W. C. Fields

W. C. Fields began as a vaudeville juggler before developing the sardonic comic persona that made him a major stage and film performer. He appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies and became especially memorable in films such as *David Copperfield*, *The Bank Dick*, *My Little Chickadee*, and *Never Give a Sucker an Even Break*. His raspy delivery, curmudgeonly manner, and blend of physical and verbal comedy remain central to his legacy.