Victor Potel
Actor · 1889 – 1947 · Lafayette, Indiana, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38-year career. Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1889, and his acting career goes back almost to the beginning of the commercial film industry in the United States. He made his first silent film in 1910, a comedy short filmed in Chicago by Essanay Film Manufacturing Company called A Dog on Business. Potel continued to make films for Essanay, appearing in dozens of films every year, including most of the Broncho Billy series, and played a character called "Slippery Slim" in 80 movies. He also appeared in Universal Pictures' "Snakeville" series. Potel's first talking picture was Melody of Love, starring Walter Pidgeon, made for Universal in 1928. and in the sound era he continued to work continuously and constantly, playing small parts and sometimes uncredited bit parts, all primarily comic roles due to his height (6 ft 1 in or 1.85 m) and gawkiness. In addition to acting, on several occasions Potel also wrote and directed. In the 1920s he directed two silent shorts, The Rubber-Neck in 1924 and Action Craver in 1927, and contributed the story for Saxophobia in 1927. In the following decade, in the sound era, he was the dialogue director for The Big Chance (1933), and wrote the story for Inside Information in 1934). In 1935 he provided continuity and dialogue for Million Dollar Haul and the screenplay for Hot Off the Press. In the 1940s, Potel was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in nine films written and directed by Sturges. Potel continued to work right up until his death on 8 March 1947. The final film he worked on, Relentless finished filming on 28 February of that year.
Movies24
Movie7.5CrimeDramaJoe, who owns a gas station along with his brothers and is about to marry Katherine, travels to the small town where she lives to visit her, but is wrongly mistaken for a wanted kidnapper and arrested.
Fury
1936 · 262 votes
Movie7.4ComedyRomanceSuccessful movie director John L. Sullivan, convinced he won't be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey, aiming to "know trouble" first-hand. When all he finds is a train ride back to Hollywood and a beautiful blonde companion, he redoubles his efforts, managing to land himself in more trouble than he bargained for when he loses his memory and ends up a prisoner on a chain gang.
Sullivan's Travels
1941 · 525 votes
Movie7.3ComedyRomanceIt's no accident when wealthy Charles falls for Jean. Jean is a con artist with her sights set on Charles' fortune. Matters complicate when Jean starts falling for her mark. When Charles suspects Jean is a gold digger, he dumps her. Jean, fixated on revenge and still pining for the millionaire, devises a plan to get back in Charles' life. With love and payback on her mind, she re-introduces herself to Charles, this time as an aristocrat named Lady Eve Sidwich.
The Lady Eve
1941 · 412 votes
Movie7.1ComedyRomanceWorld War II veteran Bob MacDonald surprises his new wife, Betty, by quitting his city job and moving them to a dilapidated farm in the country. While Betty gamely struggles with managing the crumbling house and holding off nosy neighbors and a recalcitrant pig, Bob makes plans for crops and livestock. The couple's bliss is shaken by a visit from a beautiful farm owner, who seems to want more from Bob than just managing her property.
The Egg and I
1947 · 49 votes
Movie6.8ComedyRomanceA small-town girl with a soft spot for American soldiers wakes up the morning after a wild farewell party for the troops to find that she married someone she can't remember.
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
1944 · 125 votes
Movie7.0ComedyRomanceA New York inventor, Tom Jeffers, needs cash to develop his big idea, so his adoring wife, Gerry, decides to raise it by divorcing him and marrying an eccentric Florida millionaire, J. D. Hackensacker III.
The Palm Beach Story
1942 · 213 votes
Movie4.4CrimeDramaA rough criminal gets a second chance at life thanks to a kindly (and wealthy) lady saloon patron. But he hasn't gone straight yet, as he and a partner attempt to rob the home of a rich homeowner-- whose wife is asleep in the next room.
His Regeneration
1915 · 30 votes
Movie9.0DramaHoping to gain favor with the people of Moravia and destroy evidence of the rightful prince's claim to the throne, Prince Ferdinand makes plans to marry Countess Nadia. She thwarts Ferdinand's efforts, running off with Gustav Kenski, only to marry Gene, a soldier who she meets on the road. Ferdinand has her found and abducted, but Gene rescues her, and it is revealed that he is the rightful prince of Moravia.
Refuge
1923 · 1 votes
Movie6.8FantasyComedyA young turn-of-the-century newspaper man finds he can get hold of the next day's paper. This brings more problems than fortune, especially as his new girlfriend is part of a phony clairvoyant act.
It Happened Tomorrow
1944 · 72 votes
Movie5.3RomanceWesternA bandit disguises himself as an officer in an attempt to woo a saloon singer.
The Girl of the Golden West
1938 · 5 votes
Movie7.0ComedyCrimeThe search is on for a bank robber's hidden stash in a house they all say is haunted.
Itching Palms
1923 · 1 votes
Movie7.1ComedyWarHaving been discharged from the Marines for a hayfever condition before ever seeing action, Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith delays the return to his hometown, feeling that he is a failure. While in a moment of melancholy, he meets up with a group of Marines who befriend him and encourage him to return home to his mother by fabricating a story that he was wounded in battle with honorable discharge.
Hail the Conquering Hero
1944 · 77 votes
Movie7.0ComedyWesternSlim and Mustang are rivals for the affections of Sophie, the cook at the O.K. Hotel.
Sentimental Sophie
1915 · 1 votes
Movie6.9ActionDramaIn a town called New Jerusalem, three bandits hold up a bank. After a gun battle with the townspeople, the three robbers retreat into the scorching Arizona desert. There, they happen upon an ill woman stranded with her child. As the mother dies, she begs the men to take care of her infant. The fugitives want to save the baby -- but to do so, they'll have to travel back to New Jerusalem, where they are wanted men. Remade as 3 Godfathers (1949).
Three Godfathers
1936 · 18 votes
Movie5.5RomanceWesternDuke Fergus falls for Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry in the Barbary Coast in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. He loses money to crooked gambler Boss Tito Morell, goes home, learns to gamble, and returns. After he makes a fortune, he opens his own place with Flaxen as the entertainer; but the 1906 quake destroys his place.
Flame of Barbary Coast
1945 · 24 votes
Movie7.0ComedyRomanceAn office clerk loves entering contests in the hopes of someday winning a fortune and marrying the girl he loves. His latest attempt is the Maxford House Coffee Slogan Contest. As a joke, some of his co-workers put together a fake telegram which says that he won the $25,000 grand prize.
Christmas in July
1940 · 91 votes
Movie5.9DramaInventor Thomas Edison's boyhood is chronicled and shows him as a lad whose early inventions and scientific experiments usually end up causing disastrous results. As a result, the towns folk all think Tom is crazy, and creating a strained relationship between Tom and his father. Tom's only solace is his understanding mother who believes he's headed to do great things.
Young Tom Edison
1940 · 11 votes
Movie6.9ComedyTold in flashback, Depression-era bum Dan McGinty is recruited by the city's political machine to help with vote fraud. His great aptitude for this brings rapid promotion from "the boss," who finally decides he'd be ideal as a new, nominally "reform" mayor; but this candidacy requires marriage. His in-name-only marriage to honest Catherine proves the beginning of the end for dishonest Dan...
The Great McGinty
1940 · 80 votes
Movie4.0ComedyWesternWhen rancher Arthur Mackley welcomes his daughter (Florence Perkes) to his ranch for a visit, all of the cowboys compete for her affections.
Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy
1912 · 1 votes
Movie6.4ComedyTwenty-three years after scoring the winning touchdown for his college football team mild-mannered Harold Diddlebock, who has been stuck in a dull, dead-end book-keeping job for years, is let go by his pompous boss, advertising tycoon J.E. Wagglebury, with nothing but a tiny pension. Harold, who never touches the stuff, takes a stiff drink with his new pal... and another, and another. What happened Wednesday?
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
1947 · 33 votes
Movie6.9ComedyBaby Dumpling, the six-year-old son of Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead disappears from sight during his first day at school. While Dagwood frantically combs the city in search of the boy, Baby Dumpling spents a nice, safe afternoon with poor little rich girl Melinda Mason, who with her new playmate's help arises from her sickbed to walk across the room for the first time in months.
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939 · 8 votes
Movie7.3AdventureFamilyA 12 episode serial starring Rex, the King of the Wild Horses and Rin-Tin-Tin, Jr. Rex is brought from the island of Sujan, where he is worshiped as a God-Horse, to the U.S. to be trained as a polo pony. He escapes, meets Rinty and with the help of Frank Bradley is returned to Sujan. The natives have been persuaded to turn against their God-Horse, however he is rescued just in time before he is burned as a sacrifice.
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
1935 · 4 votes
Movie4.3WesternRomanceHenry Jethrow is after the Wilson ranch. He has George Wilson unknowningly sign a note for the ranch, has him killed, and then presents the note. The Pinto Kid, investigating cattle rustlers, accidentally drops his glove at the murder scene and now has a price on his head. He has Beth Wilson turn him and use the reward money to reclaim the note. Now he has to escape jail and find the real killers.
Frontier Days
1934 · 3 votes
Movie4.6ComedyA mobster's moll leads a newsman, cub reporter and photographer to a scoop.
The Housekeeper's Daughter
1939 · 5 votes