by Hal Erickson
biography
On stage from 1899, Gus McNaughton began as a juvenile comedian with the Fred Karno company, the legendary British pantomime troupe which also spawned such comic talents as Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. In films from 1930 to 1947, McNaughton's forte was the "fast-talking sidekick." In this capacity, he was memorably cast in several popular George Formby film farces of the 1930s and 1940s. His talents were also put to good use by Alfred Hitchcock in Murder (1930) and The 39 Steps (1935). One of Gus McNaughton's finest screen hours was as P. C. Hargreaves in the wartime comedy A Place of One's Own (1944).
