Discover
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.
Birth Name
James Gibbons Parrott
Born
Monday, 02 August 1897
Died
Wednesday, 10 May 1939
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
Washee Ironee | Man walking by laundry | 1934 |
Pardon Us | Marching Prisoner Next to Hardy | 1931 |
The King | The King's Advisor | 1930 |
Pay the Cashier | (as Paul Parrott) | 1926 |
Soft Pedal | Willing / Willing, i.e. the Wizard of Finance | 1926 |
Are Parents Pickles? | Fire Salesman | 1925 |
The Caretaker's Daughter | The Caretaker (as Jimmie Parrott) / The Caretaker | 1925 |
A Deep Sea Panic | A Shanghaied Sailor | 1924 |
Dear Ol' Pal | Lucian Dillgiggle / (as Paul Parrott) | 1923 |
Post No Bills | The Bill Poster | 1923 |
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
Washee Ironee | Man walking by laundry | 1934 |
Pardon Us | Marching Prisoner Next to Hardy | 1931 |
The King | The King's Advisor | 1930 |
Pay the Cashier | (as Paul Parrott) | 1926 |
Soft Pedal | Willing / Willing, i.e. the Wizard of Finance | 1926 |
Are Parents Pickles? | Fire Salesman | 1925 |
The Caretaker's Daughter | The Caretaker (as Jimmie Parrott) / The Caretaker | 1925 |
A Deep Sea Panic | A Shanghaied Sailor | 1924 |
Dear Ol' Pal | Lucian Dillgiggle / (as Paul Parrott) | 1923 |
Post No Bills | The Bill Poster | 1923 |
The Uncovered Wagon | Bill Bunion | 1923 |
Shoot Straight | (as Paul Parrott) | 1923 |
Jailed and Bailed | Paul (as Paul Parrott) / Paul | 1923 |
Paste and Paper | (as Paul Parrott) | 1923 |
Blaze Away | (as Paul Parrott) | 1922 |
Shine 'em Up! | Paul, the Hustler | 1922 |
The Golf Bug | Paul | 1922 |
Take Next Car | Chief Engineer | 1922 |
Big Town Ideas | Spick Sprague | 1921 |
Don't Park Here | A Car Owner | 1920 |
Don't Shove | Party guest | 1919 |
Heap Big Chief | 1919 | |
Chop Suey & Co. | 1919 | |
Count Your Change | 1919 | |
A Jazzed Honeymoon | 1919 | |
At the Old Stage Door | 1919 | |
Off the Trolley | 1919 | |
Swat the Crook | 1919 | |
Pistols for Breakfast | 1919 | |
Si, Senor | 1919 | |
Ring Up the Curtain | 1919 | |
Crack Your Heels | 1919 | |
Next Aisle Over | Customer leaving store / Masher stooge #2 | 1919 |
Ask Father | Willie - Rival Suitor | 1919 |
Hustling for Health | Man missing his train | 1919 |
Going! Going! Gone! | 1919 | |
Hear 'Em Rave | 1918 | |
Just Rambling Along | Waiter / chef assistant | 1918 |
Why Pick on Me? | 1918 | |
Two Scrambled | 1918 | |
That's Him | 1918 | |
Kicking the Germ Out of Germany | 1918 | |
An Ozark Romance | 1918 | |
Are Crooks Dishonest? | Man in park | 1918 |
Somewhere in Turkey | 1918 | |
Sic 'Em, Towser | 1918 | |
Fireman Save My Child | 1918 | |
Hey There | 1918 | |
Pipe the Whiskers | 1918 | |
Follow the Crowd | 1918 | |
On the Jump | 1918 | |
Let's Go | 1918 | |
Look Pleasant, Please | Drunken Swell | 1918 |
Beat It | 1918 |
Director Filmography
Title | Year |
---|
The Tin Man | 1935 |
Sing Sister Sing | 1935 |
Opened by Mistake | 1934 |
Washee Ironee | 1934 |
Benny, from Panama | 1934 |
Mixed Nuts | 1934 |
Twice Two | 1933 |
Girl Grief | 1932 |
Young Ironsides | 1932 |
County Hospital | 1932 |
The Chimp | 1932 |
The Music Box | 1932 |
Helpmates | 1932 |
The Panic Is On | 1931 |
Pardon Us | 1931 |
Rough Seas | 1931 |
The Pip from Pittsburg | 1931 |
Be Big! | 1931 |
Another Fine Mess | 1930 |
The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case | 1930 |
Hog Wild | 1930 |
Tiembla y Titubea | 1930 |
Below Zero | 1930 |
Brats | 1930 |
Blotto | 1930 |
Ladrones | 1930 |
Night Owls | 1930 |
Noche de duendes | 1930 |
The Hoose-Gow | 1929 |
They Go Boom! | 1929 |
Perfect Day | 1929 |
Habeas Corpus | 1928 |
Two Tars | 1928 |
Should Married Men Go Home? | 1928 |
Their Purple Moment | 1928 |
Now I'll Tell One | 1927 |
Fluttering Hearts | 1927 |
Forgotten Sweeties | 1927 |
There Ain't No Santa Claus | 1926 |
On the Front Page | 1926 |
Should Sailors Marry? | 1925 |
The Fraidy Cat | 1924 |
The Pickaninny | 1921 |