Born Victor Hugo de Bierre in New York and first employed as a bank clerk and attorney, he shifted to the stage in 1912 with a debut at the Globe Theatre. After touring as a comedian in the 1925 production of No, No, Nanette, he relocated to Los Angeles where his theatrical work attracted film producers, leading to a contract with Hal Roach that lasted a year and a half before he moved on to a bro…
