Stuart Erwin

Stuart Erwin (February 14, 1903 – December 21, 1967) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. 2Early years Erwin was born in Squaw Valley, Fresno County, California. He attended Porterville High School and the University of California. 2Career Erwin began acting in college in the 1920s, having first appeared on stage. From there, he acted in stock theater in Los Angeles. 3Film career He broke into films in 1928 in Mother Knows Best. In 1934, he was cast as Joe Palooka in the film Palooka. In 1932, he co-starred with Bing Crosby in the comedy The Big Broadcast, where he played Texas oil tycoon Leslie McWhinney. In 1936, he was cast in Pigskin Parade, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 1940, he played Howie Newsome, the dairy delivery vendor, in the film adaptation Our Town, based on the Thornton Wilder pla