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Harold Fraser, better known as Snub Pollard, was a talented Australian-born vaudevillian who made a name for himself in Hollywood as a silent film comedian during the 1920s. Born on November 9, 1889, in Melbourne, Australia, Pollard began his performing career at a young age with Pollard's Lilliputian Opera Company, adopting his stage name from the company's name.
Pollard's early career took him to North America, where he performed in uncredited roles in movies, including Charlie Chaplin's 1915 short film "By the Sea". He eventually caught the eye of Hal Roach, who gave him his own starring series of one- and two-reel shorts. One of his most famous films is 1923's "It's a Gift", where he plays an inventor of Rube Goldberg-like contraptions.
In the 1920s, Pollard appeared in several films alongside Harold Lloyd and Bebe Daniels, and was known for his distinctive Kaiser Wilhelm mustache turned upside-down. He also co-starred with Marvin Loback in a series of low-budget films, mimicking the style of Laurel and Hardy.
Despite struggling during the Great Depression, Pollard continued to work in the film industry, appearing in small parts in talking comedies and "B" westerns. He also made appearances in slapstick revivals and two-reel comedies throughout the 1940s.
In his later years, Pollard's career slowed down, and he took on mostly uncredited bit parts in Hollywood features and shorts. He died on January 19, 1962, at the age of 72, after nearly 50 years in the movie business.
For his contributions to the film industry, Pollard has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6415½ Hollywood Boulevard.
