. . "To conceal a stutter, Fields did not speak onstage.[20] In 1900, seeking to distinguish himself from the many tramp acts in vaudeville, he changed his costume and makeup, and began touring as The Eccentric Juggler.[21] He manipulated cigar boxes, hats, and other objects in what appears to have been a unique and fresh act, parts of which are reproduced in some of his films, notably in The Old F" . .