page_title: Karl Dane
section_title: Stardom
hierarchical_section_title: Karl Dane / Career / Stardom
caption_attribution_description: English: Karl Dane, wearing the U.S. Army sergeant's costume for the American comedy film Rookies (1927), demonstrates how he towers over four chorus girls in an MGM publicity still.
context_page_description: Karl Dane was a Danish-American comedian and actor known for his work in American films, mainly of the silent film era. He became a star after portraying “Slim”, a supporting role in one of the most successful silent films of all time, The Big Parade, directed by King Vidor and starring John Gilbert.
  After signing with MGM in 1926, he appeared in supporting roles in several popular silent films before teaming up with George K. Arthur to form the successful comedy duo Dane & Arthur. They appeared in a number of silent, short comedy films and toured the vaudeville circuit. At the peak of his career, Dane earned $1500 a week. As the film industry transitioned from silent to sound films in the late 1920s, Dane's thick Danish accent became problematic. By 1930, Dane was relegated to less prominent roles, often with little to no dialogue. Later that year, MGM terminated his contract. Dane attempted to pursue work in other fields but found no success. Broke and despondent, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in April 1934.
context_section_description: In December 1924, Robert McIntyre (who had first cast Dane back at Vitagraph), the casting director at MGM recommended Dane for a role in King Vidor's latest project. Dane was cast as Slim in The Big Parade alongside John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. The movie was a major success, both critically and financially, becoming the second highest grossing silent film of all time making almost $6.5 million (approximately $99,481,000 today). The film helped to propel Dane's career and helped him to secure more prominent roles.
  In 1926, he co-starred with Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Bánky in The Son of the Sheik.  The film was a released after Valentino's death in August 1926 and became a massive success.  It was re-released several more times well into the late 1930s.  After working on The Son of the Sheik, Dane signed a contract with MGM in June 1926. He began to appear in comic relief roles in several films including The Scarlet Letter (directed by Victor Sjöström and starring Lillian Gish), La Bohème (again directed by Vidor, and starring Gish, Gilbert and Adorée),  and Alias Jimmy Valentine with William Haines and Leila Hyams.
caption: Karl Dane, wearing the U.S. Army sergeant's costume for the 1927 film Rookies, demonstrates how he towers over four chorus girls in an MGM publicity still.
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