James Finlayson
Acting
Biography
James Henderson "Jimmy" Finlayson (August 27, 1887 – October 9, 1953) was a Scottish actor who worked in both silent and sound comedies. Bald, with a fake moustache, Finlayson had many trademark comic mannerisms and is famous for his squinting, outraged, "double take and fade away" head reaction, and characteristic expression "d'ooooooh", and as the most famous comic foil of Laurel and Hardy.
Born: August 26, 1887
Place of Birth: Larbert, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK
Known For
Don't Tell Everything
Max and his son Asher are invited to a party, where Max meets a rich widow, but Asher keeps annoying all of the guests, so Max refuses to speak to him. 10 days later he has married the widow, but hasn't told her about Asher. Asher doesn't like the situation either, and enters the home disguised as the new maid, that leeds to a growing suspicion of his step mother, who has her own little secret.
His Silent Racket
James Finlayson manages to con Charley into becoming his partner in a failing dry cleaning shop that has been targeted by gangsters running a protection racket.
Hollywood
Angela comes to Hollywood with only two things: Her dream to become a movie star, and Grandpa. She leaves an Aunt, a brother, Grandma, and her longtime boyfriend back in Centerville. Despite seeing major movie stars around every corner, and knocking on every casting office door in town, at the end of her first day she is still unemployed. To her horror, when she arrives back at their hotel, she finds that Grandpa has been cast in a movie by William DeMille and quickly becomes a star during the ensuing weeks. Her family, worried that Angela and Grandpa are getting into trouble, come to Hollywood to drag them back home. In short order Aunt, Grandma, brother, boyfriend and even the parrot become superstars, but Angela is still unemployed...
Laurel & Hardy - Highlights
Experience Stan and Ollie in their funniest scenes: whether they build a house as construction workers or try to impress two young ladies as sailors. Watch as Stan fights a superior opponent in the boxing ring and as Ollie is taking an involuntary bath and see where a steadfast friendship between two men can get you...
To Be or Not to Be
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, an acting troupe becomes embroiled in a Polish soldier's efforts to track down a German spy.
Night Owls
Policeman Edgar Kennedy is told by his chief he better stop a string of burglaries that have been happening on his watch or else he will get the sack. He persuades vagrants Stan and Ollie to rob the chief's house so he can regain his reputation by catching them. The policeman promises to later get the boys off. Things do not go as planned.
Thicker Than Water
Oliver's in trouble with his wife after missing a payment on their furniture, having given the money to Stanley, who used it instead to pay Mrs. Hardy for his room and board. At Stan's suggestion Ollie then withdraws the couple's savings from the bank to pay for the furniture and inadvertently pays virtually the whole amount at an auction for a grandfather clock which is soon crushed under a passing truck. Mrs Hardy then unintentionally causes serious injuries to Ollie requiring him to be rushed to hospital for a blood transfusion. The doctor conscripts Stan to be the unwilling blood donor. Problems occur with the transfusion and when Stan and Ollie leave the hospital they appear to have morphed into each other.
Our Wife
Oliver is making plans to marry his sweetheart Dulcy with Stan as his best man, but the plans are thwarted when Dulcy's father sees a picture of Ollie and forbids the marriage. The couple plan to elope, and run away to a Justice of the Peace. After typical Laurel and Hardy blundering, they manage to sneak the girl away from her father's house.
Way Out West
Stan and Ollie try to deliver the deed to a valuable gold mine to the daughter of a dead prospector. Unfortunately, the daughter's evil guardian is determined to have the gold mine for himself and his saloon-singer wife.
Our Relations
Two sailors get caught in a mountain of mix-ups when they meet their long-lost twins. Laurel and Hardy play themselves and their twins.
Filmography
as Man with Toothache / Christmas Tree Customer
as Sergeant Major Finlayson in 'Bonnie Scotland' (archive footage)
as Plato's Rival
as (archive footage)
as Cabby (uncredited)
as Sheriff
as Comic Chef
as Street Cleaner (uncredited)
as Constable (uncredited)
as Cook Flynn (uncredited)
as (archive footage)
as Scottish Farmer with Mustache (uncredited)
as Dutch Peasant (uncredited)
as Dr. J.H. Finlayson (uncredited)
as Baldy Vandevere (uncredited)
as Lamplighter
as Hansom Cab Driver
as Jailor
as Keystone Cop
as Man on Stairs
as Barker's 2nd Butler (uncredited)
as MacDougal
as Trick-Hat Inventor (uncredited)
as Director
as Mickey Finn
as Finn
as Captain Finn
as Joyce's Father
as Sgt. Maj. Finlayson
as Auction Manager
as Jeremy
as Golf Pro
as Mr. Amos Pipp
as Mr. Brown, the banker
as Lord Rocburg
as James
as Peter Cucumber
as Voice of lion (uncredited)
as General
as Scotty
as Ringmaster
as Kitty's Father
as A Community Player
as Schoolteacher
as Wine Brewer (uncredited)
as Father of the bride
as Criado
as Butler
as Col. Wilburforce Buckshot (uncredited)
as House Detective
as Parrott
as Field Sergeant
as Scotty
as Meadows
as Andy (as Jimmy Finalyson)
as Governor
as Pa Martin
as Soda jerk
as Pa Weaver
as Homeowner
as Store keeper
as Spooky Wall Painting
as Mr. Dugan
as Trelawney West
as Pa Slocum
as Police Commissioner
as Saxophonus
as Joe Skittle
as Judge Foozle
as Proprietor, Kwickway Washing Machine Co.
as Asylum Inmate
as Browne Van Dyke
as Oil tycoon Cyrus Brittle
as Captain Bustle
as Lawyer Goldblum
as Titus Tillsbury
as Jack Belcher
as 'Old Buzz-Fuzz,' teacher
as Mabel's Boss
as Rupert
as Simpson Sniffle
as Dean of Pinkham University
as The Hunter
as Justice of the Peace
as Vivien's Suitor
as The Waiter
as Jonathan Haig
as Struggling Author
as The Father-in-Law
as The Prohibition Sleuth (as Jimmie Finlayson)
as Professor Sniff
as The Cameraman
as Radio Actor
as The Girl's Father
as The Desk Clerk (as Jimmie Finlayson)
as Hillory, the new husband
as Gilroy (the husband)
as The Landlord
as The Floorwalker
as McGregor's Son
as Jack McQueen
as Rupert of Hee Haw
as Sir Patrick
as Major Glanders Botts
as Postal Inspector Hawke
as Sergeant
as Baron Buttontop
as James
as Smacknamara
as Defense lawyer
as General Sappovitch
as Drunk (uncredited)
as Hans Downe
as Humko, Store Detective
as The Hired Man
as James Finlayson
as Worker
as Wicked Man from the Wicked City
as The Hired Man
as Miles Sandwich
as The Foreman
as The Man Who WAS Sold
as Dental Patient
as Campground neighbor
as Lawyer
as Plato's Rival
as 1st Suitor
as J. Wellington Jones
as Artist
as Lightfingered Luke - Professor Yonson's Assistant
as Man Who Made Good
as The Sportive Banker with the Mortgage
as The Beauty Parlor Operator
as Commander's Officer (uncredited)