Langdon first performed when he ran away from home at the age of 12-13 to join a travelling medicine show. In 1903 he scored a lasting success in vaudeville with an act called "Johnny's New Car" which he performed for twenty years. In 1923, he signed with Principal Pictures as a series star, but transferred to Keystone when Mack Sennett bought the ...
June 15, 1884, Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
Died
December 22, 1944, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
Height
5' 7" (1.7 m)
Profession
Actor, Writer, Director
Nationality
American
Spouse
Mabel Sheldon (m. 1934–1944), Helen Walton (m. 1929–1932), Rose Langdon (m. 1903–1928)
Children
Harry Philmore Langdon
Parents
Lavinia Langdon, William Langdon
Movies
The Strong Man, Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, Long Pants, His First Flame, Hallelujah, I'm a Bum, Soldier Man, Zenobia, The Flying Deuces, Misbehaving Husbands, Ella Cinders, Block-Heads, Spotlight Scandals, Swingin' on a Rainbow, A Chump at Oxford, Saps at Sea, My Weakness, Road Show, All-American Co-Ed, Bl...
Star Sign
Gemini
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Quote
1
The oddest thing about this whole funny-business is that the public really wants to laugh, but it's the hardest thing to make them do it.
2
Women have a keener sense of humor than men, are more observing and responsive. Women care more for comedy than men do, too. You have to get dirty to get men to laugh.
3
Without character, the comedian is lost. When I play in what I call the O- Ouch-O comedies, where the comedian runs about, is hit on the head, etc., I am just an animated suit of clothes.
4
A comedian should establish a character with human appeal. Then he'll be pretty indestructible. For instance, in developing my character I use little childish gestures - and children are always appealing. Such a comedian isn't a machine. I know the limits of my character - a little too aggressive, for instance, and he's gone. I've tried to inject this character into parts offered me, but if the director interfered the character would be lost.
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Fact
1
Harry Langdon wrote two songs in 1932: "Calling All Cars" and "Lulu".
2
MGM announced on May 31, 1929 that Harry Langdon had been signed for five years, to make eight two-reel comedy shorts per year. He eventually made only eight shorts at Hal Roach Studios (released through MGM) for the 1929-30 season.
Originally signed for role of "Sparks" in the Mascot serial The Whispering Shadow (1933). Replaced in the role by Karl Dane.
5
When Jean Cocteauwas asked who had the greatest influence on him, he replied, "Harry Langdon.".
6
In 1904 Langdom met and married Rose Musolft, and the pair began a vaudeville routine By 1915 they had evolved their routine into a popular skit called "Johnny's New Car." According to Langdon's nephew, also named Harry Langdon, in an April 1992 article in "Films in Review," the act was still going strong in 1922, when Principal Pictures decided to film it as "Harry's New Car." Producer Mack Sennett was so impressed with Langdon that he assigned Harry Edwards and Frank Caprra to create material for him. Despite the claim that the vaudeville act was filmed by Principal, it doesn't appear in Langdon's IMDb filmography, which lists the 1924 Sennet short "Picking Peaches" as his first film appearance. Other sources list a 1923 short entitled "The Sky Scraper" (aka "The Greenhorn") made presumably for Principal as his film debut.
7
Langdon died of a cerebral hemorrhage after working all day on a strenuous dance routine for a Columbia two-reeler.
8
An April, 1992 career article in Films in Review" on his uncle was written by Langdon's nephew also named Harry Langdon, not to be confused with Langdon's son, who also bore the name.
9
His first marriage reportedly produced one child who died at birth, around 1911. Harry never told his later wife and son about this tragedy.
10
Was an avid cartoonist; he drew the caricatures in the opening credits of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's feature Block-Heads (1938), a film which he also co-wrote.
11
Was a veteran of vaudeville before joining the film industry.
12
During 1924-1927 Langdon was considered a rival of Charles Chaplin in popularity, but his status as a star was meteoric. Through the years many silent film fans as well as historians have tried to find an explanation. Some blame it on Langdon's lack of film-industry experiences, most significantly when he fired director Frank Capra in order to take over the direction himself; others consider Langdon's "child-man" an acquired taste whom the audiences perhaps grew tired of after a while.
13
Made his debut in movies at the age of 40, joining Mack Sennett Studios in 1924 and starred in several short comedies that quickly became very popular.
$200,000
