Acting
James Finlayson
Born 1887-08-26
Larbert, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK
Department: Acting
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.
Known For
Prominent works featuring James Finlayson
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To Be or Not to Be
1942
TMDB3.9
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Foreign Correspondent
1940
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Way Out West
1937
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The Flying Deuces
1939
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Block-Heads
1938
TMDB3.5
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Royal Wedding
1951
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Our Relations
1936
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A Chump at Oxford
1940
TMDB3.5
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Pardon Us
1931
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Big Business
1929
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (181 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Laurel & Hardy - Highlights | Self / Appearance | Movie | 2002 |
| The Laurel & Hardy Story: An Affectionate Rememberence | Self (archive footage) | Movie | 1990 | |
 | Dance of the Cookoos | Man with Toothache / Christmas Tree Customer | Movie | 1982 |
 | The Muppets Go to the Movies | Keystone Kop (archive footage) (uncredited) | Movie | 1981 |
| The Best of Laurel and Hardy | Meadows / Dulcy's Father / Fin (archive footage) | Movie | 1968 | |
 | The Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1967 |
 | The Big Parade of Comedy | Sergeant Major Finlayson in 'Bonnie Scotland' (archive footage) | Movie | 1964 |
 | Here We Go Again | Plato's Rival | Movie | 1952 |
 | The Slappiest Days of Our Lives | (archive footage) | Movie | 1951 |
 | Royal Wedding | Cabby (uncredited) | Movie | 1951 |
 | Grand Canyon Trail | Sheriff | Movie | 1948 |
 | The Perils of Pauline | Comic Chef | Movie | 1947 |
 | Two Sisters from Boston | Street Cleaner (uncredited) | Movie | 1946 |
 | She-Wolf of London | Constable (uncredited) | Movie | 1946 |
 | Yanks Ahoy | Cook Flynn (uncredited) | Movie | 1943 |
 | Happy Times and Jolly Moments | (archive footage) | Movie | 1943 |
| Wedding Yells | Hammerhead Nahl | Movie | 1942 | |
 | To Be or Not to Be | Scottish Farmer with Mustache (uncredited) | Movie | 1942 |
 | Foreign Correspondent | Dutch Peasant (uncredited) | Movie | 1940 |
 | Saps at Sea | Dr. J.H. Finlayson (uncredited) | Movie | 1940 |
 | A Chump at Oxford | Baldy Vandevere (uncredited) | Movie | 1940 |
 | The Great Victor Herbert | Lamplighter | Movie | 1939 |
 | Raffles | Hansom Cab Driver (uncredited) | Movie | 1939 |
 | The Flying Deuces | Jailor | Movie | 1939 |
 | Hollywood Cavalcade | Keystone Cop | Movie | 1939 |
| Dog-Gone | Mr. Jones | Movie | 1939 | |
 | Block-Heads | Man on Stairs | Movie | 1938 |
 | Angel | Barker's 2nd Butler (uncredited) | Movie | 1937 |
 | All Over Town | MacDougal | Movie | 1937 |
 | The Toast of New York | Trick-Hat Inventor (uncredited) | Movie | 1937 |
 | Pick a Star | Director | Movie | 1937 |
 | Way Out West | Mickey Finn | Movie | 1937 |
 | Our Relations | Finn | Movie | 1936 |
 | The Bohemian Girl | Captain Finn | Movie | 1936 |
| MGM 1935 Promo Reel | Manager | Movie | 1935 | |
| Life Hesitates at 40 | Dr. James Finlayson | Movie | 1935 | |
 | Manhattan Monkey Business | Joyce's Father | Movie | 1935 |
 | Bonnie Scotland | Sgt. Maj. Finlayson | Movie | 1935 |
 | Thicker Than Water | Auction Manager | Movie | 1935 |
| Father and Son | Bidad | Movie | 1935 | |
 | Dick Turpin | Jeremy | Movie | 1933 |
 | So This Is Harris! | Golf Pro | Movie | 1933 |
 | The Gay Nighties | Mr. Amos Pipp | Movie | 1933 |
 | Mush and Milk | Mr. Brown, the banker | Movie | 1933 |
| The Druggist's Dilemma | Andrew Finch | Movie | 1933 | |
 | The Devil's Brother | Lord Rocburg | Movie | 1933 |
 | His Silent Racket | James | Movie | 1933 |
 | Me and My Pal | Peter Cucumber | Movie | 1933 |
 | Nature in the Wrong | Voice of lion (uncredited) | Movie | 1933 |
| Jitters the Butler | Phineas P. McPhinn | Movie | 1932 | |
| Boy Oh Boy! | Saunders | Movie | 1932 | |
| The Millionaire Cat | Lawyer Fogg | Movie | 1932 | |
 | Pack Up Your Troubles | General | Movie | 1932 |
| The Iceman's Ball | Commissioner Walters | Movie | 1932 | |
 | Thunder Below | Scotty | Movie | 1932 |
 | The Chimp | Ringmaster (uncredited) | Movie | 1932 |
 | Hasty Marriage | Kitty's Father | Movie | 1931 |
 | Scratch-As-Catch-Can | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1931 |
 | One Good Turn | A Community Player | Movie | 1931 |
| False Roomers | Landlord | Movie | 1931 | |
| Beach Pajamas | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1931 | |
 | Pardon Us | Schoolteacher | Movie | 1931 |
| Stout Hearts and Willing Hands | Kop(as the Original Keystone Kops) | Movie | 1931 | |
 | One of the Smiths | Wine Brewer (uncredited) | Movie | 1931 |
 | Our Wife | Father of the bride (uncredited) | Movie | 1931 |
 | Playing at Politics | Criado | Movie | 1931 |
| Second Hand Kisses | Jimmy Finlayson | Movie | 1931 | |
 | Chickens Come Home | Butler (uncredited) | Movie | 1931 |
| Don't Leave Home | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1930 | |
 | Another Fine Mess | Col. Wilburforce Buckshot (uncredited) | Movie | 1930 |
| The prince of the dollar | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1930 | |
| Gold Diggers | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1930 | |
 | Dollar Dizzy | House Detective | Movie | 1930 |
 | For the Defense | Parrott | Movie | 1930 |
 | The Dawn Patrol | Field Sergeant | Movie | 1930 |
 | Young Eagles | Scotty | Movie | 1930 |
 | Thieves | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1930 |
 | Night Owls | Meadows | Movie | 1930 |
 | Wall Street | Andy (as Jimmy Finalyson) | Movie | 1929 |
 | The Hoose-Gow | Governor (uncredited) | Movie | 1929 |
 | Hard to Get | Pa Martin | Movie | 1929 |
 | Men O' War | Soda jerk | Movie | 1929 |
 | Two Weeks Off | Pa Weaver | Movie | 1929 |
 | Big Business | Homeowner (uncredited) | Movie | 1929 |
 | Liberty | Store keeper | Movie | 1929 |
 | Fast Freight | Spooky Wall Painting | Movie | 1929 |
 | Show Girl | Mr. Dugan | Movie | 1928 |
 | Lady Be Good | Trelawney West | Movie | 1928 |
 | Ladies' Night in a Turkish Bath | Pa Slocum | Movie | 1928 |
 | Bachelor’s Paradise | Pat Malone | Movie | 1928 |
 | Galloping Ghosts | Police Commissioner | Movie | 1928 |
 | Flying Elephants | Saxophonus (uncredited) | Movie | 1928 |
 | Should Tall Men Marry? | Joe Skittle | Movie | 1928 |
| Fighting Fathers | Neighbor | Movie | 1927 | |
 | Do Detectives Think? | Judge Foozle (uncredited) | Movie | 1927 |
 | Hats Off | Proprietor, Kwickway Washing Machine Co. | Movie | 1927 |
 | Call of the Cuckoo | Asylum Inmate | Movie | 1927 |
 | The Second 100 Years | Browne Van Dyke | Movie | 1927 |
 | Sugar Daddies | Oil tycoon Cyrus Brittle | Movie | 1927 |
 | With Love and Hisses | Captain Bustle | Movie | 1927 |
 | Don't Tell Everything | Lawyer Goldblum | Movie | 1927 |
 | Love 'Em and Weep | Titus Tillsbury | Movie | 1927 |
 | No Man's Law | Jack Belcher | Movie | 1927 |
 | Forgotten Sweeties | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1927 |
 | One Hour Married | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1927 |
 | Seeing the World | 'Old Buzz-Fuzz,' teacher | Movie | 1927 |
 | Anything Once! | Mabel's Boss | Movie | 1927 |
 | The Nickel-Hopper | Rupert | Movie | 1926 |
 | Raggedy Rose | Simpson Sniffle | Movie | 1926 |
 | Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes | Dean of Pinkham University | Movie | 1926 |
 | Merry Widower | The Hunter | Movie | 1926 |
 | Thundering Fleas | Justice of the Peace | Movie | 1926 |
 | Don Key (Son of Burro) | Vivien's Suitor | Movie | 1926 |
 | Wife Tamers | The Waiter | Movie | 1926 |
 | Dizzy Daddies | Jonathan Haig | Movie | 1926 |
 | Madame Mystery | Struggling Author | Movie | 1926 |
 | What's the World Coming To? | The Father-in-Law | Movie | 1926 |
 | A Punch in the Nose | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1926 |
 | Flaming Flappers | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1925 |
 | The Caretaker's Daughter | The Prohibition Sleuth (as Jimmie Finlayson) | Movie | 1925 |
 | Moonlight and Noses | Professor Sniff | Movie | 1925 |
 | Unfriendly Enemies | The Cameraman | Movie | 1925 |
 | Mary, Queen of Tots | Radio Actor | Movie | 1925 |
 | Madame Sans Jane | The Girl's Father | Movie | 1925 |
 | Innocent Husbands | The Desk Clerk (as Jimmie Finlayson) | Movie | 1925 |
 | Yes, Yes, Nanette | Hillory, the new husband | Movie | 1925 |
 | Chasing the Chaser | Gilroy (the husband) | Movie | 1925 |
 | Thundering Landlords | The Landlord | Movie | 1925 |
| In the Grease | Father | Movie | 1925 | |
| Tell It to a Policeman | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1925 | |
 | Sure-Mike! | The Floorwalker | Movie | 1925 |
 | Welcome Home | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1925 |
 | The Haunted Honeymoon | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1925 |
 | Hard Boiled | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1925 |
| Change the Needle | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1925 | |
 | Short Kilts | McGregor's Son | Movie | 1924 |
| Why Husbands Go Mad | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1924 | |
 | Wide Open Spaces | Jack McQueen | Movie | 1924 |
 | Rupert of Hee-Haw | Rupert of Hee Haw | Movie | 1924 |
 | Near Dublin | Sir Patrick | Movie | 1924 |
 | Brothers Under the Chin | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1924 |
 | Zeb vs. Paprika | Major Glanders Botts | Movie | 1924 |
 | Postage Due | Postal Inspector Hawke | Movie | 1924 |
 | Smithy | Sergeant | Movie | 1924 |
 | Mother's Joy | Baron Buttontop | Movie | 1923 |
| Fully Insured | The Foreman | Movie | 1923 | |
 | Scorching Sands | James | Movie | 1923 |
 | The Soilers | Smacknamara | Movie | 1923 |
 | The Whole Truth | Defense lawyer | Movie | 1923 |
 | Frozen Hearts | General Sappovitch | Movie | 1923 |
 | Jus' Passin' Through | Drunk (uncredited) | Movie | 1923 |
 | Roughest Africa | Hans Downe | Movie | 1923 |
 | A Man About Town | Humko, Store Detective | Movie | 1923 |
 | Pitfalls of a Big City | The Hired Man | Movie | 1923 |
 | Hollywood | James Finlayson | Movie | 1923 |
| The Mystery Man | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1923 | |
 | Oranges and Lemons | Worker | Movie | 1923 |
 | Jack Frost | Wicked Man from the Wicked City | Movie | 1923 |
 | Where's My Wandering Boy This Evening? | The Hired Man | Movie | 1923 |
 | Courtship of Miles Sandwich | Miles Sandwich | Movie | 1923 |
 | Pick and Shovel | The Foreman | Movie | 1923 |
 | Sold at Auction! | The Man Who WAS Sold | Movie | 1923 |
 | White Wings | Dental Patient | Movie | 1923 |
 | California or Bust | Campground neighbor | Movie | 1923 |
 | The Noon Whistle | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1923 |
| Before the Public | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1923 | |
 | A Tough Winter | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1923 |
 | Newly Rich | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1922 |
 | The Crossroads of New York | Lawyer | Movie | 1922 |
 | Hard Knocks and Love Taps | Plato's Rival | Movie | 1921 |
 | She Sighed by the Seaside | 1st Suitor | Movie | 1921 |
 | A Small Town Idol | J. Wellington Jones | Movie | 1921 |
 | Love, Honor and Behave | Artist | Movie | 1920 |
 | Don't Weaken! | Lightfingered Luke - Professor Yonson's Assistant | Movie | 1920 |
 | Married Life | Man Who Made Good | Movie | 1920 |
 | Down on the Farm | The Sportive Banker with the Mortgage | Movie | 1920 |
| Up in Alf's Place | The Dancing Instructor | Movie | 1919 | |
 | Trying to Get Along | The Beauty Parlor Operator | Movie | 1919 |
 | Yankee Doodle in Berlin | Commander's Officer (uncredited) | Movie | 1919 |
 | In Dutch | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1918 |
 | The World of Laurel and Hardy | Self / Appearance | Movie | — |