Charles Chic Sale was primarily a stage comedian, who, although he infrequently appeared on Broadway from 1902-30 and appeared in a handful of silent films, spent the majority of his career treading the boards of vaudeville as a comedian, usually in the persona of Lem Putt, a carpenter from Urbana, Illinois who specialized in the building of outhouses.By age 49 his stage act had become so popular that he felt compelled to write, with the help of two newspaper writers, a 3000-word collection of his monologues (at the urging of his lawyer who expressed dismay over lesser comedians stealing his act), which was published as The Specialist. The book was a huge hit, published in nine languages, and remains in print to this day. (Sale took six months off touring to personally answer fan mail resulting from the book. A sequel was published as Ill Tell You Why.) During the 1930s and 40s there were outhouses sporting Chic Sale signs all over the world, his name becoming synonymous for toilet (which didnt please him in the least) and the butt of fellow comedian Groucho Marxs jokes.After appearing in a flop Broadway show in 1930, Sale headed for Hollywood for good and became, thanks to effective makeup and complete mastery of his lanky body, a character actor. Still in his mid to late 40s, he convincingly played octogenarians. He did this so well that it was quite a shock to see him out of make-up; he was unrecognizable from his old man screen persona.Chic Sale died of pneumonia in 1936 at just 51 years of age. He was survived by his wife Marie.

All movies available from Charles 'Chic' Sale

Poster movie You Only Live Once

You Only Live Once

Movie

Movies unavailable from Charles 'Chic' Sale

Lem Putt, the Specialist

Movie 1930

Treasure Island

Ben Gunn

Movie 1934

The Fighting Westerner

Tex Murdock

Movie 1935

The Ladies' Man

Movie 1928

The Star Witness

Pvt. Summerill

Movie 1931

The Expert

John T. Minick

Movie 1932

Stranger in Town

Ulysses Crickle

Movie 1931

A Slip at the Switch

Lem

Movie 1932

Men Of America

Smokey Miller

Movie 1932

The Chief

Uncle Joe

Movie 1933

When a Feller Needs a Friend

Uncle Jonas Tucker

Movie 1932

The Man I Marry

Sheriff Clem Loudecker

Movie 1936

The Gentleman from Louisiana

Deacon Devlin

Movie 1936

It's a Great Life

Grandpa Barclay

Movie 1935

Man Hunt

Ed Hoggins

Movie 1936

Whisperin' Bill

Mr. Bowman

Movie 1933

Hollywood on Parade No. B-9

Hick

Movie 1934

His Nibs

Theo. Bender (segment "His Nibs")

Movie 1921

The New School Teacher

Professor Timmons

Movie 1924

Important News

Elmer 'Scoop' Stevens

Movie 1936

Old Shep

Farmer

Movie 1936

The Great American Pie Company

Ephraim Deacon

Movie 1935

James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

Self (archive footage)

Movie 1988

The Perfect Tribute

Abraham Lincoln

Movie 1935

Lucky Dog

Arthur Wilson

Movie 1933