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| George Rowe |
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born:
06 December 1897 Los Angeles, California, United States of America |
died:
18 November 1981 Los Angeles, California, United States of America (age 83) |
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Cross-eyed American actor who was a regular in the early films of Hal Roach. He was even afforded his own very short-lived series (one film; "High Tide" in 1922).
His parents were Jacob Peter Helbach (1871-1908) and Frances Rowe (circa 1876-1898). On 21 February 1919 in Redondo Beach, California, he married Effie Smith Jacobs, a 20 year-old widow. At the time of the wedding, George was a ship worker. Rowe had one son through marriage, Arthur Barton Rowe (b. 19 July 1920; d. 15 April 1957). His draft card of Feb. 14, 1942 says he is 5'3" and weighs 130 lbs. Where it says "Other obvious physical characteristics that will aid in identification" it says "tattoo American flag on left arm" but fails to mention anything about his eyes. His Grandmother, CONCEPTION RUIZ, married GEORGE ROWE (d.1905) in 1870 in LA. Their daughter, FRANCIS ROWE, married JACOB PETER HELBACH in LA in 1897 and their son, EDWARD JACOB was born on Dec. 6. A year later (Dec 10, 1898), the Mom died of Bright's disease at age 24. EDWARD JACOB HELBACH, later GEORGE WASHINGTON ROWE was then raised by his Grandparents. The Dad remarried in 1899 and died in 1908 from heart problems at age 38. The Dad and his brother were restaurant cooks and active in the cooks and waiters unions in CA. The Dad's brother owned a restaurant for many years. This may be why we find a divorced GEORGE working as a restaurant cook in the 1930 and 1940 LA Census's. In the 1910 Census, "GEORGE HELBACH" (12) is living with his widowed Grandmother and Aunt and Uncle, ALMA and ALVIN ROSSON. In Feb. 1919 in Redondo, CA, GEORGE married a 20 year old widow, EFFIE SMITH JACOBS. He is a "shipyard worker" where his Uncle ALVIN works as a foreman. In July 1920, EFFIE & GEORGE have a son, ARTHUR BARTON ROWE. In 1930 he is living with his divorced Father, Grandmother and maiden Aunt, NIVEA. In his 1942 Draft Card, he lists GEORGE as next of kin. I don't know what became of his Mom, EFFIE. His son Arthur uses the surname "ROWE" on both his 1942 Draft Card & 1943 Marriage Certificate. Arthur died in April 1957 at age 36. At least one source lists his real name as George Washington Helbach Rowe. |
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Real name: Edward Jacob Helbach (source: 1897 birth recorded included with 1942 "supplemental" birth record). Height: 5'3" |
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography. |
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