When in his early 20s, he was supporting himself in Germany as a “dialect comedian.” [3] The date of Orlamond's emigration to the United States is unclear, but by 1912 he was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania working in one-reelers for Siegmund Lubin and appearing in Pathé and Edison Studios production shorts.

[4] While under contract to Louis B. Meyer's Metro Pictures, Orlamond proved to be an able actor in supporting roles, both dramatic and comedic.

He gave solid performances as Rudolph Valentino's father with Alla Nazimova in Camille (1921) and as Mosely, a textile baron in Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak Model (1924) starring Claire Windsor.

Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, Orlamond's brief appearance "receives one of the few laughs in the entire nine reels of nostril-flaring passion" according to film historian Hans J. Wollstein.

His Danish accent, though largely anglicized, was contrary to his screen persona he had crafted in the silent era which represented strictly American social types.