Trivia

A wonderfully surreal running gag occurs in Gus' two-reel comedies with Richard Lane: for no reason, a young woman will walk by Gus, stop, slap him hard across the face and shout "How DARE you look like someone I hate?!".

Was arrested in Hollywood in July 1945 on charges of possession of narcotics. At his trial, he admitted ownership of the drugs to save his wife from arrest. He was acquitted by an all-woman jury on November 28.

Began his career as an understudy to Bert Lahr and Joe Penner on Broadway. With Earl Carroll's Vanities in 1930 and subsequently joined Orson Welles' Mercury Players.

Although Gus was usually cast as comic relief, he appears in many of Orson Welles' major films, starting with Citizen Kane (1941) through his posthumous appearance in Touch of Evil (1958).

Former burlesque comedian who usually portrayed nervous types on screen. In films from 1940.

Uncle of film director Barry Sonnenfeld.