History Creator / WCFields

Fields is best known for his comic persona as a misanthropic alcoholic who generally disliked dogs, women and children, an image that was a bit TruthInTelevision. His films have been praised for their clever jokes and anti-sentimental comedy, which made him a cult actor even to this day. ''Film/TheBankDick'' (1941), has been VindicatedByHistory as one of the best comedy films of all time.

* DeathByIrony: Fields died on his least favorite day of the year: Christmas.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: He was a very dirty comic trapped in an era that didn't allow it to be put onscreen (much like Creator/MaeWest, only she did find a way around this). But he did sneak the occasional joke past, like the several times in ''The Bank Dick'' where we see the titular dick entering a bar called The Black Pussy.

* RunningGag: Perhaps the most famous ever: Whenever his character goes outside or inside in ''The Fatal Glass Of Beer'', which takes place during a snowstorm in Alaska, he pauses in the door and says with great pathos: "And it ain't a fit night out ... for man nor beast." [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JOfYbhzy0g And EVERY TIME he gets a bucket of snow thrown in his face.]]

* IronicDeath: The actor died on the day he hated the most: Christmas Day.

* DuelingStarsMovie: W.C. Fields and Creator/MaeWest were co-stars in ''My Little Chickadee'' (1941).

* NeverWorkWithChildrenOrAnimals: Attributed to him.

* TheAlcoholic: Sadly TruthInTelevision.

Fields is best known for his comic persona as a misanthropic alcoholic who generally disliked dogs, women and children, an image that was a bit TruthInTelevision. His films have been praised for their clever jokes and anti-sentimental comedy, which made him a cult actor even to this day. His MagnumOpus, ''Film/TheBankDick'' (1941), has been VindicatedByHistory as one of the best comedy films of all time.

* ''Film/SosYourOldMan''

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: As Micawber, denouncing Uriah Heep and clearing the air in the 1935 ''David Copperfield'' film. A huge fan of Charles Dickens, Fields had literally begged George Cukor for the role, originally intended for Creator/CharlesLaughton. Many critics and fans describe Micawber as Fields' own Crowning Role of Awesome.

* RemovableSteeringWheel: In ''The Bank Dick'', when asked by the thug in the back seat to give him the wheel, Egbert Souse (Fields) matter-of-factly pulled it off the steering column and gave it to him. This sequence paid homage to the Mack Sennett/Keystone Kops and Hal Roach/[[TheLittleRascals Our Gang]] comedies of the 1920s and 1930s. Model T Fords were generally used for these comic chases.

Fields is best known for his comic persona as a misanthropic alcoholic who generally disliked dogs, women and children, an image that was a bit TruthInTelevision. His films have been praised for their clever jokes and anti-sentimental comedy, which made him a cult actor even to this day. His magnum opus, ''Film/TheBankDick'' (1941), has been VindicatedByHistory as one of the best comedy films of all time.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: He was a very dirty comic trapped in an era that didn't allow it to be put onscreen (much like MaeWest, only she did find a way around this). But he did sneak the occasional joke past, like the several times in ''The Bank Dick'' where we see the titular dick entering a bar called The Black Pussy.

* RunningGag: Perhaps the most famous ever: Whenever his character goes outside or inside in ''The Fatal Glass Of Beer'', which takes place during a snowstorm in Alaska, he pauses in the door and says with great pathos: "It ain't a fit night out ... for man nor beast." [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JOfYbhzy0g And EVERY TIME he gets a fistfull of snow thrown in his face.]]

* RunningGag: Perhaps the most famous ever: Whenever his character goes outside or inside in ''The Fatal Glass Of Beer'', which takes place during a snowstorm in Alaska, he pauses in the door and says with great pathos: "This ain't a fit night out ... for man nor beast." And EVERY TIME he gets a fistfull of snow thrown in his face.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: He was a very dirty comic trapped in an era that didn't allow it to be put onscreen. But he did sneak the occasional joke past, like the several times in ''The Bank Dick'' where we see the titular dick entering a bar called The Black Pussy.

* DuelingStarsMovie: W.C. Fields and MaeWest were co-stars in ''My Little Chickadee'' (1941).

* SmokingIsCool: In ''The Bank Dick'', after being incorrectly identified as a hero in his small town, WCFields entertains some kids with some cigarette tricks. He sends them off, saying "I'll teach you when you're older! Didn't take it up myself 'til I was nine..."