Clarence Kolb - Actor Profile

Clarence Kolb

Acting
Freshness: Jan 19, 2026
50Total Films
7.4 Highest Rated
Born: Jul 30, 1874
Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio, USA

About Clarence Kolb

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Clarence William Kolb (July 31, 1874 – November 25, 1964) was an American vaudeville performer and actor. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of second generation Austrian parents who owned a local meat company. Kolb started out as one half of a vaudeville comedy team, Kolb and Dill, with Max Dill. They styled their act on the famous team of Weber and Fields. In addition to their stage work, they appeared in a series of short films and a feature length movie in 1917. Afterwards, Kolb made a return to vaudeville, and he only returned to the movies in the late 1930s. He became famous for portraying the same type of character in many films, namely a politician or businessman. He is best remembered for his role as the grumpy father in the multi-Academy Awards nominated hit comedy film Merrily We Live (1938), the corrupt mayor in the comedy His Girl Friday (1940), and as Mr. Honeywell in the television sitcom My Little Margie (1952). Kolb played himself in his last movie appearance, Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), opposite Danny Beck (who played the late Max Dill). Clarence Kolb died at age 90 of a stroke at the Orchard Gables Sanitarium in Hollywood. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Career Statistics & Market Influence

Analyzing the cinematic journey of Clarence Kolb reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.

Genre Dominance: Comedy

The majority of Clarence Kolb's filmography leans towards the Comedy genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.

The "Box Office" Signature

With a 34% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Clarence Kolb remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in His Girl Friday, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.

Best Clarence Kolb Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Clarence Kolb's career based on audience ratings.

Complete Filmography & Success Status

Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Clarence Kolb.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
1957 Man of a Thousand Faces Clarence Kolb Hit Similar →
1956 Shake, Rattle and Rock! Judge McCombs Flop Similar →
1952 The Rose Bowl Story Gramps Burke Flop Similar →
1949 Adam's Rib Judge Reiser Hit Similar →
1949 Impact Darcy Average Similar →
1947 Christmas Eve Judge Alston Flop Similar →
1947 Blondie in the Dough J.T. Thorp Hit Similar →
1947 The Fabulous Joe Cornelius Belmont, II Flop Similar →
1947 Fun on a Weekend Quigley Quackenbush Hit Similar →
1947 Lost Honeymoon Mr. Evans Flop Similar →
1947 The Pilgrim Lady Prof. Rankin Flop Similar →
1946 White Tie and Tails Mr. Arkwright Hit Similar →
1946 The Kid from Brooklyn Mr. Austin Average Similar →
1944 Something for the Boys Colonel Grubbs (uncredited) Average Similar →
1944 Irish Eyes Are Smiling Leo Betz Flop Similar →
1944 Standing Room Only Glen Ritchie Flop Similar →
1943 True to Life Mr. Huggins Hit Similar →
1943 The Falcon in Danger Stanley Harris Palmer Average Similar →
1943 The Sky's the Limit Harvey J. Sloan (uncredited) Average Similar →
1941 Hellzapoppin' Andrew Rand Hit Similar →
1941 Bedtime Story Collins Average Similar →
1941 You're in the Army Now General Winthrop Flop Similar →
1941 The Night of January 16th Tilton Flop Similar →
1941 Nothing But the Truth Mr. Van Dusen Hit Similar →
1941 Blossoms in the Dust Senator Hit Similar →
1941 Caught in the Draft Col. Peter Fairbanks Average Similar →
1940 Michael Shayne: Private Detective Hiram P. Brighton Hit Similar →
1940 Tugboat Annie Sails Again J.B. Armstrong Average Similar →
1940 No Time for Comedy Richard Benson Flop Similar →
1940 The Man Who Talked Too Much E.A. Smith Average Similar →
1940 Five Little Peppers at Home J.H. King Average Similar →
1940 His Girl Friday Mayor Hit Similar →
1939 The Amazing Mr. Williams Captain McGovern Average Similar →
1939 Beware Spooks! Lester Lewis Hit Similar →
1939 Five Little Peppers And How They Grew J.H. King Average Similar →
1939 Good Girls Go to Paris Ted Dayton Sr. Hit Similar →
1939 Society Lawyer Mr. Leonard Flop Similar →
1939 I Was a Convict John B. Harrison Flop Similar →
1939 Honolulu Mr. Horace Grayson Average Similar →
1938 The Law West of Tombstone Samuel 'Sam' Kent Flop Similar →
1938 Carefree Judge Travers Hit Similar →
1938 Give Me a Sailor Captain Tallant Average Similar →
1938 Merrily We Live Henry Kilbourne Hit Similar →
1938 Gold Is Where You Find It Senator Walsh Hit Similar →
1937 Wells Fargo John Butterfield Flop Similar →
1937 Portia on Trial John Condon Flop Similar →
1937 The Toast of New York Cornelius Vanderbilt Average Similar →
1937 Maid of Salem Town Crier (Uncredited) Average Similar →
1936 A Girl's Best Years Doctor (uncredited) Flop Similar →
1936 Fury Durkin's Friend (uncredited) Hit Similar →

Clarence Kolb - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Clarence Kolb?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Clarence Kolb is "His Girl Friday" with a rating of 7.4/10.

How many movies has Clarence Kolb acted in?

Clarence Kolb has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Clarence Kolb?

Other notable films include "Fury", "Hellzapoppin'", and "Adam's Rib".