Mack Swain
Known for

Acting

Credits

102

Gender

Man

Birthday

15 Feb 1876

Day of death

25 Aug 1935 (59)

Place of birth

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Also known as
Moroni Swain
Мак Свейн

Mack Swain

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mack Swain (born Moroni Swain, February 16, 1876 – August 25, 1935) was an early American film actor, who appeared in many of Mack Sennett's comedies at Keystone Studios, including the Keystone Cops series. He also appeared in major features by Charlie Chaplin. In the early 1900s Swain had his own stock theater company, which performed in the western and midwestern United States. Swain worked in vaudeville before starting in silent film at Keystone Studios under Mack Sennett. While with Keystone, he was teamed with Chester Conklin to make a series of comedy films. With Swain as "Ambrose" and Conklin as the grand mustachioed "Walrus", they performed these roles in several films including The Battle of Ambrose and Walrus and Love, Speed and Thrills, both made in 1915. Besides these comedies, the two appeared together in a variety of other films, 26 all told, and they also appeared separately and/or together in films starring Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle and most of the rest of the roster of Keystone players. Swain later took his Ambrose character with him to the L-KO Kompany. Having already worked with Charles Chaplin at Keystone, Swain began working with him again at First National in 1921, appearing in The Idle Class, Pay Day, and The Pilgrim. He is also remembered for his large supporting role as Big Jim McKay in the 1925 film The Gold Rush, for United Artists, written by and starring Chaplin. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Mack Swain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1500 Vine Street.

Known for
Acting roles
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
1998Star Power: The Creation Of United ArtistsBig Jim McKay (archive footage)
1959The Chaplin RevueVarious (archive footage)
1953Yesterday and Today(archive footage)
1943Happy Times and Jolly Moments(archive footage)
1932Lighthouse LoveCaptain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper
1932The Midnight Patrol
1931Finn and HattieLe Bottin
1931Stout Hearts and Willing Hands
1930The Sea BatDutchy
1930Soup to NutsFirst Fat Diner (uncredited)
1930Cleaning UpMack
1930RedemptionMagistrate
1929The Locked DoorHotel Proprietor
1928The Last WarningRobert Bunce
1928Tillie's Punctured RomanceTillie's Father
1928The Girl from NowhereWilbur Ashcraft
1928Caught in the FogDetective Ryan
1928Gentlemen Prefer BlondesSir Francis Beekman
1927My Best GirlJudge
1927The Beloved RogueNicholas
1927MockeryVladimir Gaidaroff
1927The Shamrock and the RoseMike Kelly
1927The Girl from EverywhereWilfred Ashcraft - Director
1927A Texas SteerBragg
1927BeckyIrving Spiegelberg
1926TorrentDon Matías
1926Hands Up!Silas Woodstock
1926The Nervous WreckJerome Underwood
1926KikiPastryman (uncredited)
1926Footloose WidowsLudwig
1926Sea HorsesBimbo-Bomba
1926Whispering Wires
1925The Gold RushBig Jim McKay
1925The EagleInnkeeper (uncredited)
1923The PilgrimDeacon
1923Pitfalls of a Big CityThe Vamp's Husband
1923This Way OutThe Girl's Father
1922Pay DayForeman
1921The Idle ClassEdna's Father (uncredited)
1920Full o' Spirits
1920Innocent AmbroseAmbrose Schnitz
1919Heroic AmbroseAmbrose Schnitz
1919Oh, What a KnightThe Sheriff
1919Her First False HareUnknown
1918Adventurous AmbroseAmbrose
1917The Late LamentedBoarder (unconfirmed)
1917The Pullman BrideRover Peabody - the Chosen One
1917His Naughty ThoughtWalter Ambrose
1917ThirstAmbrose
1916A Movie StarHandsome Jack
1916His Bitter PillJim - a Big Hearted Sheriff
1916Madcap AmbroseAmbrose
1915That Little Band Of GoldAudience Member (uncredited)
1915Fatty's New RoleAmbrose Schnitz
1915Love, Speed and ThrillsAmbrose
1915Ambrose's Lofty PerchAmbrose
1915Mabel Lost and WonMabel's Rival's Husband
1915Ambrose's FuryAmbrose
1915Ambrose's Nasty TemperAmbrose
1915Willful AmbrosePa Ambrose
1915Ambrose's Sour GrapesAmbrose
1915When Ambrose Dared WalrusAmbrose
1915Caught in a ParkThe Bartender
1915Ye Olden GrafterThe Grafter
1915Ambrose's Little HatchetAmbrose
1915Hogan's Romance UpsetFight Spectator
1915Saved by WirelessThe Spy
1915The Home BreakersAmbrose
1914Tillie's Punctured RomanceTillie's Father
1914Mabel's Married LifeWellington, a Ladykiller
1914Laughing GasPatient
1914Caught in a CabaretTough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)
1914A Busy DayHusband
1914His Prehistoric PastKing Lowbrow
1914His Musical CareerMike, Charlie's Partner
1914The KnockoutGambler (uncredited)
1914Getting AcquaintedAmbrose
1914The Fatal MalletRival Suitor (uncredited)
1914Gentlemen of NerveMr. Walrus
1914His Trysting PlacesAmbrose
1914Caught in the RainHusband (uncredited)
1914Mabel at the WheelRace Spectator (uncredited)
1914A Thief CatcherCrook (uncredited)
1914Double CrossedThe Belle's Boyfriend
1914Ambrose's First FalsehoodAmbrose
1914Hello, MabelThe Married Flirt
1914Leading Lizzie AstrayCafe Patron - In from the Mines
1914Gussle, the GolferAmbrose
1914Love and Gasoline
1914Mabel’s Nerve
1914A Gambling Rube(unconfirmed)
1914Other People's Business
1914A Rowboat Romance(unconfirmed)
1914The Under-SheriffVillager
1914A Robust Romeo
1914Fatty's Wine PartyRestaurant Proprietor
1914The Sea NymphsAmbrose
1913Fatty Joins the ForceCop at Station House
1913A Muddy RomanceDesk Sergeant / Park Attendant
1913The GusherVillager / Cop
Credits
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
1920Innocent AmbroseDirector
1919Heroic AmbroseDirector