William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects and television shows beginning in 1929.

Career

Early life and vaudeville career

The child of singers with the Metropolitan Opera, he was born on September 12, 1894, in a dressing room at the Hopkins Opera House in Louisville, Kentucky. As a child, he lived in San Francisco, and left school to join a troupe of singing children. His early work included a female-impersonation act and professional boxing. In the 1950s, Billy Gilbert worked frequently in television, including a memorable pantomime sketch with Buster Keaton on You Asked for It. He appeared regularly on the children's program Andy's Gang with Andy Devine, and starred as the giant in the Producers' Showcase TV episode of Jack and the Beanstalk (1956), along with Celeste Holm and Joel Grey as Jack. He retired from the screen following his appearance in the feature Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962).

Personal life

Gilbert married actress Ella McKenzie. She had appeared as an ingenue in short-subject comedies. Fellow film comedian Charley Chase was the best man. In 1941, Billy and Ella adopted an 11-year-old son, Barry, who died in a 1943 shooting accident.

Ella Baxter McKenzie was an Ulster-Scot whose grandfather John McKenzie was a prominent member of the Orange Order in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Her father was Robert Baxter McKenzie, who always wore an orange flower on the Twelfth of July, Orangeman's Day in Northern Ireland, in remembrance of the family background and cultural heritage. Ella's sister was film actress Fay McKenzie. The family moved to America and settled in Oregon when he was nine years old. In late 1943, Gilbert appeared with Ella in a USO show, entertaining the US Marines stationed in Derry, Northern Ireland. Ella and Billy visited Ballymena in 1943; an account of their visit is reported in the Larne Times of December 9, 1943.

Death

Gilbert died on September 23, 1971, in North Hollywood at the age of 77, after suffering a stroke. Leonard Maltin lauded him in his Movie Encyclopedia, "One of the screen's most beloved character actors, Billy Gilbert is remembered for two particular talents: his skill as a dialectician and his ability to stretch a simple sneeze into a hilarious routine."

Selected filmography

  • The Woman from Hell (1929) as Minor Role (uncredited)
  • Noisy Neighbors (1929) as Third Son
  • The Happy Hottentots (1930, short) as Stage Manager
  • Sea Legs (1930) as Naval Officer (uncredited)
  • First Aid (1931) as Jenkins
  • Chinatown After Dark (1931) as Dooley
  • Shiver My Timbers (1931 short) as Sea Captain
  • The Music Box (1932 short) as Professor Theodore von Schwarzenhoffen (uncredited)
  • The Chimp (1932 short) as The Landlord (uncredited)
  • Million Dollar Legs (1932) as Secretary of the Interior (uncredited)
  • Skyscraper Souls (1932) as Second Ticket Agent (uncredited)
  • Blondie of the Follies (1932) as Kinskey's Friend (uncredited)
  • Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) as Mr. Hathaway
  • County Hospital (1932 short) as The Doctor
  • The Taxi Boys - What Price Taxi (1932 short) as Cabbie
  • The Taxi Boys - Strange Innertube (1932 short) as Cabbie
  • The Taxi Boys - Hot Spot (1932 short) as Cabbie
  • The Taxi Boys - Taxi for Two (1932 short) as Cabbie
  • The Taxi Boys - Bring 'Em Back a Wife (1933 short) as Billy Gilbert
  • The Taxi Boys - Wreckety Wrecks (1933 short) as Billy
  • The Taxi Boys - Taxi Barons (1933 short) as Billy
  • The Taxi Boys - Call Her Sausage (1933 short) as Heinie Schmaltz
  • The Taxi Boys - The Rummy (1933 short) as Schmaltz
  • Made on Broadway (1933) as Commissioner Jerry Allesandro (uncredited)
  • The Girl in 419 (1933) as Sneezing Patient (uncredited)
  • So and Sew (1933 short) as Rudolpho
  • This Day and Age (1933) as Manager of Nightclub (uncredited)
  • Sons of the Desert (1933) as Mr. Rutledge (voice, uncredited)
  • Cockeyed Cavaliers (1934) as Innkeeper (uncredited)
  • Music in your Hair (1934) as husband (with Billy Bletcher and Ty Parvis)
  • Peck's Bad Boy (1934) (uncredited)
  • Happy Landing (1934) as Husband (uncredited)
  • Men in Black (1934, Three Stooges short) as Dangerous Patient (uncredited)
  • Evelyn Prentice (1935) as First Chef (uncredited)
  • Escapade (1935) as Singer (uncredited)
  • Mad Love (1935) as Autograph Seeker on Train (uncredited)
  • Pardon My Scotch (1935, Three Stooges short) as opera singer Signor Louis Bellero Cantino (uncredited)
  • Curly Top (1935) as The Cook (uncredited)
  • Here Comes the Band (1935) as Oswald Carroll (uncredited)
  • Hi, Gaucho! (1935) as Cappa Rosa - Del Campo's Foreman (uncredited)
  • A Night at the Opera (1935) as Orchestra Member asking Fiorello not to play the piano (uncredited)
  • Coronado (1935) as Waiter (uncredited)
  • I Dream Too Much (1935) as Cook at Cafe (uncredited)
  • Millions in the Air (1935) as Nikolas Popadopolis
  • Dangerous Waters (1936) as Carlos (uncredited)
  • Sutter's Gold (1936) as Gen. Ramos (uncredited)
  • Love on a Bet (1936) as New York Policeman (uncredited)
  • The First Baby (1936) as Italian in Park (uncredited)
  • One Rainy Afternoon (1936) as Courtroom Doorman (uncredited)
  • Three of a Kind (1936) as The Tailor
  • Early to Bed (1936) as Burger
  • Parole! (1936) as Salvatore Arriolo (uncredited)
  • Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) as Waiter (uncredited)
  • Kelly the Second (1936) as Fur trader (role deleted) (uncredited)
  • The Bride Walks Out (1936) as Mr. Donovan
  • The Devil-Doll (1936) as Matin's Butler (uncredited)
  • Grand Jury (1936) as Otto, Janitor (uncredited)
  • My American Wife (1936) as French Chef (uncredited)
  • Pepper (1936) as Man Eating Sandwich (uncredited)
  • Bulldog Edition (1936) as George Poppupoppalas (uncredited)
  • The Big Game (1936) as Fisher (uncredited)
  • Love on the Run (1936) as Maitre d' (uncredited)
  • Night Waitress (1936) as Torre - Cafe Owner
  • On the Avenue (1937) as Joe Papaloupas
  • We're on the Jury (1937) as Mr. Ephraim Allen
  • When You're in Love (1937) as Jose the Bartender (uncredited)
  • Sea Devils (1937) as Billy (policeman)
  • Espionage (1937) as Turk
  • China Passage (1937) as Ship's Bartender
  • Maytime (1937) as Drunk (uncredited)
  • The Man Who Found Himself (1937) as Fat Hobo
  • The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1937) as Charley - the Bartender
  • Captains Courageous (1937) as Soda Steward (uncredited)
  • The Toast of New York (1937) as Photographer
  • Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937) as George Papaloopas
  • The Firefly (1937) as Inn Keeper
  • The Life of the Party (1937) as Dr. Molnac
  • One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937) as Garage Owner
  • Music for Madame (1937) as Krause
  • Fight for Your Lady (1937) as Boris
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) as Sneezy (voice, uncredited)
  • Rosalie (1937) as Oloff
  • She's Got Everything (1937) as Chaffee - a Creditor
  • Once Over Lightly (1938 short) as Professor Dimitrius Kapouris
  • Happy Landing (1938) as Counter Man
  • Maid's Night Out (1938) as Mr. Papalapoulas
  • Joy of Living (1938) as Cafe Owner
  • Army Girl (1938) as Cantina Pete
  • Block-Heads (1938) as Mr. Gilbert
  • My Lucky Star (1938) as Nick
  • Breaking the Ice (1938) as Mr. Small
  • Mr. Doodle Kicks Off (1938) as Professor Minorous
  • Peck's Bad Boy with the Circus (1938) as Bud Boggs
  • The Girl Downstairs (1938) as Garage Proprietor
  • Forged Passport (1939) as Nick Mendoza
  • Million Dollar Legs (1939) as Dick Schultz (uncredited)
  • The Under-Pup (1939) as Tolio
  • The Star Maker (1939) as Steel Worker
  • Rio (1939) as Manuelo
  • Destry Rides Again (1939) as Loupgerou
  • His Girl Friday (1940) as Joe Pettibone
  • Sandy Is a Lady (1940) as Billy Pepino
  • Women in War (1940) as Pierre, the Cobbler
  • Safari (1940) as Mondehare
  • Queen of the Mob (1940) as Mr. Reier
  • Cross-Country Romance (1940) as Orestes
  • Scatterbrain (1940) as Hoffman
  • Lucky Partners (1940) as Charles (uncredited)
  • Sing, Dance, Plenty Hot (1940) as Hector
  • A Little Bit of Heaven (1940) as Tony
  • The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940) as Master of Ceremonies
  • The Great Dictator (1940) as Herring
  • Seven Sinners (1940) as Tony
  • Tin Pan Alley (1940) as Sheik
  • A Night at Earl Carroll's (1940) as Machinist's Mate
  • No, No, Nanette (1940) as Styles
  • The Great Awakening (1941) as Dominic
  • Reaching for the Sun (1941) as Amos
  • One Night in Lisbon (1941) as Popopopoulos
  • Angels with Broken Wings (1941) as Billy Wilson
  • New Wine (1941) as Poldi
  • Week-End in Havana (1941) as Arbolado
  • Song of the Islands (1942) as Palola's Father
  • Valley of the Sun (1942) as Judge Homer Burnaby
  • Mr. Wise Guy (1942) as Knobby
  • Sleepytime Gal (1942) as Chef Popodopolis
  • Arabian Nights (1942) as Ahmad
  • Shantytown (1943) as 'Papa' Ferrelli
  • Spotlight Scandals (1943) as Himself
  • Always a Bridesmaid (1943) as Nicholas 'Nick' Neopolitan
  • Crazy House (1943) as Sid Drake
  • Three of a Kind (1944) as Billy
  • Ever Since Venus (1944) as Tiny Lewis
  • Three Is a Family (1944) (uncredited)
  • Crazy Knights (1944) as Billy
  • Trouble Chasers (1945) as Billy
  • Anchors Aweigh (1945) as Cafe Manager
  • Fun and Fancy Free (1947) as Willie the Giant (voice)
  • The Kissing Bandit (1948) as General Felipe Toro
  • Bride of Vengeance (1949) as Beppo (uncredited)
  • Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1953) as King Jilouili
  • Paradise Alley (1962) as Julius Wilson
  • Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) as Sultan / Auctioneer (final film role)

See also

References

Further reading

  • Literature on Billy Gilbert