Exposing Andy Clyde

It is a shame that the name Andy Clyde is often only recognized by the staunchest film buffs. His movie career spanned over 3 decades and after that he continued to work on TV. In the silent era, he had been comedy producer Mack Sennett's "Man of a Thousand Faces" often appearing in different costumes and make up that make him almost unrecognizable. Because of this he often appeared in multiple roles in the same film. He eventually found himself playing an old man character that he would continue playing well into the talkie era. Mostly playing this character Andy made 79 comedy shorts for Columbia Pictures. Fans of B-Westerns make best recognize him for playing the character California Carlson in the Hopalong Cassidy B movies. Vintage TV fans might recognize him for playing George MacMichael on The Real McCoys and Cully Wilson on the Lassie TV series. He would also make many guest appearances as one-off characters on many classic TV westerns. 

The following is a 1932 article from Modern Screen magazine about Andy Clyde. If you have any trouble reading, click on the pages and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have a touch screen, click here.

Now enjoy a short film that Andy Clyde made for Columbia, Hot Paprika (1935).

The following is a review of Hot Paprika from a 1936 issue of The Philadelphia Exhibitor (Note: the review and the reviews that follow include spoilers so watch the film before reading). 

"HOT PAPRIKA. Columbia. 18 m. This has few gags that aren't outrageously burlesqued. Result is silly, depending on Andy Clyde's ability to draw laughs by appearance and dumbness. Told by the doctor that he has three months to live, Andy determines to do so with zest. He travels; finds self in Republic of Paprika; is mistaken for 'ze rich Americano who finances ze revolution. From then on, Andy is caught between Federalists and Rebels; escapes government firing squad only through intervention through rebels; wins war accidentally with machine gun. Fair" 

The following is a review from The Film Daily.

"Snappy Andy Clyde goes on a trip for his health to the Latin American republic of Paprika, where he runs afoul of the revolution, he gets himself in Dutch with the government troops. Andy is lined up against the wall before a firing squad, and escapes by a fluke and saves the day for the revolutionists. Thus he becomes a national hero. Good Andy Clyde technique in a yarn that has plenty of action and excitement and a pippy senorita for the sex angle. Directed by Preston Black." 

The following is an exhibitor's review for the Motion Picture Herald. 

"Hat Paprika: Andy Clyde - The funniest comedy we've played in months. Audience simply howled with delight. Running time, 19 minutes. - A.N. Miles, Eminence Theater, Eminence, Ky. Small Town Patronage."