Knute Erickson was a renowned vaudeville comedian and actor who enjoyed a successful career in Hollywood spanning from 1915 to 1936. His most iconic creation was the character Daffy Dan, which garnered significant acclaim as a touring vaudeville performer in a show presented by the influential Hollywood mogul Jesse Lasky. Daffy Dan made his cinematic debut in 1915, starring in a pair of two-reel comedies, and later appeared in two Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle films that, regrettably, were never released in the United States.
Daffy Dan was a "Swedish" character, akin to the character "Ole" developed by comedian El Brendel around the same time. To add authenticity to the character, Erickson insisted that he was born in Norrköping, Sweden. Notably, Erickson was actually born as Carl Erickson in Ogden, Utah, but he did have Swedish ancestry, as his parents were Swedish immigrants.
Beyond his vaudeville acts, Erickson continued to act in films until 1936, when he appeared in his final role in the serial The Amazing Exploits of the Clutching Hand. Daffy Dan, however, only had one more film outing, as Lon Chaney's eccentric henchman in the silent horror comedy The Monster (1925). Erickson primarily played minor roles, often uncredited, throughout his acting career.
