John Bunny

However, John Bunny was eventually honored for his contribution to the motion picture industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1715 Vine Street in Hollywood. In addition to his film and television credits listed above, Cole has done voice work on several animated series (Family Guy, Kim Possible, Harvey Birdman) and has a recurring role on the drama The West Wing as Vice President Bob Russell (D-Colo.). Following his passing, advances in technology and in stunts brought great new comedic stars to silent film that relegated John Bunny to the status of an almost completely-forgotten actor. Cole began his professional career as a stage actor in Chicago; he also appeared in several off-Broadway productions in New York City. Because silent film had no language barrier, Bunny's popularity was such that his death was front-page news in Europe as well as the United States. Cole then attended Illinois State University, majoring in theater alongside actors Laurie Metcalf and John Malkovich. John Bunny had only been acting in films for five years when he passed away from Bright's disease and was interred in the Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn, New York. Cole, born in Park Ridge, Illinois, attended Rolling Meadows High School, where his first dramatic appearance was as Snoopy in a high school production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

By 1910, Bunny was working at Vitagraph Studios where the happy-go-lucky, rotund man quickly became an international star of silent film comedies. Gary Cole (born 20 September 1956) is an American actor, known for numerous roles, including the television series Fatal Vision, Midnight Caller, American Gothic, and Crusade, and the films In the Line of Fire, Office Space, The Brady Bunch Movie, and One Hour Photo. He went on to jobs as stage manager for various stock companies and performed in vaudeville before being drawn to the fledgling motion picture business. John Bunny attended High School in Brooklyn and worked as a grocery clerk before joining a small minstrel show touring the East Coast. John Bunny, born September 21, 1863 in New York City, United States – died April 26, 1915 in Brooklyn, New York, was the first comic star of the American silent film era.