Jack Oakie (born Lewis Delaney Offield; November 12, 1903 â€" January
23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also
working on stage, radio and television. He portrayed Napaloni in
Chaplin's The Great Dictator (1940), receiving a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.Jack Oakie was born in
Sedalia, Missouri, at 522 W. Seventh St. His father, James Madison
Offield (1880â€"1939), was a grain dealer, and his mother, Evelyn
Offield (nee Jump) (1868â€"1939), was a psychology teacher. When he
was 5, the Offield family moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma, the source of
his "Oakie" nickname. His adopted first name, Jack, was the name of
the first character he played on stage. Young Lewis/Jack grew up
mostly in Oklahoma but also lived for periods of time with his
grandmother in Kansas City, Missouri. While there he attended Woodland
Elementary and made spending money as a paperboy for The Kansas City
Star. He recalled years later that he made especially good money
selling "extras" in November 1916 during the presidential election
campaign that resulted Woodrow Wilson being re-elected.Oakie worked as
a runner on Wall Street and narrowly escaped being killed in the Wall
Street bombing of September 16, 1920. While in New York, he also
started appearing in amateur theatre as a mimic and a comedian,
finally making his professional debut on Broadway in 1923 as a chorus
boy in a production of Little Nellie Kelly by George M. Cohan.Oakie
worked in various musicals and comedies on Broadway from 1923 to 1927,
when he moved to Hollywood to work in movies at the end of the silent
film era. Oakie appeared in five silent films during 1927 and 1928. As
the age of the "talkies" began, he signed with Paramount Pictures in
1927. He made his first talking film, The Dummy, in 1929.
23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also
working on stage, radio and television. He portrayed Napaloni in
Chaplin's The Great Dictator (1940), receiving a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.Jack Oakie was born in
Sedalia, Missouri, at 522 W. Seventh St. His father, James Madison
Offield (1880â€"1939), was a grain dealer, and his mother, Evelyn
Offield (nee Jump) (1868â€"1939), was a psychology teacher. When he
was 5, the Offield family moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma, the source of
his "Oakie" nickname. His adopted first name, Jack, was the name of
the first character he played on stage. Young Lewis/Jack grew up
mostly in Oklahoma but also lived for periods of time with his
grandmother in Kansas City, Missouri. While there he attended Woodland
Elementary and made spending money as a paperboy for The Kansas City
Star. He recalled years later that he made especially good money
selling "extras" in November 1916 during the presidential election
campaign that resulted Woodrow Wilson being re-elected.Oakie worked as
a runner on Wall Street and narrowly escaped being killed in the Wall
Street bombing of September 16, 1920. While in New York, he also
started appearing in amateur theatre as a mimic and a comedian,
finally making his professional debut on Broadway in 1923 as a chorus
boy in a production of Little Nellie Kelly by George M. Cohan.Oakie
worked in various musicals and comedies on Broadway from 1923 to 1927,
when he moved to Hollywood to work in movies at the end of the silent
film era. Oakie appeared in five silent films during 1927 and 1928. As
the age of the "talkies" began, he signed with Paramount Pictures in
1927. He made his first talking film, The Dummy, in 1929.
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