Biography
Percy Kilbride was an American character actor. Born in San Francisco, he began working in theatre as a call boy at the age of twelve and made his Broadway debut in 1928. He appeared in hundreds of stage roles, often as rustic characters, before moving to film.
Kilbride's screen career began with early parts in White Woman (1933) and Soak the Rich (1936). It developed in earnest from 1942, with roles including Orion Peabody in Keeper of the Flame (1942), Dave Miller in State Fair (1945), Pop in Fallen Angel (1945) and W. Harmie in The Southerner (1945). He became best known as Frank 'Pa' Kettle opposite Marjorie Main in The Egg and I (1947) and the subsequent Ma and Pa Kettle series, appearing in eight films in the role until 1955.
A veteran of the First World War, Kilbride died in Los Angeles in 1964.
