Ford Sterling (born George Stitch; November 3, 1883 – October 13, 1939) was an American comedian and actor best known for his work with Keystone Studios. One of the 'Big 4', he was the original chief of the Keystone Cops.
Sterling was born George Stitch in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on November 3, 1883, He left home at age 12 to join a repertory company.[1]
Careeredit
Sterling joined a circus, working with an aerial act, after which he performed as an acrobatic clown with another circus for five years. He then went to New York City, where he became featured in a musical show. Director Mack Sennett saw him there and offered him a job.[1]
Sterling began his career in silent films in 1911 with Biograph Studios. When Sennett left to set up Keystone Studios in 1912, Sterling followed him. There, he performed various roles, such as 'Chief Teeheezel' in the Keystone Cops series of slapstick comedies in a successful career that spanned twenty-five years.
From 1913 and throughout the 1910s, Sterling was among the most popular screen comedians in the world. Charlie Chaplin recalled that, when joining Keystone in early 1914, he was at first dismayed to discover that he was expected to imitate Sterling.[2] Chaplin and Sterling played together at least twice on film, in the one-reelersA Thief Catcher and Between Showers (both 1914).
In the 1920s, Sterling abandoned the short comedy format, instead playing supporting roles in both comedic and dramatic feature-length films, such as He Who Gets Slapped (1924) opposite Lon Chaney. After talking pictures came along, Sterling returned to appearing in short comedies.
Making a smooth transition to talking films, Ford Sterling made the last of his more than two hundred and seventy film appearances in 1936.
Sterling was also a renowned amateur photographer, who won many prizes and at one point (in 1924) even had some of his work exhibited at the Louvre.[3]
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Sterling has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6612 Hollywood Blvd.
Selected filmographyedit
With Marvel Rea and Alice Maison"Barney Oldfield's A Race for a Life" [1913] with left to right:Hank Mann; Ford Sterling; Al St John and in foreground Mabel NormandLeft:Ford Sterling as Keystone Cops Police chief [seated}; 4th from right: Al St John in "In the Clutches of the Gang (1914)Showing Charlie Chaplin and Ford Sterling with the umbrella and Chester Conklin and Emma Clifton in the background left in "Between Showers" (1914)Chester Conklin (left), Mary Thurman (center) and Ford Sterling (right) in the 1918 Mack Sennett comedy Beware of Boarders
Keystone Hotel (1935, Short) - Sterling, Chief of Police
Referencesedit
Notes
^ abc"Ford Sterling, 55, Movie Comic, Dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 14, 1939. p. 19. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
^Chaplin, Charles: My Autobiography (Bodley Head, 1964), p. 143.
^White, Wendy Warwick: Ford Sterling - The Life and Films (McFarland & Company, 2007), p. 87.
^Ellenberger, Allan R. (May 1, 2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland. p. 151. ISBN978-0-7864-0983-9. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
Bibliography
Wendy Warwick White, Ford Sterling - His Life and Films (McFarland & Company, 2007) ISBN0-7864-2587-3
ford, sterling, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Ford Sterling news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Ford Sterling born George Stitch November 3 1883 October 13 1939 was an American comedian and actor best known for his work with Keystone Studios One of the Big 4 he was the original chief of the Keystone Cops Ford SterlingSterling in 1926BornGeorge Stitch 1883 11 03 November 3 1883La Crosse Wisconsin U S DiedOctober 13 1939 1939 10 13 aged 55 Los Angeles California U S Resting placeHollywood Forever CemeteryOccupationsActorComedianYears active1904 1935SpouseTeddy Sampson m 1914 wbr Contents 1 Early years 2 Career 3 Personal life and death 4 Selected filmography 5 References 6 External linksEarly years editSterling was born George Stitch in La Crosse Wisconsin on November 3 1883 He left home at age 12 to join a repertory company 1 Career editSterling joined a circus working with an aerial act after which he performed as an acrobatic clown with another circus for five years He then went to New York City where he became featured in a musical show Director Mack Sennett saw him there and offered him a job 1 Sterling began his career in silent films in 1911 with Biograph Studios When Sennett left to set up Keystone Studios in 1912 Sterling followed him There he performed various roles such as Chief Teeheezel in the Keystone Cops series of slapstick comedies in a successful career that spanned twenty five years From 1913 and throughout the 1910s Sterling was among the most popular screen comedians in the world Charlie Chaplin recalled that when joining Keystone in early 1914 he was at first dismayed to discover that he was expected to imitate Sterling 2 Chaplin and Sterling played together at least twice on film in the one reelers A Thief Catcher and Between Showers both 1914 In the 1920s Sterling abandoned the short comedy format instead playing supporting roles in both comedic and dramatic feature length films such as He Who Gets Slapped 1924 opposite Lon Chaney After talking pictures came along Sterling returned to appearing in short comedies Making a smooth transition to talking films Ford Sterling made the last of his more than two hundred and seventy film appearances in 1936 Sterling was also a renowned amateur photographer who won many prizes and at one point in 1924 even had some of his work exhibited at the Louvre 3 Personal life and death editSterling was married to actress Teddy Sampson He was in a hospital for 18 months prior to his death and his left leg was amputated above his knee a week before his death He died on October 13 1939 of thrombosis 1 following long standing diabetes in Los Angeles California and is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery 4 For his contribution to the motion picture industry Sterling has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6612 Hollywood Blvd Selected filmography edit nbsp With Marvel Rea and Alice Maison nbsp Barney Oldfield s A Race for a Life 1913 with left to right Hank Mann Ford Sterling Al St John and in foreground Mabel Normand nbsp Left Ford Sterling as Keystone Cops Police chief seated 4th from right Al St John in In the Clutches of the Gang 1914 nbsp Showing Charlie Chaplin and Ford Sterling with the umbrella and Chester Conklin and Emma Clifton in the background left in Between Showers 1914 nbsp Chester Conklin left Mary Thurman center and Ford Sterling right in the 1918 Mack Sennett comedy Beware of Boarders nbsp Sterling and Esther Ralston 1927 nbsp Sterling and Patsy Ruth Miller in The Fall of Eve 1929 At Coney Island 1912 Short The Married Flirt At It Again 1912 short The Riot 1913 Short Two Old Tars 1913 Short Fatty at San Diego 1913 Short Fatty s Flirtation 1913 Short Murphy s I O U 1913 Short uncredited His Chum the Baron 1913 Short Baron von Sneezer That Ragtime Band 1913 Short Professor Smelts The Foreman of the Jury 1913 Short Jones Foreman of the Jury The Gangsters 1913 Short Desk Officer Barney Oldfield s Race for a Life 1913 Short The Villain The Waiters Picnic 1913 Short Louis the Chef Peeping Pete 1913 Short Neighbor s Husband A Bandit 1913 Short The Bandit For the Love of Mabel 1913 Short uncredited Safe in Jail 1913 Short The Constable Love and Courage 1913 Short uncredited Professor Bean s Removal 1913 Short Professor Bean A Game of Pool 1913 Short Schmidt Mabel s Dramatic Career 1913 Short Actor Onscreen Villain The Fatal Taxicab 1913 Short Egbert Throckmorton When Dreams Come True 1913 Short The Peddler The Speed Kings 1913 Short Papa A Ride for a Bride 1913 Wine 1913 Short The Diner Cohen Saves the Flag 1913 Short Sgt Cohen Some Nerve 1913 Short The Husband A Misplaced Foot 1914 Short In the Clutches of the Gang 1914 Short Chief Tehiezel Tango Tangles 1914 Short Band Leader A Robust Romeo 1914 Short A Thief Catcher 1914 Short Suspicious John Between Showers 1914 Short Rival Masher That Minstrel Man 1914 The Sea Nymphs 1914 Short Hogan s Romance Upset 1915 Short Fight Spectator uncredited That Little Band of Gold 1915 Short Gassy Gotrox Tattletale Court House Crooks 1915 Short The District Attorney Dirty Work in a Laundry 1915 Short The Desperate Scoundrel The Hunt 1915 Short Clarke s groom in blackface Fatty and the Broadway Stars 1915 Short Keystone Performer The Now Cure 1916 Yankee Doodle in Berlin 1919 Kaiser Bill Salome vs Shenandoah 1919 Short Ingenue Actress s Father Married Life 1920 Heckler at Theatre Love Honor and Behave 1920 Milton Robbin Haberdasher Oh Mabel Behave 1922 Squire Peachem The Strangers Banquet 1922 Al Norton The Brass Bottle 1923 Rapkin The Spoilers 1923 Slapjack Simms Hollywood 1923 Himself The Destroying Angel 1923 Max Weil The Day of Faith 1923 Montreal Sammy Wild Oranges 1924 Paul Halvard The Galloping Fish 1924 George Fitzgerald The Woman on the Jury 1924 Juror Love and Glory 1924 Emile Pompaneau He Who Gets Slapped 1924 Tricaud So Big 1924 Jacob Hoogenduck Daddy s Gone A Hunting 1925 Oscar My Lady s Lips 1925 Smike The Three Way Trail 1925 The Trouble with Wives 1925 Al Hennessey Steppin Out 1925 John Durant Stage Struck 1925 Buck Mike 1926 Tad The American Venus 1926 Hugo Niles The Road to Glory 1926 James Allen Miss Brewster s Millions 1926 Ned Brewster Good and Naughty 1926 Bunny West The Show Off 1926 Aubrey Piper Everybody s Acting 1926 Michael Poole Stranded in Paris 1926 Count Pasada The Trunk Mystery 1926 Jeff Mantrap 1926 Casey at the Bat 1927 O Dowd Drums of the Desert 1927 Perkins For the Love of Mike 1927 Herman Schultz Figures Don t Lie 1927 Howdy Jones Wife Savers 1928 Tavern Keeper Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1928 Gus Eisman Sporting Goods 1928 Mr Jordan Chicken a La King 1928 Horace Trundle Oh Kay 1928 Shorty McGee Dreary House 1928 Paul The Fall of Eve 1929 Mr Mack The Girl in the Show 1929 Ed Bondell Sally 1929 Pops Shendorff Spring Is Here 1930 Peter Braley Show Girl in Hollywood 1930 Sam Otis The Producer Bride of the Regiment 1930 Tangy Silhouette Cutter Kismet 1930 Amru Her Majesty Love 1931 Otmar Playthings of Desire 1933 Bromwell Jones Alice in Wonderland 1933 White King Behind the Green Lights 1935 Max Schultz German Janitor The Headline Woman 1935 Hugo Meyer Black Sheep 1935 Mather Keystone Hotel 1935 Short Sterling Chief of PoliceReferences editNotes a b c Ford Sterling 55 Movie Comic Dies The New York Times Associated Press October 14 1939 p 19 Retrieved July 16 2023 Chaplin Charles My Autobiography Bodley Head 1964 p 143 White Wendy Warwick Ford Sterling The Life and Films McFarland amp Company 2007 p 87 Ellenberger Allan R May 1 2001 Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries A Directory McFarland p 151 ISBN 978 0 7864 0983 9 Retrieved July 16 2023 Bibliography Wendy Warwick White Ford Sterling His Life and Films McFarland amp Company 2007 ISBN 0 7864 2587 3 Simon Louvish Keystone The Life and Clowns of Mack Sennett Faber amp Faber 2005 ISBN 0 571 21100 3 nbsp Biography portalExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ford Sterling Ford Sterling at IMDb Ford Sterling at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Literature on Ford Sterling Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ford Sterling amp oldid 1215954166, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
