Curtis McHenry

born: 04 April 1899 Ruston, Louisiana, United States of America

died: 24 July 1934 Los Angeles, California, United States of America (homicide: stabbed with knife, age 35)

Black American actor, acrobat, stuntman, comedian for Larry Semon. He was often referred to as Snowball and/or G. Howe Black in Vitagraph and Semon productions. He was also an award-winning artist and wood carver. There is some question about his birth date. The (June) 1900 Census gives his birth as "January 1898" which would make him 2 years old in June 1900 - but his "age" is given as "1 year old" which would make his birth year as 1899. His WWI Draft Card says he was born "April 4, 1899" and his Death Certificate says he was born "April 4, 1900". Curiously, his Death Certificate says he had been working as a "bootblack" for the past year yet Harry Levette, the prolific sports and entertainment writer for "The California Eagle" talked to Curtis 30 minutes before he was killed in a horrific knife fight said Curtis told him he had worked at the Roach Studio on the prior Saturday. For a long time he has been misidentified elsewhere as Spencer Bell.

Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography; plus all films with Babe Hardy.

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1924 Don't Park There! Driver who swipes chicken 1928 Barnum & Ringling, Inc. Elevator operator ▼ NON-HAL ROACH FILMS 1922 The Counter Jumper Clerk 1923 The Barnyard Helper 1923 The Gown Shop Janitor 1923 Lightning Love Butler 1923 Horseshoes [?] 1924 Her Boy Friend Dock worker 1924 Kid Speed The Kid Speed's co-driver 1925 The Wizard Of Oz Cowardly lion/Rastus/Snowball 1925 The Perfect Clown Snowflake 1926 Stop, Look And Listen Porter Acknowledgements & sources: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS5Z-J95 (1900 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPY4-32L (1910 Census) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZVD-XVV (WWI draft reg. card) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCRG-H44 (1920 Census) [?] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKS9-HTCY (CA Death Index) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9SV-CG6S (death certificate) https://archive.org/stream/la_caleagle_reel9#page/n26/mode/1up/search/mchenry (California Eagle, 25 Nov 1927) https://archive.org/stream/la_caleagle_reel15#page/n19/mode/1up/search/mchenry (California Eagle, 20 Jul 1934) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380336566/ (Los Angeles Times, 25 Jul 1934) https://archive.org/stream/la_caleagle_reel15#page/n27/mode/1up/search/mchenry (California Eagle, 27 Jul 1934) https://archive.org/stream/la_caleagle_reel15#page/n37/mode/1up/search/mchenry (California Eagle, 27 Jul 1934) https://archive.org/stream/la_caleagle_reel18#page/n170/mode/1up/search/mchenry (California Eagle, 02 Jul 1937) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9SV-CG6S?i=1683 (1934 Jul 24 Death Certificate) Steve Rydzewski (original source of identification, and assistance) Jesse Brisson (research and dates, identification in Don't Park There and disputes his appearance in "The Whole Truth") Tommie Hicks (help and information) Jim Jarvis (additional information) This page was last updated on: 23 July 2022