A performer from age 12, Australian comedian/acrobat Clyde Cook rose to theatrical fame as "The Kangaroo Boy." Arriving in the U.S. after World War I, he worked briefly for Mack Sennett, then switched to the Sunshine Comedy unit at Fox. A tiny man with a huge paintbrush moustache, Cook was an amusing screen presence, but his lack of a well-defined character kept him from becoming a major star. He played supporting roles in such features as He Who Gets Slapped (1924) before trying his luck again as a two-reel star at Hal Roach Studios. The comedian's fortunes improved when he signed on at Warner Bros. as comedy relief in a number of silent features, in which he was frequently teamed with William Demarest or Louise Fazenda. With the coming of sound, Cook's Australian accent enabled him to secure good supporting roles in such British-based films as Dawn Patrol (1930) and Oliver Twist (1935); he also returned to Roach for a brief series of knockabout comedies titled The Taxi Boys. His roles dwindled to bits by the late '30s, but Cook never wanted for work. He was still at it in the 1950s, showing up in movies (Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [1951]) and on television (The Adventures of Superman). Clyde Cook retired after completing his one-day assignment on John Ford's Donovan's Reef (1963).
by Hal Erickson
biography
