Eugene Borden

Eugene Borden (born Élysée Eugène Prieur-Bardin, March 21, 1897 – July 2, 1971) was a French-American actor, active in Hollywood from the silent era until the mid-1960’s. Born in Paris, he immigrated to the United States as a teenager, and entered the film industry a short time later. He appeared in over 150 films, as well as shorts, serials, and television shows. Life and career Born in Paris, France, on March 21, 1897, Borden immigrated to the United States in 1914 at the age of 17. By 1917 he had entered the film industry, appearing in a featured role in Christy Cabanne's The Slacker. Over the next 43 years, Borden appeared in 160 feature films, usually in uncredited roles, many of which were as characters do menial labor, such as headwaiters, porters, pursers and coachmen. During his long career in films, Borden appeared in many notable movies. During the silent era, he appeared in such notable productions as: George D. Baker's Revelation (1918); Blue Blood (1925), directed by Scott R. Dunlap; and the original film version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928), directed by Malcolm St. Clair. During this time, Borden also appeared in two successful Broadway plays: The Better 'Ole, a musical comedy which ran for over 350 performances in 1918–19; and 1922's musical comedy, The French Maid, with music by George Gershwin and Gus Edwards. Borden smoothly made the transition to sound films, appearing in numerous notable films, in some of which he had significant roles. Notable films of the 1930s in which he appeared include: 1934's Marie Galante, directed by Henry King and starring Spencer Tracy; the 1936 comedy Wife vs. Secretary, starring Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy, and featuring Jimmy Stewart in one of his first film appearances; Café Metropole, a 1937 romantic comedy starring Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, and Adolphe Menjou; the 1938 Sonja Henie vehicle, Happy Landing, which also stars Don Ameche; and the 1939 version of The Three Musketeers, starring Don Ameche and the Ritz Brothers.