Chester Conklin, a talented individual born in Iowa, grew up in a coal-mining region with a devoutly religious father who hoped his son would pursue a career in the ministry. However, Chester's life took an unexpected turn when he won first prize for a recitation at a community singing festival, sparking his passion for performing.
Conklin's desire to become a comedian was met with disapproval from his father, prompting him to leave home and pursue his dreams. In St. Louis, he witnessed a vaudeville act by the renowned duo Joe Weber and Lew Fields, which inspired him to develop his own "Dutch" act.
He created a character patterned after his boss, a German baker named Schultz, who possessed a thick accent and a distinctive "walrus"-type mustache. Conklin incorporated these traits into his act, which eventually led to his breakthrough in vaudeville.
Over the years, he worked with various stock companies, eventually securing a job as a clown with a traveling circus. His experience in the circus world likely influenced his future performances.
After witnessing Mack Sennett's Keystone Kops shorts, Conklin applied for a job at the Sennett studio and was hired as a Keystone Kop, earning $3 a day. He remained with Sennett for six years, becoming famous for his pairing with burly comic Mack Swain in the "Ambrose and Walrus" series.
Conklin also appeared in several of Charles Chaplin's shorts for the studio, with Chaplin even adopting Conklin's iconic "walrus" mustache as part of the costume for his "Little Tramp" character.
The comedian was approached by Fox Films to create a series of comedy shorts, which led him to leave Sennett and sign with Fox. He stayed with Fox for several years before freelancing for independent producers, working on a range of comedy shorts.
Conklin continued to work steadily into the sound era, eventually retiring from the screen in 1966. His final film, the well-received Western comedy "A Big Hand for the Little Lady" (1966),featured a character named "Chester," a nod to his own life and career.
