Biography
William Hill, known professionally as Billie Ritchie (5 September 1874 – 6 July 1921), was a Scottish comedian who first gained transatlantic fame as a performer for British music hall producer Fred Karno — thus, a full decade before Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin took a similar career path. Ritchie is best recalled today for the silent comedy shorts he made between 1914 and 1920 for director/producer Henry Lehrman's L-KO Kompany and Fox Film Sunshine Comedy unit. In 1906-1908 and again in 1911-1913, Ritchie toured in Lee Orean Smith's musical Around the Clock in which he starred as the drunk Billie Smith. Variations on Ritchie's "tramp" and "drunk" personae – which Ritchie claimed he had developed before and during his Karno years – were introduced to film audiences by Charlie Chaplin in such shorts as the Lehrman-directed Kid Auto Races at Venice (7 February 1914) and Mabel's Strange Predicament (9 February 1914).
Ritchie, who, due to a series of on-set injuries, spent his final years relatively inactive, succumbed to stomach cancer in the summer of 1921. Winifred Frances, the comedian's widow, and one-time stage partner, wound up in the employ of Charlie Chaplin as a wardrobe mistress, showing there was no animosity between the two performers. Wyn Ritchie, their daughter, was also a performer, and, in private life, the wife (for 55 years) of songwriter Ray Evans.
Filmography
all 10
Movies 10
self 1
Chaplin's Goliath (1996)
Wet and Warmer (1920)
A Twilight Baby (1920)
Cold Hearts and Hot Flames (1916)
Live Wires and Love Sparks (1916)
Married on Credit (1915)
Silk Hose and High Pressure (1915)
Love and Sour Notes (1915)
Almost a Scandal (1915)
Father was a Loafer (1915)
Ratings
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1878-09-14
Deathday1921-07-06 (42 years old)
Birth PlaceGlasgow, United Kingdom
CitizenshipsUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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