Percy Kilbride

Percy Kilbride (July 16, 1888 - December 11, 1964), born in San Francisco, California, was a popular character actor. Despite being raised in a big city, he made a career of playing

Related Topics:
July 16 - 1888 - December 11 - 1964 - San Francisco - California

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

country hicks, most memorably as lazy Pa Kettle in the Ma and Pa Kettle movie series.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kilbride began working in theater at the age of 12 and eventually became an

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

actor on Broadway. Ironically in light of his most familiar roles, he

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

first played an 18th-century French dandy in A Tale of Two Cities.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His film debut was as Jakey in White Woman in 1933. He left Broadway

Related Topics:
White Woman - Broadway

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

for good in 1942.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1947 he and Marjorie Main played the supporting parts of Ma and

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pa Kettle in The Egg and I, starring Fred MacMurray and

Related Topics:
The Egg and I - Fred MacMurray

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Claudette Colbert. Those were followed by the popular Ma and Pa Kettle

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

series with Kilbride and Main playing the main characters, during which time he also played in

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

other movies.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kilbride retired after making the 1955 film Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He did, however, take a small role in Son of Flubber in 1963.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He died in Los Angeles, California, after having

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

been struck by a car while walking near his home with a friend.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~