Background
Born Thomas Richard Potts, Fiske was born to Frank and Bernice Potts.
Born Thomas Richard Potts, Fiske was born to Frank and Bernice Potts.
He appeared in over 80 films between 1938 and 1942. The tall, handsome young actor signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1938, and appeared regularly in the studio"s "B" pictures, serials, and short subjects, including major roles in the popular serials The Spider"s Web (1938) and Flying G-Men (1939), frequent castings in the Blondie, The Lone Wolf, and Boston Blackie series, and equally frequent work with short-subject comedians Charley Chase, Andy Clyde, and Buster Keaton. Fiske is best known by modern viewers for his portrayals of neurotic foils to The Three Stooges.
Perhaps his most familiar role is that of the irate husband-turned-drill sergeant in 1940"s Boobs in Arms.
This performance would be recycled three years later in Dizzy Pilots. Fiske"s brief acting career was cut short when he was drafted into the United States Army in 1942.
He was killed in action two years later at Louisiana Croix-Avranchin, while serving within the 9th Infantry Regiment (United States) 2nd Infantry Division. 1st Lieutenant Fiske (Potts) was 28 years of age.
He is buried at Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial, Basse-Normandie, France.
Boobs in Arms.