Austin was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, and was a music hall performer before going to the United States with Chaplin, both as members of the Fred Karno troupe in 1910.

After the development of sound films, he moved into scriptwriting, directing, and acting, chiefly in comedy shorts.

He had the leading role in Mary Pickford's Suds (1920), where he co-stars as a customer leaving his shirt at her laundry.

In his final years he worked as a police officer at the Warner Brothers studios, according to a New York Times obituary.

He died on 17 August 1953, and was interred at Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.