Joseph Cawthorn

Joseph Cawthorn

Born: March 27, 1868
Died: January 21, 1949
in New York City, New York, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joseph Cawthorn (March 29, 1868, New York City, New York – January 21, 1949, Beverly Hills, California) was an American stage and film comic actor. Cawthorn started out in show business as a child, debuting at Robinson's Music Hall in his hometown of New York in 1872. He appeared in minstrel shows and vaudeville as a "Dutch" comic, employing a thick German dialect. He later worked in British music halls and American touring companies.

Cawthorn made his Broadway debut in 1895, 1897 or 1898, and embarked on a long career lasting over two decades. His first success was playing Boris in Victor Herbert's 1898 operetta The Fortune Teller. Other notable Broadway roles included the title character in Mother Goose (1903) and inventor Dr. Pill in the fantasy musical Little Nemo (1908). In the latter, he was called upon to ad lib to buy time during one performance. As "the scene called for him to describe imaginary animals he had hunted", he invented the "whiffenpoof" on the spot. Yale students in the audience appropriated it for the name of their glee club.

When his Broadway stardom waned, Cawthorn moved to Hollywood in 1927 and started a second prolific career, appearing in over 50 films, the last in 1942. He played Gremio in the first sound adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew in 1929, starring Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks; Schultz in Gold Diggers of 1935; and Florenz Ziegfeld's father in The Great Ziegfeld (1936).

Cawthorn died peacefully on January 21, 1949. He was survived by his wife, actress Queenie Vassar.

Movies for Joseph Cawthorn...

The Postman Didn't Ring
Title: The Postman Didn't Ring
Character: Silas Harwood
Released: July 3, 1942
Type: Movie
Stolen way back in 1880, a sack of United States mail is discovered in an old attic in 1942. The letters are finally delivered, profoundly affecting the lives of the recipients.
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So Ends Our Night
Title: So Ends Our Night
Character: Leopold Potzloch
Released: February 27, 1941
Type: Movie
An anti-Nazi on the run and a young Jewish couple race across Europe trying to escape Hitler's ever powerful influence.
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Scatterbrain
Title: Scatterbrain
Character: Nicholas Raptis
Released: July 20, 1940
Type: Movie
A Hollywood studio goofs and signs the wrong girl--a hillbilly from the Ozarks--to a movie contract. Comedy.
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Lillian Russell
Title: Lillian Russell
Character: Leopold Damrosch
Released: May 24, 1940
Type: Movie
Alice Faye plays the title role in this 1940 film biography of the early-20th-century stage star.
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Crime Over London
Title: Crime Over London
Character: Mr. Sherwood / Reilly
Released: October 21, 1936
Type: Movie
With the police on their tail, a gang of New York criminals decided to relocate to London where they plan a major robbery on a department store.
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Hot Money
Title: Hot Money
Character: Max Dourfuss
Released: July 18, 1936
Type: Movie
Salesman develops a fake stock plan in new invention before it is finished.
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One Rainy Afternoon
Title: One Rainy Afternoon
Character: Monique's Father
Released: May 13, 1936
Type: Movie
Suave French actor Philippe Martin provokes a scandal when, in a darkened theater, he mistakes young Monique for his mistress, Yvonne, and tries to kiss her. Charged with assault, the quick-thinking Philippe claims it's French tradition to do as he did, and is let go. To his surprise, Philippe learns that Monique has paid his fine. As the tabloids exploit the situation, Monique dates Philippe, until a photo appears of him kissing Yvonne.
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Brides Are Like That
Title: Brides Are Like That
Character: Fred Schultz
Released: April 18, 1936
Type: Movie
Fred, the wealthy owner of apple groves, has sent his nephew to college, but the only job that his nephew has after graduating is the job of not working. Bill is a dreamer, a talker and a golf player and he has a lot of ideas, but still lives off Fred. When Hazel gets engaged to Doc Jenkins, it takes a while, but Bill talks her into marrying him instead. The only problem is that now, he needs to find a job.
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The Great Ziegfeld
Title: The Great Ziegfeld
Character: Dr. Ziegfeld
Released: April 8, 1936
Type: Movie
Lavish biography of Flo Ziegfeld, the producer who became Broadway's biggest starmaker.
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Freshman Love
Title: Freshman Love
Character: Wilson, Sr.
Released: January 18, 1936
Type: Movie
A star rower is forced to join a good school under a pseudonym because his wealthy dad doesn't like schools that have high academic standards.
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Harmony Lane
Title: Harmony Lane
Character: Professor Henry Kleber
Released: October 22, 1935
Type: Movie
The life and loves of composer Stephen Foster, from his early success through his decline, degradation, and death from alcoholism.
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Page Miss Glory
Title: Page Miss Glory
Character: Mr. Freischutz
Released: September 7, 1935
Type: Movie
A country girl goes to the city and gets a job in a posh hotel, and winds up becoming an instant celebrity thanks to an ambitious photographer.
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Bright Lights
Title: Bright Lights
Character: Oscar Schlemmer
Released: July 27, 1935
Type: Movie
Husband-and-wife vaudeville stars separate when success goes to his head.
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Smart Girl
Title: Smart Girl
Character: Karl Krausemeyer
Released: July 16, 1935
Type: Movie
Socialite Pat Reynolds (Ida Lupino) is forced to become the "smart girl" of the title when her wealthy father commits suicide, leaving nothing but a pile of debts. Pat sets up a successful hat-designing business, providing the sole support for herself and her sister Kay (Gail Patrick). So devoted is Pat to Kay's welfare that she stands by in stoic silence as Kay begins romancing Pat's sweetie Nick Graham (Kent Taylor).
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Naughty Marietta
Title: Naughty Marietta
Character: Herr 'Schumie' Schuman
Released: March 29, 1935
Type: Movie
A French princess flees an arranged marriage and sails for New Orleans, where she is rescued from pirates by a dashing mercenary.
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Gold Diggers of 1935
Title: Gold Diggers of 1935
Character: August Schultz
Released: March 15, 1935
Type: Movie
Romance strikes when a vacationing millionairess and her daughter and son spend their vacation at a posh New England resort.
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Sweet Music
Title: Sweet Music
Character: Sidney Selzer
Released: February 23, 1935
Type: Movie
A midwest band leader and his lead singer share a love-hate relationship as they try for success in New York.
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Maybe It's Love
Title: Maybe It's Love
Character: Adolph Sr.
Released: January 12, 1935
Type: Movie
Director William C. McGann's 1935 film stars Gloria Stuart and Ross Alexander as a young couple in love who face economic woes once they're wed.
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Sweet Adeline
Title: Sweet Adeline
Character: Oscar Schmidt
Released: December 29, 1934
Type: Movie
In 1898, composer Sid Barnett manages to get his sweetheart, Adeline the beer-garden singer, to sing the lead in his new Broadway operetta; this infuriates Elysia, the erstwhile star. But Sid frets as Adeline spends increasing amounts of time with the dashing Major Day.
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Music in the Air
Title: Music in the Air
Character: Hans Uppman
Released: December 13, 1934
Type: Movie
A songwriter's young daughter (June Lang) begins to dream of stardom when she's offered the lead role in a new operetta.
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Young and Beautiful
Title: Young and Beautiful
Character: Herman Cline
Released: September 16, 1934
Type: Movie
Bob Preston, publicity man for Superba Pictures, uses his publicity skills in an attempt to make this fiancée June Dale the most famous movie star in the world. But in doing so, he forgets that women want to be attended to for themselves, not as objects of fame.
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The Human Side
Title: The Human Side
Character: Fritz Speigal
Released: September 1, 1934
Type: Movie
The story of a theatrical producer, his divorced wife and their four children.
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Housewife
Title: Housewife
Character: Krueger (as Joe Cawthorne)
Released: August 11, 1934
Type: Movie
Nan Reynolds encourages her copywriter husband Bill to open his own agency. Nearly out of business, he finally gets a client. Former girlfriend Patricia Berkeley writes a very successful commercial for the client and neats up their old romance. Wife and girlfriend struggle over Bill.
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Twenty Million Sweethearts
Title: Twenty Million Sweethearts
Character: Herbert Brokman
Released: May 26, 1934
Type: Movie
Unscrupulous agent Rush Blake makes singing waiter Buddy Clayton a big radio star while Peggy Cornell, who has lost her own radio show, helps Buddy.
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The Last Gentleman
Title: The Last Gentleman
Character: Dr. Wilson
Released: April 27, 1934
Type: Movie
In New England circa 1933, a niece is reported missing and presumed dead and Cabot Barr (George Arliss) summons his relatives to the family estate for a memorial service. Once there, Barr taunts each one, claiming their only interest in him is his money, and sends them away when the report about the niece proves to be false. Only niece Marjorie, who has ridiculed one of his pet eccentricities, seems to be the object of any sentimental affection.
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Lazy River
Title: Lazy River
Character: Mr. Julius Ambrose
Released: March 16, 1934
Type: Movie
Ex-convicts try to stop a Chinese smuggling ring.
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Broken Dreams
Title: Broken Dreams
Character: Pop
Released: October 19, 1933
Type: Movie
Medical intern Robert Morley is distraught after his wife dies in childbirth. He's resentful of his new son and wants nothing to do with him. He leaves the child with his aunt and uncle and heads off to Europe to pursue his medical studies. Morley returns to his hometown six years later, now a successful doctor and engaged to be married to a beautiful socialite. He also feels differently about the boy and attempts to gain custody from his aunt and uncle.
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Best of Enemies
Title: Best of Enemies
Character: Gus Schneider
Released: June 22, 1933
Type: Movie
Buddy Rogers and Marian Nixon playing the grown children of feuding German-Americans Frank Morgan and Joseph Cawthorn. Romance blossoms between Rogers and Nixon, while Morgan and Cawthorn continue muttering Teutonic imprecations at one another.
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Blondie Johnson
Title: Blondie Johnson
Character: Jewelry Store Manager (as Joe Cawthorn)
Released: February 25, 1933
Type: Movie
A Depression-downtrodden waif uses her brains instead of her body to rise from tyro con artist to crime boss.
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Grand Slam
Title: Grand Slam
Character: Alex Alexandrovitch
Released: February 22, 1933
Type: Movie
A Russian waiter in New York City becomes a national celebrity after he develops a "system" for winning at contract bridge.
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Whistling in the Dark
Title: Whistling in the Dark
Character: Barfuss
Released: January 21, 1933
Type: Movie
A mystery writer and his sweetheart are held hostage by a fugitive gangster, who hopes to enlist their help in devising the perfect crime.
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Men Are Such Fools
Title: Men Are Such Fools
Character: Werner (as Joseph Cawthorne)
Released: November 18, 1932
Type: Movie
An immigrant and his wife arrive in America hoping to make it big in the world of music. Shortly thereafter, though, the husband finds out his wife is having an affair with a local lowlife; when he turns up dead, the husband is jailed for his murder, even though he protests his innocence.
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They Call It Sin
Title: They Call It Sin
Character: Mr. Hollister
Released: November 5, 1932
Type: Movie
An innocent, young, small-town church organist is thrown out of her home, told she was adopted, and that her mother was an evil woman. She follows a crush to the big city and is left fending for herself.
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Love Me Tonight
Title: Love Me Tonight
Character: Dr. Armand de Fontinac
Released: August 18, 1932
Type: Movie
A Parisian tailor finds himself posing as a baron in order to collect a sizeable bill from an aristocrat, only to fall in love with an aloof young princess.
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White Zombie
Title: White Zombie
Character: Dr. Bruner
Released: July 28, 1932
Type: Movie
In Haiti, a wealthy landowner convinces a sorcerer to lure the American woman he has fallen for away from her fiance, only to have the madman decide to keep the woman for himself, as a zombie.
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Peach-o-Reno
Title: Peach-o-Reno
Character: Joe Bruno
Released: December 25, 1931
Type: Movie
After a quarrel at their 25th wedding anniversary, Joe and Aggie Bruno decide to divorce each other, and both leave for Reno. So do their daughters Prudence and Pansy, but they want to get their parents back together. Joe and Aggie, accidentally, are becoming clients at the same law-firm, Wattles and Swift, which is the biggest and most successful in town.
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The Runaround
Title: The Runaround
Character: Lou
Released: August 21, 1931
Type: Movie
Filmed in an early Technicolor process, The Runaround tells the story of Broadway dancer Evelyn who refuses to play the gold-digging games indulged in by her fellow chorines
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A Tailor-Made Man
Title: A Tailor-Made Man
Character: Huber
Released: March 28, 1931
Type: Movie
John Paul Bart is just a pants-presser in a tailor's shop, but he has big ambitions. One night, he borrows the clothes of a wealthy client and bluffs his way into a high society party. After meeting wealthy businessman Abraham Nathan, John Paul quickly rises to the top of Nathan's company. Suffering during The Depression, John Paul helps Nathan save his company with a radical program of cooperative ownership between workers and management. Meanwhile, John Paul makes an enemy of Gustav, who is engaged to Tanya - the daughter of Mr. Huber, owner of the tailor shop. John Paul maintains a friendship with Tanya, provoking jealousy in Gustav. Gustav threatens to reveal John Paul's plain origins to Nathan, and John Paul briefly resigns from Nathan's company. However, John Paul's plan is a success, and Nathan hires him back immediately. Tanya leaves Gustav and ends up with John Paul.
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Kiki
Title: Kiki
Character: Alfred Rapp
Released: March 14, 1931
Type: Movie
A young Frenchwoman is determined to get into and stay in show business, no matter what. Then she's determined to win a recently divorced man's heart... again, no matter what.
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The Princess and the Plumber
Title: The Princess and the Plumber
Character: Merkl
Released: December 21, 1930
Type: Movie
A derogated prince hopes to restore his wealth and power by marrying off his daughter to royalty. Unfortunately, she has fallen in love with a young man who has been hired to fix the plumbing in their run-down castle.
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Dixiana
Title: Dixiana
Character: Cornelius Van Horn, Carl's Father
Released: July 22, 1930
Type: Movie
A circus performer falls in love with the son of a plantation owner in antebellum New Orleans. When the young man's stepmother objects to the wedding, the couple break apart and go their separate ways for a time. Also in the mix are two circus comics who feud over the heart of another Southern belle.
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Dance Hall
Title: Dance Hall
Character: Bremmer
Released: December 13, 1929
Type: Movie
A dance trophy winning young couple is temporarily split up when a playboy aviator leads the girl to believe he's in love with her.
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Jazz Heaven
Title: Jazz Heaven
Character: Herman Kemple
Released: November 3, 1929
Type: Movie
A young songwriter struggles to make good in New York.
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The Taming of the Shrew
Title: The Taming of the Shrew
Character: Gremio
Released: October 26, 1929
Type: Movie
Adapted from Shakespeare's play: Baptista Minola, a wealthy resident of Padua, is the father of Katherine and Bianca. The younger daughter, Bianca, is charming and has many suitors. But her father will not allow Bianca to be married until her older sister, who is notoriously quarrelsome and bad-tempered, is married first. When Petruchio comes from Verona to Padua in search of a wife, he hears of this situation, and he accepts the challenge of trying to woo and marry the ill-natured Katherine.
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Street Girl
Title: Street Girl
Character: Keppel - Cafe Owner
Released: August 21, 1929
Type: Movie
A homeless and destitute violinist joins a combo to bring it success, but has problems with her love life.
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Speakeasy
Title: Speakeasy
Character: Yokel
Released: March 8, 1929
Type: Movie
Newspaper staffer Alice Woods persuades the editor to allow her to chase a story, that of prizefight contender Martin, who is about to fight for the championship. However, he does not know that his manager is preparing to double-cross him.
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Hold 'Em Yale
Title: Hold 'Em Yale
Character: Professor George Bradbury
Released: May 14, 1928
Type: Movie
A young man from Argentina goes to Yale where he plays football and falls in love with a professor's beautiful daughter.
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Silk Legs
Title: Silk Legs
Released: December 18, 1927
Type: Movie
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Very Confidential
Title: Very Confidential
Character: Donald Allen
Released: November 6, 1927
Type: Movie
A young lady impersonates a famous sportswoman while trying to win over a man.
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Two Girls Wanted
Title: Two Girls Wanted
Character: Philip Hancock
Released: September 11, 1927
Type: Movie
Marianna Miller, who together with her sister Sarah pounds the pavements, looking for a job. After a period of starvation and deprivation Marianna is hired as secretary to duplicitous businessman Philip Hancock.