W.C. Fields Overview:

Legendary actor, W.C. Fields, was born William Claude Dukenfield on Jan 29, 1880 in Darby, Pennsylvania. Fields died at the age of 66 on Dec 25, 1946 in Pasadena, CA and was laid to rest in Forest Lawn (Glendale) Cemetery in Glendale, CA.

MINI BIO:

Burly, round-faced, red-nosed American juggler and comedian, with a long history in vaudeville before his serious film career began in the mid-twenties. With sound, his own peculiar, abrasive, embittered, alcohol-oriented delivery really came into its own and, as henpeck or charlatan in turn, he created a series of comedy classics. Wore a fake mustache in films until 1932. Died, from a combination of dropsy, a liver ailment and heart failure, on the day he moaned about more than any other - Christmas Day.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Stars).

HONORS and AWARDS:

.

He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the categories of Radio and Motion Pictures. In addition, Fields was immortalized on a US postal stamp in 1980. He appears on the cover of The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Fields was never nominated for an Academy Award.

BlogHub Articles:

No article for at this time. Submit yours here.

W.C. Fields Quotes:

Cuthbert J. Twillie: Come, my phlox, my flower! I have some very definite pear-shaped ideas that I'd like to discuss with thee.


His Niece: Why didn't you ever marry?
The Great Man: I was in love with a beautiful blonde once, dear. She drove me to drink. That's the one thing I'm indebted to her for.


Larson E. Whipsnade: Never trust a ventriloquist or a barber.


read more quotes from W.C. Fields...



Share this page:
Visit the Classic Movie Hub Blog CMH
Also an Aquarius






See All Aquariuses >>
W.C. Fields on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame




See All Walk of Fame Stars >>
W.C. Fields Facts
According to friends, the biggest laugh he ever got as a stage performer was when a monologue he was giving on-stage was interrupted by a long, loud crash of objects backstage. After the crashing stopped, and the audience was silent, Fields gave a one-word comment in a stage whisper: "Mice!"

Grandfather of Ronald J. Fields, who edited a biography titled "W.C. Fields by Himself". The book dispelled many longstanding stories about Fields, including ones of his living for years on the street. Young Fields did indeed run away from home after fights with his father, but usually no farther than his grandmother's, and he would return home the next day. He stayed with his grandmother just before beginning his professional career as a juggler.

He was the second choice to play the title role in The Wizard of Oz (1939). There are still some arguments as to why he turned the part down. Some sources say that he refused to play "The Wizard" because MGM wouldn't pay the salary he wanted, but according to Doug McClelland, author of "Down The Yellow Brick Road", Fields was too busy writing and acting in his latest film for Universal Pictures - You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939) - to be loaned out to MGM to play the part.

See All Related Facts >>
The Beatles Sgt Pepper Cover

Also on the Sgt Pepper Cover


See All Sgt Pepper Cover Actors >>