Jimmy Finlayson, one of the original Keystone Kops of the Mack Sennett slapstick comedy days, was found dead yesterday at his Hollywood home, 1966 N. Beachwood Drive.
    The body of the 68-year-old Scottish comedian was discovered by his old friend, English Actress Stephanie Insall.
    Finlayson had been in the habit of breakfasting with the actress for the past 20 years. When he didn't appear as usual at her home, 6959 Franklin Ave., she went to investigate.
    The veteran actor was an International success between the world wars, appearing on the Broadway and London stages, starring for Sennett and Hal Roach comedies, and surviving the change from silent films to talkies in the early 1930s.
    Born In Falkirk, Scotland, he was apprenticed to his father’s Iron foundry. But he rebelled at a business career because acting was in his blood, and ran away from home.
    In 1912 he came to America as a juvenile player in a Scottish comedy that played Broadway for 13 months—“Bunty Pulls the Strings.” With him came younger brother Bob, now a Hollywood camera technician.
    The infant film industry was making its first strides to greatness when the actor stopped here on tour in 1916 and decided to stay.
    He was under contract for three years to Sennett, appearing as one of the zany Keystone Kops and playing opposite Ben Turpin. Then came a four-year contract with Roach, followed by freelancing.
    He also appeared in many of the early Laurel and Hardy comedies as the mustached heavy who was the butt of their escapades. In recent years these short-reelers were brought to life again by television.
    Through the years he worked for leading studios like MGM, 20th Century-Fox and RKO.
    Illness ended his career a decade ago and he went into retirement, living quietly by himself and occasionally showing up for reunions with filmland’s old-timers.

—Los Angeles Times
    (October 10, 1953)

James Henderson Finlayson, the “villain” in the “Keystone Kops” movies of the silent screen era, was found dead in bed today, apparently of a heart attack.
    A fixture In Mack Sennett and Hal Roach pie-throwing comedies of Hollywood’s early days, Mr. Finlayson in later years became a character player in films. In recent years he had appeared in movie and television shorts.
    Mr. Finlayson appeared with Jack Mulhall and Dorothy Mackaill in the comedy films “Lady Be Good,” “Ladies’ Night in a Turkish Bath,” and “Two Weeks Off,” in 1928. In 1928 he was featured with Miss Mackaill, Louise Fazenda, and others in “Hard to Get,” and with Aileen Pringle in “Wall Street.” During the Thirties his companions in screen fun were Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel, among others. With Laurel and Hardy he was in “Pack Up Your Troubles,” (1932); “The Devil's Brother,” (1933); “Our Relations,” (1936); “Way Out West,” (1937), and “Blockheads,” (1938).

—The New York Times
    (October 10, 1953)