Bobby Vernon

Bobby Vernon

c. 1920
Born Sylvion de Jardin (he legally changed his name in 1922)[1]
(1897-03-09)March 9, 1897
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died June 28, 1939(1939-06-28) (aged 42)
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Cause of death Heart attack
Nationality American
Occupation actor
Spouse(s) Angelina Repetto
Children Barbara Dorothy Vernon (born 1922)
Vernon with his daughter, Barbara, c. 1929

Bobby Vernon (born Sylvion de Jardin[2][3] on March 9, 1897 in Chicago, Illinois – June 28, 1939 in Hollywood, California) was an American comedic actor in silent films. He later became a writer and comedy supervisor at Paramount for W.C. Fields and Bing Crosby, when the sound era arrived. Blue-eyed with medium brown hair, he stood five feet and two-and-a-half inches, making him perfect for juvenile comedy roles.[4] His comedies were popular with children.[5]

Life and career

The Chicago-born son of entertainers Harry Burns and Dorothy Vernon (born Dorothy Baird), Bobby first appeared onstage at the age of eleven. He appeared in minor roles such as office boys. For a few years, he was part of the vaudeville act Kolb and Dill, performing in musical comedies. When Max Dill broke his leg in their show, "The Rollicking Girl," Vernon replaced him for three weeks.[3] He originally aspired to be a dramatic actor but admittedly found comedy more fun.[5]

His first experience in screen was at the age of sixteen in Universal Studios's Joker comedies. Early in his career, he was cast as an old man.[3] By 1915, he was working in Keystone romantic comedies opposite Gloria Swanson. He later described his Keystone days to Motion Picture Classic:

When Gloria Swanson and I were working for Sennett, it would take sometimes two or three months to make a two-reeler. We'd rehearse for a week or so before we'd crank a camera. But the weather had something to do with it, too. You see, photography in those days wasn't what it is now and most of our scenes were exteriors. Cheaper, you know. Didn't have to build sets. If we had a call for the next day and we woke up to find it cloudy or raining, we'd just go back to bed again. And it sure can rain out here during the wet season.[6]

In 1917, he was working in Al Christie romantic comedies.

On September 9, 1918, Vernon left the Christie studio to serve during World War I at the submarine base at San Pedro, Los Angeles.[7]

Vernon's career never progressed to feature films. He was busy making two-reel comedies. In his words:

It's a peculiar thing about comedy. A gag that'll give one audience a laugh will fall flat in a theater two blocks away. Can't explain it. Everybody'll cry at the same tear-jerker. A sob scene will be just as effective in England, France or New York as in Dubuque, but comedy is something else again.[6]

Family

Bobby Vernon married Angelina Repetto of St. Louis, Missouri; the couple had one child, Barbara Dorothy Vernon, born in 1922.[8] Angelina was the sister-in-law of Reggie Morris, thus making the two men brothers-in-law.

Death

Bobby Vernon died of a heart attack in 1939 in Hollywood, California, aged 42.[9]

Partial filmography

Vernon with Gloria Swanson and Teddy the Dog in Teddy at the Throttle

References

  1. ↑ "Greenroom Jottings". Motion Picture Magazine (Brooklyn, N.Y.: Brewster Publications). April 1922. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ Fox, Charles Donald; Silver, Milton L. (1920). Who's Who on the Screen. New York City: Ross Publishing Co., Inc.
  3. 1 2 3 Wing, Ruth (1924). The Blue Book of the Screen. Hollywood, California: The Blue Book of the Screen, Inc.
  4. ↑ Motion Picture Studio Directory and Trade Annual. New York: Motion Picture News, Inc. 1918. p. 89.
  5. 1 2 "What's in a Name?". Motion Picture Magazine (Brooklyn, N.Y.: The Motion Picture Publishing Co.). July 1920. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Lubou, Dorothy (May 1929). "Grinding Out Grins". Motion Picture Classic (Chicago: Brewster Publications). Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Greenroom Jottings". Motion Picture Magazine (Brooklyn, N.Y.: Motion Picture Publishing Co.). December 1918. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Greenroom Jottings". Motion Picture Magazine (Brooklyn, N.Y.: Brewster Publications). February 1922. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Bobby Vernon, Actor of Silent Screen, Dies", New York Times, June 29, 1939.

External links

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