James Finlayson

born: 27 August 1887
Larbert, Falkirk,
Scotland
died: 09 October 1953
Los Angeles, California,
United States of America
(heart attack, age 66)

Balding, Scottish-born comedy actor who started out working as a bit-part player in Mack Sennett comedies before moving to Hal Roach, where he developed his trademark 'double-take and fade away' over-reaction/expression.  A perfect foil for Laurel & Hardy, he was often seen as their on-screen enemy, and showed a versatile range of professions, from doctors to barmans and everything inbetween!  Oh, and the moustache was false! In 1925 Hal Roach gave him his own series but it was abandoned after only six films.

His WWI Draft Reg. Card states his height at 5'7", and his WWII card supports that of 5'8". He is the brother of Alex Finlayson and Robert Finlayson.
Real name: James Henderson Finlayson
Height: 5'7"
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography;
plus 1 film with Laurel & Hardy.

124
(3)

(1)


1922
Hook, Line And Sinker
August Takall

1922
Newly Rich
[?]

1923
A Tough Winter
The villain

1923
Before The Public
[?]

1923
The Noon Whistle
O'Hallohan, the foreman

1923
California Or Bust!
Campground neighbor

1923
White Wings
Dental patient

1923
Sold At Auction!
The man who WAS sold
 

1923
Pick And Shovel
Foreman

1923
Courtship Of Miles Sandwich
Miles Sandwich

1923
Jack Frost
Mellville Dempsey

1923
The Mystery Man
'Gimlet' McGuffey

1923
The Walkout
The agitator
 

1923
A Man About Town
Humko, store detective

1923
Roughest Africa
Lt. Hans Downe

1923
Jus' Passin' Through
Drunk
 

1923
Frozen Hearts
General Sappovitch

1923
The Whole Truth
Defense lawyer

1923
The Soilers
Smacknamara

1923
Scorching Sands
James

1923
Fully Insured
Foreman

1923
Mother's Joy
Baron Buttontop

1924
Smithy
Sergeant

1924
Postage Due
Postal inspector
 

1924
Zeb vs. Paprika
Major Glanders Botts
 

1924
Brothers Under The Chin
Bobby

1924
Near Dublin
Sir Patrick, brick merchant

1924
Before Taking
[unidentified character]
 

1924
Rupert Of Hee Haw
Rupert of Hee Haw

1924
Wide Open Spaces
Jack McQueen

1924
Why Husbands Go Mad
[unidentified character]
 

1924
Our Congressman
Dinner party guest

1924
Short Kilts
McGregor's son

1924
The Sky Plumber
[?]

1924
Hot Heels
[?]

1924
Are Blond Men Bashful?
[?]

1925
Change The Needle
[?]

1925
Hard-Boiled
[unidentified character]
 

1925
The Haunted Honeymoon
[unidentified character]
 

1925
Are Husbands Human?
[?]

1925
Sure-Mike!
Floorwalker
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1925
Tell It To A Policeman
Policeman

1925
Official Officers
Angry motorist

1925
Thundering Landlords
Landlord
 

1925
In The Grease
Father

1925
Chasing The Chaser
Gilroy

1925
Yes, Yes, Nanette
Hillory

1925
Innocent Husbands
Desk clerk

1925
Madame Sans Jane
The girl's father

1925
Mary, Queen Of Tots
Radio station actor
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1925
Unfriendly Enemies
The volunteer

1925
Moonlight And Noses
Professor Sniff
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1925
The Caretaker's Daughter
Prohibition sleuth
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1925
Cuckoo Love
[unidentified character]
 

1925
Flaming Flappers
[?]
[image is from a lobby card]

1926
A Punch In The Nose
[unidentified character]
 

1926
What's The World Coming To?
Father-in-law

1926
Your Husband's Past
[?]

1926
Madame Mystery
Struggling author

1926
Dizzy Daddies
Jonathan Haig
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1926
Wife Tamers
Waiter

1926
Ukulele Sheiks
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Don Key (Son Of Burro)
Vivien's suitor
 

1926
Never Too Old
Butler
 

1926
Thundering Fleas
Justice of the Peace

1926
The Merry Widower
The hunter

1926
Should Husbands Pay?
Mr. Krum

1926
Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes
Dean of Punkham University

1926
Raggedy Rose
Simpson Sniffle

1926
The Nickel-Hopper
Resident of 625 Park Street

1927
Anything Once!
Mabel's boss

1927
Seeing The World
Old 'Buzz-Fuzz', teacher
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1927
One Hour Married
[unidentified character]
 

1927
Forgotten Sweeties
[unidentified character]
 

1927
The Honorable Mr. Buggs
[?]

1927
No Man's Law
Jake Belcher

1927
Love 'Em And Weep
Titus Tillsbury

1927
Don't Tell Everything
Goldblum, the lawyer

1927
With Love And Hisses
Captain Bustle

1927
Sugar Daddies
Cyrus Brittle, oil tycoon

1927
The Second 100 Years
Governor Browne Van Dyke

1927
Call Of The Cuckoo
Asylum inmate

1927
Hats Off
Proprietor of Kwickway Washing Machine Company

1927
Do Detectives Think?
Judge Foozle

1927
Fighting Fathers
[?]

1928
Should Tall Men Marry?
Joe Skittle

1928
Flying Elephants
Saxophonus

1928
Galloping Ghosts
Police commissioner

1929
Liberty
Record store proprietor

1929
Big Business
Home owner

1929
Men O' War
Soda jerk

1929
The Hoose-Gow
Prison governor

1930
Night Owls
Prison governor

1930
Ladrones 
Juan

1930
Dollar Dizzy
House detective

1930
El Principe del Dolar 
[?]

1930
Les Chercheuses d'or 
[?]

1930
Another Fine Mess
Colonel Wilberforce Buckshot

1931
Chickens Come Home
Butler

1931
Politiquerías 
Criado

1931
Our Wife
Father of the bride

1931
One Of The Smiths
Wine brewer

1931
Pardon Us
Prison teacher

1931
One Good Turn
Himself

1931
Hasty Marriage
'Pa', Kitty's father

1932
The Chimp
Colonel Finn

1932
Pack Up Your Troubles
General

1933
Nature In The Wrong
Lion (voice)

1933
Me And My Pal
Peter Cucumber

1933
His Silent Racket
James Finlayson
DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1933
The Devil's Brother
Lord Rocburg

1933
Mush And Milk
Mr. Brown, banker

1935
Thicker Than Water
Mr. Finlayson

1935
Bonnie Scotland
Seargeant Finlayson

1935
Manhattan Monkey Business
Joyce's father

1936
Life Hesitates At 40
Dr. James Finlayson

1936
The Bohemian Girl
Captain Finn

1936
Our Relations
Finn

1937
Way Out West
Mickey Finn

1937
Pick A Star
Director

1938
Block-Heads
Finn, man on stairs

1940
A Chump At Oxford
Baldy Vanderveer

1940
Saps At Sea
Dr. J.H. Finlayson

1943
Yanks Ahoy
Cook Flynn
NON-HAL ROACH FILMS

1939
The Flying Deuces
Jail guard

Acknowledgements:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-26181-1506-39?cc=1968530
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16388-14104-35?cc=1861144
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16388-13805-51?cc=1861144
Jesse Brisson (help and assistance)

This page was last updated on: 22 July 2023