Sharon Lynn: Lola in “Way Out West”

Sharon Lynn (1901-1963) is best remembered today for her penultimate performance, that of the scenery chewing villainess Lola Marcel in Laurel and Hardy’s Way Out West (1937). Born D’Auvergne Sharon Lindsay, the Texas native competed in beauty contests and sang in nightclubs before being cast in her first film Curlytop, with Shirley Mason and Warner Oland, in 1924. She’s pretty far down in the billing in that one but she either starred or co-starred in the rest of her silent features, a dozen of them, all made in 1927 and 1928. Among them was the comedy Clancy’s Kosher Wedding (1927), a clear play on Abie’s Irish Rose.

Lynn tickles Stan Laurel so she can get her hands on the deed to a ranch that’s in his pocket

In the sound era, she dropped back down to supporting parts, though as a singer musicals were her true meiter. She was in both the Broadway and Hollywood versions of Sunny Side Up (1929), as well as Speakeasy (1929), Fox Movietone Follies of 1929, Lightnin’ (1930), The Big Broadcast (1932), Go Into Your Dance (1935), and several others. Then came the aforementioned Way Out West, and Thistledown (1938), her last.

In 1932, Lynn had married producer and screenwriter Benjamin Glazer, and through him she remained connected to the business through his death in 1956.

For more on silent and classic comedy film, please read Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube