Victor Potel

Victor Potel

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.
5.8
Yankee Fakir
1947
Yankee Fakir
6.1
The Glass Alibi
1946
The Glass Alibi
7.0
Rhythm Round-Up
1945
Rhythm Round-Up
6.1
A Medal for Benny
1945
A Medal for Benny
7.5
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
1944
The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
4.0
Wagon Wheels West
1943
Wagon Wheels West
6.9
The Good Fellows
1943
The Good Fellows
5.9
The Man in the Trunk
1942
The Man in the Trunk
7.4
The Palm Beach Story
1942
The Palm Beach Story
6.1
The Lady from Cheyenne
1941
The Lady from Cheyenne
6.6
Ride on Vaquero
1941
Ride on Vaquero
6.4
Girl from God's Country
1940
Girl from God's Country
4.9
Li'l Abner
1940
Li'l Abner
6.4
Trail of the Vigilantes
1940
Trail of the Vigilantes
5.5
The Villain Still Pursued Her
1940
The Villain Still Pursued Her
6.3
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
1939
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
6.4
Second Fiddle
1939
Second Fiddle
6.4
Stand Up and Fight
1939
Stand Up and Fight
6.5
Hollywood Cavalcade
1939
Hollywood Cavalcade
6.3
Let Freedom Ring
1939
Let Freedom Ring
6.1
The Housekeeper's Daughter
1939
The Housekeeper's Daughter
5.6
Chip of the Flying U
1939
Chip of the Flying U
5.2
Down the Wyoming Trail
1939
Down the Wyoming Trail
6.8
Blondie Brings Up Baby
1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby