Sammy Brooks

born: 10 June 1891
Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America
died: 16 May 1951
Los Angeles, California,
United States of America
(paralytic ileus, age 59)

Diminutive, balding American comic actor who was a regular presence in the films of the Hal Roach Studios from 1916 onwards. Appearing in over 120 films with Harold Lloyd alone, he currently holds the record for the most appearances in films produced by Hal Roach.
Simon Rottenberg/Rothenberg was the seventh of nine children born to Austrian-Hungarian immigrants Rose (née Weinberger or Weinberg, d. 1904) and Herman Rottenberg/Rothenberg (d. 1912), who married in 1876. Their children were born in the order of: Nathan (1877-1952), Jennie (1879-1901), Isadore (1880/1-1957), Fannie (m. Kreitzman, 1883-1952), Mollie (m. Passig, 1885-1963), Julius/Joseph (1888-1974), Simon/Samuel (1891-1951), Leo/Leon (1895-1975), and Ester/Ethel (m. Creash, 1897-1983). Although his birth record gives his first name as Simon, by the time of the 1892 New York State Census less than a year later, he was now being called Samuel. The family seemed to use the spelling of "Rottenberg" and "Rothenberg" somewhat interchangeably, largely settling for the latter. By the time Sammy filled out his World War I draft registration card (signed 5 Jun 1917), he was going by Samuel Rothenberg as his full name. Two errors on his death certificate have persisted in internet biographies, which as a result give an incorrect month of birth (July instead of June), and misspell his real last name as "Rockenberg." Sammy later resided in Plainfield, New Jersey sometime around the late 1900s and early-mid 1910s, doing clerical work in a store and being known around town as "Shorty."
On stage and screen as early as 1910, Sammy partook in stage and vaudeville performances of Gus Edwards' act "The Country Kid" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," played one of the funny papers' "Katzenjammer Kids" in the skit "In Cartoon Land" with the "Whirl of Mirth" company, and played one of Lasky's "Hoboes" on the Orpheum and Pantages circuits. Sammy's early film roles included work with the short-lived Gnome Motion Picture Company, as well as Famous Players (in the 1914 film adaptation of "Cinderella" starring Mary Pickford; presumably, Sammy is playing one of the fortune teller's diminutive minions), Selig (in the "Hans & Fritz" series, continuing his portrayal of one of the "Katzenjammer Kids"), and Starlight (in the "Heinie & Louie" series co-starring Jimmy Aubrey).
Sammy joined the Rolin (Roach) stock company in early 1916, having been discovered while playing with Lasky's "Hoboes," and he went on to appear in hundreds of films for the Hal Roach Studios over the next two decades. Due to his small size, Sammy was often cast in bits where he was pushed around and leapt over by others, although he didn't take it without showing some gumption, often gamely putting his dukes up whether his adversaries and tormentors took him seriously or not. Sammy was nicknamed "Super-Shorty" around the lot, and was known for being very tough for his size. Per his studio directory bios, Sammy's recreations included wire-walking, riding, and swimming.
The Rolin stock company of the Lloyd/Pollard days were a very tight-knit group, and Sammy was no exception to this. One prank Sammy and Harold Lloyd played together involved the two getting into the same suit of clothes, then while Harold was conversing with another, Sammy would pop out of the jacket. Early studio giant Ben Corday used Sammy as a human barbell of sorts, exercising by lifting him with one hand. Perhaps the most oft-reported friendship within the stock company, no doubt due to their size difference, was that of little Sammy and big Noah Young. Far from being a novelty, the friendship between Sammy and Noah was genuine and long-lasting, with Noah providing assistance and care to Sammy in his later years.
Though he primarily appeared in Roach films, Sammy did sporadically appear in films outside of the "Lot of Fun," usually those starring his old Roach colleagues. He appears in Harold Lloyd's first post-Roach feature "Girl Shy" (1924), and provides a visual punchline (and a happy ending) for the finale of Snub Pollard's post-Roach Weiss Brothers comedy short "The Yokel" (1926).
Like many early Roach alumni, Sammy was a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, serving as acting chairman at one point in 1922. Sammy was also a Freemason and a member of the Culver City Lodge No. 467; papers in 1924 reported that Sammy was the smallest Mason in the world, while fellow Roach actor John Aasen was the tallest. In 1924, Sammy also acted as second to boxer August Gotto in a July bout at the L.A.A.C. In 1927, Sammy celebrated his eleventh anniversary with the Roach company; later that same year, Sammy was accompanying Johnny Downs in the now-former Our Gangster's personal appearances, serving as his manager and appearing on stage alongside him.
As the Roach style matured, Sammy's bits became less and less prominent, later often merely appearing as a face in the crowd or seated in the background. In the early 1930s, Sammy suffered an accident at the studio which would lead to him losing his sight. In a June 1934 article, Sammy recalled that in an accident nearly three years prior (so, circa mid-late 1931), they were filming a movie scene where Sammy was thrown down some stairs, and he was accidentally kicked in the face. He had an operation and went back to work, but could feel his eyesight slightly fading until one day when he woke up and everything was dark. Exhibiting the tight bonds of the early Rolin stock company, some benefit programs were held by old Roach colleagues to aid Sammy. In April 1933, Bebe Daniels, Snub Pollard, and Charley Chase held a benefit performance for Sammy at the Los Angeles Athletic Club Theater. A month later, Harold Lloyd held a handball and squash tournament at his Greenacres estate, featuring stars of those sports, again to support Sammy.
On 13 June 1934, the Los Angeles Evening Post-Record ran an article on Sammy. It is mentioned that Roach studio photographer Stax Graves and his wife were taking care of Sammy, as was his big ol' pal Noah Young, and that Sammy was working as an extra and stand-in at Roach. The article is a very bittersweet read, as Sammy remains upbeat and unflappable despite his condition. (Chet Brandenburg, in assistant director mode, also makes a "cameo" at article's end, discussing the sale of a watch from Sammy to Chet.) Sammy's old Roach cohorts weren't the only ones to aid him: the papers in 1939 reported that, upon seeing him on the set of "Captain Fury" and learning of his situation, Victor McLaglen presented Sammy with a seeing-eye dog.
In the 1940 Census (16 Apr), Sammy's occupation is given as "store owner" in the motion picture industry; Sammy's World War II draft registration card (signed 27 Apr 1942) further notes that he had his own business on the Roach lot (seem to remember reading somewhere it was a newsstand, but I can no longer remember where I read this); Noah Young is given as the person who will always know Sammy's address on the draft card. In his final years, Sammy lived at 9719 Regent St. in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
Sammy passed away at 12:45am on 16 May 1951, at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Cause of death was "Paralytic ileus - etiology undetermined (10 days)" with contributory causes: "Cerebral arteriosclerosis, blindness & duodenal ulcer." Friends to the end, Noah Young served as the informant on Sammy's death certificate. Sammy was survived by four brothers (Joseph, Leonard, Mathew [presumably Nathan], and Isadore) and three sisters (Mrs. Ethel Creash, Mrs. Fannie Kreitzman, and Mrs. Mollie Passig). Sammy was cremated through Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

A history of Sammy's physical statistics:
— Motion Picture News, 11 Mar 1916: 4'2", 96
— Oct 1916 Motion Picture News Studio Directory: 3'10", 92, dark brown hair, blue eyes
— 1917–1918 Motion Picture (News) Studio Directories: Dark brown hair, blue eyes
— Sammy's World War I draft registration card, 1917: Short, slender, blue eyes, dark brown hair, "slightly" bald
— 1920–1921 Motion Picture Studio Directories: 4', 100, fair complexion, brown hair, blue eyes
— 1924 articles on his Masonry: 3'11"
— Los Angeles Evening Express, 12 Mar 1925: 4'2"
— Sammy's World War II draft registration card, 1942: 4'5", 112, blue eyes, gray hair + bald, ruddy complexion, "blind"
— The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia: 4'6", "under one hundred pounds".
Real name: Simon Rottenberg
Height: 4'0" ***(see above)
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography.

290
(1)


1916
Luke, The Candy Cut-Up
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke Pipes The Pippins
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Double
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Late Lunchers
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke Laughs Last
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Society Mix-Up
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke Rides Roughshod
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke, Crystal Gazer
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Lost Lamb
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke Does The Midway
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke Joins The Navy
Jewish man

1916
Luke And The Mermaids
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Speedy Club Life
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke And The Bang-Tails
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke, The Chauffeur
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Preparedness Preparations
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke, The Gladiator
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke, Patient Provider
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Newsie Knockout
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Movie Muddle
[?]

1916
Luke, Rank Impersonator
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Fireworks Fizzle
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke Locates The Loot
[unidentified character]
 

1916
Luke's Shattered Sleep
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Luke's Lost Liberty
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Luke's Trolley Troubles
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke, Lawyer
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke's Lively Life
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke On Tin Can Alley
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke's Honeymoon
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke, Plumber
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Stop, Luke, Listen!
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke, Messenger
Telegram messenger at school

1917
Lonesome Luke, Mechanic
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke's Wild Women
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Over The Fence
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke Loses Patients
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Pinched
[unidentified character]
 

1917
By The Sad Sea Waves
Spectator at beach
 

1917
Lonesome Luke In Birds Of A Feather
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Bliss
Short musician

1917
Rainbow Island
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke In Love, Laughs And Lather
[unidentified character]
 

1917
The Flirt
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Lonesome Luke In Clubs Are Trump
[unidentified character]
 

1917
All Aboard
Midget crew member
 

1917
Lonesome Luke In We Never Sleep
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Move On
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Bashful
[unidentified character]
 

1917
Step Lively
[unidentified character]
 

1918
The Tip
[unidentified character]
 

1918
The Big Idea
[unidentified character]
 

1918
The Lamb
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Hit Him Again
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Beat It
[unidentified character]
 

1918
A Gasoline Wedding
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Look Pleasant, Please
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Here Come The Girls
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Let's Go
Tug-of-war competitor (front of line)

1918
On The Jump
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Follow The Crowd
Short gang member

1918
Pipe The Whiskers
Man hitting punchball

1918
It's A Wild Life
Short diner

1918
Hey There
Short prop man
 

1918
Kicked Out
[unidentified character]
 

1918
The Non-Stop Kid
Short professor on street


1918
Two-Gun Gussie
Barman

1918
Fireman Save My Child
[unidentified character]
 

1918
The City Slicker
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Sic 'Em, Towser
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Somewhere In Turkey
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Are Crooks Dishonest?
[unidentified character]
 

1918
An Ozark Romance
[unidentified character]
 

1918
That's Him
Short detective

1918
Bees In His Bonnet
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Swing Your Partners
Man on street

1918
Why Pick On Me?
[unidentified character]
 

1918
Nothing But Trouble
Innocent passerby

1918
Take A Chance
[unidentified character]
 

1918
She Loves Me Not
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Wanted - $5000
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Love's Young Scream
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Going! Going! Gone!
Short sheriff's man

1919
Ask Father
Small office worker

1919
On The Fire
Short diner

1919
I'm On My Way
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Look Out Below!
Worker with hammer

1919
Next Aisle Over
Short customer stuck in revolving door

1919
A Sammy In Siberia
Short renegade

1919
Crack Your Heels
Short farm hand

1919
Ring Up The Curtain
Short actor with dog

1919
Young Mr. Jazz
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Si, Senor
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Before Breakfast
Diner

1919
The Marathon
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Back To The Woods
Short tracker

1919
Pistols For Breakfast
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Swat The Crook
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Off The Trolley
Short passenger

1919
Spring Fever
Short man in park

1919
Billy Blazes, Esq.
Short townsman

1919
Just Neighbors
Short man in queue

1919
At The Old Stage Door
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Never Touched Me
Little man
 

1919
A Jazzed Honeymoon
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Count Your Change
Hotel guest/
Pedestrian

1919
Chop Suey & Co.
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Heap Big Chief
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Don't Shove
Rollerskater

1919
Be My Wife
[unidentified character]
 

1919
The Rajah
[unidentified character]
 

1919
He Leads, Others Follow
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Soft Money
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Count The Votes
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Pay Your Dues
[unidentified character]
 

1919
His Only Father
[unidentified character]
 

1919
Bumping Into Broadway
[unidentified character]
 

1919
All At Sea
Short blindfolded sailor

1919
Call For Mr. Caveman
Mailman

1919
Captain Kidd's Kids
Small pirate/Ship's passenger

1919
Looking For Trouble
The champ's second

1919
Tough Luck
Commanding officer

1919
The Floor Below
[unidentified character]
 

1919
From Hand To Mouth
[unidentified character]
 

1920
The Dippy Dentist
Patient

1920
All Lit Up
[unidentified character]
 

1920
His Royal Slyness
[?]

1920
Raise The Rent
Combative man

1920
Fresh Paint
Roman model
 

1920
Haunted Spooks
[unidentified character]
 

1920
Don't Weaken
Short golfer

1920
An Eastern Westerner
[?]

1920
All Dressed Up
Party guest

1920
Any Old Port
Man who is pushed over/
Dinner guest

1920
Don't Rock The Boat
Sailor

1920
High And Dizzy
[?] (possibly hotel guest in lobby)

1920
Call A Taxi
Drunk #2

1920
Live And Learn
Short man in road

1920
Little Miss Jazz
Gallery visitor

1920
A London Bobby
Short man with violin

1920
Go As You Please
[unidentified character]
 

1920
Alias Aladdin
Genie of the lamp

1920
Mamma's Boy
[unidentified character]
 

1920
The Sleepyhead
[unidentified character]
 

1920
Park Your Car
Courier

1920
Number, Please?
Little man in telephone booth
 

1921
Whirl O' The West
Cowboy
 

1921
Oh, Promise Me
[unidentified character]
 

1921
Rush Orders
[unidentified character]
 

1921
Now Or Never
Short man on train

1921
Big Game
Snub's driver

1921
Where's The Fire
Short fireman

1921
The High Rollers
Skater/Monkey

1921
Among Those Present
[unidentified character]
 

1921
At The Ringside
Corner man

1921
Name The Day
Wedding attendee
 

1921
Stop Kidding
[unidentified character]
 

1921
The Jail Bird
Warden (?)

1921
On Their Way
Hobo

1921
The Lucky Number
[unidentified character]
 

1921
Sweet By And By
[unidentified character]
 

1921
Fifteen Minutes
Short man at picnic

1921
The Pickaninny
Short man in grocery store

1921
Sink Or Swim
[unidentified character]
 

1921
Shake 'Em Up
Soldier

1922
Loose Change
Short man with gold nuggets barrel

1922
Stage Struck
[?]

1922
The Anvil Chorus
One of Marie's brothers
 

1922
Full O' Pep
Short streetcar passenger

1922
In The Movies
Theatre patron

1922
Good Morning Judge
Reckless driver defendant

1922
Strictly Modern
Hotel guest

1922
The Sleuth
Sleeping guest

1922
The Dumb-Bell
Short actor playing doctor
 

1922
The Bride-To-Be
[unidentified character]
 

1922
Take Next Car
Short man in street

1922
Touch All The Bases
Tigers player with donkey

1922
Grandma's Boy
Townsman
 

1922
The Landlubber
Dolls vendor

1922
365 Days
Relative

1922
The Golf Bug
Golfer

1922
Shine 'Em Up
Justice of the Peace
 

1922
Hook, Line And Sinker
Band member

1922
The Flivver
Taxi passenger

1922
Blaze Away
[unidentified character]
 

1923
The Champeen!
Fruit stand vendor
 

1923
Jailed And Bailed
Laundry worker
 

1923
Tight Shoes
Short customer at reception

1923
Before The Public
On Lantern Slide
 

1923
Do Your Stuff
Man on bench/Costumes man

1923
For Safe Keeping
Jailer

1923
Bowled Over
[?]

1923
Where Am I?
Hotel guest who collects hat

1923
The Smile Wins
Doctor

1923
The Noon Whistle
Mill worker

1923
Under Two Jags
Gunner
 

1923
Pick And Shovel
Miner
 

1923
Dogs Of War!
Crew member, "Should Husbands Work?"

1923
Collars And Cuffs
Card player

1923
The Uncovered Wagon
Runt

1923
Kill Or Cure
Short non-customer
 

1923
Post No Bills
[unidentified character]
 

1923
Oranges And Lemons
Worker

1923
Take The Air
Worker

1923
The Walkout
The boss

1923
A Man About Town
Short man with hat

1923
No Pets
Short man at séance

1923
Frozen Hearts
The General's second

1923
The Soilers
[unidentified character]
 

1923
Scorching Sands
[unidentified character]
 

1923
Fully Insured
Office worker

1923
It's A Joy!
Film crew

1924
Smithy
Man in employment line

1924
The Cowboy Sheik
Small man at dance

1924
Postage Due
[unidentified character]
 

1924
Zeb vs. Paprika
[unidentified character]
 

1924
Brothers Under The Chin
Short seaman

1924
Near Dublin
Barn dance musician

1924
Going To Congress
Train passenger smoking pipe

1924
Rupert Of Hee Haw
Palace guard

1924
Wide Open Spaces
Businessman in saloon

1924
Our Congressman
Tour bus driver
 

1924
A Ten-Minute Egg
Lobby bystander

1924
Short Kilts
McHungry

1924
A Truthful Liar
Townsman
 

1924
The Goofy Age
Short man on train

1924
The Poor Fish
Balloon man

1925
The Rat's Knuckles
Blind man

1925
The Big Town
Train passenger

1925
Circus Fever
Gene & Farina's mother

1925
Is Marriage The Bunk?
Photographer
 

1925
Hold My Baby!
Train passenger

1925
Looking For Sally
Blind man

1925
Wild Papa
[unidentified character]
 

1925
Tell It To A Policeman
[unidentified character]
 

1925
Riders Of The Kitchen Range
Man reading newspaper at train station

1925
The Royal Four-Flush
[?]

1925
Isn't Life Terrible?
Short passenger

1925
Sherlock Sleuth
Guest in clown costume
 

1925
Tame Men And Wild Women
[unidentified character]
 

1925
Unfriendly Enemies
Laughing man

1925
All Wool
Short angry customer

1925
Should Sailors Marry?
Train passenger in blackface

1925
Whistling Lions
The Sheik

1925
Laughing Ladies
[unidentified character]
 

1925
Tol'able Romeo
Short man on bench

1926
A Punch In The Nose
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Don't Butt In
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Your Husband's Past
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Pay The Cashier
Short customer

1926
Wandering Papas
Construction worker
 

1926
The Old War-Horse
Short soldier with rifle

1926
Madame Mystery
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Say It With Babies
[?]

1926
Don Key (Son Of Burro)
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Never Too Old
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Thundering Fleas
Short flea circus spectator
 

1926
Should Husbands Pay?
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Bromo And Juliet
[unidentified character]
 

1926
Raggedy Rose
[?]
 

1926
War Feathers
Townsman

1927
Anything Once!
Streetcar hopeful* [*unconfirmed]

1927
Are Brunettes Safe?
Business owner

1928
The Ol' Gray Hoss
Short pedestrian

1929
Going Ga-Ga
Pedestrian

1929
Election Day
Gangster

1929
Movie Night
Movie patron

1929
Berth Marks
Short train passenger

1929
Snappy Sneezer
Streetcar passenger

1930
The Real McCoy
Hunter

1930
The Fighting Parson
Short townsman

1930
All Teed Up
Short golfer

1930
Below Zero
Cafe patron

1930
Tiembla y Titubea 
Cafe patron

1932
Any Old Port!
Spectator

1933
One Track Minds
Train passenger

1933
Midsummer Mush
Pedestrian in opening scene

1934
Rhapsody In Brew
Saxophonist

1934
Three Chumps Ahead
Café patron

1935
Tit For Tat
Pedestrian

1935
The Fixer Uppers
Café patron

1935
Southern Exposure
Courtroom spectator

1935
Thicker Than Water
Shoeshine customer

1935
Twin Triplets
Newspaper salesman

1936
The Bohemian Girl
Gypsy vagabond
 

1936
On The Wrong Trek
Hitchhiker

1936
Our Relations
Denker's Beer Garden customer
 

1937
Way Out West
Brushwood Gulch citizen

1937
Framing Youth
Audience extra

1938
Swiss Miss
Townsman

DEATH CERTIFICATE
(click any image to enlarge)

WWI / WWII DRAFT CARDS
(click any image to enlarge)

MISCELLANEOUS
(click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WZN-FLJ (birth record)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ35-K8K (1892 NY Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSFR-ZGC (1900 Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKSD-JGQ (1905 NY Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZVN-1DZ (WWI draft reg. card)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQT-8V3 (1920 Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCVV-9J6 (1930 Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9CT-DT1 (1940 Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4DC-5PK (WWII draft reg. card)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XGX-2W6K (1950 Census)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP7C-M5R (CA Death Index, "Samuel Brooks")
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VP7D-CQY (CA Death Index, "Samuel Rockenberg")
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP7B-LSDY (death certificate)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228347380 (Find a Grave)
https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturenew132unse#page/1440/mode/1up/search/%22sammy+brooks%22 (Motion Picture News, 11 Mar 1916)
https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturestu00moti#page/63/mode/1up/search/brooks (Oct 1916 Motion Picture News Studio Directory)
https://archive.org/stream/moctu00moti#page/85/mode/1up/search/brooks (Apr 1917 Motion Picture Studio Directory)
https://archive.org/stream/motrestu00moti#page/83/mode/1up/search/brooks (1918 Motion Picture Studio Directory)
https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturestu00moti_0#page/n209/mode/1up/search/%22brooks+sam%22 (1920 Motion Picture Studio Directory)
https://archive.org/stream/motionpicturestu00johnrich#page/159/mode/1up/search/%22brooks+sam%22 (1921 Motion Picture Studio Directory)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/220827488/ (Plainfield Courier-News, 28 Jan 1911)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/221258096/ (Plainfield Courier-News, 24 Jun 1912)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/215817913/ (Plainfield Courier-News, 15 Jul 1912)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/556198888/ (Passaic Daily News, 24 Sep 1912)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380544799/ (Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb 1916)
https://archive.org/details/variety46-1917-03/page/n214/mode/1up?q=%22sammy+brooks%22&view=theater (Variety, 23 Mar 1917)
https://archive.org/details/sim_los-angeles-times_the-los-angeles-times_1922-03-27_41/page/n25/mode/1up?q=%22sammy+brooks%22&view=theater (Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar 1922)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/466289007/ (New-York Tribune, 24 Dec 1922)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/205532120/ (St. Louis Star and Times, 11 Feb 1923)
https://archive.org/details/closeup1920192300clos/page/n257/mode/1up?q=%22sammy+brooks%22&view=theater (Close-Up, 05 Apr 1923)
https://archive.org/details/camera06unse/page/n708/mode/1up?q=%22sammy+brooks%22&view=theater (Camera!, 03 Nov 1923)
https://archive.org/details/sim_los-angeles-times_the-los-angeles-times_1924-07-15_43/page/n5/mode/1up?q=%22sammy+brooks%22&view=theater (Los Angeles Times, 15 Jul 1924)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608363600/ (Los Angeles Evening Express, 09 Oct 1924)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608363877/ (Los Angeles Evening Express, 13 Oct 1924)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608367982/ (Los Angeles Evening Express, 12 Mar 1925)
https://archive.org/stream/screenland11unse#page/n79/mode/1up/search/%22sammy+brooks%22 (Screenland, May 1925)
https://archive.org/details/e00newy/page/n223/mode/1up?q=%22sammy+brooks%22&view=theater (Exhibitors Trade Review, 20 Jun 1925)
https://archive.org/stream/pictureplaymagaz23unse#page/n70/mode/1up/search/%22sammy+brooks%22 (Picture-Play, Sep 1925)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/341259662/ (The Dispatch [Moline, IL], 14 May 1927)
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SPDN19271109.2.53 (San Pedro Daily Pilot, 09 Nov 1927)
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SPDN19271111.2.106 (San Pedro Daily Pilot, 11 Nov 1927)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380397257/ (Los Angeles Times, 06 Apr 1933)
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DNLA19330406.1.13 (Illustrated Daily News [Los Angeles, CA], 06 Apr 1933)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380397904/ (Los Angeles Times, 07 Apr 1933)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380494075/ (Los Angeles Times, 19 May 1933)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380495986/ (Los Angeles Times, 22 May 1933)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/457686898/ (San Francisco Examiner, 25 May 1933)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/678517998/ (Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, 13 Jun 1934)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/678518024/ (Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, 13 Jun 1934)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/57195680/ (Altoona Tribune, 06 Mar 1936)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1043735663/ (Washington [D.C.] Times, 06 Feb 1937)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/448176758/ (Evening Herald [Shenandoah, PA], 17 Mar 1939)
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/701015431/ (Evening Vanguard [Venice, CA], 17 May 1951)
The Harold Lloyd Encyclopedia by Annette D'Agostino Lloyd (book)
Jesse Brisson (extensive research and bio notes; identification in Circus Fever, Any Old Port!, Strictly Modern, Three Chumps Ahead, Thicker Than Water, Below Zero,
Tiembla y Titubea, The Fixer Uppers, Southern Exposure, Tit For Tat, Park Your Car, One Track Minds, Riders Of The Kitchen Range, 365 Days, Framing Youth, Election Day)
Jesse also disputes Sammy's appearances in Drink Hearty and Catch-As-Catch-Can.
Jim Jarvis (help and information; death certificate)
Stéphane Maltais (identification in Touch All The Bases)
Doug Di (identification in All Teed Up and suggested ID in Anything Once)
The IMDb lists him as being in "Wise Guys Prefer Brunettes". This is wrong. Also, fuck the IMDb.

This page was last updated on: 19 August 2024