"Jolly" John Larkin was the stage name for John Larkin Smith, a vaudeville performer known as 'The Funniest Colored Comedian in the World'. Larkin successfully transitioned to the screen in 1931, starring in Smart Money, Sporting Blood, and Alexander Hamilton. As a movie actor, Larkin became known as the "highest paid Negro actor in Hollywood." His last role was in MGM’s The Great Ziegfield.