Vernon Dent
Encyclopedia
Vernon Bruce Dent was a comic actor who appeared in over 400 films in his career. He co-starred in many short films for Columbia Pictures
, frequently as the foil to the Three Stooges
.
studio, working with comedians Billy Bevan
, Andy Clyde
, and especially Harry Langdon
. Dent alternately played breezy pals and blustery authority figures opposite Langdon's timid character.
Sennett voided all contracts when it came time to retool his studio for sound, and Dent moved to Educational Pictures
in 1929. Dent's supporting performances were frequently funnier than the sometimes uninspired antics of the nominal stars. When Educational hired Harry Langdon for a series of two-reelers in 1932, Vernon Dent resumed his place as Langdon's co-star.
' short-subject department in 1935, and achieved his greatest success there. He went on to work with practically every star on the payroll, including Andy Clyde
, Charley Chase
, and Eddie Quillan
(all fellow Mack Sennett alumni), as well as Buster Keaton
, El Brendel
, Barbara Jo Allen
(Vera Vague), Hugh Herbert
, Schilling and Lane, Harry von Zell
, and Bert Wheeler
. Dent appeared very occasionally in feature films, including Million Dollar Legs, Chip Off the Old Block
, Kill the Umpire
, The Harvey Girls
and Rockin' in the Rockies
, but was much more visible in two-reel comedies.
Dent was most often featured in the Three Stooges films; in fact, he made more appearances in their films than any other supporting actor. Dent also appeared with The Three Stooges on a live CBS Television broadcast of The Frank Sinatra Show
on January 1, 1952. Through his association with the Stooges, Dent became close friends with Shemp Howard.
later in life, and eventually went blind
. Amazingly, he continued to act in Columbia shorts, in a stationary or seated position, through 1954. His final appearance with the Stooges was in Knutzy Knights
; as the film was a remake
of 1948's Squareheads of the Round Table
, Dent was only needed for a few new shots, and was also uncredited. Every Three Stooges film short with his name that was produced after this used stock footage
from his earlier shorts; as such, his last "appearance" was 1957's Guns a Poppin!
. By the time Dent retired from film in 1954, he had appeared in over 400 films.
Dent attended Shemp Howard's funeral in 1955. At the time, he was completely blind, and had to be led to Howard's casket. Character actor Emil Sitka
was one of many who did not know Dent had lost his sight:
Dent's diabetes worsened after his retirement, limiting his activities. He died of a heart attack
on November 5, 1963.
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...
, frequently as the foil to the Three Stooges
Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
.
Early career
In the early 1920s, Dent was a fixture at the Mack SennettMack 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"...
studio, working with comedians Billy Bevan
Billy Bevan
Billy Bevan was an Australian film actor. He appeared in 254 American films between 1916 and 1950....
, Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde was a Scottish movie and TV actor whose career spanned more than four decades. He broke into silent films in 1925 as a Mack Sennett comic...
, and especially Harry Langdon
Harry Langdon
Harry Philmore Langdon was an American comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films , and talkies. He was briefly partnered with Oliver Hardy.-Life and career:...
. Dent alternately played breezy pals and blustery authority figures opposite Langdon's timid character.
Sennett voided all contracts when it came time to retool his studio for sound, and Dent moved to Educational Pictures
Educational 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...
in 1929. Dent's supporting performances were frequently funnier than the sometimes uninspired antics of the nominal stars. When Educational hired Harry Langdon for a series of two-reelers in 1932, Vernon Dent resumed his place as Langdon's co-star.
Columbia Pictures
Dent joined Columbia PicturesColumbia 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...
' short-subject department in 1935, and achieved his greatest success there. He went on to work with practically every star on the payroll, including Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde was a Scottish movie and TV actor whose career spanned more than four decades. He broke into silent films in 1925 as a Mack Sennett comic...
, 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...
, and Eddie Quillan
Eddie Quillan
Edward "Eddie" Quillan was an American film actor whose career began as a child on the vaudeville stages and silent film and continued through the age of television in the 1980s.-Vaudeville and silent films:...
(all fellow Mack Sennett alumni), as well as Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
, El Brendel
El Brendel
El Brendel was a vaudeville comedian turned movie star, best remembered for his dialect schtick as a Swedish immigrant. His biggest role was as "Single-0" in the sci-fi musical Just Imagine , produced by Fox Film Corporation...
, Barbara Jo Allen
Barbara Jo Allen
Barbara Jo Allen was an actress also known as Vera Vague, the spinster character she created and portrayed on radio and in films during the 1940s and 1950s. She based the character on a woman she had seen delivering a PTA literature lecture in a confused manner...
(Vera Vague), Hugh Herbert
Hugh Herbert
Hugh Herbert was a motion picture comedian. He began his career in vaudeville, and wrote more than 150 plays and sketches.-Career:...
, Schilling and Lane, Harry von Zell
Harry von Zell
Harry von Zell , born in Indianapolis, made his mark as an announcer of radio programs and an actor in films and television shows....
, and Bert Wheeler
Wheeler & Woolsey
Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were a famous American film comedy team of the 1930s....
. Dent appeared very occasionally in feature films, including Million Dollar Legs, Chip Off the Old Block
Chip Off the Old Block
Chip Off the Old Block is 1944 American film starring Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan, and Ann Blyth. In the story, the son of a strict man from the Navy falls in love with a girl from a performing family . In the end, the families learn to except their differences and they are allowed to be in love...
, Kill the Umpire
Kill the Umpire
Kill the Umpire is a 1950 comedy starring William Bendix and Una Merkel, directed by Lloyd Bacon and written by Frank Tashlin.-Plot:Bendix plays a former baseball player who continues to be a baseball fanatic whose devotion to the game has cost him several jobs, but who remains steadfast in one...
, The Harvey Girls
The Harvey Girls
The Harvey Girls is a 1946 MGM musical film based on a 1942 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams about Fred Harvey's famous Harvey House restaurants. Directed by George Sidney, the film stars Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Virginia O'Brien, Ray Bolger, and Marjorie Main...
and Rockin' in the Rockies
Rockin' in the Rockies
Rockin' in the Rockies is a musical western film starring the Three Stooges . It was one of the Stooges' few feature films made during the run of their more well-known series of short subjects for Columbia Pictures, although the group had appeared in supporting roles in other features...
, but was much more visible in two-reel comedies.
Dent was most often featured in the Three Stooges films; in fact, he made more appearances in their films than any other supporting actor. Dent also appeared with The Three Stooges on a live CBS Television broadcast of The Frank Sinatra Show
The Frank Sinatra Show (CBS)
The Frank Sinatra Show is a CBS musical variety TV series which aired from 1950 to 1952. As with many variety shows of the time, The show was broadcast live and was recorded via kinescope. Some episodes were 30 minutes long while others were 60 minutes. As its title suggests, it was hosted by...
on January 1, 1952. Through his association with the Stooges, Dent became close friends with Shemp Howard.
Diabetes and death
Dent suffered from diabetesDiabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
later in life, and eventually went blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
. Amazingly, he continued to act in Columbia shorts, in a stationary or seated position, through 1954. His final appearance with the Stooges was in Knutzy Knights
Knutzy Knights
Knutzy Knights is the 156th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
; as the film was a remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of 1948's Squareheads of the Round Table
Squareheads of the Round Table
Squareheads of the Round Table is the 106th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, Dent was only needed for a few new shots, and was also uncredited. Every Three Stooges film short with his name that was produced after this used stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
from his earlier shorts; as such, his last "appearance" was 1957's Guns a Poppin!
Guns a Poppin!
Guns a Poppin! is the 179th short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
. By the time Dent retired from film in 1954, he had appeared in over 400 films.
Dent attended Shemp Howard's funeral in 1955. At the time, he was completely blind, and had to be led to Howard's casket. Character actor Emil Sitka
Emil Sitka
Emil Sitka was a veteran American actor who appeared in hundreds of movies, short films, and television shows, and is best known for his numerous appearances with the Three Stooges—nearly 40...
was one of many who did not know Dent had lost his sight:
Dent's diabetes worsened after his retirement, limiting his activities. He died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on November 5, 1963.