James Finlayson

Biography

Alongside Ben Turpin, diminutive Scots-born Jimmy Finlayson was, arguably, the most instantly recognisable of the many clowns of silent screen slapstick who made their living as comic foil to stars like Laurel & Hardy, or Harold Lloyd. The perpetually exasperated, squinting, bald-pated master of the 'double-take and fade' with the walrus (fake) moustache began his working life as an apprentice in his father's iron foundry. Not finding this much to his liking he decided on a mercantile career and enrolled at Edinburgh University. There, he befriended the actor John Clyde, who, before long, talked him out of business and into acting. So, Jimmy quit university and found a job as small part character player with the Theatre Royal in Edinburgh. Soon after, he began to work in comedy with a local repertory company and in music hall, appearing in plays written by Harry Lauder's brother - and fellow Scotsman - Alec. A year later (in 1911), Jimmy crossed the Atlantic to appear on Broadway in the West End cast of "Bunty Pulls the Strings", followed in 1912 by "The Great Game". Buoyed by success, he decided to stay in America and embarked on a nationwide tour in vaudeville, again accompanied by Alec Lauder. Ending up in California after four years on the road, Jimmy decided to settle in Hollywood. He was joined there by his younger brother Bob who eventually became a camera technician. In 1916, Jimmy was given a few minor roles at L-KO, but it was not until 1920 that he signed a three-year contract with Mack Sennett. It is by no means certain that Finlayson was ever one of the original Keystone Kops, though he certainly donned police uniform for several of his two-reelers and appeared as a Kop in both Stout Hearts and Willing Hands (1931) and Hollywood Cavalcade (1939). In several of his early films, he was also co-starred with Ben Turpin, invariably playing the part of the villain or straight man to Turpin's cross-eyed antics. Jimmy's prospects improved when he joined Hal Roach at Culver City in 1923. He started off as the antagonist in several of Stan Laurel's early solo efforts, but Roach -- recognising his potential -- attempted to elevate him to first billing. Stan Laurel turned director for three short films with Jimmy as the nominal lead: Yes, Yes, Nanette (1925), Chasing the Chaser (1925) and Should Husbands Pay? (1926). Since these failed to propel Finlayson into the first comedic echelon, he was instead briefly touted as one third of a starring trio alongside Laurel and Oliver Hardy. However, this idea was quickly abandoned, and, by 1928, Jimmy had comfortably settled into his niche as antagonist or mainstay comic support. By this time he had rather perfected his inimitable mannerisms: the long double-take, the squint, one-eyed stare and raised eyebrow, usually followed by a palpable state of near-apoplexy. Much of the joy in anarchic comedies like Big Business (1929) is derived precisely in the anticipation of the 'civilised', well-ordered violence which is about to take place when Laurel & Hardy square off against Finlayson. Jimmy appeared in some of the best two-reelers Roach made at MGM, and was subsequently involved as an integral part in most of Laurel & Hardy's feature films, standing out in Pardon Us (1931), Our Relations (1936) , and, above all, as the perfidious Mickey Finn in Way Out West (1937). He also appeared opposite other leading comics, including Charley Chase in, among others, Hasty Marriage (1931) and His Silent Racket (1933) - on occasion even without wearing his famous whiskers. It is now generally acknowledged that another of Jimmy's screen mannerisms -- his drawn-out, frustration-borne exclamation "d'ohhhhh" -- famously inspired Dan Castellaneta's Homer Simpson, uttering his suitably shortened trademark, "d'oh". With the era of madcap comedy drawing to a close, Jimmy Finlayson continued on in movie bit parts and walk-ons, often with credits like 'loafer' or 'Scottish Farmer with Mustache'. Illness brought about his retirement in 1951. He died two years later from a heart attack at his home in Hollywood.