James Finlayson

Acting / Production / Writing / Creator

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.

Personal Information

Place of Birth

Larbert, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK

About

Acting, Male

Birthday

26 August 1887, 138 years old

Known For

To Be or Not to Be

Foreign Correspondent

Way Out West

The Flying Deuces

Block-Heads

Our Relations

A Chump at Oxford

Royal Wedding

Big Business

Filmography

Production

Writing

Creator

Laurel & Hardy: Year One

2023

She-Wolf of London

Constable (uncredited)

1946

To Be or Not to Be

Scottish Farmer with Mustache (uncredited)

1942

Saps at Sea

Dr. J.H. Finlayson (uncredited)

1940

The Flying Deuces

Jailor

1939

Block-Heads

Man on Stairs

1938

Way Out West

Mickey Finn

1937

Our Relations

Finn

1936

Thicker Than Water

Auction Manager

1935

Me and My Pal

Peter Cucumber

1933

Nature in the Wrong

Voice of lion (uncredited)

1933

Pack Up Your Troubles

General

1932

The Iceman's Ball

Commissioner Walters

1932

One Good Turn

A Community Player

1931

Stout Hearts and Willing Hands

1931

Our Wife

Father of the bride

1931

Chickens Come Home

Butler

1931

Another Fine Mess

Col. Wilburforce Buckshot (uncredited)

1930

The prince of the dollar

1930

Gold Diggers

1930

Night Owls

Meadows

1930

The Hoose-Gow

Governor

1929

Men O' War

Soda jerk

1929

Liberty

Store keeper

1929

Flying Elephants

Saxophonus

1928

Do Detectives Think?

Judge Foozle

1927

Call of the Cuckoo

Asylum Inmate

1927

The Second 100 Years

Browne Van Dyke

1927

Sugar Daddies

Oil tycoon Cyrus Brittle

1927

Forgotten Sweeties

1927

Merry Widower

The Hunter

1926

Thundering Fleas

Justice of the Peace

1926

Don Key (Son of Burro)

Vivien's Suitor

1926

A Punch in the Nose

1926

Unfriendly Enemies

The Cameraman

1925

Madame Sans Jane

The Girl's Father

1925

Thundering Landlords

The Landlord

1925

The Haunted Honeymoon

1925

Hard Boiled

1925

Why Husbands Go Mad

1924

Hollywood

James Finlayson

1923

Jack Frost

Wicked Man from the Wicked City

1923

Newly Rich

1922

She Sighed by the Seaside

1st Suitor

1921

The World of Laurel and Hardy

Unknown

Laurel & Hardy - Highlights

2002

The Laurel & Hardy Story: An Affectionate Rememberence

Self (archive footage)

1990

The Best of Laurel and Hardy

Meadows / Dulcy's Father / Fin (archive footage)

1968

The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy

1967

The Big Parade of Comedy

Sergeant Major Finlayson in 'Bonnie Scotland' (archive footage)

1964

Here We Go Again

Plato's Rival

1952

The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

(archive footage)

1951

Royal Wedding

Cabby (uncredited)

1951

Grand Canyon Trail

Sheriff

1948

The Perils of Pauline

Comic Chef

1947

Two Sisters from Boston

Street Cleaner (uncredited)

1946

Happy Times and Jolly Moments

(archive footage)

1943

Wedding Yells

Hammerhead Nahl

1942

Foreign Correspondent

Dutch Peasant (uncredited)

1940

A Chump at Oxford

Baldy Vandevere (uncredited)

1940

The Great Victor Herbert

Lamplighter

1939

Raffles

Hansom Cab Driver

1939

Hollywood Cavalcade

Keystone Cop

1939

Dog-Gone

Mr. Jones

1939

Angel

Barker's 2nd Butler (uncredited)

1937

All Over Town

MacDougal

1937

The Toast of New York

Trick-Hat Inventor (uncredited)

1937

Pick a Star

Director

1937

The Bohemian Girl

Captain Finn

1936

MGM 1935 Promo Reel

Manager

1935

Life Hesitates at 40

Dr. James Finlayson

1935

Manhattan Monkey Business

Joyce's Father

1935

Bonnie Scotland

Sgt. Maj. Finlayson

1935

Father and Son

Bidad

1935

Dick Turpin

Jeremy

1933

So This Is Harris!

Golf Pro

1933

The Gay Nighties

Mr. Amos Pipp

1933

Mush and Milk

Mr. Brown, the banker

1933

The Druggist's Dilemma

Andrew Finch

1933

The Devil's Brother

Lord Rocburg

1933

His Silent Racket

James

1933

Jitters the Butler

Phineas P. McPhinn

1932

Boy Oh Boy!

Saunders

1932

The Millionaire Cat

Lawyer Fogg

1932

Thunder Below

Scotty

1932

The Chimp

Ringmaster

1932

Hasty Marriage

Kitty's Father

1931

Scratch-As-Catch-Can

1931

False Roomers

Landlord

1931

Beach Pajamas

1931

Pardon Us

Schoolteacher

1931

One of the Smiths

Wine Brewer (uncredited)

1931

Playing at Politics

Criado

1931

Second Hand Kisses

Jimmy Finlayson

1931

Don't Leave Home

1930

Dollar Dizzy

House Detective

1930

For the Defense

Parrott

1930

The Dawn Patrol

Field Sergeant

1930

Young Eagles

Scotty

1930

Thieves

1930

Wall Street

Andy (as Jimmy Finalyson)

1929

Hard to Get

Pa Martin

1929

Two Weeks Off

Pa Weaver

1929

Big Business

Homeowner

1929

Fast Freight

Spooky Wall Painting

1929

Show Girl

Mr. Dugan

1928

Lady Be Good

Trelawney West

1928

Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath

Pa Slocum

1928

Galloping Ghosts

Police Commissioner

1928

Should Tall Men Marry?

Joe Skittle

1928

Fighting Fathers

Neighbor

1927

Hats Off

Proprietor, Kwickway Washing Machine Co.

1927

With Love and Hisses

Captain Bustle

1927

Don't Tell Everything

Lawyer Goldblum

1927

Love 'Em and Weep

Titus Tillsbury

1927

No Man's Law

Jack Belcher

1927

One Hour Married

1927

Seeing the World

'Old Buzz-Fuzz,' teacher

1927

Anything Once!

Mabel's Boss

1927

The Nickel-Hopper

Rupert

1926

Raggedy Rose

Simpson Sniffle

1926

Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes

Dean of Pinkham University

1926

Wife Tamers

The Waiter

1926

Dizzy Daddies

Jonathan Haig

1926

Madame Mystery

Struggling Author

1926

What's the World Coming To?

The Father-in-Law

1926

Flaming Flappers

1925

The Caretaker's Daughter

The Prohibition Sleuth (as Jimmie Finlayson)

1925

Moonlight and Noses

Professor Sniff

1925

Mary, Queen of Tots

Radio Actor

1925

Innocent Husbands

The Desk Clerk (as Jimmie Finlayson)

1925

Yes, Yes, Nanette

Hillory, the new husband

1925

Chasing the Chaser

Gilroy (the husband)

1925

In the Grease

Father

1925

Tell It to a Policeman

1925

Sure-Mike!

The Floorwalker

1925

Welcome Home

1925

Short Kilts

McGregor's Son

1924

Wide Open Spaces

Jack McQueen

1924

Rupert of Hee-Haw

Rupert of Hee Haw

1924

Near Dublin

Sir Patrick

1924

Brothers Under the Chin

1924

Zeb vs. Paprika

Major Glanders Botts

1924

Postage Due

Postal Inspector Hawke

1924

Smithy

Sergeant

1924

Mother's Joy

Baron Buttontop

1923

Fully Insured

The Foreman

1923

Scorching Sands

James

1923

The Soilers

Smacknamara

1923

The Whole Truth

Defense lawyer

1923

Frozen Hearts

General Sappovitch

1923

Jus' Passin' Through

Drunk (uncredited)

1923

Roughest Africa

Hans Downe

1923

A Man About Town

Humko, Store Detective

1923

Pitfalls of a Big City

The Hired Man

1923

The Mystery Man

1923

Oranges and Lemons

Worker

1923

Where's My Wandering Boy This Evening?

The Hired Man

1923

Courtship of Miles Sandwich

Miles Sandwich

1923

Pick and Shovel

The Foreman

1923

Sold at Auction!

The Man Who WAS Sold

1923

White Wings

Dental Patient

1923

California or Bust

Campground neighbor

1923

The Noon Whistle

1923

Before the Public

1923

A Tough Winter

1923

The Crossroads of New York

Lawyer

1922

Hard Knocks and Love Taps

Plato's Rival

1921

A Small Town Idol

J. Wellington Jones

1921

Don't Weaken!

Lightfingered Luke - Professor Yonson's Assistant

1920

Down on the Farm

The Sportive Banker with the Mortgage

1920

Up in Alf's Place

The Dancing Instructor

1919

Trying to Get Along

The Beauty Parlor Operator

1919

Yankee Doodle in Berlin

Commander's Officer (uncredited)

1919

In Dutch

1918