Bobby Vernon (born Sylvion de Jardin (March 9, 1897 â€" June 28, 1939)
was an American comedic actor in silent films. He later became a
writer and comedy supervisor at Paramount for W. C. Fields and Bing
Crosby, when the sound era arrived. Blue-eyed with medium brown hair,
he stood five feet and two-and-a-half inches, making him perfect for
juvenile comedy roles. His comedies were popular with children.The
Chicago-born son of entertainers Harry Burns and Dorothy Vernon (born
Dorothy Baird), Bobby first worked as a newsboy in San Francisco. He
was known as "Buttons," the singing newsboy. Sid Grauman recognized
Vernon's talent and started him singing at the Empress Theatre at the
age of eleven. Later, he became one of the stock actors in the
vaudeville act Kolb and Dill. After three years of working with them,
Max Dill broke his leg in their show, "The Rollicking Girl." At the
age of sixteen, Vernon replaced him for three weeks.His first
experience in screen was at the age of sixteen in Universal Studios's
Joker comedies. Early in his career, he was cast as an old man. By
1915, he began working for Keystone Studios. He starred in many
romantic comedies with Gloria Swanson as his leading lady. The pair
became popular for their great screen chemistry. However, as director
Charley Chase recalled, Swanson was "frightened to death" of her
co-star's dangerous stunts. He later described his Keystone days to
Motion Picture Classic:In December 1917, he began working for the
Christie Film Company.
was an American comedic actor in silent films. He later became a
writer and comedy supervisor at Paramount for W. C. Fields and Bing
Crosby, when the sound era arrived. Blue-eyed with medium brown hair,
he stood five feet and two-and-a-half inches, making him perfect for
juvenile comedy roles. His comedies were popular with children.The
Chicago-born son of entertainers Harry Burns and Dorothy Vernon (born
Dorothy Baird), Bobby first worked as a newsboy in San Francisco. He
was known as "Buttons," the singing newsboy. Sid Grauman recognized
Vernon's talent and started him singing at the Empress Theatre at the
age of eleven. Later, he became one of the stock actors in the
vaudeville act Kolb and Dill. After three years of working with them,
Max Dill broke his leg in their show, "The Rollicking Girl." At the
age of sixteen, Vernon replaced him for three weeks.His first
experience in screen was at the age of sixteen in Universal Studios's
Joker comedies. Early in his career, he was cast as an old man. By
1915, he began working for Keystone Studios. He starred in many
romantic comedies with Gloria Swanson as his leading lady. The pair
became popular for their great screen chemistry. However, as director
Charley Chase recalled, Swanson was "frightened to death" of her
co-star's dangerous stunts. He later described his Keystone days to
Motion Picture Classic:In December 1917, he began working for the
Christie Film Company.
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