Bald, bearded, and oft-bespectacled Dutch-born actor and academic. Often, in his more comical roles, he affected a toothless, "flappy-mouthed" look not unlike other silent comedy performers such as Jack Duffy. In addition to his acting career, he was also a professor of foreign languages and mathematics at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and other colleges for 42 years. The bulk of vital records pertaining to him and his family only mention his teaching, although the 1930 Census gives his occupation as assistant director for "studio movie," and the 1940 Census says he's a "research expert" (presumably in languages) for "motion picture[s]."
Karel (or Karl) Albert Mühlenfeld immigrated to the United States in November 1907. He declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen on 8 November 1915, and was naturalized on 10 May 1918. On 31 January 1914, he married Margarethe Wilhelmina Hohenböken (1887-1972), a native of Germany. Together, Charles and Margarethe would have 7 children: Olga (m. Glick, 1914-1985), Edward (1915-1979), Vera (m. Daniels, 1917-2008), Charles, Jr. (1919-2005), Rowland (1923-1998), George (1924-2001), and Agnes (m. Stober, 1926-2017). A 1937 LIFE magazine photo spread on motion picture extras has a photo of Charles and Margarethe chatting by a washing line, and the caption underneath mentions that all 9 Millsfields worked as movie extras. The 1940 Census has Margarethe, Charles Jr., Rowland, and George all acting in motion pictures.
Millsfield is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
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