Harry Tate(1872-1940)

Harry Tate born Ronald Hutchison in Scotland in 1872. Tate worked for Harry Tate & Sons, Sugar Refiners before going on the theatre, and took his stage name from them. British comedian, made his stage debut at the Oxford Music Hall in 1895, becoming a highly well-known impressionist of popular music hall stars such as Dan Leno, Eugene Stratton, George Robey and R.G. Knowles and also was highly successful with his comedy sketches, most notably 'Motoring' which he later starred in the movie version made by the Inter-Cine Film Co in 1927, his other comedy sketches include 'Running an Office' and 'Billiards and Fishing'. He first starred in films impersonating music hall stars for the Warwick Trading Film Co in 1899. Appeared mostly in character and support in talkies from 1932 until his last screen appearance in Sam Small Leaves Town (1937) starring Stanley Holloway. He used his bristling moustache to express all kinds of emotions by twitching it. Died shortly after suffering a stroke in 1940 age 67. Father of actor Harry Tate Jr..