Lee De Forest

The witty, beautiful brunette Marie Mosquini is practically forgotten today; but she was a partner much sought after by the comedians of the 1920s. She seems to have started her career at the Roach studios, where most of her work was to be done, and where her first recorded appearance was with the Swiss-Italian comedian Toto (Armando Novello, 1888-1938; not to be confused with his later and more famous namesake) in The Movie Dummy (1918). Her principal work at Rolin, however, was as partner to Harry (Snub) Pollard, with whom she made numerous 1- and 2-reelers between 1919 and 1923. In addition, she worked occasionally alongside Stan Laurel (Hoot Mon!, 1919; Save the Ship‡1923), Charley Chase (Young Oldfield, 1924; Is Marriage the Bunk?, 1925; Fighting Fluid, 1925); and in 1923-24 appeared in a group of Will Rogers comedies. Another sparkling partner, in several comedies with Pollard or Eddie Boland, was Ernie Morrison (Sunshine Sammy, 1912-1989), the remarkable black boy comic.
Mosquini’s comedy is mostly reactive, and her male partners clearly valued her most as a fast, vivacious foil to their own work. In 1926 she moved into feature roles, but after only three films her career appears to have ended: from this period she is best remembered as Madame Gobin in 7th Heaven (1927). Years to Come, though it does not give her a large role, enables her to show her skill in two contrasting characterisations. — DR