Frank Jenks
Frank Jenks was an American actor and vaudevillian.
Biography
Early years
Jenks was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and his mother gave him a trombone when he was 9 years old. By his late teens he was playing with Eddie Peabody and his band. After two years' touring with Peabody, he resumed his education at the University of Southern California, supplementing his daytime classes with performances in Los Angeles nightclubs. Later, he became a studio musician in Hollywood, California.
Movie career
Jenks began in vaudeville and went on to a long career in movies and television, mostly in comedy. He was one of the more familiar faces and voices of the Hollywood Studio era. For almost ten years beginning in the early 1920s, He was a song and dance man in vaudeville. In 1933, when sound films had become the norm, Broadway actors moved to Hollywood in droves. Jenks' flat, sarcastic delivery landed him a film career. Usually a supporting actor, Jenks did appear occasionally as a film lead for low-budget films for PRC. Jenks appeared in not a few classics. In the Cary Grant-Rosalind Russell classic His Girl Friday, Jenks had his most famous role, as the cynical newsman "Wilson".
When television began, Jenks made a successful transition. His biggest success was as Uthas P. Garvey, the skeptical, proletarian right-hand man for the loquacious English con artist "Colonel Humphrey Flack" in the DuMont Television Network series of that name. He reprised the role in a syndicated version of Colonel Humphrey Flack that was syndicated in 1958. He portrayed Lieutenant Rodney in the DuMont series Front Page Detective, and he was a member of the cast of The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater, which was syndicated in 1955. He appeared in Waldo, an unsold television pilot that aired as an episode of the anthology series New Comedy Showcase in 1960.
Death
On May 13, 1962, Jenks died of esophageal cancer in Hollywood, California, at age 59.
Selected filmography
Luxury Liner - Ship's Bandleader Hello, Everybody! - Orchestra Leader College Humor - Orchestra Leader Broadway to Hollywood - Call Boy Young and Beautiful - Cheer Leader College Rhythm - Orchestra Leader Follow the Fleet - Sailor The Farmer in the Dell - Bill CrosbyThe Witness Chair - Roy LevinoThe Last Outlaw - Deputy TomWomen Are Trouble - Reporter Swing Time - Red - Dancer Walking on Air - First Gas Station Attendant Don't Turn 'Em Loose - Pete - HenchmanOld Hutch - Crook #2 The Big Broadcast of 1937 - Trombone PlayerSmartest Girl in Town - Mr. Murphy - Photographer That Girl from Paris - Laughing Boy FrankThe Charge of the Light Brigade We Who Are About to Die - Clyde BeasleyWhen's Your Birthday? - LeftyThere Goes My Girl - Reporter Frank 'George' TateAngel's Holiday - Butch BroderOne Hundred Men and a Girl - Taxi DriverThe Lady Fights Back - Steve Saturday's Heroes - DubrowskyThe Westland Case - Doc WilliamsPrescription for Romance - SmittyYou're a Sweetheart - Harry HoweLove Is a Headache - Joe CannonReckless Living - FreddieGoodbye Broadway - Harry ClarkThe Lady in the Morgue - Doc WilliamsThe Devil's Party - SamLetter of Introduction - Joe - Theater PrompterYouth Takes a Fling - Frank MunsonThe Storm - Peter Carey - Wireless OperatorStrange Faces - Nick DenbyThe Last Warning - Doc WilliamsYou Can't Cheat an Honest Man - Jerry - Assistant Society Smugglers - EmeryBig Town Czar - Sid TraversS.O.S. Tidal Wave - Peaches JacksonThe Under-Pup - Uncle DanGolden Boy - Pepper White First Love - Mike the CopHis Girl Friday - WilsonThree Cheers for the Irish - Ed McKeanA Little Bit of Heaven - Uncle DanMelody and Moonlight - Butch ReillyDancing on a Dime - Phil MillerTall, Dark and Handsome - PuffyBack Street - Harry NilesThe Flame of New Orleans - 2nd SailorScattergood Meets Broadway - J. J. BentTwo Yanks in Trinidad - Joe ScavengerSyncopation - Smiley JacksonMaisie Gets Her Man - Art GiffmanThe Navy Comes Through - SampierSeven Miles from Alcatraz - JimboThe Human Comedy - Larry - Song Leader on Train Corregidor - Sgt. MahoneyShantytown - 'Whitey'Gildersleeve's Bad Day - AlSo's Your Uncle - Joe ElliottThousands Cheer - Sgt. KoslackHi'ya, Sailor - Deadpan WeaverHis Butler's Sister - EmmettLadies Courageous - SnapperRosie the Riveter - Kelly KennedyShake Hands with Murder - Eddie JonesFollow the Boys - Chick Doyle Two Girls and a Sailor - Dick Deyo This Is the Life - EddieRoger Touhy, Gangster - Bernard 'Troubles' O'ConnorTake It or Leave It - Taxi Driver Three Little Sisters - Pvt. 'Rosy' RowmanDixie Jamboree - Jack 'Curly' BergerThe Impatient Years - Top Sergeant Strange Affair - Sgt. ErwinRogues' Gallery - Eddie PorterThe Falcon in Hollywood - Lieutenant HigginsThe Kid Sister - BurglarG.I. Honeymoon - Horace P. 'Blubber' MalloyZombies on Broadway - GusThe Phantom of 42nd Street - Egbert Egelhofer, aka Romeo The Missing Corpse - Mack HoganBedside Manner - Pvt. Harry SmithSteppin' in Society - GeorgeChristmas in Connecticut - SinkewiczOne Way to Love - JensenThe Hoodlum Saint - Dance Contest M.C. Blondie's Lucky Day - MailmanWhite Tie and Tails - GeorgeThat Brennan Girl - Joe the CabbiePhilo Vance's Gamble - Ernie ClarkThat's My Gal - Louie KoblentzKilroy Was Here - Butch MillerPhilo Vance's Secret Mission - Ernie ClarkBlonde Savage - Hoppy OwensHigh Wall - Pinky Mary Lou - Mike ConnorsMr. Reckless - Cab DriverBlondie's Reward - Ed VanceJoe Palooka in Winner Take All - LouieYou Gotta Stay Happy - Carnival ManShep Comes Home - The IcemanFamily Honeymoon - Gas Station AttendantPrison Warden - Postman Mother Didn't Tell Me - Furniture Mover Blondie's Hero - Tim SaundersMotor Patrol - MacLucky Losers - BartenderThe Petty Girl - Kaye - Producer #2 Woman on the Run - Detective ShawTo Please a Lady - Press AgentJoe Palooka in the Squared Circle - Looie - a TrainerBowery Battalion - Recruiting SergeantSilver City Bonanza - Theater OwnerThe Scarf - Tom I Was an American Spy - Radio Operator 'Mac' Marconi Father Takes the Air - Customer Let's Go Navy! - Shell game sailorUtah Wagon Train - Hap - Telephone Company LinemanPecos River - Sheriff DenningMr. Walkie Talkie - Corporal JacksonWhite Lightning - Benny BrownHighway Dragnet - Marine in CivviesOutlaw Treasure - SergeantNot as a Stranger - Mr. Parrish Tennessee's Partner - Bartender Artists and Models - Piano-Mover Sudden Danger - Kenny - BartenderDig That Uranium - Olaf the Mechanic Slightly Scarlet - Bartender The Houston Story - Louie PhelanThe She-Creature - Plainclothes Sgt. with Lt. JamesFriendly Persuasion - Shell Game Man Shake, Rattle & Rock! - FrankThe Amazing Colossal Man - Truck DriverMerry Andrew - Bertie Rock-A-Bye Baby - Reporter