B: November 9, 1869 in Cobourg, Ontario
D: July 28, 1934 in Santa Barbara, California
In an industry that is often considered larger than life, a number of actors have fit that description in a physical sense too. “Fattie” Arbuckle sure lived up to his nickname – his real first name being Roscoe. Oliver Hardy was another heavyweight of the silent and post-silent eras. In more modern times, we have enjoyed actors like Jackie Gleason and the late John Candy. In case you haven’t noticed, they’re all male actors. Large women actors run against the norm and only a handful come to mind, Roseanne Barr being just one who has succeeded despite being totally outside the mold dictated by current trends in health and fashion. Another large actress, from a much earlier time, was Marie Dressler. In her life she always wondered about her popularity and considered herself to be, in her own words, “an ugly duckling.” Also see: A biography about Marie Dressler |
