Victor Potel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victor Potel (October 12, 1889 – March 8, 1947) was an American film character actor who began in the silent era and appeared in over 430 films in his 38-year career. Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana in 1889, and his acting career goes back almost to the beginning of the commercial film industry in the United States. He made his first silent film in 1910, a comedy short filmed in Chicago by Essanay Film Manufacturing Company called A Dog on Business. Potel continued to make films for Essanay, appearing in dozens of films every year, including most of the Broncho Billy series, and played a character called "Slippery Slim" in 80 movies. He also appeared in Universal Pictures' "Snakeville" series. Potel's first talking picture was Melody of Love, starring Walter Pidgeon, made for Universal in 1928. and in the sound era he continued to work continuously and constantly, playing small parts and sometimes uncredited bit parts, all primarily comic roles due to his height (6 ft 1 in or 1.85 m) and gawkiness. In addition to acting, on several occasions Potel also wrote and directed. In the 1920s he directed two silent shorts, The Rubber-Neck in 1924 and Action Craver in 1927, and contributed the story for Saxophobia in 1927. In the following decade, in the sound era, he was the dialogue director for The Big Chance (1933), and wrote the story for Inside Information in 1934). In 1935 he provided continuity and dialogue for Million Dollar Haul and the screenplay for Hot Off the Press. In the 1940s, Potel was part of Preston Sturges' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in nine films written and directed by Sturges. Potel continued to work right up until his death on 8 March 1947. The final film he worked on, Relentless finished filming on 28 February of that year.

Cast

Forward, March!

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

The Good Fellows

Branders (uncredited)

Adventure's End

Tall Sailor (uncredited)

The Palm Beach Story

The Tomboy on Bar Z

Alkali Ike's Auto

Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress

The Strange Case of Dr. Meade

King of the Wild

Christmas in July

Davenola Salesman

Who's Your Father?

The Making of Broncho Billy

Call of the West

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

Newspaper Editor

The Heart of a Child

Charley Peastone

The Girl of the Golden West

Lem - Stagecoach Driver

Broncho Billy and the Sisters

Slim the Brave and Sophie the Fair

When Slippery Slim Went for the Eggs

Sophie's Home-Coming

The Battle of Snakeville

Sophie's Sweetheart

Snakeville's Blind Pig

Snakeville's Rising Sons

Slippery Slim Gets Square

Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Office

Sentimental Sophie

When Slippery Slim Bought the Cheese

Just a Few Little Things

Ingomar of the Hills

Alkali Ike and the Wildman

Sullivan's Travels

Broncho Billy's First Arrest

Quincy Adams Sawyer

Baseball Madness

The Fighting Marines

Fake Native Chief [Ch. 12]

Hank and Lank: Uninvited Guests

Hank and Lank: They Get Wise to a New Scheme

Hank and Lank: Lifesavers

A Cowboy's Mother-in-Law

The Silent Message

A Westerner's Way

Hank and Lank: As Sandwich Men

Circle C Ranch's Wedding Present

A Cowboy's Vindication

Hank and Lank: Blind Men

The Bad Man's Christmas Gift

The Tenderfoot Messenger

The Count and the Cowboys

The Border Ranger

A Child of the West

The Tenderfoot Foreman

The Prospector's Legacy

Widow Jenkins' Admirers

The Biter Bitten

The Oath of His Office

The Ranch Girl's Mistake

The Two Reformations

Hank and Lank: They Make a Mash

The Bad Man's Downfall

The Sheriff's Chum

Broncho Billy and the Red Man

The Indian Maiden's Lesson

The Bunco Game at Lizardhead

Across the Plains

The Infant at Snakeville

The Puncher's New Love

Broncho Billy and the Bad Man

The Storekeeper

The Corporation and the Ranch Girl

Broncho Billy-Guardian

Alkali Ike's Pants

Broncho Billy Reforms

The Two Fugitives

Broncho Bill's Last Spree

Broncho Billy's Squareness

The Strike at the Little Jonny Mine

Town Hall, Tonight

The Tall Schultz Brother

The Forester's Plea

A Dog on Business

Hank and Lank: Joyriding

Hank and Lank: They Dude Up Some

The Tout's Remembrance

Patricia of the Plains

The Bearded Bandit

Broncho Billy and the Vigilante

On the Cactus Trail

A Story of Montana

Broncho Billy's Pal

Broncho Billy for Sheriff

Alkali Ike Plays the Devil

An Indian Sunbeam

Alkali Ike Stung!

Alkali Ike's Close Shave

Broncho Billy's Gun Play

Broncho Billy's Promise

An Indian's Friendship

Broncho Billy's Mexican Wife

Broncho Billy and the Sheriff's Kid

Broncho Billy and the Squatter's Daughter

Broncho Billy's Gratefulness

The Accusation of Broncho Billy

Alkali Ike and the Hypnotist

Alkali Ike's Homecoming

Alkali Ike's Misfortunes

Snakeville's New Doctor

Broncho Billy's Oath

The Three Gamblers

A Romance of the Hills

That Pair from Thespia

A Snakeville Courtship

A Night on the Road

Sheriff's Assistant

Sophie's New Foreman

Slippery Slim Gets Cured

Snakeville's Peace-Maker

When Slippery Slim Met the Champion

Broncho Billy Rewarded

The Hotel Proprietor

A Gamblers' Way

Slippery Slim, The Mortgage and Sophie

Snakeville and the Corset Demonstrator

What Came to Bar Q

Sophie and the Man of Her Choice

Slippery Slim and the Impersonator

Broncho Billy's Sermon

Broncho Billy's Leap

Broncho Billy and the Mine Shark

The Hotel Clerk

The Revenue Agent

The Bachelor's Burglar

Broncho Billy and the Land Grabber

Sophie Starts Something

The Snakeville Volunteer

Sophie Pulls a Good One

The Wooing of Sophie

Sophie Finds a Hero

Sophie Gets Stung

A Horse on Sophie

Sophie's Fatal Wedding

Snakeville's Reform Wave

Snakeville's New Waitress

Broncho Billy Wins Out

The School Trustee

Broncho Billy's Wild Ride

Broncho Billy, a Friend in Need

Broncho Billy, the Vagabond

Slippery Slim -- Diplomat

Broncho Billy Steps In

Broncho Billy and the Card Sharp

A Tailor-Made Man

Lavender and Old Lace

Undetermined Role

The Broken Coin

God's Country and the Woman

The Good-for-Nothing

The Outcasts of Poker Flat

Big Boy Rides Again

Ranch Foreman Scarface

The Loaded Door

Three Godfathers

The Adventures of Rex and Rinty

The Virtuous Sin

Down to the Sea

Captain Kidd, Jr.

The Last of the Clintons

It Happened Tomorrow

Brawler (uncredited)

On the Great White Trail

Deputy Tex Hatch

The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come

Bob Hampton of Placer

Water, Water, Everywhere

Thunder Over Texas

Detective McRae

Olaf Svenson (uncredited)

The Cowboy and the Bandit

Western Frontier

Hollywood Cavalcade

Jugger - the Bartender

The Villain Still Pursued Her

Policeman (uncredited)

Face in the Sky

Ed Burns, Carnival Patron (uncredited)

Stand Up and Fight

Guest (uncredited)

Let Freedom Ring

Ole Swensen (uncredited)

Down the Wyoming Trail

Steve - Crane Operator

Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence

Slightly Honorable

Gasoline Station Proprietor (Uncredited)

The Housekeeper's Daughter

Blondie Brings Up Baby

Lars (uncredited)

Hallelujah, I'm a Bum

Paradise Island

Jorgeson (uncredited)

Whispering Smith Speaks

Rovin' Tumbleweeds

The Man in the Trunk

Deaf Floor Man (uncredited)

Ten Cents a Dance

Smith, a Sailor

Young Tom Edison

Second Steward (uncredited)

What Darwin Missed

Professor Alonzo Bozzle

Inside Information

Rice - Thin Detective

Chip of the Flying U

Moonlight on the Prairie

Tall Saloon Cowboy

Trail of the Vigilantes

The Lady from Cheyenne

Ride on Vaquero

Song of the Saddle

Townsman Pointing Out Shefiff's Office (uncredited)

Waterfront Lady

The Great McGinty

Cook (uncredited)

Fantastic Brown

Three Faces West

Captain Swagger

The Captain's Kid

Deputy Jake Hutchinson

Flame of Barbary Coast

The Glass Alibi

Gas Attendant (as Vic Potel)

Hearts and Saddles

Rhythm Round-Up

Versus Sledge Hammers

At the Sign of the Jack'O Lantern

His Regeneration

Pawn Shop Clerk

Ruggles of Red Gap

Shipmates Forever

Loafer (uncredited)

Wagon Wheels West

Posse Rider (uncredited)

Uneasy Payments

A Petal on the Current

The Lodge in the Wilderness

Morganson's Finish

She Couldn't Take It

The Devil Thumbs a Ride

A Medal for Benny

Pantera Pepster Club Member (uncredited)

Girl from God's Country

Broncho Billy and the Western Girls

Why Broncho Billy Left Bear County

O'Malley of the Mounted

Gabby - the Cook

The Great Moment

First Dental Patient

Broncho Billy's Narrow Escape

Broncho Billy's Christmas Dinner

Broncho Billy's Adventure

Alkali Ike Bests Broncho Billy

Hail the Conquering Hero

Progressive Bandleader (uncredited)

What Price Beauty?

Contest Chairman

Laughing at Trouble

The Law Forbids

A Self-Made Failure

The Bar-C Mystery

The Amateur Adventuress

Gregory Charles Sentel

George Bogardus

The Meanest Man in the World

Crew

The Broken Coin

Inside Information

Million Dollar Haul