Actor

Franklin Pangborn

Birthday: January 23, 1889

Born in: Newark, New Jersey, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in scores of feature films playing essentially the same character: prissy, polite, elegant, highly energetic, often officious, fastidious, somewhat nervous, prone to becoming flustered but essentially upbeat, and with immediately recognizable high-speed, patter-type speech. He typically played an officious desk clerk in a hotel, a self-important musician, a fastidious headwaiter, an enthusiastic birdwatcher, and the like, and was usually put in a situation of frustration or flustered by the antics of others. Pangborn was an effective foil for many major comedians.

Movie Credits

Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984) as (archive footage)
Age: 94
The Unchained Goddess (1958) as the Cloud Painter (voice)
Age: 69
The Story of Mankind (1957) as Marquis de Varennes
Age: 68
The Eternal Melody (1949) as The Cat Lover
Age: 60
Down Memory Lane (1949) as (archive footage)
Age: 60
My Dream Is Yours (1949) as Sourpuss Manager
Age: 60
Romance on the High Seas (1948) as Rio Hotel Clerk
Age: 59
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947) as Formfit Franklin
Age: 58
I'll Be Yours (1947) as Barber
Age: 58
Calendar Girl (1947) as Dilly Dillingsworth
Age: 58
Two Guys from Milwaukee (1946) as Theatre Manager
Age: 57
Lover Come Back (1946) as Hotel desk clerk
Age: 57
Hollywood Victory Caravan (1945) as Railroad Agent
Age: 56
Tell It to a Star (1945) as Horace Lovelace
Age: 56
You Came Along (1945) as Hotel Clerk
Age: 56
The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) as Radio Engineer / Sloan
Age: 56
Hollywood and Vine (1945) as Reggie
Age: 56
See My Lawyer (1945) as B.J. Wagonhorn
Age: 56
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) as Reception Committee Chairman
Age: 55
Reckless Age (1944) as Mr. Thurtle
Age: 55
Allergic to Love (1944) as Stewart Ives III
Age: 55
The Great Moment (1944) as Dr. Heywood
Age: 55
My Best Gal (1944) as Mr. Porter
Age: 55
Never a Dull Moment (1943) as Sylvester
Age: 54
Crazy House (1943) as Hotel Clerk
Age: 54
Holy Matrimony (1943) as Duncan Farll
Age: 54
Honeymoon Lodge (1943) as Cathcart
Age: 54
Stage Door Canteen (1943) as Franklin Pangborn
Age: 54
Two Weeks to Live (1943) as Mr. Pinkney
Age: 54
Reveille with Beverly (1943) as Vernon Lewis (uncredited)
Age: 54
Strictly in the Groove (1942) as Cathcart
Age: 53
George Washington Slept Here (1942) as Mr. Gibney
Age: 53
Now, Voyager (1942) as Mr. Thompson
Age: 53
The Palm Beach Story (1942) as Manager
Age: 53
Moonlight Masquerade (1942) as Fairchild
Age: 53
Obliging Young Lady (1942) as Professor Gibney
Age: 53
What's Cookin'? (1942) as Professor Bistell
Age: 53
Call Out the Marines (1942) as Wilbur
Age: 53
Mr. District Attorney in the Carter Case (1941) as Charley Towne
Age: 52
Weekend for Three (1941) as Number Seven, Old Field Inn Waiter
Age: 52
Sullivan's Travels (1941) as Mr. Casalsis
Age: 52
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) as The Producer
Age: 52
Tillie the Toiler (1941) as Perry Tweedale
Age: 52
The Flame of New Orleans (1941) as Bellows
Age: 52
Bachelor Daddy (1941) as Williams, Club Manager
Age: 52
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob (1941) as Pet Shop Owner
Age: 52
Where Did You Get That Girl? (1941) as Digby
Age: 51
The Bank Dick (1940) as J. Pinkerton Snoopington
Age: 51
Christmas in July (1940) as Don Hartman - Radio Announcer
Age: 51
Hit Parade of 1941 (1940) as Carter
Age: 51
The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940) as Bartender (uncredited)
Age: 51
Spring Parade (1940) as Wiedlemeyer
Age: 51
Public Deb No. 1 (1940) as Bartender
Age: 51
Turnabout (1940) as Mr. Pingboom
Age: 51
Fifth Avenue Girl (1939) as Higgins
Age: 50
Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 8 (1939) as Franklin Pangborn
Age: 50
Broadway Serenade (1939) as Gene, Collier's Composer
Age: 50
Topper Takes a Trip (1938) as Louis - Hotel Manager
Age: 49
The Girl Downstairs (1938) as Adolf Pumpfel
Age: 49
Just Around the Corner (1938) as Waters
Age: 49
Carefree (1938) as Roland Hunter
Age: 49
Four's a Crowd (1938) as Preston
Age: 49
Always Goodbye (1938) as Bicycle Salesman
Age: 49
Three Blind Mice (1938) as Clerk
Age: 49
Vivacious Lady (1938) as Apartment Manager
Age: 49
Doctor Rhythm (1938) as Mr. Stenchfield (Store Clerk)
Age: 49
Joy of Living (1938) as Orchestra Leader
Age: 49
Bluebeard's 8th Wife (1938) as Assistant Hotel Manager
Age: 49
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938) as Hamilton Montmarcy
Age: 49
Love on Toast (1937) as Finley
Age: 48
Thrill of a Lifetime (1937) as Sam Williams
Age: 48
She Married an Artist (1937) as Paul
Age: 48
I'll Take Romance (1937) as Kane's Secretary
Age: 48
Living on Love (1937) as Ogilvie O. Oglethorpe
Age: 48
Stage Door (1937) as Harcourt
Age: 48
Danger – Love at Work (1937) as Train dining car headwaiter
Age: 48
It Happened in Hollywood (1937) as Mr. Forsythe
Age: 48
The Life of the Party (1937) as Beggs
Age: 48
It's All Yours (1937) as Schultz
Age: 48
All Over Town (1937) as The Costumer
Age: 48
The Lady Escapes (1937) as Pierre
Age: 48
Easy Living (1937) as Van Buren
Age: 48
She Had to Eat (1937) as Mr. Phoecian-Wylie
Age: 48
Step Lively, Jeeves! (1937) as Head Waiter
Age: 48
Dangerous Holiday (1937) as Doffle
Age: 48
A Star Is Born (1937) as Billy Moon (uncredited)
Age: 48
We Have Our Moments (1937) as Joe
Age: 48
When Love Is Young (1937) as John Dorman
Age: 48
Swing High, Swing Low (1937) as Henri
Age: 48
Bad Housekeeping (1937) as Piano Tuner
Age: 48
Rich Relations (1937) as Mr. Dwight
Age: 48
She's Dangerous (1937) as Fashion Designer
Age: 48
Dangerous Number (1937) as Hotel Desk Clerk
Age: 47
High Hat (1937) as Renaldo Breton
Age: 47
The Mandarin Mystery (1936) as Mellish
Age: 47
Three Smart Girls (1936) as Jeweler
Age: 47
Hats Off (1936) as Mr. Churchill
Age: 47
The Luckiest Girl in the World (1936) as Cashier
Age: 47
Swing Banditry (1936) as Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Age: 47
My Man Godfrey (1936) as Guthrie (uncredited)
Age: 47
To Mary - with Love (1936) as Guest
Age: 47
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) as The Tailor (uncredited)
Age: 47
Doughnuts and Society (1936) as Benson
Age: 47
Give Us This Night (1936) as Forcellini's Secretary
Age: 47
Don't Gamble with Love (1936) as Salesman
Age: 47
Tango (1936) as Oscar, the Photographer
Age: 47
$1,000 a Minute (1935) as Reville
Age: 46
She Couldn't Take It (1935) as Spot's Secretary
Age: 46
She Married Her Boss (1935) as Window Dresser (uncredited)
Age: 46
The Captain Hits the Ceiling (1935) as Jimmy Martin
Age: 46
The Headline Woman (1935) as Hamilton
Age: 46
Eight Bells (1935) as Finch
Age: 46
Hollywood Trouble (1935) as Tailor
Age: 45
College Rhythm (1934) as Peabody
Age: 45
Imitation of Life (1934) as Mr. Carven (uncredited)
Age: 45
Flirtation (1934) as Veterinarian
Age: 45
My Grandfather's Clock (1934) as Dr. Watkins
Age: 45
Tomorrow's Youth (1934) as Thornton
Age: 45
That's Gratitude (1934) as Photographer
Age: 45
Young and Beautiful (1934) as Radio Announcer
Age: 45
King Kelly of the U.S.A. (1934) as J. Ashton Brockton
Age: 45
Cockeyed Cavaliers (1934) as Town Crier
Age: 45
Many Happy Returns (1934) as Allen's Secretary
Age: 45
Strictly Dynamite (1934) as Mr. Bailey
Age: 45
Manhattan Love Song (1934) as Garrett Wetherby
Age: 45
Unknown Blonde (1934) as Male Co-Respondent
Age: 45
Design for Living (1933) as Mr. Douglas
Age: 44
Flying Down to Rio (1933) as Hammerstein (uncredited)
Age: 44
Only Yesterday (1933) as Tom (Uncredited)
Age: 44
Wild Poses (1933) as Otto Phocus
Age: 44
Menu (1933) as John Xavier Omsk (uncredited)
Age: 44
Trying Out Torchy (1933) as Office manager
Age: 44
Headline Shooter (1933) as Adolphus G. Crocker
Age: 44
The Important Witness (1933) as Groom
Age: 44
Bed of Roses (1933) as Floorwalker
Age: 44
Torchy's Loud Spooker (1933) as Office Manager
Age: 44
Professional Sweetheart (1933) as Herbert
Age: 44
International House (1933) as Hotel Manager
Age: 44
Dream Stuff (1933) as Gordon
Age: 44
Torchy Turns Turtle (1933) as Office Manager
Age: 44
Sweepings (1933) as Photographer (Uncredited)
Age: 44
Sing, Bing, Sing (1933) as Herbert
Age: 44
Art in the Raw (1933)
Age: 44
Easy on the Eyes (1933) as Franklyn Pierce
Age: 44
Parachute Jumper (1933) as Man in Private Office (uncredited)
Age: 44
Torchy's Kitty Coup (1933) as Office Manager
Age: 43
The Half-Naked Truth (1932) as Hotel Clerk
Age: 43
Torchy Rolls His Own (1932) as Office Manager
Age: 43
Over the Counter (1932) as Drake's Assistant
Age: 43
Tee for Two (1932) as Henry
Age: 43
Torchy's Busy Day (1932) as Office Manager
Age: 43
The Giddy Age (1932) as George
Age: 43
What Price Taxi (1932) as Taxi Boy
Age: 43
The Candid Camera (1932) as Jack Townes
Age: 43
The Loud Mouth (1932)
Age: 43
Doctor's Orders (1932)
Age: 43
Torchy's Two Toots (1932) as Office Manager
Age: 43
Jimmy's New Yacht (1932) as Everett
Age: 43
Lighthouse Love (1932) as Pvt. Jerry Stone
Age: 43
Lighthouse Love (1932) as Pvt. Jerry Stone
Age: 43
Torchy Raises the Auntie (1932) as Office Manager
Age: 43
Torchy's Night Cap (1932) as Office Manager
Age: 43
A Fool's Advice (1932) as Egbert - Hotel Clerk
Age: 43
Torchy Turns the Trick (1932) as Office Manager
Age: 43
Hollywood Halfbacks (1931)
Age: 42
Torchy Passes the Buck (1931) as Office Manager
Age: 42
Torchy (1931) as Office Manager
Age: 42
Blue of the Night (1931) as Gilbert Sinclair
Age: 42
A Woman of Experience (1931) as Hans
Age: 42
Next Door Neighbors (1931) as Landlord
Age: 42
Breakfast in Bed (1930) as John
Age: 41
Sunny (1930) as Party Guest (uncredited)
Age: 41
A Lady Surrenders (1930) as Lawton
Age: 41
Her Man (1930) as Sport
Age: 41
The Chumps (1930) as Eddie Gray
Age: 41
Cheer Up and Smile (1930) as Professor
Age: 41
Reno or Bust (1930)
Age: 41
Not So Dumb (1930) as Leach
Age: 41
Poor Aubrey (1930) as Aubrey Piper
Age: 41
The Sap (1929) as Ed Mason
Age: 40
Lady of the Pavements (1929) as M'sieu Dubrey, Dance Master
Age: 39
On Trial (1928) as Turnbull
Age: 39
A Blonde for a Night (1928) as Hector
Age: 39
My Friend from India (1927) as William / Tommy Valentine
Age: 38
The Girl in the Pullman (1927) as Hector Brooks
Age: 38
The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary (1927) as Melville
Age: 38
Cradle Snatchers (1927) as Howard Drake
Age: 38
Getting Gertie's Garter (1927) as Algy Brooks
Age: 38
Finger Prints (1927) as The Bandoline Kid
Age: 37
Exit Smiling (1926) as Cecil Lovelace
Age: 37