Monte Collins

Monte Collins (also credited as Monty Collins; December 3,

1898 – June 1, 1951) was an American film actor and screenwriter. He appeared

in 167 films between 1920 and 1948. He also wrote for 32 films between 1930 and

1951.

Dapper, pencil-mustached Collins starred in silent short

comedies in the late 1920s. These were produced by Educational Pictures and

often directed by Jules White. The coming of sound in movies had no ill effect

on Collins's career; he was not as big a name as Buster Keaton or Laurel and

Hardy, so Collins had no preconceived screen image that could be shattered by

talkies. Although Collins took to talkies easily (he and Vernon Dent sing

together in the early sound short Ticklish Business), he never established

himself as a major comedy star. Throughout the 1930s he appeared in secondary

roles (businessmen, butlers, soldiers, salesmen, etc.) in both feature films

and short subjects.

One of his last credits was supplying material for Laurel

and Hardy's final film, Atoll K (1951). Filmed in France by French and Italian

cast and crew members, the production was hectic and chaotic for the

English-speaking stars. The finished film carries the unique credit, "Gags

by Monty Collins."

Collins was about to launch a career in television when he

died of a heart attack in 1951, at age 52.