young, made in the pre-Code era, and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen, stars Carl Brisson, Jack Oakie, Kitty Carlisle, Gertrude Michael, Toby Wing, and Jessie Ralph... |
Jack Ellery | ||
| Looking for Trouble Looking for Trouble Looking for Trouble is a 1934 American crime film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Spencer Tracy, Jack Oakie and Constance Cummings. After he is rejected by a woman, a man leaves his safe job and joins a gang that robs banks.-Cast:... |
Casey | ||
| 1935 | King of Burlesque King of Burlesque King of Burlesque is a 1936 musical film about a former burlesque producer played by Warner Baxter who moves into a legitimate theatre does very well, until he marries a socialite... |
Joe Cooney | |
| The Big Broadcast of 1936 The Big Broadcast of 1936 The Big Broadcast of 1936 is a Paramount Pictures production, directed by Norman Taurog, and is the second in the series of Big Broadcast movies... |
Spud Miller | ||
| The Call of the Wild The Call of the Wild (1935 film) The Call of the Wild is a 1935 American adventure film adaptation of Jack London's novel of the same name. A prospector heading for the Alaska gold rush rescues a sled dog from its cruel master. Stars Clark Gable and Loretta Young had an affair during the film's production, resulting in Young's... |
Shorty Hoolihan | ||
| 1936 | That Girl from Paris That Girl from Paris That Girl from Paris is a 1936 musical comedy film directed by Leigh Jason. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Sound Recording .-Cast:* Lily Pons as Nicole 'Nikki' Martin* Jack Oakie as Whammo Lonsdale... |
Whammo Lonsdale | |
| The Texas Rangers The Texas Rangers (1936 film) The Texas Rangers is a 1936 action and Western film directed by King Vidor that starred Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie. It was nominated for Best Sound at the 1936 Oscars.... |
Henry B. "Wahoo" Jones | ||
| Florida Special | Bangs Carter | ||
| Colleen Colleen (1936 film) Colleen is a 1936 Warner Bros. musical film directed by Alfred E. Green. It stars Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, and Joan Blondell.-Plot:Colleen is the manager of a dress shop named "The Ames Company", owned by Donald Ames. They try to keep Uncle Cedric from working, because he'll ruin the company.... |
Joe Cork | ||
| Collegiate (UK title: Charm School) | Jerry Craig | ||
| 1937 | Hitting a New High Hitting a New High Hitting a New High is a 1937 comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh. It stars Lily Pons and Jack Oakie. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1938 in the category Best Sound .- Cast :* Lily Pons as Suzette, aka Oogahunga, the Bird-Girl... |
Corny Davis | |
| Fight for Your Lady | Ham Hamilton | ||
| The Toast of New York The Toast of New York The Toast of New York is a 1937 American biopic starring Edward Arnold, Cary Grant, Frances Farmer, and Jack Oakie. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of financiers James Fisk and Edward S. Stokes... |
Luke | ||
| Super-Sleuth | Willard "Bill" Martin | ||
| Champagne Waltz | Happy Gallagher | ||
| 1938 | Thanks for Everything | Brady | |
| Annabel Takes a Tour Annabel Takes a Tour Annabel Takes a Tour is a 1938 comedy directed by Lew Landers, starring Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie. Annabel is on a promotional tour and as a publicity stunt, leaks a story that she is having a romantic fling with a famous romance novelist.... |
Lanny Morgan | (aka Annabel Takes a Trip Takes a Trip) | |
| The Affairs of Annabel The Affairs of Annabel The Affairs of Annabel is a 1938 comedy starring Lucille Ball and Jack Oakie. Oakie plays Lannie Morgan, Wonder Pictures publicity man working with film star Annabel Allison , her first starring comedy role.-Plot:... |
Lanny Morgan | ||
| Radio City Revels | Harry Miller | ||
| 1940 | Little Men Little Men (1940 film) Little Men is a 1940 American film based on the 1871 novel Little Men by Louisa May Alcott. Norman Z. McLeod directed the film starring Kay Francis as Jo March, now in charge of a private school for young boys.- Cast :*Kay Francis as Jo March... |
Willie the Fox | |
| Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley (film) Tin Pan Alley is a 1940 musical film starring Alice Faye and Betty Grable as vaudeville singers/sisters and John Payne and Jack Oakie as songwriters in the years before World War I.Alfred Newman received the 1940 Academy Award for his work on the film... |
Harry Calhoun | ||
| The Great Dictator The Great Dictator The Great Dictator is a comedy film by Charlie Chaplin released in October 1940. Like most Chaplin films, he wrote, produced, and directed, in addition to starring as the lead. Having been the only Hollywood film maker to continue to make silent films well into the period of sound films, this was... |
Benzino Napaloni | Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the... |
|
| Young People Young People (film) Young People is a 1940 film directed by Allan Dwan. It stars Shirley Temple and Jack Oakie.-Cast:*Shirley Temple as Wendy Ballantine*Jack Oakie as Joe Ballentine*Charlotte Greenwood as Kit Ballentine*Arleen Whelan as Judith... |
Joe Ballantine | ||
| 1941 | Rise and Shine | Boley Bolenciecwcz | |
| Navy Blues | Cake O'Hara | ||
| The Great American Broadcast The Great American Broadcast The Great American Broadcast is a 1941 musical comedy film directed by Archie Mayo. It stars Alice Faye and John Payne.-Cast:*Alice Faye as Vicki Adams*John Payne as Rix Martin*Jack Oakie as Chuck Hadley*Cesar Romero as Bruce Chadwick... |
Chuck Hadley | ||
| 1942 | Iceland Iceland (film) Iceland is a 20th Century Fox musical film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone set in Iceland, starring skater Sonja Henie and John Payne as a U.S. Marine posted in Iceland during World War II... |
Slip Riggs | (UK title: Katina) |
| Song of the Islands Song of the Islands Song of the Islands is a 1942 musical comedy film starring Betty Grable and Victor Mature. It was directed by Walter Lang and released through 20th Century Fox.-Plot:... |
Rusty Smith | ||
| 1943 | Wintertime Wintertime Wintertime is a 1943 Twentieth Century-Fox musical film starring Sonja Henie and Cesar Romero, and featuring Woody Herman and His Orchestra.-Cast:*Sonja Henie ... Nora Ostgaard*Jack Oakie ... Skip Hutton*Cesar Romero ... Brad Barton... |
Skip Hutton | |
| Hello Frisco, Hello | Dan Daley | ||
| Something to Shout About Something to Shout About (film) Something to Shout About is a 1943 Columbia musical film directed by Gregory Ratoff. The movie stars Don Ameche and Janet Blair and was nominated for two Oscars.-Plot:... |
Larry Martin | ||
| 1944 | Bowery to Broadway Bowery to Broadway Bowery to Broadway is a 1944 American film starring Maria Montez, Jack Oakie, and Susanna Foster. Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan also had a small specialty act, and it was the only film they were in together where they didn't have a name or character.... |
Michael O'Rourke | |
| The Merry Monahans The Merry Monahans The Merry Monahans is a 1944, American, black-and-white film starring Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan, and Jack Oakie. The story is of a vaudeville family trying to make money through hard times. The film features the great song and dance duet with O'Connor and Ryan, "I Hate To Lose You".... |
Pete Monahan | ||
| Sweet and Low-Down Sweet and Low-Down Sweet and Low-Down is a film directed by Archie Mayo, and starring Benny Goodman and Linda Darnell. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1945.-Cast:*Benny Goodman as Himself*Linda Darnell as Trudy Wilson*Jack Oakie as Popsy... |
Popsy | ||
| It Happened Tomorrow It Happened Tomorrow It Happened Tomorrow is a 1944 fantasy film starring Dick Powell, Linda Darnell and Jack Oakie, and featuring Edgar Kennedy and Sig Ruman. It was directed by René Clair.-Plot:... |
Uncle Oscar Smith aka Gigolini | ||
| 1945 | On Stage Everybody | Michael Sullivan | |
| That's the Spirit | Steve "Slim" Gogarty | ||
| 1946 | She Wrote the Book | Jerry Marlowe | |
| 1948 | When My Baby Smiles at Me When My Baby Smiles at Me - Song :"When My Baby Smiles at Me", music by Bill Munro with words by Andrew B. Sterling and Ted Lewis, was published by Von Tilzer Publishing in 1920. It was the first big hit for clarinettist, vocalist and comedian Ted Lewis . Ted Lewis's jazz band recording in 1920, became his signature tune,... |
Bozo | |
| Northwest Stampede | Mike Kirby (Clem) | ||
| 1949 | Thieves' Highway Thieves' Highway Thieves' Highway is a 1949 film noir directed by Jules Dassin. The screenplay was written by A. I. Bezzerides, based on his novel Thieves' Market.-Plot:... |
Slob | |
| 1950 | Last of the Buccaneers | Sgt. Dominick | |
| 1951 | Tomahawk Tomahawk (film) Tomahawk is a 1951 western film directed by George Sherman and starring Van Heflin and Yvonne De Carlo. The film is loosely based on events that took place in Montana in 1876 at The Battle of Powder River. The film was released as The Battle of Powder River in the UK.-Plot synopsis:In 1866 gold is... |
Sol Beckworth | (UK title: Battle of Powder River) |
| 1956 | Around the World in Eighty Days Around the World in Eighty Days (1956 film) Around the World in 80 Days is a 1956 adventure film produced by the Michael Todd Company and released by United Artists. It was directed by Michael Anderson. It was produced by Michael Todd, with Kevin McClory and William Cameron Menzies as associate producers. The screenplay was written by James... |
Captain of the Henrietta | |
| 1959 | The Wonderful Country The Wonderful Country The Wonderful Country is a 1952 Western novel written by Tom Lea. The book is set in Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico, and Texas and New Mexico in the United States... |
Travis Hyte | |
| 1960 | The Rat Race The Rat Race The Rat Race is a 1960 American drama film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds as struggling young entertainment professionals in New York City. Filming took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.- Plot :... |
Mac, Owner of Macs Bar | |
| 1961 | Lover Come Back Lover Come Back Lover Come Back is a 1961 Eastmancolor romantic comedy released by Universal Pictures. The film stars Doris Day and Rock Hudson in their second film together. The supporting cast includes Tony Randall, Edie Adams, Ann B. Davis, and Donna Douglas.... |
J. Paxton Miller |
External links
- Jack Oakie Lecture on Comedy in Film (official website)
- Biography of Jack Oakie
- NY Times Biography of Jack Oakie
- Overhead shot of Jack Oakie's estate (circa 2006-07, prior to redevelopment)
- Photographs of Jack Oakie
