Victor Potel

Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in more than 430 films in his 38-year career.
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 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 March 8, 1947. The final film he worked on, Relentless finished filming on February 28 of that year.
Selected filmography
Silent
A Dog on Business (1910, Short)
Across the Plains (1911, Short)
Alkali Ike's Auto (1911, Short)
The Good-for-Nothing (1914) - Old Clerk
His Regeneration (1915, Short) - Pawn Shop Clerk (uncredited)
Baseball Madness (1917, Short)
Captain Kidd, Jr. (1919) - Constable Sam
Full of Pep (1919) - Beanpole
The Amateur Adventuress (1919) - Gregory Charles Sentel
The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1919)
The Petal on the Current (1919) - Skinny Flint
In Mizzoura (1919) - Dave
Water, Water, Everywhere (1920) - Steve Brainard
Mary's Ankle (1920) - Johnny Stokes
The Heart of a Child (1920) - Charley Peastone
Billions (1920) - Pushkin
Bob Hampton of Placer (1921) - Willie McNeil
One a Minute (1921) - Jingo Pitts
Lavender and Old Lace (1921) - Joe Pendleton
At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern (1922) - The Poet
I Can Explain (1922) - Will Potter
Don't Write Letters (1922) - The Lover
Step on It! (1922) - Noisy Johnson
The Loaded Door (1922) - Slim
A Tailor-Made Man (1922) - Peter
Quincy Adams Sawyer (1922) - Hiram Maxwell
Refuge (1923) - Alphpmse
Modern Matrimony (1923) - Junior Rutherford
Penrod and Sam (1923) - Town Drunkard
Itching Palms (1923) - The Village Dumbbell
Tea: With a Kick! (1923) - Bellboy 13
The Meanest Man in the World (1923) - Lute Boon
Anna Christie (1923) - Minor Role (uncredited)
Reno (1923) - Detective McRae
Women Who Give (1924) - Ephraim Doolittle
The Law Forbids (1924) - Joel Andrews
A Self-Made Failure (1924) - Pokey Jones
Along Came Ruth (1924) - Oscar Sims
A Lost Lady (1924) - Ivy Peters
Ten Days (1925) - Constable
Contraband (1925) - George Bogardus
Beyond the Border (1925) - Man in Smallpox (credited as Vic Potel)
Below the Line (1925) - 'Cuckoo' Niles
What Price Beauty (1925)
The Bar-C Mystery (1926)
Morganson's Finish (1926) - Ole Jensen
The Lodge in the Wilderness (1926) - Goofus
The Carnival Girl (1926) - Slim
Racing Romance (1926) - Constable
Uneasy Payments (1927) - Press Agent
Special Delivery (1927) - Nip, a detective (scenes deleted)
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come (1928) - Tom Turner
Lingerie (1928) - Leroy's Buddy
Captain Swagger (1928) - Jean
Sound
Melody of Love (1928) - The Gawk
Border Romance (1929) - Slim
The Virginian (1929) - Nebrasky
The Bad One (1930) - Sailor
Call of the West (1930) - Trig Peters
Paradise Island (1930) - Swede
Doughboys (1930) - Svendenburg
The Virtuous Sin (1930) - Sentry
De frente, marchen (1930) - Adormidera
Scandal Sheet (1931) - Reporter (uncredited)
Ten Cents a Dance (1931) - Smith, a Sailor
King of the Wild (1931) - Peterson
The Squaw Man (1931) - Andy
Partners (1932) - Deputy Lem
Make Me a Star (1932) - Actor in 'Wide Open Spaces' (uncredited)
The Purchase Price (1932) - Clyde (uncredited)
Face in the Sky (1933) - Ed Burns, Carnival Patron (uncredited)
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (1933) - The General (uncredited)
Damaged Lives (1933) - Policeman
Dancing Lady (1933) - Worker (uncredited)
Twisted Rails (1934) - Tom Watson
Inside Information (1934) - Rice - Thin Detective
Thunder Over Texas (1934) - Dick
Frontier Days (1934) - Deputy Tex Hatch
Big Boy Rides Again (1935) - Scarface
Ruggles of Red Gap (1935) - Curly - Cowboy (uncredited)
The Marriage Bargain (1935) - Jeff Thompson
Mississippi (1935) - Guest (uncredited)
The Drunkard (1935) - Farmer Gates
The Cowboy and the Bandit (1935) - Lanky - Henchman (uncredited)
Million Dollar Haul (1935) - Schultz - Florist / Henchman (uncredited)
Whispering Smith Speaks (1935) - Bill Prouty
Hard Rock Harrigan (1935) - 'Big' Oscar
Lady Tubbs (1935) - Slim (uncredited)
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty (1935, Serial) - Kinso, Royal Guard Commander [Chs. 1, 10-12]
Western Frontier (1935) - Slim (uncredited)
Trails End (1935) - Red
The Girl Friend (1935) - Small Town Farmer (uncredited)
Waterfront Lady (1935) - Alex
She Couldn't Take It (1935) - Farmer (uncredited)
Shipmates Forever (1935) - Radio Fan (uncredited)
Barbary Coast (1935) - Wilkins (uncredited)
Moonlight on the Prairie (1935) - Tall Cowboy (uncredited)
The Last of the Clintons (1935) - Jed Clinton
The Fighting Marines (1935, Serial) - Henchman - Fake Native Chief [Ch. 12]
Gun Play (1935) - Brawler (uncredited)
Hot Off the Press (1935)
The Broken Coin (1936)
Man Hunt (1936) - Townsman Pointing Out Shefiff's Office (uncredited)
The Milky Way (1936) - Todd Fight Spectator (uncredited)
Yellow Dust (1936) - Jugger - the Bartender
The Music Goes 'Round (1936) - Garage Attendant (uncredited)
Song of the Saddle (1936) - Little Casino
Three Godfathers (1936) - 'Buck Tooth'
O'Malley of the Mounted (1936) - Gabby - the Cook
Down to the Sea (1936) - Andy
Fury (1936) - Jorgeson - Barber Shop Customer (uncredited)
We Went to College (1936) - Boatman (uncredited)
The Captain's Kid (1936) - Deputy Jake Hutchinson
Four Days' Wonder (1936) - Postman (uncredited)
Arizona Mahoney (1936) - Stagecoach Helper Elmer (uncredited)
Laughing at Trouble (1936) - Lem Parker (uncredited)
Lady from Nowhere (1936) - Abner
God's Country and the Woman (1937) - Turpentine
Racing Lady (1937) - Mr. Mitchell (uncredited)
Two Gun Law (1937) - Cassius
A Day at the Races (1937) - Horn Blower (uncredited)
Married Before Breakfast (1937) - Tall Hobo Being Shaved (uncredited)
White Bondage (1937) - Luke Stacey (uncredited)
Western Gold (1937) - Jasper
On Such a Night (1937) - Louisiana Sharecropper (uncredited)
Small Town Boy (1937) - Abner Towner
Adventure's End (1937) - Tall Sailor (uncredited)
Swing Your Lady (1938) - Clem (uncredited)
The Girl of the Golden West (1938) - Lem - Stagecoach Driver (uncredited)
On the Great White Trail (1938) - Lyons (uncredited)
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade (1938) - Steve
Stand Up and Fight (1939) - Coach Driver (uncredited)
Let Freedom Ring (1939) - Ole Swensen - 2nd Swede (uncredited)
Down the Wyoming Trail (1939) - Slim (uncredited)
The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) - Suspect (uncredited)
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence (1939) - Ranch Hand (uncredited)
Blondie Brings Up Baby (1939) - Lars (uncredited)
Rovin' Tumbleweeds (1939) - Man in Store
Chip of the Flying U (1939) - Station Agent (uncredited)
Slightly Honorable (1939) - Gasoline Station Proprietor (uncredited)
West of Carson City (1940) - Ranch Hand Gabby (uncredited)
Young Tom Edison (1940) - Mr. Tompkins (uncredited)
Enemy Agent (1940) - George (uncredited)
Three Faces West (1940) - Postman (uncredited)
The Great McGinty (1940) - Cook (uncredited)
Girl from God's Country (1940) - Barber
The Villain Still Pursued Her (1940) - Policeman (uncredited)
Christmas in July (1940) - Davenola Salesman
Li'l Abner (1940) - Fantastic Brown
Trail of the Vigilantes (1940) - Conductor (uncredited)
Road Show (1941) - Rube (uncredited)
The Lady Eve (1941) - Third Ship's Waiter (uncredited)
A Girl, a Guy and a Gob (1941) - Bystander Eating Popcorn (uncredited)
Las Vegas Nights (1941) - Cowboy Onlooker at Slot Machine (uncredited)
Pot o' Gold (1941) - Olaf Svenson (uncredited)
The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) - Attendant at First Bath House (uncredited)
The Lady from Cheyenne (1941) - Lem (uncredited)
Ride on Vaquero (1941) - Ole (uncredited)
The Big Store (1941) - Swedish Blonde Children's Father (uncredited)
Puddin' Head (1941) - Hillbilly
New Wine (1941) - Minor Role (uncredited)
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941) - Russian Magistrate Clines (uncredited)
Nothing but the Truth (1941) - Pedestrian (scenes deleted)
Birth of the Blues (1941) - Trumpet Player in Beer Garden (uncredited)
Look Who's Laughing (1941) - Mr. Bagworthy, the Postman (uncredited)
Sullivan's Travels (1941) - Cameraman
The Palm Beach Story (1942) - Mr. McKeewie
The Man in the Trunk (1942) - Deaf Floor Man (uncredited)
The Valley of Vanishing Men (1942, Serial) - Townsman (uncredited)
The Sky's the Limit (1943) - Joe - Second Bartender (uncredited)
The Good Fellows (1943) - Branders (uncredited)
Girl Crazy (1943) - Station Master (uncredited)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943) - Newspaper Editor
It Happened Tomorrow (1944) - Joe (uncredited)
The Great Moment (1944) - First Dental Patient
Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) - Progressive Bandleader (uncredited)
Kansas City Kitty (1944) - Painter (uncredited)
Goin' to Town (1944) - (uncredited)
Can't Help Singing (1944) - Guide (uncredited)
Strange Illusion (1945) - Mac - Game Warden
A Medal for Benny (1945) - Pepster (uncredited)
Flame of Barbary Coast (1945) - Train Fireman (uncredited)
Rhythm Round-Up (1945) - Slim Jensen
Captain Tugboat Annie (1945) - Swenson
The Glass Alibi (1946) - Gas Attendant
They Made Me a Killer (1946) - Willoughby (uncredited)
The Return of Rusty (1946) - Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Heldorado (1946) - Desert Springs Station Agent (uncredited)
The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (1947) - Speaker (uncredited)
Calendar Girl (1947) - Fireman (uncredited)
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947) - Prof. Potelle
The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947) - Minnie's Old Man (uncredited)
Ramrod (1947) - Burch Nellice
The Egg and I (1947) - Crowbar
The Farmer's Daughter (1947) - Farmer with Destroyed Property (uncredited)
Yankee Fakir (1947) - Contest Chairman (uncredited)
The Millerson Case (1947) - Hank Nixon (uncredited)
Relentless (1948) - Barfly (uncredited)
References
External links
1889 births
1947 deaths
American male film actors
American male silent film actors
Male actors from Indiana
20th-century American male actors