Heinie Conklin

Heinie Conklin
Conklin in 1921
Born
Charles John Conklin

July 16, 1880
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died July 30, 1959 (aged 79)
Resting place Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active 1915–1959
Spouse Irene Blake
Children 3

Heinie Conklin (born Charles John Conklin; July 16, 1880 – July 30, 1959) was an American actor and comedian whose career began in the silent film era.

Early years

Conklin was born Charles John Conklin on July 16, 1880, in San Francisco, California. He attended San Francisco's public schools.

Career

In vaudeville, Conklin headlined shows on the Keith and Orpheum circuits. He was billed as Charles Conklin until 1927. He began working in films in 1915 after 17 years on stage and in vaudeville.

Still with Ben Turpin and Conklin as shoe salesmen in Cupid's Day Off (1919)

One of the original Keystone Kops, Conklin wore makeup of heavy eyebrow lining and a thin, upside-down, painted-on variation of Kaiser Wilhelm's mustache.

Conklin on left in No Mother to Guide Him

In areas where anti-German sentiments still ran high during the post-World War I era, Conklin was billed as Charlie Lynn. One of Conklin's first talking pictures was All Quiet on the Western Front as a hospital patient. For the rest of his career in talking pictures, he had small roles in 2-reelers which starred The Three Stooges, Andy Clyde, Hugh Herbert and Harry Langdon. Conklin's last billed movie was Abbott and Costello meet the Keystone Kops.

Conklin's period at Keystone was contemporary with that of Chester Conklin, a more popular Keystone comedian who occasionally played lead roles in Keystone short films. The two Conklins were not related.

Personal life and death

Conklin married Irene Blake. They had one daughter and two sons. He died in Hollywood, California, on July 30, 1959.

Partial filmography