Victor Potel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38-year 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 (6 ft 1 in or 1.85 m) 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 8 March 1947. The final film he worked on, Relentless finished filming on 28 February of that year.
Filmography
The Egg and I
as Crowbar
The Egg and I
as Crowbar
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Prof. Potelle
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
as Prof. Potelle
Yankee Fakir
as Contest Chairman
Yankee Fakir
as Contest Chairman
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
The Devil Thumbs a Ride
The Glass Alibi
as Gas Attendant (as Vic Potel)
The Glass Alibi
as Gas Attendant (as Vic Potel)
Rhythm Round-Up
as Slim Jensen
Rhythm Round-Up
as Slim Jensen
Flame of Barbary Coast
as Train Fireman
Flame of Barbary Coast
as Train Fireman
A Medal for Benny
as Pantera Pepster Club Member (uncredited)
A Medal for Benny
as Pantera Pepster Club Member (uncredited)
Strange Illusion
as Mac
Strange Illusion
as Mac
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
as Newspaper Editor
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
as Newspaper Editor
Hail the Conquering Hero
as Progressive Bandleader (uncredited)
Hail the Conquering Hero
as Progressive Bandleader (uncredited)
The Great Moment
as First Dental Patient
The Great Moment
as First Dental Patient
It Happened Tomorrow
It Happened Tomorrow
Wagon Wheels West
as Posse Rider (uncredited)
Wagon Wheels West
as Posse Rider (uncredited)
The Good Fellows
as Branders (uncredited)
The Good Fellows
as Branders (uncredited)
The Man in the Trunk
as Deaf Floor Man (uncredited)
The Man in the Trunk
as Deaf Floor Man (uncredited)
The Palm Beach Story
as Mr. McKeewie
The Palm Beach Story
as Mr. McKeewie
Sullivan's Travels
as Cameraman
Sullivan's Travels
as Cameraman
Ride on Vaquero
as Ole
Ride on Vaquero
as Ole
The Lady from Cheyenne
as Lem
The Lady from Cheyenne
as Lem
Pot o' Gold
as Olaf Svenson (uncredited)
Pot o' Gold
as Olaf Svenson (uncredited)
The Lady Eve
as Second Steward (uncredited)
The Lady Eve
as Second Steward (uncredited)
Trail of the Vigilantes
as Conductor
Trail of the Vigilantes
as Conductor
Li'l Abner
as Fantastic Brown
Li'l Abner
as Fantastic Brown
Christmas in July
as Davenola Salesman
Christmas in July
as Davenola Salesman
The Villain Still Pursued Her
as Policeman (uncredited)
The Villain Still Pursued Her
as Policeman (uncredited)
The Great McGinty
as Cook (uncredited)
The Great McGinty
as Cook (uncredited)
Girl from God's Country
as Barber
Girl from God's Country
as Barber
Three Faces West
as Postman
Three Faces West
as Postman
Young Tom Edison
as Mr. Tompkins
Young Tom Edison
as Mr. Tompkins
Slightly Honorable
as Gasoline Station Proprietor (Uncredited)
Slightly Honorable
as Gasoline Station Proprietor (Uncredited)
Chip of the Flying U
as Station Agent
Chip of the Flying U
as Station Agent
Rovin' Tumbleweeds
as Man in Store
Rovin' Tumbleweeds
as Man in Store
Blondie Brings Up Baby
as Lars (uncredited)
Blondie Brings Up Baby
as Lars (uncredited)
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
as Ranch Hand
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence
as Ranch Hand
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Suspect
The Housekeeper's Daughter
as Suspect
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Slim
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Slim
Second Fiddle
as Steve - Crane Operator
Second Fiddle
as Steve - Crane Operator
Down the Wyoming Trail
as Slim
Down the Wyoming Trail
as Slim
Let Freedom Ring
as Ole Swensen (uncredited)
Let Freedom Ring
as Ole Swensen (uncredited)
Stand Up and Fight
as Coach Driver
Stand Up and Fight
as Coach Driver
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
as Steve
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
as Steve
The Girl of the Golden West
as Lem - Stagecoach Driver
The Girl of the Golden West
as Lem - Stagecoach Driver
Adventure's End
as Tall Sailor (uncredited)
Adventure's End
as Tall Sailor (uncredited)
Small Town Boy
as Abner Towner
Small Town Boy
as Abner Towner
Western Gold
as Jasper
Western Gold
as Jasper
White Bondage
as Luke Stacey
White Bondage
as Luke Stacey
Two Gun Law
as Cassius
Two Gun Law
as Cassius
Laughing at Trouble
as Lem Parker
Laughing at Trouble
as Lem Parker
The Captain's Kid
as Deputy Jake Hutchinson
The Captain's Kid
as Deputy Jake Hutchinson
Fury
as Jorgeson (uncredited)
Fury
as Jorgeson (uncredited)
Down to the Sea
as Andy
Down to the Sea
as Andy
O'Malley of the Mounted
as Gabby - the Cook
O'Malley of the Mounted
as Gabby - the Cook
Three Godfathers
as 'Buck Tooth'
Three Godfathers
as 'Buck Tooth'
Song of the Saddle
as Little Casino
Song of the Saddle
as Little Casino
Man Hunt
as Townsman Pointing Out Shefiff's Office (uncredited)
Man Hunt
as Townsman Pointing Out Shefiff's Office (uncredited)
The Broken Coin
The Broken Coin
Gun Play
as Brawler (uncredited)
Gun Play
as Brawler (uncredited)
The Fighting Marines
as Fake Native Chief [Ch. 12]
The Fighting Marines
as Fake Native Chief [Ch. 12]
The Last of the Clintons
as Jed Clinton
The Last of the Clintons
as Jed Clinton
Moonlight on the Prairie
as Tall Saloon Cowboy
Moonlight on the Prairie
as Tall Saloon Cowboy
Shipmates Forever
as Loafer (uncredited)
Shipmates Forever
as Loafer (uncredited)
She Couldn't Take It
as Farmer
She Couldn't Take It
as Farmer
Waterfront Lady
as Alex
Waterfront Lady
as Alex
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
as Kinso
The Adventures of Rex and Rinty
as Kinso
Western Frontier
as Slim
Western Frontier
as Slim
The Drunkard
as Farmer Gates
The Drunkard
as Farmer Gates
The Cowboy and the Bandit
as Lanky
The Cowboy and the Bandit
as Lanky
Mississippi
as Guest (uncredited)
Mississippi
as Guest (uncredited)
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Curly - Cowboy
Ruggles of Red Gap
as Curly - Cowboy
Big Boy Rides Again
as Ranch Foreman Scarface
Big Boy Rides Again
as Ranch Foreman Scarface
Frontier Days
as Deputy Tex Hatch
Frontier Days
as Deputy Tex Hatch
Thunder Over Texas
as Dick
Thunder Over Texas
as Dick
Inside Information
as Rice - Thin Detective
Inside Information
as Rice - Thin Detective
Damaged Lives
as Undetermined Role
Damaged Lives
as Undetermined Role
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
as The General
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
as The General
Face in the Sky
as Ed Burns, Carnival Patron (uncredited)
Face in the Sky
as Ed Burns, Carnival Patron (uncredited)
The Squaw Man
as Andy
The Squaw Man
as Andy
Scandal Sheet
as Reporter
Scandal Sheet
as Reporter
Ten Cents a Dance
as Smith, a Sailor
Ten Cents a Dance
as Smith, a Sailor
Forward, March!
Forward, March!
The Virtuous Sin
as Sentry
The Virtuous Sin
as Sentry
Doughboys
as Svendenburg
Doughboys
as Svendenburg
Paradise Island
as Swede
Paradise Island
as Swede
Call of the West
as Trig Peters
Call of the West
as Trig Peters
The Bad One
as Sailor
The Bad One
as Sailor
The Virginian
as Nebrasky
The Virginian
as Nebrasky
Border Romance
as Slim
Border Romance
as Slim
Captain Swagger
as Jean
Captain Swagger
as Jean
Melody of Love
as The Gawk
Melody of Love
as The Gawk
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
as Tom Turner
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come
as Tom Turner
What Price Beauty?
What Price Beauty?
Uneasy Payments
as Press Agent
Uneasy Payments
as Press Agent
Racing Romance
as Constable
Racing Romance
as Constable
The Lodge in the Wilderness
as Goofus
The Lodge in the Wilderness
as Goofus
Morganson's Finish
as Ole Jensen
Morganson's Finish
as Ole Jensen
The Bar-C Mystery
The Bar-C Mystery
Below the Line
as 'Cuckoo' Niles
Below the Line
as 'Cuckoo' Niles
Contraband
as George Bogardus
Contraband
as George Bogardus
A Lost Lady
as Ivy Peters
A Lost Lady
as Ivy Peters
A Self-Made Failure
as Pokey Jones
A Self-Made Failure
as Pokey Jones
Reno
as Detective McRae
Reno
as Detective McRae
The Meanest Man in the World
as Lute Boon
The Meanest Man in the World
as Lute Boon
Modern Matrimony
as Junior Rutherford
Modern Matrimony
as Junior Rutherford
Itching Palms
as The Village Dumbbell
Itching Palms
as The Village Dumbbell
Quincy Adams Sawyer
as Hiram Maxwell
Quincy Adams Sawyer
as Hiram Maxwell
The Loaded Door
as Slim
The Loaded Door
as Slim
A Tailor-Made Man
as Peter
A Tailor-Made Man
as Peter
Step on It!
as Noisy Johnson
Step on It!
as Noisy Johnson
Lavender and Old Lace
as Joe Pendleton
Lavender and Old Lace
as Joe Pendleton
Bob Hampton of Placer
as Willie McNeil
Bob Hampton of Placer
as Willie McNeil
The Heart of a Child
as Charley Peastone
The Heart of a Child
as Charley Peastone
Water, Water, Everywhere
as Steve Brainard
Water, Water, Everywhere
as Steve Brainard
Full of Pep
as Beanpole
Full of Pep
as Beanpole
Captain Kidd, Jr.
as Constable Sam
Captain Kidd, Jr.
as Constable Sam
The Battle of Snakeville
as Slippery Slim
The Battle of Snakeville
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Rising Sons
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Rising Sons
as Slippery Slim
Slippery Slim Gets Square
as Slippery Slim
Slippery Slim Gets Square
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Blind Pig
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's Blind Pig
as Slippery Slim
Sophie's Sweetheart
as Slippery Slim
Sophie's Sweetheart
as Slippery Slim
A Horse on Sophie
as Slippery Slim
A Horse on Sophie
as Slippery Slim
When Slippery Slim Met the Champion
as Slippery Slim
When Slippery Slim Met the Champion
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's New Waitress
as Slippery Slim
Snakeville's New Waitress
as Slippery Slim
The Good-for-Nothing
as Old Clerk
The Good-for-Nothing
as Old Clerk
That Pair from Thespia
as Second Actor
That Pair from Thespia
as Second Actor
A Romance of the Hills
A Romance of the Hills
Sophie's Hero
as Slippery Slim
Sophie's Hero
as Slippery Slim
Broncho Billy Reforms
as A Thief
Broncho Billy Reforms
as A Thief
Broncho Billy and the Western Girls
as Outlaw
Broncho Billy and the Western Girls
as Outlaw
Alkali Ike and the Hypnotist
as Slippery Slim
Alkali Ike and the Hypnotist
as Slippery Slim
Alkali Ike's Misfortunes
as Slippery Slim
Alkali Ike's Misfortunes
as Slippery Slim
The Accusation of Broncho Billy
The Accusation of Broncho Billy
Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy
Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy
Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner
Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner
Hank and Lank: They Make a Mash
as Lank
Hank and Lank: They Make a Mash
as Lank
The Border Ranger
The Border Ranger
A Cowboy's Vindication
A Cowboy's Vindication
A Westerner's Way
A Westerner's Way
The Bearded Bandit
The Bearded Bandit
A Dog on Business
A Dog on Business