Eugene Pallette

Eugene William Pallette is the actor of American origin who has worked in around 240 silent movies as well as in the pictures of the sound era. Born in Winfield to William Baird Pallette (father) and Elnora Jackson (mother), Eugene started his acting career at a very early age. After attending the Culver Military Academy in Indiana, he started doing small roles on stage. He had a sister named Beulah Phelps. He had a comic personality as he had a large stomach and a deep voice. In the year 1911, he began his acting career in the silent films as an extra.

He made a small appearance in the Flying A Studios' western drama directed by Wallace Reid named The Fugitive. He appeared in feature films like ‘Intolerance’ in the year 1916 and The Birth of a Nation in the year 1915. Both were directed by D.W. Griffith. These were hit films he did. Till now, he had a slim figure and did an immature acting. One of his smashing super hits released in the year 1921, named Douglas Fairbanks which was a version of The Three Musketeers Click to look into! >> Read More... . It was a silent film but was a super hit. Soon after this movie, he gained a lot of weight. He weighed more than 300 pounds (136 Kg) but still he continued being one of the most recognizable actors of that time.

He began coming in comic roles in Laurel and Hardy movies. He did a great job in the silent movies. Then came the era of sound pictures and it gave another major boost to his career. He had a typical gravel voice which was absolutely rare and inimitable. The period between 1930s to 1940s proved to be the best time for him. He mostly did comic roles in movies like The Lady Eve (American screwball comedy movie directed by Preston Surges), Mr. Smith goes to Washington (political- comedy drama), The Kennel Murder Case, etc. His comic timing was perfect. He was the one who could make people laugh just by walking downstairs. His frog voice is simultaneously tough as well as comic. He was the one to use his fatness as an advantage. He made it a sign of moderation in movies.

He first married Phylis Gordon in 1912 but soon got divorced. He then married Marjorie Cagnacci and lived happily with her. In later years, he was featured as the father of many actresses in movies. He mostly did Wallace Reid’s films as he was a close friend of him. He was also the Pallbearer at Reid’s funeral. He did his final movie in the year 1946 named ‘Suspense’. After the World War 2, he also bought a property near Imnaha in Oregon. He converted it into a stock compound but then sold it. At the age of 65, he died due to throat cancer. He was a favorite of all and even after death everyone loves him.