About
Harold Lloyd was one of the most popular comedians of the silent film era, alongside Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Born in Nebraska, he created his iconic character in 1917: a clean-cut everyman in horn-rimmed glasses and a straw hat. Despite an accident in 1919 that cost him two fingers, he performed his own stunts, including the famous scene in Safety Last! (1923) dangling from a clock. The highest-paid star of the 1920s, he was a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and received an Honorary Oscar in 1953.
* 1893-04-20 — † 1971-03-08
Major works
- Safety Last! (1923)film
- The Freshman (1925)film
- The Kid Brother (1927)film
- Speedy (1928)film
- The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947)film
Key milestones
- 1917Creation of his signature 'Glass Character' persona.
- 1923Release of Safety Last!, his most famous film.
- 1953Received an Honorary Academy Award at the 25th Oscars.
Themes
Stunts and physical comedyAmerican optimismThe everyman characterSilent filmPerseverance
Sources: britannica.com · anb.org · aaspeechesdb.oscars.org