Trivia

He specialized in portraying African-American characters, for which roles he would use makeup made out of burnt cork and sometimes hairpieces that made him look as if he had a fringe of white hair. His appearance in Charlie Chaplin's The Kid was off-type and without any of his usual makeup.

Solidly-built ex-vaudevillian and stage actor, with additional background as a pugilist. Also formerly in military service.

In his youth, was known as "Sailor" Tom Wilson and trained boxing heavyweight champion Bob Fitzsimmons.