James Finlayson
Acting1887Larbert, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK
Biography
James Henderson "Jimmy" Finlayson (August 27, 1887 – October 9, 1953) was a Scottish actor who worked in both silent and sound comedies. Bald, with a fake moustache, Finlayson had many trademark comic mannerisms and is famous for his squinting, outraged, "double take and fade away" head reaction, and characteristic expression "d'ooooooh", and as the most famous comic foil of Laurel and Hardy.
Known For
Acting History
1990
The Laurel & Hardy Story: An Affectionate Rememberence
as Self (archive footage)
1982
Dance of the Cookoos
as Man with Toothache / Christmas Tree Customer
1968
The Best of Laurel and Hardy
as Meadows / Dulcy's Father / Fin (archive footage)
1964
The Big Parade of Comedy
as Sergeant Major Finlayson in 'Bonnie Scotland' (archive footage)
1952
Here We Go Again
as Plato's Rival
1951
Royal Wedding
as Cabby (uncredited)
The Slappiest Days of Our Lives
as (archive footage)
1948
Grand Canyon Trail
as Sheriff
1947
The Perils of Pauline
as Comic Chef
1946
Two Sisters from Boston
as Street Cleaner (uncredited)
She-Wolf of London
as Constable (uncredited)
1943
Yanks Ahoy
as Cook Flynn (uncredited)
Happy Times and Jolly Moments
as (archive footage)
1942
To Be or Not to Be
as Scottish Farmer with Mustache (uncredited)
Wedding Yells
as Hammerhead Nahl
1940
A Chump at Oxford
as Baldy Vandevere (uncredited)
Saps at Sea
as Dr. J.H. Finlayson (uncredited)
Foreign Correspondent
as Dutch Peasant (uncredited)
1939
Raffles
as Hansom Cab Driver
The Flying Deuces
as Jailor
Dog-Gone
as Mr. Jones
Hollywood Cavalcade
as Keystone Cop
The Great Victor Herbert
as Lamplighter
1938
Block-Heads
as Man on Stairs
1937
The Toast of New York
as Trick-Hat Inventor (uncredited)
Way Out West
as Mickey Finn
Pick a Star
as Director
Angel
as Barker's 2nd Butler (uncredited)
All Over Town
as MacDougal
1936
Our Relations
as Finn
The Bohemian Girl
as Captain Finn
1935
Thicker Than Water
as Auction Manager
Bonnie Scotland
as Sgt. Maj. Finlayson
MGM 1935 Promo Reel
as Manager
Life Hesitates at 40
as Dr. James Finlayson
Manhattan Monkey Business
as Joyce's Father
Father and Son
as Bidad
1933
Nature in the Wrong
as Voice of lion (uncredited)
Mush and Milk
as Mr. Brown, the banker
The Devil's Brother
as Lord Rocburg
The Druggist's Dilemma
as Andrew Finch
Me and My Pal
as Peter Cucumber
The Gay Nighties
as Mr. Amos Pipp
So This Is Harris!
as Golf Pro
Dick Turpin
as Jeremy
His Silent Racket
as James
1932
The Chimp
as Ringmaster
Thunder Below
as Scotty
The Millionaire Cat
as Lawyer Fogg
The Iceman's Ball
as Commissioner Walters
Pack Up Your Troubles
as General
Jitters the Butler
as Phineas P. McPhinn
Boy Oh Boy!
as Saunders
1931
Pardon Us
as Schoolteacher
False Roomers
as Landlord
One Good Turn
as A Community Player
Our Wife
as Father of the bride
Chickens Come Home
as Butler
Hasty Marriage
as Kitty's Father
Playing at Politics
as Criado
Second Hand Kisses
as Jimmy Finlayson
One of the Smiths
as Wine Brewer (uncredited)
1930
Another Fine Mess
as Col. Wilburforce Buckshot (uncredited)
Dollar Dizzy
as House Detective
Night Owls
as Meadows
For the Defense
as Parrott
The Dawn Patrol
as Field Sergeant
Young Eagles
as Scotty
1929
Big Business
as Homeowner
Fast Freight
as Spooky Wall Painting
Men O' War
as Soda jerk
The Hoose-Gow
as Governor
Liberty
as Store keeper
Wall Street
as Andy (as Jimmy Finalyson)
Two Weeks Off
as Pa Weaver
Hard to Get
as Pa Martin
1928
Lady Be Good
as Trelawney West
Flying Elephants
as Saxophonus
Galloping Ghosts
as Police Commissioner
Should Tall Men Marry?
as Joe Skittle
Show Girl
as Mr. Dugan
Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath
as Pa Slocum
1927
No Man's Law
as Jack Belcher
Hats Off
as Proprietor, Kwickway Washing Machine Co.
Sugar Daddies
as Oil tycoon Cyrus Brittle
Do Detectives Think?
as Judge Foozle
The Second 100 Years
as Browne Van Dyke
Love 'Em and Weep
as Titus Tillsbury
With Love and Hisses
as Captain Bustle
Seeing the World
as 'Old Buzz-Fuzz,' teacher
Don't Tell Everything
as Lawyer Goldblum
Anything Once!
as Mabel's Boss
Call of the Cuckoo
as Asylum Inmate
Fighting Fathers
as Neighbor
1926
Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes
as Dean of Pinkham University
Raggedy Rose
as Simpson Sniffle
Thundering Fleas
as Justice of the Peace
Merry Widower
as The Hunter
Wife Tamers
as The Waiter
The Nickel-Hopper
as Rupert
What's the World Coming To?
as The Father-in-Law
Don Key (Son of Burro)
as Vivien's Suitor
Dizzy Daddies
as Jonathan Haig
Madame Mystery
as Struggling Author
1925
Innocent Husbands
as The Desk Clerk (as Jimmie Finlayson)
Mary, Queen of Tots
as Radio Actor
Yes, Yes, Nanette
as Hillory, the new husband
In the Grease
as Father
The Caretaker's Daughter
as The Prohibition Sleuth (as Jimmie Finlayson)
Chasing the Chaser
as Gilroy (the husband)
Sure-Mike!
as The Floorwalker
Moonlight and Noses
as Professor Sniff
Thundering Landlords
as The Landlord
Madame Sans Jane
as The Girl's Father
Unfriendly Enemies
as The Cameraman
1924
Short Kilts
as McGregor's Son
Wide Open Spaces
as Jack McQueen
Postage Due
as Postal Inspector Hawke
Rupert of Hee-Haw
as Rupert of Hee Haw
Smithy
as Sergeant
Zeb vs. Paprika
as Major Glanders Botts
Near Dublin
as Sir Patrick
1923
Jus' Passin' Through
as Drunk (uncredited)
The Whole Truth
as Defense lawyer
The Soilers
as Smacknamara
Hollywood
as James Finlayson
Courtship of Miles Sandwich
as Miles Sandwich
Fully Insured
as The Foreman
Oranges and Lemons
as Worker
Roughest Africa
as Hans Downe
California or Bust
as Campground neighbor
Sold at Auction!
as The Man Who WAS Sold
Pick and Shovel
as The Foreman
A Man About Town
as Humko, Store Detective
White Wings
as Dental Patient
Scorching Sands
as James
Frozen Hearts
as General Sappovitch
Mother's Joy
as Baron Buttontop
Jack Frost
as Wicked Man from the Wicked City
Where's My Wandering Boy This Evening?
as The Hired Man
Pitfalls of a Big City
as The Hired Man
1922
The Crossroads of New York
as Lawyer
1921
She Sighed by the Seaside
as 1st Suitor
A Small Town Idol
as J. Wellington Jones
Hard Knocks and Love Taps
as Plato's Rival
1920
Married Life
as Man Who Made Good
Don't Weaken!
as Lightfingered Luke - Professor Yonson's Assistant
Down on the Farm
as The Sportive Banker with the Mortgage
Love, Honor and Behave
as Artist
1919
Yankee Doodle in Berlin
as Commander's Officer (uncredited)
Up in Alf's Place
as The Dancing Instructor
Trying to Get Along
as The Beauty Parlor Operator
1918