Born in San Francisco, California, Bergman acted in live theatre, appearing in Henrietta in 1888 at the Hollis Street Theatre in Boston and in the touring production of The Senator in 1892 and 1893. He made his Broadway debut in 1899 appearing with Anna Held in Papa's Wife, the musical hit of the year. He made his first film appearance with the L-KO Kompany in 1914 at the age of forty-six. In 1916, Bergman started working with Charlie Chaplin, beginning with The Floorwalker. For the rest of his career, Bergman remained a character actor for Chaplin and worked as a studio assistant, including Assistant Director. He played in many Chaplin shorts and later features, including The Pawnshop, The Immigrant, A Dog's Life, The Gold Rush, The Circus, and City Lights. Bergman's last on-screen appearance was in Modern Times as a restaurant manager, and his final offscreen contribution was for The Great Dictator in 1940. Chaplin helped Bergman finance a restaurant in Hollywood, named "Henry's", which became a popular spot for celebrities as a precursor to the later Brown Derby restaurant.
Henry Bergman continued to be associated with the Chaplin Studios until his death from a heart attack in 1946. He is interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Filmography
Actor
1936
Modern Times as
Cafe Proprietor
1931
City Lights as
Mayor / Blind Girl's Downstairs Neighbor (uncredited)
1928
The Circus as
An Old Clown
1925
The Gold Rush as
Hank Curtis
1923
A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate as
Head Waiter (uncredited)
1923
The Pilgrim as
Sheriff on Train / Man In Railroad Station
1922
Pay Day (Short) as
Drinking Companion
1921
The Idle Class (Short) as
Sleeping Hobo / Guest in Cop Uniform (uncredited)
1921
The Kid as
Professor Guido / Night Shelter Keeper (uncredited)
1919
The Professor (Short) as
Bearded Man in Flophouse (uncredited)
1919
A Day's Pleasure (Short) as
Captain / Man in Car / Heavy Policeman (uncredited)
1919
Sunnyside (Short) as
Villager and Edna's Father (uncredited)
1918
How to Make Movies (Short) as
Gag Man (uncredited)
1918
Shoulder Arms (Short) as
Fat Whiskered German Soldier / The Kaiser's General / Bartender
1918
One Hundred Percent American (Short) as
Man who steps on Mayme's foot
1918
The Bond (Short) as
John Bull (British version) (uncredited)
1918
A Dog's Life (Short) as
Fat Unemployed Man / Dance-hall Lady (uncredited)
1917
The Adventurer (Short) as
The Father
1917
The Immigrant (Short) as
Artist
1917
The Cure (Short) as
Masseur
1917
The Black Stork as
The Detective
1917
Easy Street (Short) as
Anarchist (uncredited)
1916
The Rink (Short) as
Mrs. Stout
1916
Behind the Screen (Short) as
Directory of History Film (uncredited)
1916
The Pawnshop (Short) as
Pawnbroker
1916
The Count (Short)(uncredited)
1916
The Vagabond (Short)(uncredited)
1916
The Floorwalker (Short) as
Old Man (uncredited)
1916
Between Midnight (Short) as
The Chief Crook
1916
Billie's Reformation (Short)
1915
The Baron's Bear Trap (Short)
1915
Room and Board: A Dollar and a Half (Short) as
The Star Boarder
1915
Married on Credit (Short) as
Louise's Father
1915
Avenged by a Fish (Short) as
The Belle's Father
1915
Silk Hose and High Pressure (Short) as
Fat - The Police Captain
1915
Life and Moving Pictures (Short)(unconfirmed, uncredited)
1915
The Curse of a Name (Short)
1915
A Doomed Hero (Short) as
The Maid's Father
1915
The Curse of Work (Short) as
The Father of the Heiress
1915
Vendetta in a Hospital (Short) as
Fat La Jolla
1915
Bill's Blighted Career (Short) as
Monty Lizzio
1915
The Melting Pot as
Mendel Quixano
1915
Love and Sour Notes (Short) as
The Impressario
1915
Father Was Neutral (Short) as
Father
1915
Poor Policy (Short) as
Billie's Rival
1915
Hearts and Flames (Short) as
Henry - The Plumber's Sweetheart's Father
1915
Bill's New Pal (Short) as
The Chef
1915
Kreutzer Sonata as
Raphael Friedlander
1915
The Avenging Dentist (Short) as
Billie's Sweetheart's Father
1915
Almost a Scandal (Short) as
The Flirty Husband
1915
The Butcher's Bride (Short)
1915
Thou Shalt Not Flirt (Short)
1914
The Baron's Bear Escape (Short) as
Baron Wilhelm von Hasenpfeffer
1914
The Fatal Marriage (Short)
1914
Partners in Crime (Short)
1914
Love and Surgery (Short)
1914
A Change of Complexion (Short) as
Mr. Fatt
1914
The Crystal Ball (Short) as
Business associate
1913
Fickle Fortune's Favor (Short) as
The Sandwich Seller
1913
There She Goes (Short)
Assistant Director
1936
Modern Times (assistant director - uncredited)
1931
City Lights (assistant director)
Miscellaneous
1940
The Great Dictator (general assistant - uncredited)
Thanks
2012
Special Collector's Edition (TV Series) (in memory of - 1 episode)
- Comparativa: El Circo (2012) - (in memory of)
Self
1916
Charlie's Life (Documentary) as
Various
Archive Footage
2020
Charlie Chaplin, le génie de la liberté (TV Movie documentary)
2013
The Birth of the Tramp (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
1996
Chaplin's Goliath (Documentary) as
Self
1983
Unknown Chaplin (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Self & In Out-Takes
- The Happiest Years (1983) - Self & In Out-Takes
1982
Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (TV Movie documentary) as
Actor - 'City Lights' (uncredited)
1963
Hollywood and the Stars (TV Series documentary) as
Pawnbroker (clip from The Pawnshop (1916))
- The Funny Men: Part 2 (1963) - Pawnbroker (clip from The Pawnshop (1916)) (uncredited)
1961
Hollywood: The Golden Years (TV Movie documentary) as
