Photos from our Family Collection

Many of these photos are from our family collection and published in our brother, Ronald J. Fields' first book, W.C. Fields By Himself: His Intended Autobiography, a wonderful compilation of our grandfather’s letters, works, writings, thoughts, as Ron describes a “portrait of W.C. as he perceived himself, as he actually lived—a true story.” Many of these photos are now in our W.C. Fields Collection at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library.

Image of W.C. Fields, Mack Sennett, Frank Capra

Mack Sennett, center, recipient, Special Award, with presenter W.C. Fields on the left and Academy President Frank Capra on the right at the 1937 (10th) Academy Awards ceremony. B&W photographic print. ©AMPAS Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences www.oscars.org

Image of W.C. Fields, Wiley Post, Will Rogers

W.C. Fields, Wiley Post, Will Rogers shortly before Post and Rogers fatal plane crash in 1935. Our grandfather and Will Rogers first met as young men in vaudeville in South Africa. Later they performed on Broadway together, and then migrated to Hollywood in the movies. Our grandfather was devastated by his friend's death. (We grew up with this photo in our home.)

Our Family

Our father, W.C. Fields, Jr., shown on the left, note the same piercing intelligence in the eyes, the elegance of carriage, the gentle presence of being, father and son—W.C. Fields and W.C. Fields, Jr., our father and grandfather.

Image of W.C. Dukenfield at five years old — W.C. Dukenfield at five years old.

Image of W.C. about 15 years old — W.C. about 15 years old, circa 1895.

Image of James Dukenfield in Civil War uniform — W.C. Fields' father, James Dukenfield an immigrant from England in Civil War uniform.

Image of Kate Felton Dukenfield with her grandson — Kate Felton Dukenfield, W.C. Fields' mother, with her grandson, our father W.C. Fields, Jr., October 1907.

Image of James Dukenfield and W.C. Fields, Jr. on the shoulders of his grandfather in Atlantic City — James Dukenfield, W.C. Fields' father, and our father, W.C. Fields, Jr. on the shoulders of his grandfather in Atlantic City.

Image of Our grandfather with his young son on the beach in Atlantic City — Our grandfather, W.C. Fields with his young son, our father on the beach in Atlantic City.

Image of Our grandfather with his young son on the beach — Our grandfather, W.C. Fields with his young son on the beach.

Image of Formal portrait of Father and Son — Formal portrait of Father and Son, W.C. Fields with our father, W.C. Fields, Jr., 1907. This photo was hanging in our grandmother's, Harriet (Hattie) Hughes Fields' bedroom.

Image of W.C. Fields with his first grandchild and our mother — W.C. Fields with his first grandchild, our brother W.C. Fields, III, and our mother, W.C. Fields' daughter-in-law, Anne Ruth Stevens Fields. Our father, W.C. Fields, Jr., was on duty in the Navy at the time in WWII.

Picture of the great grandchildren — The great grandchildren Austin Fields, Chelsea Fields and Alexander Fields at the Hollywood Boulevard Star of W.C. Fields in front of the Roosevelt Hotel, 2008.

Additional Favorites

Image from It's a Gift (1934).

Studio picture.

W.C. Fields' studio picture from So's Your Old Man (1926).