Albert Austin

Known for

Popular titles

Photos

More stills of Albert Austin

Biography

A closer look

Read full biography

Albert Austin (13 December 1881 or 1885 – 17 August 1953) was an actor, film star, director and script writer, noted mainly for his work in Charlie Chaplin films. He was the brother of actor William Austin. He was born in Birmingham, England, and was a music hall performer before coming to the U.S. with Chaplin, both as members of the Fred Karno troupe, in 1910. Noted for his painted handlebar mustache and acerbic manner, he worked for Chaplin's stock company and played supporting roles in many of his films, often as a foil to the star, and working as his assistant director. After the development of sound films, he moved into scriptwriting, directing and acting, chiefly in comedy short subjects. Among other things, he assisted Chaplin in developing the plot of The Adventurer (1917). However, he only received screen credit as a collaborator once, for City Lights. As an actor, he appeared in Chaplin's comedies for the Mutual Film Corporation. Later he had two brief, uncredited roles in one of Chaplin's 'silent' comedies made in the sound era, City Lights (1931). Austin is also seen very briefly (as a cab driver) at the beginning of Chaplin's short film One A.M.. He also appeared in movies starring Jackie Coogan and Mack Sennett. Austin's best known performance may be in Chaplin's short The Pawnshop. Austin enters the shop with an alarm clock, hoping to pawn it. To establish the clock's value, Chaplin dissects it. Austin maintains a deadpan expression as Chaplin progressively destroys his clock, then hands the pieces back to Austin. He had the leading role in Mary Pickford's Suds (1920), where he co-stars as a customer leaving his shirt at her laundry. In that film he appears without his comic mustache. In his final years he worked as a police officer at the Warner Brothers studios, according to a New York Times obituary. Description above from the Wikipedia article Albert Austin licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

1996
Chaplin's Goliath
Movie Self (archive footage)
1983
Unknown Chaplin
TV show Self & In Out-Takes
1959
The Chaplin Revue
Movie Various (archive footage)
1941
The Charlie Chaplin Festival
Movie Various Roles (archive footage)
1934
Good Time Henry
Movie Story
1933
The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble
Movie Writer
1931
City Lights
Movie Street Sweeper / Burglar (uncredited)
1928
The Circus
Movie Clown (uncredited)
1927
Should Men Walk Home?
Movie Writer
1925
Keep Smiling
Movie Director
1925
The Gold Rush
Movie Prospector (uncredited)
1924
The Misfit
Movie Director
1923
A Prince of a King
Movie (uncredited)
1922
Trouble
Movie Director
1922
Pay Day
Movie Workman
1921
My Boy
Movie Director

More credits

1921
Grief
Movie
1921
The Kid
Movie Car Thief / Man in Shelter (uncredited)
1920
Suds
Movie Horace Greensmith
1919
The Professor
Movie Man in flophouse
1918
Shoulder Arms
Movie American Soldier / Clean Shaven German Soldier / Bearded German Soldier
1918
The Bond
Movie Friend
1918
Triple Trouble
Movie A Man
1918
A Dog's Life
Movie Crook (uncredited)
1918
How to Make Movies
Movie The Genie/Laboratory Supervisor/Golfer(uncredited)
1917
The Adventurer
Movie The Butler
1917
The Immigrant
Movie A Diner / Immigrant
1917
The Cure
Movie Sanitarium Attendant
1917
Easy Street
Movie Policeman / Preacher (uncredited)
1916
The Rink
Movie The Cook
1916
Behind the Screen
Movie Stagehand (uncredited)
1916
The Pawnshop
Movie Clock Client
1916
The Count
Movie Guest (uncredited)
1916
One A.M.
Movie Le chauffeur de taxi
1916
The Vagabond
Movie Trombonist (uncredited)
1916
The Fireman
Movie Fireman
1916
The Floorwalker
Movie Shop Assistant