Ernest Truex was a renowned character actor, known for his meek and ineffectual persona, who enjoyed a seven-decade-long career in the entertainment industry. Born on September 19, 1889, in Kansas City, Missouri, Truex was the son of a physician and was trained in acting by one of his father's patients.
As a child, Truex was an acting prodigy, performing Shakespearean roles and earning the nickname "The Youngest Hamlet." He and his mother toured the West in a show billed as "The Child Entertainers," where he recited famous speeches from plays like "Othello" and "Romeo and Juliet."
Truex made his Broadway debut at the age of 19 in the play "Wildfire" and went on to appear in numerous productions, including "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," "Very Good Eddie," and "A Good Little Devil," which also starred Mary Pickford.
In 1913, Truex made his film debut with Pickford in "Caprice" and went on to appear in several more films, including "Artie, the Millionaire Kid," "Come on In," and "Good-Bye, Bill." He also starred in a number of humorous shorts and continued to work in film throughout the 1920s.
Truex's personal life was marked by three marriages and three sons, all of whom went on to become actors. His first wife, Julia Mills, was also an actress, and the couple had two children together. His second wife, Mary Jane Barrett, was a stage actress who appeared with Truex in several productions, including "The Third Little Show" and "Fredericka." The couple had one child together, Barry Truex, who went on to appear in the film "The Benny Goodman Story."
Truex's career continued to thrive throughout the 1930s and 1940s, with standout roles in films like "Get That Venus," "Whistling in the Dark," and "His Girl Friday." He also appeared in several Broadway productions, including "Best Sellers," "George Washington Slept Here," and "Androcles and the Lion."
In the post-war years, Truex's film career began to decline, and he started to focus on television projects. He appeared in several TV shows, including "Mister Peepers," "Jamie," "The Ann Sothern Show," and "December Bride." Truex died on June 27, 1973, at the age of 83, of a heart attack in Fallbrook, California.
