A renowned gambler and card-shark, a gin drinker, and hater of children, iconic actor- comedian W.C. Fields... (Learn more)
Top Projects: The Bank Dick, David Copperfield, The Old-Fashioned... (View All)
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W C Fields’s Milestones
| Acted in a series of short films for producer Mack Sennett, including "The Dentist" (1932), "The Fatal Glass of Beer" and "The Pharmacist" (both 1933) | |
| Became a Broadway headliner with the yearly editions of the "Ziegfeld Follies" | |
| Debuted at the Follies Bergere in Paris | |
| Final Broadway performance in "Ballyhoo" | |
| Raised in the Philadelphia area | |
| 1898 | Began touring with the Monte Carlo Girls |
| 1898 | Left home just before his 18th birthday and made stage debut peforming in vaudeville in Philadelphia |
| 1899 | NYC debut at Miner's Bowery Theatre (January) |
| 1900 | Solo debut on the Orpheum circuit; began tour in San Francisco |
| 1901 | Embarked on European tour, beginning in Berlin, Germany; later played London and Paris |
| 1902 | Returned to Europe, playing Berlin, Vienna, Prague and London |
| 1903 | Traveled to Australia and then South Africa |
| 1904 | Toured Great Britain; also appeared in France and Italy |
| 1905 | After completing performances in Denmark, Germany and Spain, returned to USA for first time in nearly three years |
| 1905 | Broadway acting debut in "The Ham Tree"; toured with show on and off until 1907 |
| 1907 | Resumed vaudeville performances, returning with a juggling act |
| 1908 - 1914 | Continued to divide time appearing throughout the USA, in Europe, South Africa and Australia |
| 1915 | Film acting debut in short, "Pool Sharks" |
| 1922 | Appeared in Ziegfeld rival George White's "Scandals of 1922" |
| 1923 | Starred as Eustace McGargle on stage in "Poppy" |
| 1924 | Returned to films after nine years; made feature film acting debut in cameo role in "Janice Meredith" |
| 1925 | Began making features for Paramount; first was "That Royle Girl" (no longer extant), directed by Griffith |
| 1925 | Returned to the "Ziegfeld Follies" |
| 1925 | Starred in "Sally of the Sawdust", directed by D.W. Griffith, a film adaptation of the stage play "Poppy"; recreated stage role of Eustace McGargle |
| 1927 | Acted in feature "Running Wild", helmed by Gregory La Cava |
| 1928 | Appeared in Earl Carroll's "Vanities" |
| 1928 | Last Paramount silent, "Fools for Luck" (no longer extant) |
| 1928 | Played the ringmaster in "Tillie's Punctured Romance" |
| 1930 | Again co-starred in Earl Carroll's "Vanities" |
| 1930 | First sound film, the RKO short "The Golf Specialist", recreating routine from the "Ziegfeld Follies of 1918" |
| 1930 | Made final appearances in vaudeville at the Palace Theater |
| 1931 | First sound feature film role, played a barber in "Her Majesty Love" |
| 1933 | Cast as Humpty Dumpty in the screen version of "Alice in Wonderland" |
| 1933 | First film with Baby LeRoy, "Tillie and Gus" |
| 1933 | Radio debut as guest on "California Melodies" |
| 1934 | Provided the stories (under pseudonym Charles Bogle) for "The Old Fashioned Way" and ""It's a Gift" |
| 1935 | Delivered sole career dramatic performance playing Mr. Micawber in the George Cukor-directed "David Copperfield" |
| 1935 | Starred in and provided story for "Man on the Flying Trapeze", a loose remake of "Running Wild" |
| 1936 | Again reprised stage role in "Poppy", a remake of "Sally of the Sawdust" |
| 1937 | Co-starred on the NBC radio program "Chase and Sanborn Hour", alongside Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy |
| 1938 | Last film for Paramount, "The Big Broadcast of 1938" |
| 1939 | Reportedly declined to play the title role in "The Wizard of Oz", feeling the film would be a flop |
| 1939 | Signed on at Universal for more than $100,000 per picture; first vehicle, "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man" |
| 1940 | Starred in the comedy "The Bank Dick"; wrote screenplay under pseudonym Mahatma Kane Jeeves |
| 1940 | Teamed with Mae West for the comedy "My Little Chickadee"; also credited with co-writing screenplay with West |
| 1941 | Last starring vehicle, "Never Give A Sucker an Even Break"; also wrote story under pseudonym Otis Criblecoblis |
| 1944 | Recreated his legendary pool routine in the vaudeville-inspired feature "Follow the Boys" |
| 1945 | Made last feature film appearance in "Sensations of 1945" |
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