Friday, March 5, 2010

Ned Sparks


THE PERENNIAL GROUCH: Character actor Ned Sparks (1883-1957) wrote his own lines and was insured against smiling by Lloyd's of London.

Hollywood's sourpuss —
the nasal-toned sharp-wit you've
seen somewhere before.




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3 comments:

  1. MaryannMarch 5, 2010 at 4:56 AM

    They should have named him Groucho!!

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  2. AnonymousMarch 6, 2010 at 1:11 PM

    You're going to hate me but I'd never heard of him until I read this!! Argh the drawbacks of being British!

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  3. Hollywood HaikuMarch 6, 2010 at 7:38 PM

    I'm always delighted when I can introduce readers to a great, old performer that they might never have heard of otherwise.

    Sparks is a gem, truly one of American cinema's treasures. One of my favorite Sparks roles is that of Elmer Smith in the 1934 version of "Imitation of Life," starring Claudette Colbert. His portrayal is nothing short of endearing.

    Sparks' Wikipedia listing can be found at:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Sparks

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