Marcel Perez, R.I.P.

[Bob Birchard]

Comedian Marcel Perez has almost single-handedly been rescued from obscurity by Steve Massa, who has a great essay on Perez, AKA Robinet, Tweedledum, Twede Dan, Tweedy, et.al in his new book, "Lame Brains and Lunatics: The Good, The Bad, and the Forgotten of Silent Comedy." According to director Robert Florey, Perez lost a leg in an on-set accident. The operation caused a decline in Perez's health, and he died, according to Florey, in 1927. It has been a frustration to Steve, and to Michael J. Hayde, and to me as well, that no obit or death information had surfaced. We all looked, and we were all frustrated. But Steve's book made me want to take another look, and a private note to me from Steve mentioned that Florey had said he had gone to visit Rene Adoree in the hospital and while there learned that Perez was also in the same hospital. This suggested looking in a somewhat wider time frame, and I went back to the California death Index and found that a Marcel Perez had died on February 8, 1929. I sent for a copy of the death certificate, which arrived today. . .

And now, the REST of the story . . .

Marcel Perez may have been born in Madrid in 1884, but according to his widow, Esther Perez, he was born January 29, 1888 in Africa (side note: presumably in a Spanish colony--like Spanish Morocco, or . . . ) and he was aged 41 years, 10 months when he died--at least according to the death certificate--but that is obviously a typo. It should read 41 years 1 month. His parents' names were unknown to Esther.

Florey was undoubtedly giving Perez's condition a show biz flip. No accident with a rake--but rather sarcoma of the leg--which was amputated in 1923, and then immediate cause of death is listed as sarcoma of the left lung, a condition which he suffered through the two years preceding his death. Physician H. G. Westphal began seeing Perez on December 5, 1927, and last saw him alive on February 7, 1929. Perez passed away on February 8, 1929, at 3:30 in the afternoon at Winsor Hospital in Glendale, California. There was no autopsy, but cause of death was confirmed by X-Ray and clinical examination.

Arrangements were handled by LeRoy Bagley Mortuary, and his body was cremated at Hollywood Crematory (note: presumably part of Hollywood Cemetery, now known as Hollywood Forever Cemetery) and interred February 11, 1929.

He had lived in California for eight years at the time of his death and was residing with his family at 1042 1/2 Sweetzer Avenue in Hollywood at the time of his final illness.

Occupation listed as: Actor

And there you have it, the rest of the story.

[Joe Moore]

Thanks Bob.

Nice to have that info on Perez- clearing up a lot of little mysteries.

Best

Joe

[Michael J Hayde]

Bob,

Steve mentioned several weeks ago that you'd found his death cert and had ordered it. Thank you for sharing all the details. It's good to have this particular mystery put to bed.

Now if we could just get more of his films up on screen!

Michael

[Ed Watz]

Thank you Bob for sharing this important postscript on the demise of Marcel Perez. When I stayed at Mabel Langdon's home in 1979 she was living on Sweetzer Avenue in Hollywood, not far from from the Perez's family residence address that you had uncovered. I recall Mabel saying that the homes in that area were from early "pre-earthquake" Hollywood days, because each one had a basement.