born April 20, 1893, Burchard, Neb., U.S.
died March 8, 1971, Hollywood, Calif.
U.S. film comedian.
He began to appear in one-reel comedies in 1913 and mastered the comic chase scene as a member of Mack Sennett 's troupe. He joined Hal Roach 's company and created his Lonesome Luke character in popular movies such as Just Nuts (1915). He developed his trademark white-faced character wearing round glasses in 1918. Noted for his use of physical danger as a source of laughter, he performed his own daring stunts, hanging from the hands of a clock far above the street in Safety Last (1923) and standing in for a football tackling-dummy in The Freshman (1925). He was the highest paid star of the 1920s. He received a special Academy Award in 1952.