Ned Sparks
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Ned Sparks (November 19, 1883 - April 3, 1957), was a Canadian actor.
Sparks, a dour-faced, cigar-chomping character actor in the 1930s, was noted for a caustic wit and was often caricatured in cartoons. Tex Avery depicted him as a hermit crab in 1939's "Fresh Fish", and he appeared briefly in Friz Freleng's Warner Brothers cartoon Malibu Beach Party (1940).
Although largely forgotten, as most vaudevillains and radio comics are, the late actor may have enjoyed a revival in the recent animated phenomenon Spongebob Squarepants, in the form of Squidward Tentacles. Whether intentional or not, this cranky mollusk bears a striking resemblance to and speaks in a nasal monotone very like Sparks (courtesy of Roger Bumpass).
Notable Roles
Like most character actors, Sparks appeared in numerous films. Among those films still studied, he appeared in:
- Imitation of Life (1934) (Elmer Smith)
- Alice in Wonderland (1933) (Caterpillar)
- Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) (Barney Hopkins)
- 42nd Street (1933) (Thomas Barry)
- The Miracle Man (1932) (Harry Evans)