Background
Born George Joseph Somerville in Albuquerque, New Mexico, his mother died when he was five.
Born George Joseph Somerville in Albuquerque, New Mexico, his mother died when he was five.
Moving from New Mexico to Canada to Oklahoma, he had a nomadic upbringing. In early 1932, the Summervilles adopted a four-week-old baby boy whom they christened Elliott George. Summerville died of a stroke on January 5, 1946 in Laguna Beach, California.
He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in South Los Angeles community of Inglewood, California.
Twenty years after his death, his beach front house on Sleepy Hollow Lane in Laguna Beach was converted into the The Beach House restaurant. He was working as a poolroom porter when found by Edgar Kennedy, who took him to Mack Sennett where he started at $3.50 per day.
His first role was as a "Keystone Kop" in Hoffmeyer"s (1912). His tall, gangly appearance was well utilized in numerous short comedy films during the silent film era, and in addition to his many acting roles, he directed more than 50 short films.
Occasionally, he played in dramatic films, such as All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and Jesse James (1939).
However, he was most successful in comedy films, including several with ZaSu Pittsburgh He also played in films with Shirley Temple, Captain January (1936) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938). Foreign his contribution to the motion picture industry, Slim Summerville has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6409 Hollywood Boulevard
Inducted into the New Mexico Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2012.