John Forest Knight, a renowned American character actor, primarily known for his Western "sidekick" roles, was born in Fairmont, West Virginia. At the tender age of 15, he joined a traveling minstrel show as a musician, where he honed his skills as a drummer.
Knight's passion for music led him to attend The University of West Virginia as a law student, supporting himself by performing as the drummer in his own band. However, he soon realized that music was his true calling and left school to pursue a career in vaudeville and cabaret.
He made his Broadway debut in Earl Carroll's Vanities of 1927 and later appeared in "Here's Howe" and "Ned Wayburn's Gambols." Knight also played drums for the renowned big bands of Irving Aaronson and George Olsen. He even ventured into the world of short films, performing his "Little Piano" act for MGM and Paramount from 1928 to 1931.
Knight's big break came when Mae West, impressed by his vaudeville performance, cast him in her film She Done Him Wrong (1933) and gave him his first substantial film role. His unique comic style and soft voice, which earned him the nickname "The Little Piano Man," made him a standout in the film industry.
Over the next three decades, Knight appeared in nearly 200 films, showcasing his singing talents in movies like The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936) and The Shepherd of the Hills (1941). However, it was his role as a Western sidekick that brought him the most fame. He played the trusty companion to cowboy heroes like Johnny Mack Brown and Buster Crabbe, and was even listed among the Top Ten Money-Making Western Stars in 1940.
In the 1950s, Knight gained a new audience with his sidekick role on Buster Crabbe's TV series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (1955). He eventually retired in 1960 but continued to make occasional appearances. Knight passed away in his sleep at the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 74, leaving behind his wife, actress Patricia Ryan (née Thelma de Long). He was laid to rest in an unmarked grave next to comedian Maxie Rosenbloom at Valhalla Memorial Park in Burbank, California.
