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James Parrott (August 2, 1897 – May 10, 1939) was an American actor and film director; and the younger brother of film comedian Charley Chase.
James Parrott
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Jobyna Ralston with Parrott in The White Blacksmith, 1922
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| Born | (1897-08-02)August 2, 1897 |
| Died | May 10, 1939(1939-05-10) (aged 41) |
| Other names | Paul Parrott |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, actor |
| Years active | 1913–1939 |
James Gibbons Parrott was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles and Blanche Thompson Parrott. In 1903, his father died from a heart attack, leaving the family in bad financial shape, which forced them to move in with a relative. Charley Jr. quit school, so he could go to work, in order to support his mother and brother. Eventually the call of the stage beckoned him, and Charley Jr. left home at age 16 to travel the vaudeville circuit as a singer and comedic performer.
James was forced to leave school at a young age, in order to earn money to support the family. His first job was as a bellboy at the age of 10.Two years later, he was a driver of a horse-drawn carriage. He later became a prop man when his brother Charley was a director at Fox.
Later, Charley's connections in the film industry helped his younger brother to become established in movies, and he would appear during the 1920s in a series of relatively successful comedies for producer Hal Roach. He was billed first as "Paul Parrott", then "Jimmie Parrott". Approximately 75 comedies were produced from 1921 to 1923, with titles continuing to be released through Pathé until 1926. Frequent co-stars included Marie Mosquini, Jobyna Ralston, Eddie Baker, and Sunshine Sammy.
Parrott is probably best known as a comedy director. As "James Parrott", he specialized in the two-reel misadventures of Laurel and Hardy, including Helpmates (1931) and the Oscar-winning classic The Music Box (1932).
During the 1930s Parrott had acquired serious drinking and drug problems (his diet medications were actually addictive amphetamines) and although still able to direct quality shorts, he had developed a reputation as unreliable. By the mid-1930s his work was spotty: Stan Laurel used him sporadically to contribute gags to the Laurel and Hardy features, and he would direct an Our Gang short in 1934, plus several acceptable entries in Thelma Todd–Patsy Kelly series.
By 1937, Parrott was accepting any jobs that came his way. He could no longer be counted on to direct or write, and relied on his brother to support him financially. There was a brief marriage to Ruby Ellen McCoy in 1937, but as his various addictions worsened, so did his state of mind.
James Parrott died in 1939. His brother Charley was guilt-ridden; he had refused to help James financially until he overcame his substance-abuse problems. Parrott's death at 41 was attributed to a heart attack, but former Hal Roach associates maintained he committed suicide. Chase drank heavily to cope with his loss, and died the following year. Both brothers are interred at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
The Sons of the Desert's Twice Two tent (St Neots, UK), researching James Gibbons Parrott, discovered that he married Clara Miller in 1921. However, there is scant information about her: no date of birth, only that she was a housewife, with no available photograph. The tent traced them living together in Beverly Hills, but the trail runs cold by 1930. With lack of evidence, one can only speculate what happened next to the couple; thus far there is no evidence of divorce papers.
This is a piece of evidence showing James Parrott and his wife Clara Miller. In 1922 they were living together in Los Angeles, where James Parrott had a successful career as an actor. Clara Miller was registered here as a housewife. It is the only file located thus far with James and Clara after their wedding in 1921.