Home > Ben Turpin

Turpin was born Benjamin T. Turpin in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of a candy store owner. His birthdate is usually given as September 17, but various years ranging from 1869 to 1874 are listed in various sources and claimed by Turpin himself at various times.

He worked in Vaudeville, Burlesque, and Circuses. Turpin had a distinctive appearance, with a small wiry frame, a brushy mustache, and crossed eyes.

Turpin's famous crossed eyes, he said, only crossed as a young adult after he suffered an accident. Turpin was convinced that the crossed eyes were essential to his comic career; his co-workers recalled that after he received any blow to the head he made a point of looking himself in the mirror to assure himself that they had not become uncrossed. Turpin took out an 25,000 dollar insurance policy with Lloyd's of LondonLloyd's of London is a British insurance market. It serves as a meeting place where multiple financial backers or members whether individuals (traditionally known as names or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk. History The market began in, payable if his eyes ever uncrossed.

Turpin developed a vigorous style of physical comedy, including an ability to stage comic pratt-falls that impressed even his fellow workers in the rough & tumble world of silent comedy.

Ben Turpin first appeared on film in 1907Events January events January 6 Maria Montessori opens her first school and daycare center for working class children in Rome Casa dei Bambini in San Lorenzo). January 14 An earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica kills more than a 1,000 January 23 Charles Curtis for Essanay StudiosEssanay Studios was a motion picture company founded in Chicago, Illinois by George K. Spoor and Bronco Billy Anderson under the name Essanay ("S and A"). It produced silent films with such stars as Ben Turpin, Wallace Beery, Francis X. Bushman, Gloria Sw in Chicago in various small parts and comic bits; in addition to his on-screen work Turpin worked as a janitor for Essanay. He enjoyed only moderate success until about 1914Events January 4 77 seal hunters freeze to death on ice near Labrador January 5 Ford Motor Company announces an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for a day's labor February 13 Copyright: In New York City the ASCAP (for American Society of Compos when he started appearing in larger roles and became a credited comic star.

In 1917Events January 2 The Royal Bank of Canada takes over Quebec Bank. January 22 World War I: President Woodrow Wilson calls for "peace without victory" in Europe. January 25 The Danish West Indies is sold to the United States for $25 million January 25 Anti- Turpin began working for Mack SennettMichael (or Micheal) Sinnott ( January 17, 1880 November 5, 1960), better known as Mack Sennett was an innovator of slapstick comedy in film. Profile Born in Richmond, Quebec, Sennett was a son of Irish immigrants. His father was a blacksmith. Sennett was's Studio. His roles often spoofed serious actors and celebrities of the time, and Turpin became one of film's most popular comics. Delighted with his success, he took to introducing himself with the phrase, "I'm Ben Turpin; I make three thousand dollars a week."

Turpin retired from film in 1924 to look after his ailing wife. Turpin had invested his earnings in real estate, and being highly successful at this, had no financial need for more work. After his wife's death, however, he again began making irregular appearances in supporting comic roles in films in 1926. This would continue into the sound era; his last film role was in the Laurel and Hardy film Saps at Sea in 1940, the year of Turpin's death.