1880 – 1946

W. C. Fields

American comedian, actor, juggler and writer (1880–1946)

circus performercabaret performerfilm actorjugglerdirector

Born

1880-01-29, Darby

Died

1946-12-25

Birthplace state

Pennsylvania

Biography

William Claude Dukenfield, better known as W. C. Fields, was an American actor, comedian, juggler and writer. His career in show business began in vaudeville, where he attained international success as a silent juggler. He began to incorporate comedy into his act and was a featured comedian in the Ziegfeld Follies for several years. He became a star in the Broadway musical comedy Poppy (1923), in which he played a colorful small-time con man. His subsequent stage and film roles were often similar scoundrels or henpecked everyman characters.

Occupation

W. C. Fields is recorded as a circus performer, a cabaret performer, a film actor, a juggler, a director, a stage actor, a film director, a comedian, a writer, a actor and a screenwriter, born in Pennsylvania (1880–1946).

Connections to Pennsylvania

W. C. Fields was born in Darby, Pennsylvania in 1880. Explore other notable figures from Pennsylvania, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Pennsylvania›Pennsylvaniahistory ›Historic sites in Pennsylvania›

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Overview

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The Land

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Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

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Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

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Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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More notable figures from Pennsylvania

Other historical figures born in Pennsylvania, ranked by historical prominence.

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46th President of the United States (2021–2025)

Noam Chomsky

American linguist and activist (born 1928)

Andy Warhol

American artist, film director, and producer (1928–1987)

James Buchanan

president of the United States from 1857 to 1861

Grace Kelly

American actress and Princess consort of Monaco (1929–1982)

Kobe Bryant

American basketball player (1978–2020)

Louisa May Alcott

American novelist (1832–1888)

Frequently asked about W. C. Fields

Who was W. C. Fields?

W. C. Fields was American comedian, actor, juggler and writer (1880–1946), born in Pennsylvania (1880 – 1946).

When and where was W. C. Fields born?

W. C. Fields was born on 1880-01-29 in Darby.

When did W. C. Fields die?

W. died on 1946-12-25.

What was W. C. Fields known for?

W. C. Fields is recorded as a circus performer, a cabaret performer, a film actor, a juggler, a director, a stage actor, a film director, a comedian, a writer, a actor and a screenwriter.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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