Wilbur Mack
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Mack was an American film actor and early vaudeville
performer from the 1920s through the 1960s. His film acting career began during the silent film era.
Mack was born and raised in Binghamton, New York
, and married fellow vaudeville performer and later actress Constance Purdy
, forming the husband and wife vaudeville team, "Mack and Purdy". He and Purdy divorced not far into the marriage, and he married vaudeville performer and also future actress Nella Walker. The couple saw considerable success in their vaudeville act, and in 1925 Mack entered into a film acting career. His first film appearance was Gold and Grit, alongside Buddy Roosevelt
and Ann McKay. He would appear in twenty films from 1925 to 1929, and his wife entered into her own film acting career in 1929.
Mack made a smooth transition to "talking films", and in 1930 appeared in thirteen films. He and Walker divorced not long after the start of her career, but she saw ongoing success as a supporting and minor role actress, whereas he would continually have film appearances, but with limited success. From 1931 through 1933 Mack would appear in twenty four films. From 1934 until the end of the 1930s era in 1939, Mack would appear in fifty five films. However, as successful as that sounds, forty five of those appearances were uncredited. His most notable credited roles during that period was Million Dollar Baby alongside Ray Walker and Arline Judge
, in 1934, and the 1936 crime drama The Crime Patrol, also alongside Ray Walker.
His career in the 1940s decade
was similar to his career up until that point, with him continuing to appear often in films, but mostly in uncredited roles. Mack appeared in seventy six films from 1940 to 1949, of which only seven were credited roles. He would continue to appear in both films and television
throughout the 1950s and into 1962, with his last appearance being an uncredited role in the 1962 movie Who's Got the Action?
, starring Dean Martin
, Lana Turner
, Eddie Albert
and Walter Matthau
. He was living in Hollywood when he died on March 13, 1964.
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
performer from the 1920s through the 1960s. His film acting career began during the silent film era.
Mack was born and raised in Binghamton, New York
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, and married fellow vaudeville performer and later actress Constance Purdy
Constance Purdy
Constance Purdy was an American film actress and early vaudeville performer.Purdy was born and raised in Kansas, marrying vaudeville performer Wilbur Mack in her youth, with whom she became half of a husband and wife vaudeville performing team called "Mack and Purdy"...
, forming the husband and wife vaudeville team, "Mack and Purdy". He and Purdy divorced not far into the marriage, and he married vaudeville performer and also future actress Nella Walker. The couple saw considerable success in their vaudeville act, and in 1925 Mack entered into a film acting career. His first film appearance was Gold and Grit, alongside Buddy Roosevelt
Buddy Roosevelt
Buddy Roosevelt was an American film actor and stunt performer from Hollywood's early silent film years through the 1950s.-Biography:...
and Ann McKay. He would appear in twenty films from 1925 to 1929, and his wife entered into her own film acting career in 1929.
Mack made a smooth transition to "talking films", and in 1930 appeared in thirteen films. He and Walker divorced not long after the start of her career, but she saw ongoing success as a supporting and minor role actress, whereas he would continually have film appearances, but with limited success. From 1931 through 1933 Mack would appear in twenty four films. From 1934 until the end of the 1930s era in 1939, Mack would appear in fifty five films. However, as successful as that sounds, forty five of those appearances were uncredited. His most notable credited roles during that period was Million Dollar Baby alongside Ray Walker and Arline Judge
Arline Judge
Arline Judge was an American actress who worked mostly in low-budget B movies, but gained some fame for marrying and divorcing seven times.-Career:...
, in 1934, and the 1936 crime drama The Crime Patrol, also alongside Ray Walker.
His career in the 1940s decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
was similar to his career up until that point, with him continuing to appear often in films, but mostly in uncredited roles. Mack appeared in seventy six films from 1940 to 1949, of which only seven were credited roles. He would continue to appear in both films and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
throughout the 1950s and into 1962, with his last appearance being an uncredited role in the 1962 movie Who's Got the Action?
Who's Got the Action?
Who's Got the Action? is a comedy film about a man suffering from an addiction to gambling starring Dean Martin, Lana Turner, Eddie Albert, and Walter Matthau...
, starring Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Lana Turner
Lana Turner
Lana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
, Eddie Albert
Eddie Albert
Edward Albert Heimberger , known professionally as Eddie Albert, was an American actor and activist. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1954 for his performance in Roman Holiday, and in 1973 for The Heartbreak Kid.Other well-known screen roles of his include Bing...
and Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau
Walter Matthau was an American actor best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple star Jack Lemmon, as well as his role as Coach Buttermaker in the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears...
. He was living in Hollywood when he died on March 13, 1964.