Jimmie Adams
Encyclopedia
Jimmie Adams a.k.a. James Adams, a.k.a. Jimmy Adams of The Ranch Boys, (4 October 1888 - 19 December 1933) was a silent-screen comedian.
and Al Christie
. The slightly built, pencil-mustached Adams has been described by historian Kalton C. Lahue as "a poor man's Charley Chase
." Like Chase, and unlike the other comics at Educational, Adams favored situation comedy over slapstick.
He briefly replaced Mack Sennett
comic Harry McCoy
in the cartoon-inspired Hall Room Boys series (produced by Harry Cohn
and Jack Cohn, later of Columbia Pictures
). By 1924 Adams was back with Educational.
Christie hired Adams for six comedies released in 1926 and 1927. The Christie comedies were more polite and less extreme than the slam-bang comedies of other studios, but Christie's soft-pedal comedy style did find an audience. Star comedians Jimmie Adams, Bobby Vernon
, Lige Conley, Neal Burns
, and Billy Dooley
constituted a lineup that was no threat to Hal Roach
, but nevertheless entertained millions with a style than neither Roach or Mack Sennett
could or would provide.
Adams was also a singer. In 1930 he co-starred with burly comic Bud Jamison
as "The Rolling Stones," a pair of singing vagabonds touring America. Adams also sang with The Ranch Boys, a musical group featured in Charley Chase
comedies.
Career
In 1921 Adams starred in two-reel comedies for Educational PicturesEducational Pictures
Educational Pictures was a film distribution company founded in 1919 by Earle Hammons . Educational primarily distributed short subjects, and today is probably best known for its series of 1930s comedies starring Buster Keaton, as well as for a series of one-reel comedies featuring Shirley...
and Al Christie
Al Christie
Al Christie was a Canadian-born motion picture director, producer and screenwriter.-Career:Born Alfred Ernest Christie, in London, Ontario, Canada, he was one of a number of Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood who made their way to Hollywood, California, attracted by the newly developing motion...
. The slightly built, pencil-mustached Adams has been described by historian Kalton C. Lahue as "a poor man's Charley Chase
Charley Chase
Charley Chase was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies...
." Like Chase, and unlike the other comics at Educational, Adams favored situation comedy over slapstick.
He briefly replaced Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
comic Harry McCoy
Harry McCoy
Harry McCoy was an American film actor and screewriter. He appeared in 155 films between 1912 and 1935.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died in Hollywood, California from a heart attack....
in the cartoon-inspired Hall Room Boys series (produced by Harry Cohn
Harry Cohn
Harry Cohn was the American president and production director of Columbia Pictures.-Career:Cohn was born to a working-class German-Jewish family in New York City. In later years, he appears to have disparaged his heritage...
and Jack Cohn, later of Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
). By 1924 Adams was back with Educational.
Christie hired Adams for six comedies released in 1926 and 1927. The Christie comedies were more polite and less extreme than the slam-bang comedies of other studios, but Christie's soft-pedal comedy style did find an audience. Star comedians Jimmie Adams, Bobby Vernon
Bobby Vernon
Bobby Vernon was an American comedic actor in silent films. He later became a writer and comedy supervisor at Paramount for W.C. Fields and Bing Crosby, when the sound era arrived....
, Lige Conley, Neal Burns
Neal Burns
Neal Burns was an American film actor, screenwriter and director. He appeared in 198 films between 1915 and 1946....
, and Billy Dooley
Billy Dooley
Billy Dooley is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with the Offaly inter-county team from 1991 until 1999.-Early life:...
constituted a lineup that was no threat to Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
, but nevertheless entertained millions with a style than neither Roach or Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-born American director and was known as the innovator of slapstick comedy in film. During his lifetime he was known at times as the "King of Comedy"...
could or would provide.
Adams was also a singer. In 1930 he co-starred with burly comic Bud Jamison
Bud Jamison
Bud Jamison was an American film actor. He appeared in 450 films between 1915 and 1944.-Career:...
as "The Rolling Stones," a pair of singing vagabonds touring America. Adams also sang with The Ranch Boys, a musical group featured in Charley Chase
Charley Chase
Charley Chase was an American comedian, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his work in Hal Roach short film comedies...
comedies.