He later moved to Los Angeles, California and had a supporting role in the film "Straight to Heaven" (1939), starring Nina Mae McKinney. In 1941, he voiced Fats Crow in the animated Disney film "Dumbo", and also had bit parts in several B movies, including that of Lazarus in "Revenge of the Zombies" (1943), a porter in "The Heavenly Body" (1944) and native tribal leader Orbon in "Jungle Queen" (1945). From 1944 until 1948, he was part of the cast of the "Amos 'n' Andy Show" live radio program as lawyer Gabby Gibson.