Victor Potel(1889-1947)
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Victor Potel was born in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1889. His first film
was in 1910, for Essanay Film Manufacturing Company in Chicago. Potel
worked for Essanay in most of the Broncho Billy series, as well as
playing a character called "Slippery Slim" in almost 80 movies as well
as Universal Pictures' "Snakeville" series. He moved to Universal in
1928 to make Melody of Love (1928)
and worked steadily, playing small and sometimes uncredited bit parts,
primarily comic roles due to his height and awkward look. Potel also
wrote and directed. In 1935 he provided continuity and dialogue for
several films. He became part of
Preston Sturges' stock of character
actors, appearing in nine films written and directed by Sturges. Potel
work until his death on 8 March 1947, just after finishing playing
"Barfly" in Relentless (1948).
