Ned Sparks

Attore, Sceneggiatore

18 novembre 1883 — 3 aprile 1957 (73 anni)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ned Sparks (born Edward Arthur Sparkman, November 19, 1883 – April 3, 1957) was a Canadian-born character actor of the American stage and screen. Sparks was known for his deadpan expression and deep, gravelly voice.

Born in Guelph, Ontario, Sparks left home at age 16 and attempted to work as a gold prospector on the Klondike Gold Rush. After running out of money, he won a spot as a singer on a traveling musical company's tour. At age 19, he returned to Canada and briefly attended a Toronto seminary. After leaving the seminary, he worked for the railroad and worked in theater in Toronto. In 1907, he left Toronto for New York City to try his hand in the Broadway theatre, where he appeared in his first show in 1912.

While working on Broadway, Sparks developed his trademark deadpan expression while portraying the role of a desk clerk in the play Little Miss Brown. His success on the stage soon caught the attention of MGM's Louis B. Mayer who signed Sparks to a six picture deal. Sparks began appearing in numerous silent films before finally making his "talkie" debut in the 1928 film The Big Noise.

In the 1930s, Sparks became known for portraying dour-faced, sarcastic, cigar-chomping characters. He became so associated with the type that, in 1936, The New York Times reported that Sparks had his face insured for USD$100,000 with Lloyd's of London. The market agreed to pay the sum to any photographer who could capture Sparks smiling (Sparks later admitted that the story was a publicity stunt and he was only insured for $10,000). Sparks was also caricatured in cartoons including the Jack-in-the-Box character in the Disney short Broken Toys (1935), and the jester in Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938), a hermit crab in both Tex Avery's Fresh Fish (1939) and Bob Clampett's Goofy Groceries (1941), a chicken in Bob Clampett's Slap Happy Pappy (1940), Friz Freleng's Warner Bros. cartoon Malibu Beach Party (1940), and Tex Avery's Hollywood Steps Out (1940). Sparks also voiced the cartoon characters Heckle and Jeckle from 1947 to 1951.

Sparks appeared in ten stage productions on Broadway and over 80 films. He retired from films in 1947, saying that everyone should retire at 65

Film e Serie su Plex

  • Signora per un giorno
    Signora per un giorno1933
  • Conspiracy
    Conspiracy1930

Famoso per

  • Quarantaduesima strada
    Quarantaduesima strada1933
  • La danza delle luci
    La danza delle luci1933
  • Lo specchio della vita
    Lo specchio della vita1934
  • Signora per un giorno
    Signora per un giorno1933
  • La città magica
    La città magica1947
  • Verso Hollywood
    Verso Hollywood1933
  • L'imprevisto
    L'imprevisto1934
  • Big City Blues
    Big City Blues1932
  • La forza dell'amore
    La forza dell'amore1936
  • Kept Husbands
    Kept Husbands1931
  • Marie Galante
    Marie Galante1934
  • La ragazza del bacio
    La ragazza del bacio1929
  • La canarina assassinata
    La canarina assassinata1929
  • Segreti
    Segreti1933
  • Down to Their Last Yacht
    Down to Their Last Yacht1934
  • Conspiracy
    Conspiracy1930
  • Sing and Like It
    Sing and Like It1934
  • La cronaca degli scandali
    La cronaca degli scandali1932
  • Turbine bianco
    Turbine bianco1936
  • Corsair
    Corsair1931

Filmografia

2008
1967
Bonnie and Clyde · as Barney Hopkins In Gold Diggers Of 1933
1960
1956
1950
King Tut's Tomb · as Heckle / Jeckle (voice)
1947
Magic Town · as Ike
1939
The Star Maker · as 'speed' King
1938
Hawaii Calls · as Strings
1937
This Way Please · as Inky Wells
1937
Wake Up and Live · as Steve Cluskey
1936
One in a Million · as Danny Simpson
1936
Two's Company · as Al
1936
The Bride Walks Out · as Paul Dodson
1935
1935
Sweet Music · as 'ten Percent' Nelson
1934
Sweet Adeline · as Dan Herzig
1934
Imitation of Life · as Elmer Smith
1934
Marie Galante · as Plosser
1934
Servants' Entrance · as Hjalmar Gnu
1934
Down to Their Last Yacht · as Captain 'sunny Jim' Roberts
1934
Sing and Like It · as Toots Mcguire
1934
Hi, Nellie · as Shammy
1933
Going Hollywood · as Conroy
1933
Alice in Wonderland · as Caterpillar
1933
Too Much Harmony · as Lem Spawn
1933
Lady for a Day · as Happy McguireSu Plex
1933
1933
Secrets · as Sunshine
1933
42nd Street · as Barry
1932
The Crusader · as Eddie Crane
1932
Big City Blues · as Mr. 'stacky' Stackhouse
1932
Blessed Event · as George Moxley
1932
The Miracle Man · as Harry Evans
1931
Corsair · as Slim
1931
1931
The Secret Call · as Bert Benedict
1931
The Iron Man · as Riley
1931
Kept Husbands · as Hughie Hanready
1930
Leathernecking · as Sparks
1930
Conspiracy · as Winthrop 'little Nemo' ClaveringSu Plex
1930
The Fall Guy · as Danny Walsh
1930
The Devil's Holiday · as Charlie Thorne
1930
Love Comes Along · as Happy
1929
Street Girl · as Happy Winter
1929
Nothing But the Truth · as Clarence Van Dyke
1929
Strange Cargo · as Yacht First Mate
1929
The Canary Murder Case · as Tony Skeel
1928
1927
The Small Bachelor · as J. Hamilton Beamish
1926
1926
Mike · as Slinky
1926
Money Talks · as Lucius Fenton
1925
The Only Thing · as Gibson
1925
1920
The Love Expert · as Reverend David Vale