Actor, Comedian, Musician, Singer. He was best known for playing the character roles of orderlies, cooks, ticket agents, shooting victims, barbers, doctors, photographers, trappers, comics, sheriffs, soldiers, criminals, firemen, jailers, uncles, janitors, cab drivers, drunks, restaurant workers, painters, professors, wagon drivers, townsmen, vendors, bartenders, and typesetters, usually in classic western films and classic western television series. He was also known for his lugubrious face and nervous stutter and his saying, "Th-th-that's easy f-f-for you to say! and for his nickname of 'Uncle Pinky.' He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Soapy Jones' in several western films including, "Colorado Serenade" (1946, He sang the song, "Home On The Range," in the film), "Tumbleweed Trail" (1946), "Driftin' River" (1946, He sang the song, "Way Back In Oklahoma," in the film), "Stars Over Texas" (1946), "Wild West" (1946, He sang the song, "Elmer, The Knock-Kneed Cowboy," in the film), "Wild Country" (1947), "Range Beyond The Blue" (1947), "West To Glory" (1947), "Black Hills" (1947), "Shadow Valley" (1947), "Check Your Guns" (1948), "Tornado Range" (1948), "The Westward Trail" (1948), and "The Tioga Kid" (1948). He is also best remembered for playing the role of 'Deputy Roscoe' in three episodes of the classic western television series, "The Marshal Of Gunfight Pass, which originally aired in 1950, and which also starred Eddie Dean, Russell Hayden, Steve Conte, Riley Hill, and Marshall Reed, tells the story of a marshal who maintains law and order in his local town. He was born one of four children as Roscoe Blevel Ates in Grange, Mississippi, (the city of Grange, Mississippi, is located in the rural northwest area of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and the city is no longer included on road maps), to George Buchanan Ates (1856-1919), and his wife Margaret Mag Ellendor Thompson Ates (1864-1932), on January 20, 1895. He was educated locally and he grew up with a speech impediment (which he used later in his acting career), throughout much of his childhood but he managed it by the time he turned eighteen. He began his acting career as a vaudeville performer, and musician, in 1915. He moved to Chickasha, Oklahoma, and found a job playing the violin to accompany silent films at a theater. He then became an entertainer as a concert violinist but found economic opportunities greater as a vaudeville comedian, appearing as half of the team of Ates and Darling. Over the fifteen years, he was a headliner on the Orpheum Circuit, and he revived his long-gone stutter for humorous effect. He also served his country with United States Military during World War I, and in the United States Army Air Force during World War II, having entered the Air Force fighter squad program in Houston, Texas, at Ellington Field Texas. During this time he began to further his acting career on the stage. He appeared on Broadway in New York City, New York, in the stage production of the play, as 'James McCracken' in "Sea Legs" (May 18, 1937 - May 29, 1937). During this time he also made the transition to appearing in films and on television. He made his actual film debut playing the role of the 'Ship's Cook' in the comedy film drama, "South Sea Rose" (1929). The film which was directed by Allan Dwan, which was written for the screen by Sonya Levien and Elliott Lester, which was based on the play, "La Gringa," by Tom Cushing, also starred Lenore Ulric, Charles Bickford, and Kenneth MacKenna. Besides, playing the role of the 'Ship's Cook' in the comedy film drama, "South Sea Rose" (1929), and playing the role of 'Soapy Jones' in several western films including, "Colorado Serenade" (1946, He sang the song, "Home on the Range," in the film), "Tumbleweed Trail" (1946), "Driftin' River" (1946, He sang the song, "Way Back in Oklahoma," in the film), "Stars Over Texas" (1946), "Wild West" (1946, He sang the song, "Elmer, The Knock-Kneed Cowboy," in the film), "Wild Country" (1947), "Range Beyond The Blue" (1947), "West To Glory" (1947), "Black Hills" (1947), "Shadow Valley" (1947), "Check Your Guns" (1948), "Tornado Range" (1948), "The Westward Trail" (1948), and "The Tioga Kid" (1948), his many other film credits include, "Marianne" (1929), "City Girl" (1930), "Double Cross Roads" (1930), "Caught Short" (1930), "The Big House" (1930), "Love In The Rough" (1930), "Soup To Nuts" (1930), "Check And Double Check" (1930), "Those Three French Girls" (1930), "Billy The Kid" (1930, He played the role of 'Old Stuff' and sang the song, "Turkey In The Straw," in the film), "Remote Control" (1930, He played the role of the 'Stuttering Piccolo Player' and performed the song, "The Wedding March" (1942), in the film, "Reducing" (1931), "Cimarron" (1931), "The Voice Of Hollywood No. 7 (Second Series)" (1931), "She Went For A Tramp" (1931), "A Free Soul" (1931), "Too Many Crooks" (1931), "The Great Lover" (1931), "Politics" (1931), "The Lone Starved Ranger" (1931), "A Clean-Up On The Curb" (1931), "The Gland Parade" (1931), "Use Your Noodle" (1931), "The Champ" (1931), "The Big Shot" (1931), "The Rainbow Trail" (1932), "Ladies Of The Jury" (1932), "Freaks" (1932), "Never The Twins Shall Meet" (1932), "Young Bride" (1932), "The Roadhouse Murder" (1932), "Hold 'Em Jail" (1932), "Come On Danger!" (1932), "Sham Poo, The Magician" (1932), "Renegades Of The West" (1932, He played the role of 'Dr. Henry Fawcett' and sang the song, "The Farmer In The Dell," in the film), "Deported" (1932), "The Past Of Mary Holmes" (1933), "The Cheyenne Kid" (1933), "Lucky Devils" (1933), "What-No Beer?" (1933), "Scarlet River" (1933), "Golden Harvest" (1933), "Alice In Wonderland" (1933), "Merry Wives Of Reno" (1934), "She Made Her Bed" (1934), "So You Won't T-T-T-Talk" (1934), "Woman In The Dark" (1934), "Dizzy & Daffy" (1934), "Once Over Lightly" (1935), "People's Enemy" (1935), "Why Pal Rent?" (1935), "On The Wagon" (1935, He played the role of 'Elmer' and sang the songs, "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow," and "By A Waterfall," in the film), "Fair Exchange" (1936), "God's Country And The Woman" (1937), "Alpine Cabaret" (1937), "Drug Store Follies" (1937), "Riders Of The Black Hills" (1938), "The Great Adventures Of Wild Bill Hickok" (1938), "Three Texas Steers" (1939), "Gone With The Wind" (1939), "Rancho Grande" (1940), "You're Next!' (1940), "The Cowboy From Sundown" (1940, He played the role of 'Deputy Gloomy Day' and sang the song, "The Craw-dad Song," in the film), "Untamed" (1940), "Fireman, Save My Choo Choo" (1940), "Captain Caution" (1940, He played the role of 'Chips' and sang the song, "Hilda," in the film), "I Want A Divorce" (1940), "Chad Hanna" (1940), "Robin Hood Of The Pecos" (1941), "Glove Affair" (1941), "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941), "She Knew All The Answers" (1941), "Mountain Moonlight" (1941), "Bad Men Of Missouri" (1941), "Reg'lar Fellers" (1941), "I'll Sell My Life" (1941), "One Foot In Heaven" (1941), "Birth Of The Blues" (1941), "Sullivan's Travels" (1941), "The Affairs Of Jimmy Valentine" (1942), "The Palm Beach Story" (1942), "The Great Moment" (1944), "Can't Help Singing" (1944), "Inner Sanctum" (1948), "Thunder In The Pines" (1948), "Hills Of Oklahoma" (1950), "Father's Wild Game" (1950), "Honeychile" (1951), "Trail Guide" (1952), "The Blazing Forest" (1952), "The Stranger Wore A Gun" (1953), "These Redheads From Seattle" (1953), "Abbott And Costello Meet The Keystone Kops" (1955), "Lucy Gallant" (1955), "Come Next Spring" (1956), "Meet Me In Las Vegas" (1956), "The Kettles In The Ozarks" (1956), "The Birds And The Bees" (1956), "The Big Caper" (1957), "Run Of The Arrow" (1957), "Short Cut To Hell" (1957), "The Sheepman" (1958), "Cissie" (1959), "The Ladies Man' (1961), and "The Silent Call" (1961). Besides, playing the role of 'Deputy Roscoe' in three episodes of the classic western television series, "The Marshal Of Gunfight Pass, which originally aired in 1950, and which also starred Eddie Dean, Russell Hayden, Steve Conte, Riley Hill, and Marshall Reed, tells the story of a marshal who maintains law and order in his local town, his many other television credits include, "The Cisco Kid," "My Little Margie," "Big Town," "Boston Blackie," "The Mickey Rooney Show," "The Adventures Of Champion," "Annie Oakley," "The Adventures Of Rin Tin Tin," "Death Valley Days," "Schlitz Playhouse," "M Squad," "The Restless Gun," "Lux Playhouse," "State Trooper," "Buckskin," "Wagon Train," "Tales Of Wells Fargo," "Man With A Camera," "Bourbon Street Beat," "This Is Your Life," "George Jessel Show," "MGM Parade," "The Gabby Hayes Show," "Shotgun Slade," "Lawman," "Maverick," "Surfside 6," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Sugarfoot," "The Untouchables," "Outlaws," "The Red Skelton Hour," and Whispering Smith." His last film role was playing 'Ralph - Prop Man' in the comedy film, "The Errand Boy" (1961). The film which was directed by, written by, and starring Jerry Lewis, which was also written by Bill Richmond, and which also starred Brian Donlevy, Howard McNear, Dick Wesson, and Robert Ivers, tells the story of a goofy paperhanger who is hired to root out a financial inefficiency on a Hollywood, California, studio lot, wreaking havoc as he goes. The film was released shortly before his death. During his acting career, he also used the name, Rosco Ates. On an interesting note, he won two Oscar for Best Picture winners for "Cimarron" (1931), and "Gone With The Wind" (1939), and three other nominees being "The Big House" (1930), "The Champ" (1931), and "One Foot In Heaven" (1941). He also co-starred, with Molly Bee and Robert Easton, in a failed pilot for a sitcom, set in the Ozarks, called "Sissy" (1959). He passed away following a battle with lung cancer at the West Valley Community Hospital in Encino, California, on March 1, 1962, at the age of 67. Following his death, he was cremated and his ashes are buried in a niche at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. He was married to Clara Callahan Adrian Ates (1897-1973) from June 12, 1935, until they divorced in 1935. The couple had one child together. He was married to Lenora Bell Jumps Ates aka actress Barbara Ray (1914-1955), from 1938 until they divorced in 1944, and again from 1949 until her death on May 19, 1955. The couple had no children. He married lastly to Beatrice Heisser Ates from 1960 until his death on March 1, 1962. The couple had no children together.