Joe Rock
| Joe Rock | |
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Joe Rock and actress Patsy de Forest at the beach in 1920
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| Born |
December 25, 1893 New York City |
| Died | December 5, 1984 (aged 90) Sherman Oaks, California |
| Occupation | Producer, director, screenwriter, actor |
| Years active | 1915–55 |
| Spouse(s) | Louise Granville (1922–68) (her death); 2 children |
| Awards | 1933 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film – Krakatoa |
Joe Rock (December 25, 1893 – December 5, 1984) was an American movie producer, director, actor, and screenwriter best remembered today for producing a series of 12 two reel comedies starring Stan Laurel in the 1920s.
After infantry service in World War I, Rock began his film career as a comedian in silent films working under his real name "Joe Simburg" — he had a broad grin and protruding ears, which gave him a comical appearance – but soon found greater success as a producer.
Joe Rock began his career as a stunt double for Mary Pickford, A short-lived career with Vitagraph Studios as a comedian teamed with Earl Montgomery in countless comedy shorts as Hash and Havoc (1916), Stowaways and Strategy (1917), Farms and Fumbles (1918), Harems and Hookum (1919), Zip and Zest (1919), Vamps and Variety (1919), Rubes and Robbers (1919), Cave and Coquettes (1919), Throbs and Thrills (1920), Loafers and Lovers (1920), Sauce and Senoritas (1920) and many more.
In the book Comedy is a Man in Trouble: Slapstick in American Movies by Alan Dale, Joe Rock once described the two-reelers he made with Earl Montgomery: "We always finished our comedies with a shot of us running away from a cop, a schoolteacher, or a principal, and then running smack into them again. If we'd run away from cops, we'd run back into cops."
By 1924, Stan Laurel had forsaken the stage for full-time film work, and was still involved with actress Mae Dahlberg. Among the films in which they jointly appeared was the 1922 parody, Mud and Sand. Around this time, Mae started interfering with Laurel's work and was holding him back. Laurel insisted (no doubt with pressure from her) that she be in his every picture, and audiences didn't like her. When Joe Rock put Laurel under contract for twelve two-reel comedies, the contract had one unusual stipulation, that Dahlberg was not to appear in any of the films. It was felt that her temperament was hindering his career. When she balked, Rock held firm, finally offering her a most unusual and humiliating deal. He would give her several thousand dollars, along with some jewels she had pawned, if she would go back to Australia. When Stan showed no inclination to demur, she accepted the offer, which was ironclad. The ship's purser had strict instructions: Mae would not receive her payment until the ship was a day out at sea. Stan was finally free. Without any distractions, Stan finished the twelve films ahead of schedule, although he was still technically under contract to Joe Rock. Stan next joined the Hal Roach studio as a writer and director, but due to the contract with Joe, could not act in any of the films.
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