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Mack Swain

Mack Swain

Known For Acting
Birthday Feb 15, 1876
Died Aug 25, 1935 (59)
Birthplace Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Popularity 0.2 (history)
Updated Aug 03, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mack Swain (born Moroni Swain, February 16, 1876 – August 25, 1935) was an early American film actor, who appeared in many of Mack Sennett's comedies at Keystone Studios, including the Keystone Cops series. He also appeared in major features by Charlie Chaplin. ... In the early 1900s Swain had his own stock theater company, which performed in the western and midwestern United States. Swain worked in vaudeville before starting in silent film at Keystone Studios under Mack Sennett. While with Keystone, he was teamed with Chester Conklin to make a series of comedy films. With Swain as "Ambrose" and Conklin as the grand mustachioed "Walrus", they performed these roles in several films including The Battle of Ambrose and Walrus and Love, Speed and Thrills, both made in 1915. Besides these comedies, the two appeared together in a variety of other films, 26 all told, and they also appeared separately and/or together in films starring Mabel Normand, Charles Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle and most of the rest of the roster of Keystone players. Swain later took his Ambrose character with him to the L-KO Kompany. Having already worked with Charles Chaplin at Keystone, Swain began working with him again at First National in 1921, appearing in The Idle Class, Pay Day, and The Pilgrim. He is also remembered for his large supporting role as Big Jim McKay in the 1925 film The Gold Rush, for United Artists, written by and starring Chaplin. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Mack Swain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1500 Vine Street.

Known For

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Filmography

Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists

Star Power: The Creation Of United Artists

1998

as Big Jim McKay (archive footage)

The Chaplin Revue

The Chaplin Revue

1959

as Various (archive footage)

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday and Today

1953

as (archive footage)

Happy Times and Jolly Moments

Happy Times and Jolly Moments

1943

as (archive footage)

Lighthouse Love

Lighthouse Love

1932

as Captain Wiggins - the Lighthouse Keeper

Finn and Hattie

Finn and Hattie

1931

as Le Bottin

Cleaning Up

Cleaning Up

1930

as Mack

Redemption

Redemption

1930

as Magistrate

The Sea Bat

The Sea Bat

1930

as Dutchy

Soup to Nuts

Soup to Nuts

1930

as First Fat Diner (uncredited)

The Locked Door

The Locked Door

1929

as Hotel Proprietor

The Girl from Nowhere

The Girl from Nowhere

1928

as Wilbur Ashcraft

Caught in the Fog

Caught in the Fog

1928

as Detective Ryan

Tillie's Punctured Romance

Tillie's Punctured Romance

1928

as Tillie's Father

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

1928

as Sir Francis Beekman

The Last Warning

The Last Warning

1928

as Robert Bunce

The Shamrock and the Rose

The Shamrock and the Rose

1927

as Mike Kelly

The Girl from Everywhere

The Girl from Everywhere

1927

as Wilfred Ashcraft - Director

Mockery

Mockery

1927

as Vladimir Gaidaroff

Becky

Becky

1927

as Irving Spiegelberg

My Best Girl

My Best Girl

1927

as Judge

A Texas Steer

A Texas Steer

1927

as Bragg

The Beloved Rogue

The Beloved Rogue

1927

as Nicholas

Hands Up!

Hands Up!

1926

as Silas Woodstock

The Nervous Wreck

The Nervous Wreck

1926

as Jerome Underwood

Sea Horses

Sea Horses

1926

as Bimbo-Bomba

Torrent

Torrent

1926

as Don Matías

Footloose Widows

Footloose Widows

1926

as Ludwig

Kiki

Kiki

1926

as Pastryman (uncredited)

The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush

1925

as Big Jim McKay

The Eagle

The Eagle

1925

as Innkeeper (uncredited)

This Way Out

This Way Out

1923

as The Girl's Father

Pitfalls of a Big City

Pitfalls of a Big City

1923

as The Vamp's Husband

The Pilgrim

The Pilgrim

1923

as Deacon

Pay Day

Pay Day

1922

as Foreman

The Idle Class

The Idle Class

1921

as Edna's Father (uncredited)

Oh, What a Knight

Oh, What a Knight

1919

as The Sheriff

Heroic Ambrose

Heroic Ambrose

1919

as Ambrose Schnitz

Thirst

Thirst

1917

as Ambrose

His Naughty Thought

His Naughty Thought

1917

as Walter Ambrose

The Pullman Bride

The Pullman Bride

1917

as Rover Peabody - the Chosen One

The Late Lamented

The Late Lamented

1917

as Boarder (unconfirmed)

A Movie Star

A Movie Star

1916

as Handsome Jack

His Bitter Pill

His Bitter Pill

1916

as Jim - a Big Hearted Sheriff

Madcap Ambrose

Madcap Ambrose

1916

as Ambrose

Ambrose's Sour Grapes

Ambrose's Sour Grapes

1915

as Ambrose

Ambrose's Nasty Temper

Ambrose's Nasty Temper

1915

as Ambrose

Ye Olden Grafter

Ye Olden Grafter

1915

as The Grafter

Love, Speed and Thrills

Love, Speed and Thrills

1915

as Ambrose

Willful Ambrose

Willful Ambrose

1915

as Pa Ambrose

Ambrose's Lofty Perch

Ambrose's Lofty Perch

1915

as Ambrose

Saved by Wireless

Saved by Wireless

1915

as The Spy

The Home Breakers

The Home Breakers

1915

as Ambrose

Ambrose's Little Hatchet

Ambrose's Little Hatchet

1915

as Ambrose

When Ambrose Dared Walrus

When Ambrose Dared Walrus

1915

as Ambrose

Fatty's New Role

Fatty's New Role

1915

as Ambrose Schnitz

Mabel Lost and Won

Mabel Lost and Won

1915

as Mabel's Rival's Husband

Caught in a Park

Caught in a Park

1915

as The Bartender

Hogan's Romance Upset

Hogan's Romance Upset

1915

as Fight Spectator

That Little Band Of Gold

That Little Band Of Gold

1915

as Audience Member (uncredited)

Ambrose's First Falsehood

Ambrose's First Falsehood

1914

as Ambrose

His Prehistoric Past

His Prehistoric Past

1914

as King Lowbrow

A Busy Day

A Busy Day

1914

as Husband

Gussle, the Golfer

Gussle, the Golfer

1914

as Ambrose

Hello, Mabel

Hello, Mabel

1914

as The Married Flirt

Caught in the Rain

Caught in the Rain

1914

as Husband (uncredited)

His Musical Career

His Musical Career

1914

as Mike, Charlie's Partner

The Sea Nymphs

The Sea Nymphs

1914

as Ambrose

A Rowboat Romance

A Rowboat Romance

1914

as (unconfirmed)

His Trysting Places

His Trysting Places

1914

as Ambrose

Mabel's Married Life

Mabel's Married Life

1914

as Wellington, a Ladykiller

Getting Acquainted

Getting Acquainted

1914

as Ambrose

Double Crossed

Double Crossed

1914

as The Belle's Boyfriend

A Thief Catcher

A Thief Catcher

1914

as Crook (uncredited)

The Fatal Mallet

The Fatal Mallet

1914

as Rival Suitor (uncredited)

Gentlemen of Nerve

Gentlemen of Nerve

1914

as Mr. Walrus

Leading Lizzie Astray

Leading Lizzie Astray

1914

as Cafe Patron - In from the Mines

Fatty's Wine Party

Fatty's Wine Party

1914

as Restaurant Proprietor

A Gambling Rube

A Gambling Rube

1914

as (unconfirmed)

Tillie's Punctured Romance

Tillie's Punctured Romance

1914

as Tillie's Father

The Under-Sheriff

The Under-Sheriff

1914

as Villager

Laughing Gas

Laughing Gas

1914

as Patient

Mabel at the Wheel

Mabel at the Wheel

1914

as Race Spectator (uncredited)

Caught in a Cabaret

Caught in a Cabaret

1914

as Tough Patron / Party Guest / Boy's Father (uncredited)

The Knockout

The Knockout

1914

as Gambler (uncredited)

A Muddy Romance

A Muddy Romance

1913

as Desk Sergeant / Park Attendant

The Gusher

The Gusher

1913

as Villager / Cop

Fatty Joins the Force

Fatty Joins the Force

1913

as Cop at Station House

No data available

Heroic Ambrose

Heroic Ambrose

1919

Director

No data available

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

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No data available

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