JACK RICE

May 14, 1893

Jack Rice was born as Earl Clifford Rice in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He became a comic actor with thin a pencil-thin moustache and was the best-known of Edgar Kennedy’s brother-in-laws in his short comedy series. He was also a regular on the ‘Blondie’ series of films in the 1940s.

After a brief stint as a traveling salesman, he began his career as a stage actor some time after World War I. His credits include the annual road company tours of The Passing Show (1922–25). 

He made his screen debut in in an uncredited role in RKO’s No Marriage Ties in 1933, the same year Lucille Ball came to RKO.  The film also featured Bess Flowers, Queen of the Extras.  

In fact, Rice (and Flowers) were both in Lucy’s 12th film for RKO Kid Millions, which was released in November 1933.  All three were uncredited. 

Rice and Ball did a December 1935 RKO short together titled Foolish Hearts.  Rice was credited, but Lucille had an uncredited role as a hat check girl.  

In February 1936 Rice was a stand-in for Follow The Fleet, where Lucille Ball was credited as Kitty. 

In Lucy’s 30th film, The Farmer in the Dell (1936), Rice was uncredited as Charley, while Lucy was credited (but not billed on the posters) as Gloria. 

From 1931 to 1948, Rice appeared in nearly 60 of Edgar Kennedy’s comic short films, one of which with Lucille Ball: Dummy Ache (1936). 

In 1937′s acclaimed film Stage Door, Rice played a playwright, while Lucille Ball enjoyed the company of Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Eve Arden, and Ann Miller in leading roles.

Rice played Professor Busby in Lucille Ball’s 1939 film Twelve Crowded Hours.  

Their final film together was Her Husband’s Affairs in 1947. Rice played Slocum while Lucille Ball was Margaret Weldon, the leading character. 

He also appeared that year with William Frawley in Blondie’s Anniversary, one of several ‘Blondie and Dagwood’ films that he appeared in on the big screen.

The next (and last) time Rice and Ball would be together would be on season six of “I Love Lucy.”  Rice played the Macy’s floorwalker in charge of ushering in Orson Welles for his record signing in “Lucy Meets Orson Welles” (ILL S6;E3) filmed on June 14, 1956, and first aired on October 15, 1956.

In May 1958, Rice appeared on an episode of Desilu’s “December Bride”, along with Shirley Mitchell and Jesslyn Fax. 

His final screen appearance was as an (uncredited) jury member in Disney’s Son of Flubber (1963). 

He died on December 14, 1968 at age 75.  Having accrued more then 275 film and television credits.