W. C. Fields W. C. Fields William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer. Fields' comic persona was a misanthropic and hard-drinking egotist, who remained a sympathetic character despite his snarling contempt for dogs and children. His career in show business began in vaudeville, where he attained international success as a silent juggler. He gradually incorporated 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
Claude Rains Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was an English–American film and stage actor whose career spanned several decades. After his American film debut as Dr. Jack Griffin in "The Invisible Man" (1933) he appeared in classic films such as "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), "The Wolf Man" (1941), "Casablanca" and "Kings Row" (both 1942), "Notorious" (1946), "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" (1957), and "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962). He was a Tony Award winning actor and was a four-time nominee for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Rains was