Emmett Earl Lynn (February 14, 1897 – October 20, 1958)[1] was an American actor of the stage and screen.

Emmett Lynn
Lynn in Girls in Chains (1943)
Born
Emmett Earl Lynn

(1897-02-14)February 14, 1897
DiedOctober 20, 1958(1958-10-20) (aged 61)
OccupationActor
Years active1940–1958

Early life

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Lynn was born in Muscatine, Iowa. When he was nine years old, Lynn became a song plugger in Denver, Colorado. From that beginning he moved to performing in a children's revue. Gus Edwards spotted Lynn and put him in a production of Edwards' School Days.[1] Lynn served in the Army during World War I.[1]

Career

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An eccentric character comedian in vaudeville,[2] he later produced travelling road companies known variously as the Novelty Players, the Emmett Lynn Musical Comedy Company and the Emmett Lynn Players, of which he was its star comedian and usually billed as "Emmett 'Pap' Lynn; his troupes flourished in the 1920s and early 1930s. By 1935, he was just one of the comedians in a travelling musical revue called The Passing Show.

Lynn began working in films for Biograph Studios in 1913.[1] On screen, Lynn appeared in over 140 films between 1940 and 1956. He made several television appearances from 1949 until his death, especially in westerns. He was featured in nine episodes of The Lone Ranger during the final decade of his life.

On Broadway, Lynn appeared in Gasoline Gypsies (1931).[3]

Near the end of his career, Lynn was cast as Uncle Birdie in the 1955 film classic The Night of the Hunter, but director Charles Laughton did not like his performance and replaced him with James Gleason during filming.[4]

Death

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He died in Hollywood, California from ventricular fibrillation due to a coronary occlusion.[1]

Selected filmography

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Selected television

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Year Title Role Notes
1949 The Lone Ranger (TV series) Banty Bishop Episode "Legion of Old Timers"
1952 Death Valley Days Pop Episode "The Little Bullfrog Nugget"
1953 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Pop Gibson Episode "Who's Walter?"
1958 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Hank Episode "Rick's Riding Lesson"
1959 The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin Borrowin' Sam Episode "The Luck of O'Hara"

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Longden, Tom (July 1, 2007). "Character actor Lynn appeared in 500 movies". The Des Moines Register. Iowa, Des Moines. p. 15. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Racketeers race in 'Midnight Taxi'". Courier-Post. New Jersey, Camden. December 15, 1928. p. 16. Retrieved April 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Emmett Lynn". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  4. ^ Film documentation: Charles Laughton Directs „The Night of the Hunter“ (2002), Min. 54 to 60
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