Jack Ackroyd
born: 05 January 1890
Bradford, Yorkshire,
England		 died: 16 November 1962
Wellington, Somerset,
England
(age 72)

British actor who made several films supporting Stan Laurel in the 1920s until his film career was abruptly ended in 1931.
Several sources give a birthdate of June 5th (such as the Motion Picture News Blue Book 1930 and on IMDB); but the MPN Booking Guide 1929 gives January 5 - as do several annual birthday announcements (ranging from 1930 to 1940) in The Film Daily. An entry at FamilySearch lists Jan-Feb-Mar 1890 in Bradford, Yorkshire birth record for "John Ackroyd".
The obituary in the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser (published Saturday, 24 Nov 1962) states that he died at his home in Wellington on Friday, so naturally one's mind would go to the 23rd the day before. However, later in the obituary, it states, "The funeral took place at Wellington [on] Tuesday," thus suggesting it was actually the 16th. According to the obituary, he was a World War I veteran who served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He was "badly wounded" and discharged in 1917, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Croix de Guerre, and the Belgian Legion of Honour for his service and "gallantry on the field."
Real name: John Edward Ackroyd
Height: 5'5"		 Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography;
plus 1 film with Babe Hardy.

41


1921		 The Corner Pocket
Pool hall spectator*
[this is my own opinion; not 100%]

1922		 Take Next Car
Railway commissioner

1922		 Touch All The Bases
Bees catcher

1922		 The Landlubber
Beachgoer

1922		 365 Days
Lawyer

1923		 For Safe Keeping
Gang accomplice

1923		 Sold At Auction!
'Whiskers'		  

1923		 Collars And Cuffs
Policeman

1923		 Kill Or Cure
Grocer

1923		 Post No Bills
[unidentified character]		  

1923		 Short Orders
Customer		 DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1923		 Take The Air
Building inspector

1923		 Finger Prints
Arguing man at counter

1923		 The Whole Truth
Clerk

1923		 The Soilers
Henchman		 DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1923		 Mother's Joy
Attorney McFumble		 DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1923		 Fully Insured
Man in office

1924		 The Big Idea
Town council member

1924		 Smithy
Worker

1924		 The Cowboy Sheik
Shady man at dance

1924		 Postage Due
Sleeping customer		  

1924		 Hard Knocks
Janitor

1924		 Zeb vs. Paprika
[unidentified character]		  

1924		 Don't Forget
Wedding guest

1924		 Big Moments From Little Pictures
One of Robin's merry men (Robin Hood segment)

1924		 Brothers Under The Chin
[unidentified character]		  

1924		 One At A Time
Drummer

1924		 Near Dublin
Villager

1924		 Going To Congress
Will Stayes, campaign manager

1924		 Rupert Of Hee Haw
[unidentified character]		  

1924		 Wide Open Spaces
Businessman in saloon

1924		 Our Congressman
Caddy		  

1924		 A Truthful Liar
Flunky		  

1924		 Outdoor Pajamas
Theatre manager

1924		 Every Man For Himself
Fake blind man

1925		 Big Red Ridinghood
Car thief

1925		 Should Sailors Marry?
Doctor's assistant		 DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1925		 The Uneasy Three
Musician		 DVD screencapture - Lord Heath - Laurel & Hardy - Another Nice Mess - http://www.lordheath.com/

1926		 Good Cheer
Crooked Santa		  

1926		 What's The World Coming To
Pilot

1926		 The Merry Widower
Hunter		  
▼ NON-HAL ROACH FILMS

1920		 The Backyard
Millionaire

Acknowledgements:
http://macksennett.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/death-date-for-jack-ackroyd.html (Brent Walker)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XBZ-D89 (birth record)
https://www.archive.org/stream/motionpicturenew1929moti#page/33/mode/1up (MPN Booking Guide 1929)
https://www.archive.org/stream/motionpicturenew1930moti#page/7/mode/1up (MPN Blue Book 1930)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume55152newy#page/24/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1930)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume55859newy#page/28/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1932)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66162newy#page/17/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1933)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdaily65wids#page/n39/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1934)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdailyyearboo00film_5#page/543/mode/1up (1935 Film Daily Yearbook)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/34/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1936)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdaily71wids#page/n19/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1937)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdaily73wids#page/n27/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1938)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdaily75wids#page/n31/mode/1up/search/ackroyd (Film Daily Jan 1939)
https://archive.org/stream/filmdaily77wids#page/n39/mode/1up (Film Daily Jan 1940)
Jesse Brisson (research and help; identification in Touch All The Bases, Smithy, Don't Forget, Every Man For Himself, One At A Time, The Landlubber)
Steve Massa (identification in Outdoor Pajamas)

This page was last updated on: 10 September 2024