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James Parrott

James Parrott

From Wikipedia James Parrott (August 2, 1897 – May 10, 1939) was an American actor and film director; and the younger brother of film comedian Charley Chase. James Gibbons Parrott was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles and Blanche Thompson Parrott. In 1903, his father died from a heart attack, leaving the family in bad financial shape, which forced them to move in with a relative. Charley Jr. quit school, so he could go to work, in order to support his mother and brother. Eventually the call of the stage beckoned him, and Charley Jr. left home at age 16 to travel the vaudeville circuit as a singer and comedic performer. By the time James had reached his teens, he too, had quit school, and became involved with the street gangs of Baltimore. Later, Charley's connections in the film industry helped get his younger brother established in movies, and he would appear during the 1920s in a series of relatively successful comedies for producer Hal Roach. He was billed first as "Paul Parrott," then "Jimmie Parrott." Approximately 75 comedies were produced from 1921 to 1923, with titles continuing to be released through Pathé until 1926. Frequent co-stars included Marie Mosquini, Jobyna Ralston, Eddie Baker, and Sunshine Sammy. Parrott is probably best known as a comedy director. As "James Parrott," he specialized in the two-reel misadventures of Laurel and Hardy, including the Oscar-winning classic The Music Box, and Helpmates. During the 1930s Parrott had acquired serious drinking and drug problems (his diet medications were really addictive amphetamines) and although still able to direct quality shorts, he had developed a reputation as unreliable. By the mid-1930s his work was spotty: Stan Laurel used him sporadically to contribute gags to the Laurel and Hardy features, and he would direct an Our Gang short in 1934, plus several acceptable entries in Thelma Todd-Patsy Kelly series. By 1937, Parrott was accepting any jobs that came his way. He could no longer be counted on to direct or write, and relied on his brother to support him financially. There was a brief marriage to Ruby Ellen McCoy in 1937, but as his various addictions worsened, so did his state of mind. Parrott died at the age of 41 of heart failure. His brother Charley was devastated, and died 13 months later.

Personal information

Birthday

1897-08-01

Birth Place

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Movies and TV shows :

A Deep Sea Panic

A Deep Sea Panic

1924

0.0

Movie
A Sammy in Siberia

A Sammy in Siberia

1919

5.2

Movie
An Auto Nut

An Auto Nut

1919

5.0

Movie
An Ozark Romance

An Ozark Romance

1918

0.0

Movie
Are Parents Pickles?

Are Parents Pickles?

1925

0.0

Movie
Between Meals

Between Meals

1926

0.0

Movie
Big Town Ideas

Big Town Ideas

1921

0.0

Movie
Blaze Away

Blaze Away

1922

0.0

Movie
Bone Dry

Bone Dry

1922

0.0

Movie
Bride and Gloom

Bride and Gloom

1918

0.0

Movie
Count Your Change

Count Your Change

1919

5.0

Movie
Dear Ol' Pal

Dear Ol' Pal

1923

0.0

Movie
Do You Love Your Wife?

Do You Love Your Wife?

1919

5.7

Movie
Don't Butt In

Don't Butt In

1926

0.0

Movie
Don't Park Here

Don't Park Here

1920

4.0

Movie
Don't Shove

Don't Shove

1919

5.5

Movie
Face the Camera

Face the Camera

1922

0.0

Movie
Fireman Save My Child

Fireman Save My Child

1918

5.5

Movie
Get Busy

Get Busy

1924

5.0

Movie
Harvest Hands

Harvest Hands

1922

5.0

Movie
Hey There

Hey There

1918

6.9

Movie
His First Flat Tire

His First Flat Tire

1920

0.0

Movie
Hit Him Again

Hit Him Again

1918

0.0

Movie
Hustling for Health

Hustling for Health

1919

5.1

Movie
Jailed and Bailed

Jailed and Bailed

1923

0.0

Movie
Join the Circus

Join the Circus

1923

0.0

Movie
Just Rambling Along

Just Rambling Along

1918

5.2

Movie
Look Pleasant, Please

Look Pleasant, Please

1918

5.0

Movie
No Pets

No Pets

1923

0.0

Movie
Paste and Paper

Paste and Paper

1923

0.0

Movie
Pay the Cashier

Pay the Cashier

1926

0.0

Movie
Post No Bills

Post No Bills

1923

5.0

Movie
Shine 'Em Up

Shine 'Em Up

1922

5.0

Movie
Shiver and Shake

Shiver and Shake

1922

0.0

Movie
Shoot Straight

Shoot Straight

1923

0.0

Movie
Sittin' Pretty

Sittin' Pretty

1924

5.0

Movie
Soft Pedal

Soft Pedal

1926

0.0

Movie
Take Next Car

Take Next Car

1922

0.0

Movie
Take the Air

Take the Air

1923

0.0

Movie
The Caretaker's Daughter

The Caretaker's Daughter

1925

3.5

Movie
The Golf Bug

The Golf Bug

1922

5.5

Movie
The House of Flickers

The House of Flickers

1925

0.0

Movie
The King

The King

1930

4.3

Movie
The Landlubber

The Landlubber

1922

3.0

Movie
The Sleuth

The Sleuth

1922

0.0

Movie
The Smile Wins

The Smile Wins

1923

0.0

Movie
The Uncovered Wagon

The Uncovered Wagon

1923

5.0

Movie
Tight Shoes

Tight Shoes

1923

0.0

Movie
Touch all the Bases

Touch all the Bases

1922

0.0

Movie
Watch Your Wife

Watch Your Wife

1923

0.0

Movie
Way Out West

Way Out West

1920

0.0

Movie
Young Mr. Jazz

Young Mr. Jazz

1919

5.8

Movie