Heinie Conklin

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Heinie Conklin
Conklin in 1921
Born
Charles John Conklin

(1880-07-16)July 16, 1880
San Francisco, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 30, 1959(1959-07-30) (aged 79)
Resting placeChapel of the Pines Crematory
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active1915–1959
SpouseIrene Blake
Children3

Heinie Conklin (born Charles John Conklin; July 16, 1880 – July 30, 1959) was an American actor and comedian whose career began in the silent film era.

Early years[edit]

Conklin was born Charles John Conklin on July 16, 1880, in San Francisco, California. He attended San Francisco's public schools.[1]

Career[edit]

In vaudeville, Conklin headlined shows on the Keith and Orpheum circuits.[2] He was billed as Charles Conklin until 1927. He began working in films in 1915 after 17 years on stage and in vaudeville.[1]

Still with Ben Turpin and Conklin as shoe salesmen in Cupid's Day Off (1919)

One of the original Keystone Cops,[3] Conklin wore makeup of heavy eyebrow lining and a thin, upside-down, painted-on variation of Kaiser Wilhelm's mustache.

Conklin on left in No Mother to Guide Him

In areas where anti-German sentiments still ran high during the post-World War I era, Conklin was billed as Charlie Lynn. One of Conklin's first talking pictures was All Quiet on the Western Front as a hospital patient. For the rest of his career in talking pictures, he had small roles in 2-reelers which starred The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde, Hugh Herbert and Harry Langdon. Conklin's last billed movie was Abbott and Costello meet the Keystone Kops.

Conklin's period at Keystone was contemporary with that of Chester Conklin, a more popular Keystone comedian who occasionally played lead roles in Keystone short films. The two Conklins were not related.[3]

Personal life and death[edit]

Conklin married Irene Blake. They had one daughter and two sons. He died in Hollywood, California, on July 30, 1959.[1]

Partial filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Katchmer, George A. (May 20, 2015). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses. McFarland. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-4766-0905-8. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Heinie Conklin". Scandia Journal. Kansas, Scandia. May 20, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved July 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Heffernan, Harold (December 1, 1949). "Heinie Conklin Serves Slapstick In Bit Parts". Valley Times. California, North Hollywood. Bell Syndicate. p. 19. Retrieved July 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]