Born: December 16, 1891 – Died: August 13, 1984
Clyde Cook, an Australian-born silent film comic, renowned for his exceptional physical comedy, was born in Port Macquarie, Australia, to an engine driver father. Known as 'The Kangaroo Boy' for his rubber-limbed agility, Cook's journey into the limelight began at the age of six.
Early Life and Career
Cook's career started on stage, where he honed his skills as an acrobatic dancer. He performed on the Tivoli circuit in Australia and later at the Folies Bergere in Paris. By 1916, he was back in Australia, gracing musical comedies and revues. His American debut was in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway in 1919, leading to a stint as the star comic at the New York Hippodrome.
His first professional role in the film industry came through the 'Sunshine Comedy' series after being scouted by Fox. In California, Cook developed a unique screen image characterized by a large paintbrush moustache and a deadpan expression. While not as distinctive as some contemporaries, he was a popular supporting player in two-reel comedies.
Cook's first major successful role was in 1925 with the Hal Roach studio, where he delivered some of his best work. However, it was his role in "The Brute" (1927) as Oklahoma Red that significantly boosted his career. This role showcased his unique comic style and versatility.
In his personal life, Cook was married to Alice Draper until 1938 and had one child. His career spanned dramatic feature films and talking pictures, thanks to his Australian accent. Cook retired after a small role in "Donovan's Reef" (1963) and died in 1984 due to arteriosclerosis.
Cook's impact on Hollywood is remembered for his unique style of physical comedy and his transition from silent films to talkies. His ability to adapt and evolve in the changing landscape of the film industry makes him an iconic figure in the world of entertainment.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Donovan's Reef | Australian Officer (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Adventures of Superman (TV Series) | News Vendor |
| 1953 | Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Drunk in Pub (uncredited) |
| 1953 | The Maze | Cab Driver (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Loose in London | English Cabbie |
| 1953 | Rogue's March | Fisherman (uncredited) |
| 1951 | Pride of Maryland | Fred Leach |
| 1950 | When Willie Comes Marching Home | Tarjack (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Sword in the Desert | Sentry (uncredited) |
| 1948 | To the Victor | Cockney Bartender |
| 1947 | So You Want to Be in Pictures (Short) | Actor in Army Scene (uncredited) |
| 1947 | Bulldog Drummond at Bay | Hotel Clerk (uncredited) |
| 1946 | The Verdict | Barney Cole |
| 1946 | To Each His Own | Mr. Harkett |
| 1944 | The White Cliffs of Dover | Jennings (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Follow the Boys | Stooge (uncredited) |
| 1943 | The Man from Down Under | Ginger Gaffney |
| 1943 | The Mysterious Doctor | Herbert (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Forever and a Day | Cabby |
| 1942 | White Cargo | Ted - First Mate of the Congo Queen |
| 1942 | Counter-Espionage | Hot Chestnuts Huckster (uncredited) |
| 1942 | This Above All | Truck Driver (uncredited) |
| 1942 | The Gay Nineties (Short) | Gay Nineties Skit |
| 1942 | Klondike Fury | Yukon |
| 1941 | Suspicion | Photographer (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Unexpected Uncle | Johnny's Band Singer (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Ladies in Retirement | Bates |
| 1941 | Sergeant York | Cockney Soldier (uncredited) |
| 1940 | Dance, Girl, Dance | Claude - Harris' Valet (uncredited) |
| 1940 | The Sea Hawk | Walter Boggs |
| 1940 | Wolf of New York | Jenkins (uncredited) |
| 1939 | The Light That Failed | Soldier (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Pack Up Your Troubles | British Guard (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Bulldog Drummond's Bride | Traffic Control Constable (uncredited) |
| 1939 | Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police | Constable Hawkins |
| 1939 | The Little Princess | Attendant |
| 1938 | Arrest Bulldog Drummond | Constable Sacker |
| 1938 | Storm Over Bengal | Alf |
| 1938 | The Storm | Tailor (uncredited) |
| 1938 | Mysterious Mr. Moto | Sandwich Man (uncredited) |
| 1938 | Kidnapped | Cook - Blubber |
| 1938 | Bulldog Drummond's Peril | Constable Sacker |
| 1937 | Lancer Spy | Orderly (uncredited) |
| 1937 | One Hundred Men and a Girl | Oscar - Man in Restaurant (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Love Under Fire | Bert |
| 1937 | Souls at Sea | Hendry - Coachman (uncredited) |
| 1937 | Wee Willie Winkie | Pipe Major Sneath |
| 1937 | Another Dawn | Sgt. Murphy |
| 1937 | Bulldog Drummond Escapes | Alf |
| 1936 | Tugboat Princess | Steve, the engineer |
| 1936 | The White Angel | Perkins - Soldier (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Barbary Coast | Oakie |
| 1935 | The Bishop Misbehaves | Mission Patron Leading Search for Frenchy (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Calm Yourself | Joe |
| 1935 | The Informer | Flash Patron (uncredited) |
| 1934 | Shock | Hawkins |
| 1933 | Thundering Taxis (Short) | One of the Taxi Boys |
| 1933 | Oliver Twist | Chitling |
| 1933 | West of Singapore | Ricky |
| 1932 | Strange Innertube (Short) | Hercules |
| 1932 | Blondie of the Follies | Dancer |
| 1932 | What Price Taxi (Short) | Taxi Boy |
| 1932 | The Engineer's Daughter; or, Iron Minnie's Revenge (Short) | Sgt. Marmaduke Hemingway aka Willie the Weeper |
| 1931 | The Wide Open Spaces (Short) | Townsman at Wedding |
| 1931 | The Secret Witness | Larson - Building Engineer |
| 1931 | Stout Hearts and Willing Hands (Short) | Kop (as the Original Keystone Kops) |
| 1931 | Don't Divorce Him (Short) | Unknown |
| 1931 | Never the Twain Shall Meet | Porter |
| 1931 | Daybreak | Josef |
| 1931 | The Shooting of Dan the Duck (Short) | Unknown |
| 1930 | Sunny | Sam |
| 1930 | Wings of Adventure | Pete 'Skeets' Smith |
| 1930 | The Dawn Patrol | Bott |
| 1930 | The Dude Wrangler | Pinkey Fripp |
| 1930 | Women Everywhere | Sam Jones |
| 1930 | Officer O'Brien | Limo Lewis |
| 1929 | Jazz Heaven | Max Langley |
| 1929 | The Taming of the Shrew | Grumio |
| 1929 | In the Headlines | Flashlight |
| 1929 | Masquerade | Blkodgett |
| 1929 | A Dangerous Woman | Tubbs |
| 1929 | Strong Boy | Pete |
| 1929 | Captain Lash | Cocky |
| 1928 | The Spieler | Luke aka 'Perfesser' McIntosh |
| 1928 | Interference | Hearse Driver |
| 1928 | Beware of Bachelors | Joe Babbitt |
| 1928 | Celebrity | Circus |
| 1928 | Through the Breakers | John Lancaster |
| 1928 | The Docks of New York | Bill's Pal |
| 1928 | Five and Ten Cent Annie | Elmer Peck |
| 1928 | Pay as You Enter | Clyde Jones |
| 1928 | Lucky in Love (Short) | The Husband |
| 1928 | Domestic Troubles | James Bullard | Horace Bullard |
| 1927 | Beware of Married Men | Botts |
| 1927 | Good Time Charley | Bill Collins |
| 1927 | A Sailor's Sweetheart | Sandy McTavish |
| 1927 | The Bush Leaguer | Skeeter McKinnon |
| 1927 | Simple Sis | Jerry O'Grady |
| 1927 | Barbed Wire | Hans |
| 1927 | The Climbers | Pancho Mendoza |
| 1927 | The Brute | Oklahoma Red |
| 1927 | White Gold | Homer |
| 1926 | The Winning of Barbara Worth | Tex |
| 1926 | Miss Nobody | Bertie |
| 1926 | He Forgot to Remember (Short) | John Smith |
| 1926 | Scared Stiff (Short) | The Chauffeur |
| 1926 | Wife Tamers (Short) | The Butler |
| 1926 | Wandering Papas (Short) | Camp Cook |
| 1926 | What's the World Coming To (Short) | Claudia, the Blushing Groom | the baby |
| 1925 | Starvation Blues (Short) | 1st Street Musician |
| 1925 | Should Sailors Marry? (Short) | Cyril D'Armond |
| 1925 | Moonlight and Noses (Short) | A Burglar |
| 1924 | So This Is Marriage? | Mr. Brown |
| 1924 | He Who Gets Slapped | A Clown (uncredited) |
| 1924 | The Pinhead (Short) | The Gymnasium Proprietor |
| 1924 | Pony Express (Short) | Unknown |
| 1924 | The Misfit (Short) | The Henpecked Husband |
| 1924 | The Broncho Express (Short) | Unknown |
| 1924 | The Orphan (Short) | Unknown |
| 1923 | Wet and Weary (Short) | Unknown |
| 1923 | The Cyclist (Short) | Unknown |
| 1923 | The Artist (Short) | Unknown |
| 1922 | High and Dry (Short) | Unknown |
| 1922 | Lazy Bones (Short) | Unknown |
| 1922 | The Eskimo (Short) | Unknown |
| 1922 | Splitting Hairs (Short) | Unknown |
| 1921 | The Chauffeur (Short) | The Taxi Driver |
| 1921 | The Toreador (Short) | Dudule |
| 1921 | The Sailor (Short) | Unknown |
| 1921 | The Guide (Short) | The Guide |
| 1921 | The Jockey (Short) | The Jockey |
| 1921 | Skirts | Peter Rocks Jr. |
| 1921 | All Wrong (Short) | Private Wright |
| 1920 | The Huntsman (Short) | Unknown |
| 1920 | Don't Tickle (Short) | Unknown |
| 1920 | Chase Me (Short) | Unknown |
| 1920 | Kiss Me Quick (Short) | Unknown |
| 1919 | Soldiers of Fortune | (uncredited) |