James Parrott

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James Parrott (August 2, 1898 – May 10, 1939), was an American actor and film director; and the younger brother of film comedian Charley Chase.

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James Gibbons Parrott was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles and Blanche Thompson Parrott. In 1903, his father died from a heart attack, leaving the family in bad financial shape, which forced them to move in with a relative. Charley Jr. quit school, so he could go to work, in order to support his mother and brother. Eventually the call of the stage beckoned him, and Charley Jr. left home at age 16 to travel the vaudeville circuit as a singer and comedic performer. By the time James had reached his teens, he too, had quit school, and became involved with the street gangs of Baltimore.

Later, Charley Jr. connections in the film industry helped get his younger brother a full-time acting job at Fox, and he would appear during the 1920s in a series of relatively successful comedies, under the name of Paul Parrott. Eventually, Parrott followed Chase's lead by becoming a director, specializing in the two-reel misadventures of Laurel and Hardy, including the 1932's Oscar-winning classic The Music Box, and Helpmates.

Parrott began directing full time on the Roach lot in early 1920s. Moving around from series to series, he would contribute his talents to the Clyde Cooke, Jimmy Finlayson, and the Hal Roach All Star Comedies series. The approximately 75 Parrott's one reel series comedies, were produced from 1921 to 1923, with titles continuing to be released through Pathé until 1926. Shorts released during the 1925 and 1926 seasons were credited to Jimmie Parrott. Frequent costars included Marie Mosquini, Jobyna Ralston, Eddie Baker, and Sunshine Sammy.

During the 1930's Parrott had acquired serious drinking and cocaine related problems, and although still able to direct quality shorts, he had developed a reputation as unreliable. He left the Hal Roach Studios and was accepting any job that came his way. Stan Laurel used him sporadically to contribute gags to the Laurel and Hardy features, and he would direct an Our Gang short in 1934, plus several acceptable entries in Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly series.

By 1937, Parrott could not be counted on to direct or write, and relied on his brother to support him financially. There was a brief marriage to Ruby Ellen McCoy in 1937, but as his various addictions worsened, so did his state of mind. Parrott died at the age of 42; the official cause of death was reported as heart failure, but Roach Studio insiders were of the opinion that Parrott committed suicide by taking an overdose of pills

  • 1918 : Hit Him Again
  • 1918 : A Gasoline Wedding
  • 1918 : Look Pleasant, Please
  • 1918 : Here Come the Girls
  • 1918 : Let's Go
  • 1918 : Follow the Crowd
  • 1918 : Pipe the Whiskers
  • 1918 : It's a Wild Life
  • 1918 : Hey There!
  • 1918 : Kicked Out
  • 1918 : Two-Gun Gussie
  • 1918 : Fireman Save My Child
  • 1918 : Sic 'Em, Towser
  • 1918 : Somewhere in Turkey
  • 1918 : An Ozark Romance
  • 1918 : Kicking the Germ Out of Germany
  • 1918 : That's Him
  • 1918 : Bride and Gloom
  • 1918 : Two Scrambled
  • 1918 : No Place Like Jail
  • 1918 : Why Pick on Me?
  • 1918 : Just Rambling Along
  • 1918 : Hear 'Em Rave
  • 1918 : She Loves Me Not
  • 1919 : An Auto Nut
  • 1919 : Do You Love Your Wife?
  • 1919 : Wanted - $5,000
  • 1919 : Going! Going! Gone!
  • 1919 : Hustling for Health
  • 1919 : Hoot Mon!
  • 1919 : I'm on My Way
  • 1919 : The Dutiful Dub
  • 1919 : A Sammy in Siberia
  • 1919 : Young Mr. Jazz
  • 1919 : Crack Your Heels
  • 1919 : Ring Up the Curtain
  • 1919 : Si, Senor
  • 1919 : Pistols for Breakfast
  • 1919 : Swat the Crook
  • 1919 : Off the Trolley
  • 1919 : At the Old Stage Door
  • 1919 : A Jazzed Honeymoon
  • 1919 : Count Your Change
  • 1919 : Chop Suey & Co.
  • 1920 : His First Flat Tire
  • 1921 : Big Town Ideas
  • 1922 : Try, Try Again
  • 1922 : Paste and Paper
  • 1922 : Loose Change
  • 1922 : Rich Man, Poor Man
  • 1922 : Stand Pat
  • 1922 : Friday, the Thirteenth
  • 1922 : The Late Lamented
  • 1922 : A Bed of Roses
  • 1922 : The Sleuth
  • 1922 : Busy Bees
  • 1922 : The Bride-to-Be
  • 1922 : Take Next Car
  • 1922 : Touch All the Bases
  • 1922 : The Truth Juggler
  • 1922 : Rough on Romeo
  • 1922 : Wet Weather
  • 1922 : The Landlubber
  • 1922 : Bone Dry
  • 1922 : Soak the Shiek
  • 1922 : Face the Camera
  • 1922 : The Uppercut
  • 1922 : Shiver and Shake
  • 1922 : The Golf Bug
  • 1922 : Shine 'Em Up!
  • 1922 : Washed Ashore
  • 1922 : Harvest Hands
  • 1922 : The Flivver
  • 1922 : Blaze Away
  • 1922 : I'll Take Vanilla
  • 1922 : Fair Week
  • 1922 : The White Blacksmith
  • 1922 : Fire the Fireman
  • 1923 : Post No Bills
  • 1923 : Watch Your Wife
  • 1923 : Mr. Hyppo
  • 1923 : Don't Say Die
  • 1923 : Jailed and Bailed
  • 1923 : A Loose Tightwad
  • 1923 : Tight Shoes
  • 1923 : Do Your Stuff
  • 1923 : Shoot Straight
  • 1923 : For Safe Keeping
  • 1923 : Bowled Over
  • 1923 : Get Your Man
  • 1923 : The Smile Wins
  • 1923 : Good Riddance
  • 1923 : Speed the Swede
  • 1923 : Sunny Spain
  • 1923 : For Art's Sake
  • 1923 : Fresh Eggs
  • 1923 : Uncovered Wagon
  • 1923 : For Guests Only
  • 1923 : Live Wires
  • 1923 : Take the Air
  • 1923 : Finger Prints
  • 1923 : Winner Take All
  • 1923 : Dear Ol' Pal
  • 1923 : Join the Circus
  • 1924 : Get Busy
  • 1925 : Whispering Lions
  • 1925 : The Caretaker's Daughter
  • 1925 : Are Parents Pickles?
  • 1925 : Whistling Lions
  • 1926 : Between Meals
  • 1926 : Don't Butt In
  • 1926 : Soft Pedal
  • 1926 : Pay the Cashier
  • 1926 : The Only Son
  • 1926 : Hired and Fired
  • 1926 : The Old War-Horse
  • 1931 : Pardon Us
  • 1934 : Washee Ironee

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