ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti sˈɪks, hiː ɐpˈɪɹd ɪn tˈuː fˈɪlmz, ɡˌoʊɪŋ kɹˈʊkɪd ænd ʌpstˈeɪdʒ, ænd ˈɔːlsoʊ ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd ðə ɹˈoʊl ʌv dʒˈɪmi wˈɪntɚɹ ɪnðə ɡˈaɪ bˈoʊltən, pˈiː. dʒˈiː. wˈoʊdhaʊs, dʒˈɔːɹdʒ dʒˈɜːʃwɪn ænd ˈiəɹə dʒˈɜːʃwɪn mjˈuːzɪkəl, ˈoʊ, kˈeɪ! wɪð ɡˈɜːtɹuːd lˈɔːɹəns ænd vˈɪktɚ mˈʊɹ.
In 1926, he appeared in two films, Going Crooked and Upstage, and also originated the role of Jimmy Winter in the Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse, George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin musical, Oh, Kay! with Gertrude Lawrence and Victor Moore.