Fred Stone

Fred Andrew Stone was an American actor. Stone began his career as a performer in circuses and minstrel shows, went on to act on vaudeville, and became a star on Broadway and in feature films, which earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He was particularly famous for appearing on stage opposite David C. Montgomery, a 22-year partnership until Montgomery’s death in 1917, in shows such as The Wizard of Oz premiering in 1902, the Victor Herbert operetta The Red Mill in 1906, and Chin Chin, A Modern Aladdin, in 1914. In 1939, he appeared in a radio program promoting the new MGM film of The Wizard of Oz, in which he got to meet the actor who played the Scarecrow, Ray Bolger, who was a great admirer of Stone’s work, and although Bolger was too young to have seen Stone play the Scarecrow in the stage play, he did see Stone in The Red Mill.

His feature film career began in comedy westerns, his first, The Goat, was filmed in 1918. He starred in 19 feature films. He made his home in Bayside, New York, where he was a neighbor and friend of boxing champion-turned-actor James J. Corbett.

In 1926, after the death of his good friend, Annie Oakley, he was given her unfinished autobiography.