About

Known credits:
159
Birthday:
1897-08-01
Place of birth:
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Website:
N/A

James Parrott

Overview

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.

Known for

Acting
1930 The King Actor Minor Role (uncredited) 58
Average
1926 Pay the Cashier Actor N/A
N/A
1926 Soft Pedal Actor Willing N/A
N/A
1926 Don't Butt In Actor The Roustabout N/A
N/A
1926 Between Meals Actor In Trouble N/A
N/A
1925 Are Parents Pickles? Actor Fire Salesman N/A
N/A
1925 The Caretaker's Daughter Actor The Caretaker (as Jimmie Parrott) 58
Average
1925 The House of Flickers Actor N/A
N/A
1924 A Deep Sea Panic Actor N/A
N/A
1924 Sittin' Pretty Actor Bearded Lunatic 58
Average
1924 Get Busy Actor Taller pal 59
Average
1923 Join the Circus Actor Trainer N/A
N/A
1923 Dear Ol' Pal Actor Lucian Dillgiggle N/A
N/A
1923 No Pets Actor N/A
N/A
1923 Take the Air Actor Iron-worker N/A
N/A
1923 Post No Bills Actor The Bill Poster 59
Average
1923 The Uncovered Wagon Actor Bill Bunion 59
Average
1923 The Smile Wins Actor N/A
N/A
1923 Shoot Straight Actor N/A
N/A
1923 Tight Shoes Actor The New Clerk N/A
N/A
1923 Jailed and Bailed Actor Paul (as Paul Parrott) N/A
N/A
1923 Paste and Paper Actor N/A
N/A
1923 Watch Your Wife Actor N/A
N/A
1922 Blaze Away Actor N/A
N/A
1922 Harvest Hands Actor The Son N/A
N/A
1922 Shine 'Em Up Actor Paul, the Hustler 58
Average
1922 The Golf Bug Actor Paul 59
Average
1922 Shiver and Shake Actor The Newlywed Husband N/A
N/A
1922 Face the Camera Actor N/A
N/A
1922 Bone Dry Actor N/A
N/A
1922 The Landlubber Actor 59
Average
1922 Touch all the Bases Actor Paul Parrott N/A
N/A
1922 Take Next Car Actor Chief Engineer N/A
N/A
1922 The Sleuth Actor Bellboy / the Sleuth N/A
N/A
1921 Big Town Ideas Actor Spick Spague N/A
N/A
1920 Don't Park Here Actor A Car Owner 59
Average
1920 His First Flat Tire Actor N/A
N/A
1920 Way Out West Actor N/A
N/A
1919 Don't Shove Actor Party Guest 58
Average
1919 Count Your Change Actor 58
Average
1919 Young Mr. Jazz Actor (uncredited) 58
Average
1919 A Sammy in Siberia Actor (uncredited) 58
Average
1919 Hustling for Health Actor Man missing his train 58
Average
1919 Do You Love Your Wife? Actor 58
Average
1919 An Auto Nut Actor The Auto Nut's Lawyer (as Paul Parrott) 59
Average
1918 Just Rambling Along Actor Waiter / chef assistant 58
Average
1918 Bride and Gloom Actor N/A
N/A
1918 An Ozark Romance Actor N/A
N/A
1918 Fireman Save My Child Actor 58
Average
1918 Hey There Actor 59
Average
1918 Look Pleasant, Please Actor Drunken Swell (uncredited) 58
Average
1918 Hit Him Again Actor N/A
N/A

Directing
2002 Laurel & Hardy - Highlights Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Do Your Stuff Directing Director N/A
N/A
1935 The Misses Stooge Directing Director N/A
N/A
1935 The Tin Man Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Sing Sister Sing Directing Director 58
Average
1935 Treasure Blues Directing Director N/A
N/A
1934 Washee Ironee Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Opened by Mistake Directing Director N/A
N/A
1934 Benny, from Panama Directing Director 58
Average
1934 A Duke for a Day Directing Director N/A
N/A
1934 Mixed Nuts Directing Director 59
Average
1933 Twice Two Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Mr. Bride Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Now We'll Tell One Directing Director N/A
N/A
1932 Girl Grief Directing Director 59
Average
1932 Young Ironsides Directing Director N/A
N/A
1932 County Hospital Directing Director 60
Fair
1932 The Chimp Directing Director 59
Average
1932 The Music Box Directing Director 63
Fair
1932 Helpmates Directing Director 60
Fair
1931 What a Bozo! Directing Director 59
Average
1931 Skip the Maloo! Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 Pardon Us Directing Director 59
Average
1931 The Panic Is On Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 One of the Smiths Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 Haunted at Midnight Directing Director 59
Average
1931 Rough Seas Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 Messing Around Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 The lady from Chicago Directing Director N/A
N/A
1931 The Pip from Pittsburg Directing Director 58
Average
1930 Another Fine Mess Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Night of Goblins Directing Director 59
Average
1930 The Laurel-Hardy Murder Case Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Radiomanía Directing Director N/A
N/A
1930 Hog Wild Directing Director 60
Fair
1930 Shivering and Shaking Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Below Zero Directing Director 59
Average
1930 The Night Life Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Brats Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Blotto Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Thieves Directing Director 59
Average
1930 Night Owls Directing Director 59
Average
1929 The Hoose-Gow Directing Director 59
Average
1929 They Go Boom! Directing Director 59
Average
1929 Perfect Day Directing Director 60
Fair
1929 Stewed, Fried and Boiled Directing Director N/A
N/A
1929 Lesson No. 1 Directing Director N/A
N/A
1929 Furnace Trouble Directing Director N/A
N/A
1929 Ruby Lips Directing Director N/A
N/A
1928 Chasing Husbands Directing Director N/A
N/A
1928 Habeas Corpus Directing Director 59
Average
1928 Two Tars Directing Director 59
Average
1928 Should Married Men Go Home? Directing Director 59
Average
1928 Their Purple Moment Directing Director 59
Average
1928 Galloping Ghosts Directing Director N/A
N/A
1928 All for Nothing Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Never the Dames Shall Meet Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Now I'll Tell One Directing Director 58
Average
1927 The Lighter That Failed Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 The Sting of Stings Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 What Women Did for Me Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Us Directing Director 58
Average
1927 Assistant Wives Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Fluttering Hearts Directing Director 58
Average
1927 Bigger and Better Blondes Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Forgotten Sweeties Directing Director 58
Average
1927 A One Mama Man Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Are Brunettes Safe? Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Many Scrappy Returns Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 There Ain't No Santa Claus Directing Director 58
Average
1926 On the Front Page Directing Director 59
Average
1925 Should Sailors Marry? Directing Director 59
Average
1924 The 'Fraidy Cat Directing Director 59
Average
1924 Love's Detour Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 Just a Minute Directing Director 58
Average
1924 Hard Knocks Directing Director 58
Average
1924 Don't Forget Directing Director 58
Average
1924 Powder and Smoke Directing Director 58
Average
1921 The Pickaninny Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1938 Block-Heads Writing Writer 61
Fair
1938 Swiss Miss Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1937 Way Out West Writing Screenplay 62
Fair
1933 The Midnight Patrol Writing Writer 59
Average
1933 Twice Two Writing Writer 59
Average
1932 Their First Mistake Writing Writer 59
Average
1932 The Chimp Writing Writer 59
Average
1932 The Music Box Writing Writer 63
Fair
1932 Helpmates Writing Writer 60
Fair
1931 One Good Turn Writing Writer 59
Average
1931 Come Clean Writing Writer 59
Average
1930 Hog Wild Writing Story 60
Fair
1930 Brats Writing Writer 59
Average
1928 Should Married Men Go Home? Writing Writer 59
Average
1926 On the Front Page Writing Writer 59
Average
1926 Get 'Em Young Writing Writer 58
Average
1926 Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes Writing Writer 59
Average
1926 Along Came Auntie Writing Writer 59
Average
1926 Say It with Babies Writing Writer 58
Average
1926 Wandering Papas Writing Writer 58
Average
1925 Unfriendly Enemies Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1925 Chasing the Chaser Writing Writer 58
Average
1925 Laughing Ladies Writing Scenario Writer N/A
N/A
1924 Just a Minute Writing Writer 58
Average
1924 Hard Knocks Writing Writer 58
Average
1924 Powder and Smoke Writing Writer 58
Average
1924 Don't Forget Writing Writer 58
Average

Art
2007 Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten Art Set Decoration 60
Fair