Eugene Pallette (July 8 1889 – September 3 1954) was an American actor who appeared in over 240 films.
Born in Winfield, Kansas, Pallette became a silent screen actor beginning in 1912. He quickly advanced to featured status, appearing in many westerns. He worked with D.W. Griffith on such famous films as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916). At this time, he had a slim, athletic figure, a far cry from the portly build that would g...
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Eugene Pallette (July 8 1889 – September 3 1954) was an American actor who appeared in over 240 films.
Born in Winfield, Kansas, Pallette became a silent screen actor beginning in 1912. He quickly advanced to featured status, appearing in many westerns. He worked with D.W. Griffith on such famous films as The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916). At this time, he had a slim, athletic figure, a far cry from the portly build that would gain him fame later in his career.
After gaining a substantial amount of weight, Pallette's status as a recognizable character actor rose. In 1927, Pallette signed as a regular for Hal Roach Studios, and was a reliable comic foil in several early Laurel and Hardy films before the advent of talkies. In later years, Pallette's weight may have topped out at 300 pounds.
Sound proved to be the second major career boost for Pallette. His inimitable rasping gravel voice (described as "half an octave below anyone else in the cast") made him one of...
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