Babe London


Babe London was an American actress and comedian, most remembered for her one-time partnership with Oliver Hardy in the 1931 Laurel and Hardy two-reeler Our Wife.

Career

London was born in 1901 in Des Moines, Iowa. Her parents were Dr. David James Glover and Ruth Glover. After the family moved to California, London attended San Diego High School.
London began her screen career as a teenager making her film debut in The Expert Eloper in 1919. She then appeared in A Day's Pleasure, performing opposite Charlie Chaplin. The two played seasick tourists on an excursion boat. She had the role of Rosy Leadbetter in Merely Mary Ann.
London appeared in more than 50 silent films, including The Perfect Flapper, The Boob and the 1928 version of Tillie's Punctured Romance starring W. C. Fields. She worked with many of the funny men of the day, including Harry Langdon and Chester Conklin.
At the height of her career, London weighed 255 pounds. Later, a heart condition necessitated a loss of 100 pounds, and her movie offers declined along with her weight. She never regained her earlier success. Her last most notable role was that of the toothless nurse Nora that Shemp Howard has eyes for in the Three Stooges film Scrambled Brains. Her last film appearance was in 1960's Sex Kittens Go to College.

Later years

In the late 1950s, London began a second career as a painter and devoted the last 20 years of her life to depicting on canvas the early years of Hollywood. She titled the series ''The Vanishing Era.''

Personal life and death

In 1975, London married Hollywood musical director Phil Boutelje. Both were retired and living at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, when they met. They continued to live there until Boutelje died on July 29, 1979. London willed 75 of her paintings to the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center, along with her personal belongings.

Selected filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1919When the Clouds Roll bySwitchboard OperatorUncredited
1919A Day's PleasureMan's Seasick WifeUncredited
1920Merely Mary AnnRosie Leadbatter
1921Why Worry?
1922The Weak-End PartyParty guest
1923The BalloonaticFat Girl at The House of TroubleUncredited
1923The Handy ManA house guest
1924Jonah JonesGirlfriend
1925Go WestWoman in department storeUncredited
1926Is That Nice?Winnie Nash
1927The Princess from HobokenPrincess Sonia Alexandernova Karpoff
1927Long PantsWedding GuestUncredited
1927The Fortune HunterWaitress
1928The AwakeningUncredited
1930New MoonBuxom peasant girl on shipUncredited
1931Our WifeDulcy, the bride
1933Hell BelowFat girl on passing boatUncredited
1941Six Lessons from Madame La ZongaDance studentUncredited
1942Jackass MailDancehall GirlUncredited
1943The Crystal BallTandem RiderUncredited
1944Here Come the WavesWindow washerUncredited
1945The ClockLaboratory NurseUncredited
1946No Leave, No LoveMelissa, a WACUncredited
1947Road to RioWomanUncredited
1948Hollow TriumphHotel Lady with OrchidUncredited
1948The Snake PitAttendantUncredited
1948Joan of ArcCamp followerUncredited
1948The PalefaceWoman on wagon trainUncredited
1949Anna LucastaWoman in barUncredited
1950Mother Didn't Tell MeMrs. HadleyUncredited
1951Pleasure Treasure--
1951Scrambled BrainsNoraThree Stooges short
1956Bundle of JoyFat WomanUncredited
1957The Unholy WifeCustomerUncredited
1955Sergeant Preston of the YukonMrs. MartinEpisode: "Trouble at Hogback"
1959The Bob Cummings ShowEpisode: "Bob Clashes with Ken"
1960Sex Kittens Go to CollegeMiss CadwalladerAlternative titles: The Beauty and the Robot
Teacher Versus Sexpot
1960The Best of PostShopperEpisode: "The Little Terror"