Charlotte Mineau
Encyclopedia
Charlotte Mineau was an American film actress of the silent era
. She appeared in 65 films between 1913
and 1931
. She supported Charlie Chaplin
on numerous occasions, and also appeared in several very early Laurel and Hardy
comedies.
One of her last screen appearances was with the Marx Brothers
in Monkey Business
(1931) in which she is "Emily", a woman caught by Groucho
having an illicit affair on the veranda of a swanky mansion. Her last known film appearance was in the Hal Roach
two-reeler, Strictly Unreliable (1932) with Thelma Todd
and ZaSu Pitts
, in which Mineau, credited as "Charlotte Meno", plays Todd's landlady, Mrs. Hawkins.
She was born in Michigan
, and died in Los Angeles, California
.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. She appeared in 65 films between 1913
1913 in film
The year 1913 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* The Squaw Man, the first Hollywood feature film, is made.* December 29, Charlie Chaplin signs a contract with Mack Sennett to begin making films at Keystone Studios.* D. W...
and 1931
1931 in film
-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
. She supported Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
on numerous occasions, and also appeared in several very early Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
comedies.
One of her last screen appearances was with the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
in Monkey Business
Monkey Business (1931 film)
Monkey Business is a 1931 comedy film. It is the third of the Marx Brothers' released movies, and the first not to be an adaptation of one of their Broadway shows. The film stars the four brothers: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, and screen comedienne Thelma Todd. It is...
(1931) in which she is "Emily", a woman caught by Groucho
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
having an illicit affair on the veranda of a swanky mansion. Her last known film appearance was in the Hal Roach
Hal Roach
Harold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
two-reeler, Strictly Unreliable (1932) with Thelma Todd
Thelma Todd
Thelma Alice Todd was an American actress. Appearing in about 120 pictures between 1926 and 1935, she is best remembered for her comedic roles in films like Marx Brothers' Monkey Business and Horse Feathers, a number of Charley Chase's short comedies, and co-starring with Buster Keaton and Jimmy...
and ZaSu Pitts
ZaSu Pitts
ZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children...
, in which Mineau, credited as "Charlotte Meno", plays Todd's landlady, Mrs. Hawkins.
She was born in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and died in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Selected filmography
- His New JobHis New JobHis New Job is a short 1915 film written by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. Gloria Swanson appears as an uncredited extra. The title is an inside reference to this being Chaplin's first film after leaving Keystone Studios for Essanay Studios....
(1915) - Sweedie Goes to CollegeSweedie Goes to CollegeSweedie Goes to College is a 1915 silent comedy film directed by Richard Foster Baker and featuring Gloria Swanson.-Cast:* Wallace Beery - Sweedie* Ben Turpin - Sweedie's Romeo* Charlotte Mineau - Mrs. Knowledge - the Matron...
(1915) - A Night in the ShowA Night in the ShowA Night in the Show was Charlie Chaplin's 12th film for Essanay. It was made at Majestic Studio in Los Angeles the fall of 1915. Chaplin played two roles: one as Mr. Pest and one as Mr. Rowdy. The film was created from Chaplin's stage work from a play called Mumming Birds with the Karno Company...
(19151915 in filmThe year 1915 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 8 : D.W Griffith's The Birth of a Nation premieres at Clune's Auditorium Los Angeles and breaks box office and film length records, running at a total length of 3 hrs 10 minutes.* June 18 : The Motion Picture Directors...
) - The FloorwalkerThe FloorwalkerThe Floorwalker was Charlie Chaplin's first Mutual Film Corporation film, made in 1916. It stars Chaplin, in his traditional Tramp persona, as a customer who creates chaos in a department store and becomes inadvertently entangled in the nefarious scheme of the store manager, played by Eric...
(1916) - The VagabondThe VagabondThe Vagabond is a silent film by Charlie Chaplin and his third film with Mutual Films. Released to theaters on July 10, 1916, it co-starred Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, Leo White and Lloyd Bacon...
(1916) - The Rink (19161916 in filmThe year 1916 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 17 - release of A Daughter of the Gods, the first US production with a million dollar budget, with the first nude scene by a major star....
) - Easy StreetEasy Street (film)Easy Street is a 1917 short comedy film by Charlie Chaplin.In the film, the police are failing to maintain law and order and so it is Chaplin, as the Little Tramp character, who steps forward to rid the street of bullies, help the poor, save women from madmen and generally keep the peace.-Plot:As...
(19171917 in filmThe year 1917 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Foundation of Universum Film AG , as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.*Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced...
) - HappinessHappiness (1924 film)Happiness is a 1924 silent comedy film directed by King Vidor. It stars stage great Laurette Taylor, in one of her rare film appearances. The film is based on the 1914 Broadway play written by Taylor's husband J. Hartley Manners.-Cast:...
(19241924 in film-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) - Baby ClothesBaby ClothesBaby Clothes is a 1926 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 49th Our Gang short subject released.-Cast:* Joe Cobb - Joe* Mickey Daniels - Mickey* Allen Hoskins - Farina* Jackie Condon - Jackie* Johnny Downs - Johnny...
(1926) - Get 'Em YoungGet 'Em YoungGet 'Em Young is a 1926 film starring Stan Laurel.In a sad twist, this was the film being shown at the 1927 Laurier Palace Theatre Fire in Montreal, where 78 people died, all but one under the age of 16.-Cast:* Harry Myers - Orvid Joy...
(1926) - 45 Minutes from Hollywood45 Minutes from Hollywood45 Minutes From Hollywood is an American two-reel silent film released by Pathé Exchange.At the time, it was known as a Glenn Tryon vehicle, but today it is best remembered as the second instance of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy appearing in the same film together — although they do not share...
(19261926 in film-Events:*August - Warner Brothers debuts the first Vitaphone film, Don Juan. The Vitaphone system used multiple 33⅓ rpm disc records developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to play back audio synchronized with film....
) - Love 'em and WeepLove 'em and WeepLove 'em and Weep is a comedy short silent film directed by Fred Guiol for Hal Roach Studios. It was shot in January 1927 and released June 12 of that year by Pathé Exchange....
(1927) - Sugar DaddiesSugar DaddiesSugar Daddies is a 1927 short comedy silent film starring Jimmy Finlayson, and a pre-teamed Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.- Cast :*James Finlayson as Oil tycoon Cyrus Brittle*Stan Laurel as Brittle's lawyer*Oliver Hardy as Brittle's butler...
(19271927 in film-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
) - Monkey BusinessMonkey Business (1931 film)Monkey Business is a 1931 comedy film. It is the third of the Marx Brothers' released movies, and the first not to be an adaptation of one of their Broadway shows. The film stars the four brothers: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Zeppo Marx, and screen comedienne Thelma Todd. It is...
(19311931 in film-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
) - Beach PajamasBeach PajamasBeach Pajamas is a 1931 comedy film directed by Fatty Arbuckle and released by RKO Radio Pictures.-Cast:* Louis John Bartels - The Traveling Man* Addie McPhail* Ena Gregory - * Charlotte Mineau* Vernon Dent* James Finlayson...
(19311931 in film-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
) - Strictly Unreliable (19321932 in film-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....
)