Joseph Bridger Cawthorn (March 29, 1868 – January 21, 1949) was an American stage and film comic actor.

[2] He appeared in minstrel shows and vaudeville as a "Dutch" comic, employing a thick German dialect.

Cawthorn made his Broadway debut in 1895,[4] 1897[3] or 1898,[5] and embarked on a long career lasting over two decades.

Other notable Broadway roles included the title character in Mother Goose (1903) and inventor Dr.

[3] When his Broadway stardom waned, Cawthorn moved to Hollywood in 1927 and started a second prolific career, appearing in over 50 films, the last in 1942.