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George Periolat (February 5, 1874 – February 20, 1940) was an American actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, George Periolat began his career as a Broadway actor. Making his film debut with the Essanay Studios in Chicago, he moved to Hollywood in 1911 and starred in over 170 films throughout his career. He was a very versatile actor, often playing multiple roles in a single production, as when he played two leading characters, the count and the crook, in the 1916 production of The Counterfeit Earl. The story of Norma Desmond, though fictitious, is not far removed from the plight of many... MORE

George Periolat (February 5, 1874 – February 20, 1940) was an American actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, George Periolat began his career as a Broadway actor. Making his film debut with the Essanay Studios in Chicago, he moved to Hollywood in 1911 and starred in over 170 films throughout his career. He was a very versatile actor, often playing multiple roles in a single production, as when he played two leading characters, the count and the crook, in the 1916 production of The Counterfeit Earl. The story of Norma Desmond, though fictitious, is not far removed from the plight of many silent film stars, and the advent of the sound film brought about a swift end to Periolat's career. He made his last appearance in 1932's What Price Hollywood?. On February 20, 1940, he committed suicide by ingesting arsenic in his Hollywood mansion. Outside his acting career, George Periolat was an amateur photographer, and a grandson of Napoleon Periolat. LESS