1. William J. Parrett was born in 1817 in Maryland and died on 31 Dec 1894 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey at age 77. {FGID: 185602862}
William married Ellen. Ellen was born in 1817 in Ireland.
Children from this marriage were:
+ 2 M i. George W. Parrott was born in 1839 in Pennsylvania.
3 F ii. Mary Parrott was born in 1839 in Maryland.
+ 4 M iii. Benjamin F. Parrett was born in 1840 in Pennsylvania.
5 M iv. James L. Parrott was born in 1842 in Virginia.
6 F v. Sarah Ann Parrott was born in 1846 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
7 M vi. John Parrott was born in 1849 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
William next married Margaret Smith. Margaret was born 30 ay 1855 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey and died on 7 Mar 1919 in Hempstead Co., New York. {FGID: 184855986}
Children from this marriage were:
+ 8 M i. Frank Aloysius Parrett was born on 4 Jun 1877 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 29 Feb 1944 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York at age 66.
9 F ii. Florence Virginia Zazarina Parrett was born on 19 Aug 1880 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey and died on 20 Aug 1923 in Hempstead Co., New York at age 43. {FGID: 184855884}
Florence married Frank Krueger in 1902 in New Jersey. Frank was born in 1882 in Pennsylvania.
Florence next married Bertram Hope. Bertram was born on 28 Jun 1876 in Pennsylvania and died on 31 Jul 1931 in New York at age 55. {FGID: 184855853}
William next had a relationship with Mary Liebe. No evidence this couple married. Mary was born in 1839 in Maryland.
Children from this marriage were:
10 M i. William J. Parrett Jr. was born on 30 Jun 1860 in Jersey City, Hudson Co., New Jersey and died on 17 Apr 1929 in Laurel Springs, Camden Co, , New Jersey at age 68.
General Notes: PARRETT-At Laurel Springs, N.J., on April 17, 1929, William J., son of the late Mary and William Parrett, age 69 years. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services on Saturday, at 2 p.m., at the Curtis w. Henry Funeral Home, Berlin, N.J. Interment, Berlin Cemetery. Friends may call Friday evening.
The Morning Post, 19 Apri 1929, p 25
+ 11 M ii. Edwin J. Parrett was born in Apr 1865 in New York and died on 28 Nov 1935 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey at age 70.
12 M iii. Francis Parrett was born in 1868 in New York.
Second Generation (Children)
2. George W. Parrott (William J.1) was born in 1839 in Pennsylvania.
George married Mollie Margaret Fitzgibbon. Mollie was born in 1850 in Ireland and died on 5 Jul 1931 in Hamilton, Baltimore Co., Maryland at age 81.
General Notes: PARROTT.-On July 5, 1931, at her home, 5504 Arabia avenue, Hamilton, MARGARET, widow of George W. Parrott.
Funeral from the the above residence on Wednesday at 8:30 A.M. Requiem Mass at St. Dominic's Church, Harford and Gibbons avenue, Hamilton, at 9 A.M. Interment Cathedral Cemetery.
The Sun, 11 Jul 1911, p 6
Children from this marriage were:
+ 13 M i. Charles J. Parrott was born in Jul 1872 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 2 Apr 1904 at age 31.
14 M ii. George L. Parrott Jr. was born on 4 Dec 1874 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 27 Aug 1946 at age 71.
15 F iii. Mary Parrott was born in 1878 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
16 M iv. James Parrott was born in 1880 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
17 F v. Margaret i. Parrott was born on 9 Nov 1881 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
Margaret married Gilson.
18 F vi. Ruth A. Parrott was born in Apr 1882 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
Ruth married William Snyder.
19 F vii. Nellie Parrott was born in Nov 1886 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.
George next married Barbara. Barbara was born in 1952 in Maryland.
4. Benjamin F. Parrett (William J.1) was born in 1840 in Pennsylvania.
Benjamin married Bridget Hanley on 28 Oct 1861 in Jersey City, Hudson Co., New Jersey. Bridget was born in 1842 in Ireland.
Children from this marriage were:
20 M i. William Parrott was born in 1865 in Ontanrio and died on 25 May 1947 in Hamilton, Wentworth, Ontario, Canada at age 82.
21 M ii. Benjamin Parrett was born in 1869 in Ontanrio.
22 F iii. Catherine Parrett was born on 19 Dec 1872 in Ontanrio, Canada and died on 26 Apr 1945 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at age 72. {FGID: 150197384}
Catherine married William Sheeler on 18 Jun 1896 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. William was born in 1875 in Canada.
23 F iv. Mary Parrett was born on 5 Feb 1876 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada.
+ 24 M v. Daniel Patrick Parrett was born on 26 Jul 1878 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada and died on 12 Jun 1929 at age 50.
25 M vi. George Parrett was born in 1884 in Ontanrio.
8. Frank Aloysius Parrett (William J.1) was born on 4 Jun 1877 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 29 Feb 1944 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York at age 66. {FGID: 176831670}
Frank married Anna Gertrude O'Brien on 27 Oct 1920 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York. Anna was born on 19 May 1892 in New York and died on 7 Aug 1968 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York at age 76. {FGID: 176831338}
Children from this marriage were:
26 F i. Frances Parrett was born in 1923 in New York and died on 2 Nov 1926 in Manhattan Co., New York at age 3.
28 F iii. Bernadette Parrett was born on 16 Sep 1926 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York and died on 22 Sep 2019 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York at age 93.
Bernadette married William Mace Fallon on 30 Jun 1955 in New York. William was born on 9 Feb 1920 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York and died on 25 Feb 1989 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York at age 69.
+ 29 M iv. Francis Aloysius Parrett Jr. was born on 19 Sep 1928 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York and died on 18 Feb 2005 in Islip Terrace, Suffolk Co., New York at age 76.
11. Edwin J. Parrett (William J.1) was born in Apr 1865 in New York and died on 28 Nov 1935 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey at age 70. {FGID: 206265069}
General Notes: PARRETT- On November 28, 1935, Edwin J. Parrett, husband of Anna E. Parrett (nee Bates), age 71 years.
Relatives and friends of the family, also Epworth Lodge No. 246, I.O.O.F., Gibbsboro Lodge No. 29, I.O.M., are invited to attend the funeral service on Monday at 2 p.m., from the residence of his son-in-law, Charles E. Helmreich, Jr., corner Madison Ave. & Stone Rd., Laurel Springs, N.J. Interment at Berlin Cemetery. Frieds may call Sunday evening.
Courier-Post, 30 Nov 1935, p 26
Edwin married Ann E. Bates on 29 Aug 1893 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey. Ann was born in Apr 1868 in Glendale, Camden Co, , New Jersey and died in Jul 1952 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey at age 84. {FGID: 206265419}
Marriage Notes: A Pretty Home Wedding
A very pretty home wedding took place at 817 Cherry street last evening, when Mr. Edwin J. Parrett and Miss Annie E. Bates were made from man and wife by Rev. Chas. D. Sinkinson. Miss Ida Bates acted as bridesmaid and Mr. Charles Bates as best man. The bride was attired in a cream surah silk. Many handsome presents were received. Refreshments were disposed of in great abundance. At a late hour the guests departed, leaving the happy couple in possession of their new home. Among those present were: <snip>.
The Post, 30 Aug 1893, p 1
The child from this marriage was:
30 F i. Leola Doris Parrett was born on 10 Mar 1897 in Camden, Camden Co, , New Jersey and died in Feb 1977 in Clementon, Camden Co, , New Jersey at age 79. {FGID: 155956088}
Leola married Charles E. Helmreich. Charles was born in 1893 and died in 1982 in New Jersey at age 89. {FGID: 155956119}
Third Generation (Grandchildren)
13. Charles J. Parrott (George W.2, William J.1) was born in Jul 1872 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 2 Apr 1904 at age 31.
Charles married Margaret Blanche Thompson. Margaret was born in Jul 1872 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 20 Jan 1921 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland at age 48.
Children from this marriage were:
+ 31 M i. Charles Joseph Parrott was born on 20 Oct 1893 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 20 Jun 1940 in Hollywood, Los Angeles Co., California at age 46.
32 M ii. James Gibbons Parrott was born on 2 Aug 1897 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 10 May 1939 at age 41. Another name for James was Paul Parrott.
General Notes: http://charleychase.50webs.com/jparrottbio.htm
James "Paul" Parrott
The Other Parrott Brother
By Bradley Reeves
"For the occasional viewer of classic film comedy, the name James Parrott means little or nothing at all. Few that laughed at the antics of Laurel and Hardy, Our Gang, and Charley Chase realized the identity of the man behind the scenes and the impact he had in the production of the classic shorts of the 1920s and 1930s. While the name of older brother Charley Chase looms large among slapstick fans, James Parrott has been forgotten over time and has not obtained the resurgence in popularity that has been accorded to the Chase shorts."
"In retrospect, James Parrott took part in the production of hundreds of one and two reel comedy shorts in the various capacities of acting, directing, and screenwriting. He directed some of the funniest and most beloved films made at the Hal Roach Studios, starred in his own series of one reelers, and supplied gags for many other films made on the Roach lot. Although Parrott was a key player at the Roach studio, his untimely death in 1939 at the age of 40, and the unavailability of much of his work has led to a lack of information and appreciation of this talented and inventive comic."
EARLY YEARS
"James Gibbons Parrott was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 2, 1898, to Charles and Blanche Thompson Parrott. Older brother Charles Junior preceded him by almost 5 years, being born October 20, 1893. The Parrott family resided in a neighborhood consisting of Irish and Jewish immigrants. Charles Senior spent much of his time drinking, gambling, and playing the horses, while Mrs. Parrott worked odd jobs to help pay the bills. Brother Charley looked after young Jimmie during these hard times and the two became very close."
"In 1903, Charles Senior died from a heart attack, leaving the family in worse financial shape than before. The little family moved in with Blanches' sister Belle, and Charley quit school to go to work in order to support his mother and brother. Eventually the call of the stage beckoned Charley, who left home at age 16 to travel the vaudeville circuit as a singer and comedic performer. By the time Jimmie had reached his teens, he had quit school and became involved with the street gangs of Baltimore. His anxious mother packed him away to California to live with his older brother and new wife Bebe. Charley had found his niche in Hollywood and was employed at the Fox studios as Director General of all the comedies filmed there. Charley's connections in the film industry helped get his younger brother work at Fox as an actor and writer."
"Eventually, James Parrott would rise to the status of director of the Sid Smith comedy series in 1919. Several of these shorts would feature Parrott as costar as well. AN AUTO NUT (1919) reveals a talented young man in the early stages of developing his craft and the short contains several surprising slapstick gags involving an old jalopy. The film as a whole is crudely put together, and Smith and Parrott were not particularly great as a team, but several entries in the series were produced. During this period, Charles Parrott employed his bother as an actor in a series of Reelcraft comedies he directed. Not much is known about these early films and few exist for viewing today. At the same time, Jimmie was becoming a fixture at the new Hal Roach studio, then known as Rolin. Parrott started out as a gag writer and extra in the Harold Lloyd shorts, and can be spotted showing great skill and agility on roller skates in Lloyd's 1919 short, DON'T SHOVE."
"By the time DON'T SHOVE was released, America had entered World War 1, and James Parrott was drafted, sent overseas, and wounded, possibly from exposure to mustard gas. This injury is thought to be partly responsible for the debilitating health problems that Parrott would suffer as time went on, including a series of nervous breakdowns, epileptic seizures, alcohol/drug addictions, and a heart condition."
THE FUN YEARS
"By 1920, the Hal Roach Studios in Culver City was in full swing. The Roach style of humor had proved itself equal, if not superior, to that of rival Mack Sennett. Several series were in production, including those of Snub Pollard and Eddie Boland. Later Roach series would feature Hunkey Doorey, The Dippy Doo Dads, Clyde Cook, Our Gang, and others. Jimmie returned to the Roach lot and threw himself into a frenzy of filmmaking activity. He contributed gags to many shorts, co-starred with Boland and Pollard in their shorts, and co-directed THE PICKINNINY (1921), with "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison. In 1921, Roach gave Parrott a series of his own to replace the Eddie Boland series. Jimmie quickly adopted the obligatory funny mustache and changed his character's name to Paul Parrott. The Parrott stock company would feature such regulars as Eddie Baker, cross-eyed George Rowe, and future Harold Lloyd co-star Jobyna Ralston. Roach would publicize Parrott as 'the Doodletwit of Screen Comedy'!"
THE PARROTT SHORTS
"Viewing a Paul Parrott comedy today, one is struck by the sheer number of inventive gags that seem to fly by at an incredibly fast rate. Unlike the Sennett comedies, these gags fit perfectly within the modest plots and are at times, so bizarre and outrageous as to be considered avant-garde! Parrott's character is likeable; sometimes brash, sometimes stupid, but mostly hilarious. At times the films are reminiscent of the better work of Jerry Lewis: A series of blackout gags held together by a meager storyline. As these are 10 minute one reelers, there is no time for character development or Chaplinesque pathos. The cast always seem to be having fun, and although director credit usually went to others (Ralph Cedar, J.A. Howe, etc), Parrott's distinctive touch is felt in most of these films."
"The Paul Parrott series was produced between 1921 and 1923 and were ground out at the rate of one a week. With any series of this magnitude, the quality of shorts range from the sublime to the simply awful. UNCOVERED WAGON (1924) is a small masterpiece and rates high in the film spoof genre. This is the Parrott film to watch first if you have never seen one before! It contains a surrealistic underwater scene, a stereotyped homosexual Indian, and a streetcar passing through the desert! WHISTLING LIONS (1926) defies description and must be seen to be believed! In this entry, Parrott enters a fat man race, rides an ostrich, wrestles a lion, finally ends up in bed with cohort George Rowe. The film resembles a pleasant opium-induced dream. POST NO BILLS (1923) takes one gag, the posting of theatre handbills, and milks it for all it's worth. It is astonishing how many variants on the same joke can be obtained. The recently discovered and preserved ROUGH ON ROMEO (1922) and ARE PARENTS PICKLES (1924) are both comic gems from start to finish. On the other end of the spectrum, BLAZE AWAY (1922) is a dull, flat, and uninspired western spoof that seems to have been made up on the spot, possibly to fulfill the Pathé release schedule. For those who like their slapstick fast, straight up, with no frills, the Parrott films will satisfy. The series proved popular with audiences at the time and over 60 shorts were produced. Had Parrott's mental and physical health held out, the series would have no doubt continued."
THE MID 1920s
"Production on the Paul Parrott series gradually declined in 1923, although they continued to be released until 1926. New kid on the block Stan Laurel's series would take over production on the one reel shorts. During this time, Roach tried pairing Jimmie with Snub Pollard in several shorts. JOIN THE CIRCUS (1923) is an amusing slapstick romp with non-stop gags in a big top setting. Unfortunately, the two comedians had conflicting comedic styles and the short 10 minute running times forced them to cram in too many gags in an effort to give each comedian equal screen time."
"It was during this period that James Parrott's health began to deteriorate. In later interviews, Hal Roach would comment on Parrott's unpredictability. Roach thought that Jimmie suffered several nervous breakdowns, while Roach studio musical director Marvin Hatley claimed that Parrott would indulge in drinking binges. According to Hatley, Jimmie would be fine for long periods, then disappear from the lot for months at a time. Eventually he would get himself together and return to filmmaking, only to repeat the cycle again later. Several reports mention that Jimmie suffered from epileptic seizures. All of these factors led to Roach's decision not to promote Jimmie into a featured star at the studios. From 1924 on, Parrott would work primarily behind the scenes on the lot as both writer and director of many of the most popular comedy shorts ever made."
DIRECTED BY JAMES PARROTT
"Jimmie began directing full time on the Roach lot in early 1924. Moving around from series to series, Parrott would contribute his talents to the Clyde Cook, Jimmy Finlayson, and the Hal Roach "All Star Comedies" series. By this time Charles Parrott had begun his own series of shorts (as both Jimmie Jump and Charley Chase). The physical resemblance between the two brothers was remarkable, although their respective styles of comedy are completely different. The Chase films lean towards domestic comedies, instead of pure slapstick. Still, the confusion between the Chase/Parrott shorts continues to this day as later Parrott films were re-released under the Charley Chase name. Because of this, Parrott remains overshadowed by his more popular and famous brother."
"Starting with JUST A MINUTE (1924), Jimmie began directorial duties on his brother's shorts, eventually racking up close to 30 titles in the series. In 1928, Parrott began a long and fruitful association with comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, directing many of the team's funniest and most beloved comedies. The list of titles is impressive: TWO TARS, PERFECT DAY, HELPMATES, COUNTY HOSPITAL, and 1932's Academy Award winning masterpiece, THE MUSIC BOX. In each of these shorts, Parrott lends his own distinctive comedy touch; situational slapstick bordering on the bizarre and absurd, but with enough human touches to keep things from going in the direction of the unbelievable and annoyingly stupid. He also had the foresight to let his comedians (particularly Stan Laurel) make suggestions and explore their own characterizations within the films. These comedies have held up so well, and are so often revived today, that James Parrott is number 5 on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) list of the twenty most popular directors, right along with Frank Capra, Orson Welles, Akira Kurisawa, and Buster Keaton!"
THE TALKIES
"James Parrott made the transition to the sound era with relative ease. After a short stint with Fox studios in 1929, Parrott returned to the Roach lot and resumed working on the Charley Chase and Laurel and Hardy films, directing both English and Foreign language versions of the two series. He briefly returned to acting in THE KING (1930), supporting Harry Langdon and Thelma Todd in an entry of the short lived Langdon series. As the 1930s drew on, directing jobs became more sporadic as Parrott's health again took a turn for the worse. Like his brother, Jimmie had a destructive fondness for alcohol. He had also developed an acute addiction to amphetamines and cocaine in an effort to curb his increasing weight gain. This in turn led to a serious heart condition. Photographs taken in the mid 1930s show an overweight and clearly unhappy Parrott, unrecognizable from the lean and handsome Charley Chase look-alike of a decade earlier."
"The latter half of the 1930s would not be kind to James Parrott. Although still able to direct quality shorts (e.g. THE PIP FROM PITTSBURGH), Parrott had developed a reputation as unreliable. To keep him going, Chase, Stan Laurel, and Hal Roach would give him work when they could. During this period, Parrott would direct an Our Gang short (WASHEE IRONEE, 1934) and several acceptable entries in the Thelma Todd / Patsy Kelly series. In 1935, Parrott left the Roach lot and was accepting any job that came his way. For Columbia, he directed one entry in the Radio Rouges series, and freelanced as a gag writer for Twentieth Century- Fox and Republic studios. Stan Laurel used him sporadically to contribute gags to the Laurel and Hardy features. By 1937, Parrott could not be counted on to direct or write, and relied on brother Charley 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. James Parrott intentionally took an overdose of pills and died in Hollywood on May 10, 1939. Obituaries and news reports at the time attributed the death to a heart attack. Brother Charley would follow him to the grave in 1940."
Recommended Reading
"For those interested in the Roach studio or Charley Chase, there are currently two well researched and informative books available on these subjects."
- Anthony, Brian, and Edmunds, Andy: Smile when the Raindrops Fall. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1998. (Biography of Charley Chase)
- Skredvedt, Randy. Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies. Beverly Hills, CA: Moonstone Press, 1987."
James married Ruby Ellen McCoy in 1937.
24. Daniel Patrick Parrett (Benjamin F.2, William J.1) was born on 26 Jul 1878 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada and died on 12 Jun 1929 at age 50.
Daniel married Mary Louise Durham on 25 Oct 1901 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada. Mary was born in 1881 in Dundas, Ontario, Canada.
Children from this marriage were:
33 F i. Rosamund Lovell Parrett was born on 9 Nov 1902 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada and died on 6 Jun 1903 in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada.
34 F ii. Millicent Gloria Parrett was born on 12 Jan 1905 in New York.
Millicent married Charles Gordon Goldstone. Charles was born on 25 Jul 1907 in New York and died on 22 Jul 1986 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., California at age 78. {FGID: 85883338}
29. Francis Aloysius Parrett Jr. (Frank Aloysius2, William J.1) was born on 19 Sep 1928 in Great Neck, Nassau Co., New York and died on 18 Feb 2005 in Islip Terrace, Suffolk Co., New York at age 76.
Francis married someone.
Fourth Generation (Great-Grandchildren)
31. Charles Joseph Parrott (Charles J.3, George W.2, William J.1) was born on 20 Oct 1893 in Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland and died on 20 Jun 1940 in Hollywood, Los Angeles Co., California at age 46. Other names for Charles were Charley Chase and Jimmy Jump.
General Notes: Bio: http://charleychase.50webs.com/bio.htm
"Charley Chase (1893-1940): Prolific silent film and early sound-era comedian, screenwriter, and director who during his career was associated with over 300 films; worked with many of the top comics of the day, including Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle, Laurel & Hardy, and the Three Stooges; had a long-running series of short comedies at the Hal Roach Studios (1924-36) and at Columbia Pictures (1937-40); notable starring comedies: Mighty Like a Moose (1926), Limousine Love (1928), The Pip From Pittsburgh (1931), The Heckler (1940)."
"Charley Chase was born Charles Joseph Parrott in Baltimore, Maryland on October 20, 1893. His parents, Charles and Blanche Thompson Parrott, also had another child, James Gibbons Parrott, who was born in 1898 and would eventually become a film actor and director. In 1903, young Parrott's father, a heavy drinker, died of a heart attack while still in his forties. To support the family, Charley worked odd jobs and entertained on street corners. He soon began performing in local theaters, becoming a neighborhood celebrity in the process. Around 1910, he struck out on the major vaudeville circuit, leaving Maryland and touring the States with other, more seasoned performers."
"Charley Parrott arrived in Hollywood in 1912. Initially finding work at the Al Christie filmmaking unit at Universal, he quickly gravitated to Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, fast becoming a haven for talented young comedians. Parrott's work as an actor for Sennett consisted mostly of bit roles supporting such up-and-comers as Charlie Chaplin and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Charley starred in a number of Keystone shorts, but the ordinariness of his appearance hindered his success at a studio that prized heavily made-up, grotesque comic actors."
"Charley Parrott's most important work at Keystone was done off-screen. Parrott became interested in the technical side of film and began directing Keystone stars such as Ford Sterling, Chester Conklin, Slim Summerville, and Mack Swain. After becoming a top director at Keystone, Parrott joined the Fox Film Corporation in 1917 as director of two-reel comedies. The following year, Parrott left the studio and directed comedies at Paramount, Bulls-Eye, and Educational. During this period, Parrott directed such stars as Lloyd Hamilton, Chaplin imitator Billy West, and a young Oliver Hardy."
"In 1920, Parrott was hired as director at the Hal Roach Studios, directing comic Snub Pollard. In late 1921, Parrott was made director general of the studio, supervising nearly the entire Roach product of the time. Once top Roach comedian Harold Lloyd left the studio in 1923, producer Hal Roach looked for someone with star potential to replace him. He thought Parrott fit the bill, and persuaded him to step in front of the cameras."
"Parrott changed his name to Charley Chase upon starting his new comedy series. The initial one-reel Charley Chase comedies (in which Chase usually played a character named Jimmy Jump) were so popular that their length was doubled by the following year. In his silent two-reelers, Chase frequently utilized situation comedy and farce, playing a good-natured young man continually getting into embarrassing situations. Compared to the other top comedians of the day, Chase emphasized sophisticated comic situations and character rather than gags. Collaborating with director Leo McCarey and (upon McCarey's move to the Laurel & Hardy series) his brother James Parrott, Chase turned out gem after gem during the silent era, a number of which are certified comedy classics. His Wooden Wedding, Innocent Husbands, Mighty Like a Moose, Crazy Like a Fox, Fluttering Hearts and Limousine Love all represent Chase at his best."
"Charley made his debut in sound film on a loan-out to Universal in a supporting role in the feature-length Modern Love. Back at the Hal Roach Studio, Chase eagerly began filming his "talkie" shorts. Sound provided greater scope for Chase's characterizations and also allowed him to showcase his considerable singing talents. As Chase neared forty years of age, he altered his screen character to what he termed his "Nance" persona -- an amiable, slightly meek, bashful fellow, which he portrayed in such films as Now We'll Tell One, Mr. Bride, and Fallen Arches. Although he was instrumental behind the scenes throughout his career, it was only in the mid 1930s that Chase began to get credit as director of his own work (as Charles Parrott)."
"Although Chase's field was the short subject, he made two important features in the 1930s. One was a hilarious guest appearance in Laurel and Hardy's Sons of the Desert (1933), in which he portrayed an obnoxious conventioneer fond of practical jokes. The other was in Kelly the Second (1936), where he played the more down-to-earth J. Willoughby Klum. Despite resistance from MGM, Chase attempted to produce his own starring feature film at Roach. Chase's hour-long feature ran into a number of production problems, and despite a positive response during previews, the film was cut down to two reels and released as the short Neighborhood House in 1936; footage from the unreleased feature-length version does not appear to survive. As Hal Roach was phasing out short subject production by the mid '30s, Chase's failure to graduate to features prompted the producer to fire Chase in 1936 after sixteen years of service as a writer, director, studio supervisor, and star comedian."
"Charley Chase did not abandon the short subject field. He went on to star in his own series of two-reelers at Columbia Pictures and directed other stars such as The Three Stooges. Some of his best shorts at Columbia, such as The Wrong Miss Wright and The Heckler, are as good as any of his Roach comedies."
"Throughout his career, Chase suffered from a drinking problem. On numerous occasions, his doctors advised him to stop, but the lure of the bottle was too strong. Chase's drinking further intensified after the early death of his brother James in 1939 (due to alcohol and apparently a drug problem) and the comedian eventually succumbed to a fatal heart attack on June 20, 1940 at the age of 46."
"Charley Chase died in 1940 but like many film greats who are now gone, his work lives on. The largely neglected comic legacy he leaves behind is comprised of hundreds of films, comedies that are constantly brimming with wit and invention -- films that burn bright with the kind of effervescent spirit that never fades and never grows old."
Charles married Bebe Elting in 1914. Bebe was born on 17 Apr 1886 in California and died on 10 Mar 1948 in Riverside Co., California at age 61.
Children from this marriage were:
35 F i. Pauline May Parrott was born on 8 Apr 1916 in Los Angeles Co., California and died on 28 Nov 1957 in Riverside Co., California at age 41.
Pauline married Seares.
36 F ii. June Parrott was born on 8 Jun 1917 in Los Angeles Co., California and died on 25 Dec 2005 in Fountain Valley, Orange Co., California at age 88. Another name for June was June Chase.
June married Donald Franklin Hargis. Donald was born on 22 Nov 1913 and died on 12 Mar 1996 in California at age 82.
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