Jimmy Conlin was a renowned American character actor who had a prolific career spanning 32 years, with almost 150 films to his credit. Born in Camden, New Jersey in 1884, Conlin began his acting journey in vaudeville, where he performed alongside his first wife, Myrtle Glass, as the song-and-dance team "Conlin & Glass" in the Keith-Albee-Orpheum circuits.
This talented duo also starred together in two short films, Sharps and Flats (1928) and Zip! Boom! Bang! (1929),produced by Vitaphone. After their separation, Conlin continued his film career, making another comedy short in 1930, followed by a steady stream of releases, with at least one film per year from 1933 to 1960, except for 1951.
Conlin's diminutive stature and unique appearance made him a recognizable figure on screen, and he played a wide range of small roles and bit parts, often without receiving onscreen credit. He was part of Preston Sturges' informal "stock company" of character actors, appearing in nine films written and directed by Sturges, including The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1946),where he delivered a standout performance as "Wormy", the racetrack tout who convinces Harold Lloyd to have his first drink.
Conlin's loyalty to Sturges was reciprocated, and when the director fell on hard times, Conlin remained a supportive friend, staying in touch and helping out in any way he could. Despite his extensive filmography, Conlin made relatively few television appearances, but did have a recurring role as a bartender on the syndicated series Duffy's Tavern (1954).
Conlin's final film appearance was in 1959, when he played a habitual criminal in Anatomy of a Murder, capping off a remarkable career that spanned over three decades and included numerous memorable performances.
