Jed Prouty (April 6, 1879 – May 10, 1956) was a beloved American character actor who, after a long career in vaudeville, became a household name in the 1930s as the patriarch of one of cinema’s most popular B-movie families.
Prouty is best remembered for his starring role as the often flustered but always good-natured John Jones in 20th Century Fox’s long-running Jones Family film series. From 1936 to 1940, he played the quintessential American father in 16 popular family comedies that followed the humorous trials and tribulations of the Jones clan.
While comedy was his specialty, Prouty was also a skilled dramatic actor. He had a memorable supporting role as the oily and opportunistic studio publicist in the original 1937 version of A Star Is Born. With a career of nearly 150 films, he was a familiar and welcome presence throughout Hollywood’s Golden Age.
