Posts by glenster

At the time Fields was away from Hattie on tour in Britain. By 1907, however,
he and Hattie separated; she had been pressing him to stop touring and settle
into a respectable trade, while he was unwilling to give up show business.
Until his death, Fields continued to correspond with Hattie and voluntarily sent
child-support payments.

William Rexford Fields Morris

He had another son, named William Rexford Fields Morris (born August 15,
1917), with girlfriend Bessie Poole. Bessie was an established Ziegfeld Follies
performer and met Fields while performing in New York City at the famous Amster-
dam Theater. Her beauty and quick wit attracted Fields, who was the featured act
from 1916 until 1922. She was killed in a bar fight several years after their
son's birth, leaving him to be raised in foster care, where he acquired the sur-
name Morris from his foster mother. Fields sent voluntary support to young Bill
in care of his foster mother until he graduated from high school, when he sent
$300 as a gift.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Fields#Personal_life

Assuming a HS graduation of 1935 and adjusted for inflation:
$5,027.85
http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi

Contested bequeathment

He left a portion of his estate to a secular orphanage:

In a provision of his will that was contested by his wife Hattie and his son
Claude, W. C. Fields—an atheist to the end—left a portion of his estate to fund
the education of orphans in a school "where no religion of any sort is
preached".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Fields#Contested_bequeathment

14

W. C. Fields

by glenster in

includes some less often seen silents.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/w._c._fields.

sally of the sawdust 1920. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-jbifbojjq.

glenster

The Mormon's Prayer 1928
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_3SVBSd9R0

All Aboard 1928
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHqtLYbKTTQ

School Days 1928
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhDj_Vb4naw

The Dentist 1928
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A11EWc2_WJQ

Home Movie 1928
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjX16FwJezM

14

W. C. Fields

by glenster in

includes some less often seen silents.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/w._c._fields.

sally of the sawdust 1920. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-jbifbojjq.

glenster

The Barber Shop (1933)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rat_f2FBEPg

“I discovered W.C. Fields long after I was familiar with Chaplin, Keaton, and
Laurel and Hardy and immediately liked him best….Fields had the courage to play
the disreputable character and the brilliance to make riskier and more profound
jokes than others.”

“Fields was doing Python-esq things long before Python.”

“At a time when political correctness often stifles honesty and impulse to
laugh and genuine wit is in such short supply, I think nothing could be healthi-
er than the re-discovery of this most original, perceptive and unrepentant of
comedians.” -- John Cleese
http://www.wcfields.com/

14

W. C. Fields

by glenster in

includes some less often seen silents.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/w._c._fields.

sally of the sawdust 1920. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-jbifbojjq.

glenster

clarity:
Though relentlessly pursued o'er aerial housetop,
and vice versa,
I have thwarted the malevolent machinations of our scurrilous enemies.
In short: I have arrived.
(Dickens > Micawber > W. C. Fields)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/342914/David-Copperfield-Movie-Clip-I-Have-Arrived-.html
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/342664/David-Copperfield-Movie-Clip-A-Personal-Claim-Upon-Me.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8HAqwlsRhA

Fields facts

Enshrined in the Juggling Hall of Fame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytgPGr6JhLo

While stories of Fields` alcohol consumption (and the consequences thereof)
were a regular part of his act, and he was rarely seen without a drink at hand,
nobody could recall ever actually seeing him drunk, or out of control.

It was generally assumed that his prominent proboscis was the result of his
drinking, an assumption he himself fueled in his comedy. However, it is believed
to have actually been a physical characteristic inherited from his mother`s side
of the family.

Stopped drinking for over a year during his career, when a friend died of
alcohol-related causes, but eventually went back to it.

Although one of his most famous quotes is "Never work with animals or
children" he secretly admired children.

Slipped a dose of gin into Baby LeRoy's milk bottle during a movie shoot when
the set nurse left for a bathroom break; production had to stop for a day until
the child could sober up. (Fields reportedly sent money later to LeRoy's family
after the boy's screen career ended and they had financial trouble).

Usually wrote or co-wrote the screenplays to his movies; the aliases he used
("Mahatma Kane Jeeves", "Otis Criblecoblis", etc.) for the writing credits came
from the unusual names he encountered on the road in his vaudeville days.

The last movie he starred in, Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941),
included a character he had always wanted to have in one of his movies: a young
woman (his niece, played by Gloria Jean) who loved him unconditionally.

Appears on the cover of The Beatles` "Sgt Pepper`s Lonely Hearts Club Band".

He admired African-Americans and spoke out in favor of fairer treatment for
them during the days of harsher segregation in the US. He generously paid off
the $4000 mortgage on the house of his African-American cook. He once ordered
from his premises a man who used the "N-word" within earshot of his staff.

According to film historians, he performed in only one film exactly according
to script and as directed. That one was MGM`s The Personal History, Adventures,
Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger (1935) in which he
co-starred with Freddie Bartholomew, who was only ten years old. Fields admired
the Charles Dickens book and wanted desperately to play Mr. Micawber in the
movie so he agreed to forego his usual ad-libs and put aside his distaste at
working with child actors.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001211/bio

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in
being a damn fool about it.

[when "caught" reading a Bible] Just looking for loopholes.

I am free of all prejudices. I hate every one equally.

There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the
tail and face the situation.

-- W. C. Fields
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/w_c_fields.html

40

Who loves a good laugh? Comedy thread.

by FlyingHighNow in

post some comedy.

we all need to laugh.

i'll start with:.

glenster

She's so fat, when she sits round the house she sits around my house--I mean
big. But you shouldn't make fun of people for that. Some people dig their
graves with their teeth, although usually only very poor people and it's a sad
thing to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhmxPyWWS90