Leon Errol

Leon Errol, was an Australian-born American comedian and actor, popular in the first half of the 20th century.

Born Leonce Errol Sims in Sydney, he managed a traveling vaudeville troupe and gave a young comedian named Roscoe Arbuckle his first professional opportunity. In America, Errol became a well-known vaudevillian who appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway, and played skits with such notables as Bert Williams and W. C. Fields. Errol’s sister, Leda Errol, appeared with him in the Follies.

Errol made a successful transition to films in a variety of comedy roles. His comic trademark was a wobbly, unsteady walk, moving as though his legs were made of rubber; this bit served him well in drunk routines such as the drunken valet in Morgy and Shoo’s “Mama’s Little Babies” as well as numerous RKO two-reelers.

Leon Errol is well remembered for his energetic performances in the Mexican Spitfire movies opposite Lupe Vélez, in which Errol had the recurring dual role of affable Uncle Matt and foggy British nobleman Lord Epping. Monogram Pictures signed Errol to appear as fight manager Knobby Walsh in the “Joe Palooka” sports comedies. Leon Errol’s most famous non-series appearance is in the nonsensical comedy feature Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, starring fellow vaudeville and Ziegfeld alumnus W. C. Fields.