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The Chicago-born son of entertainers Harry Burns and Dorothy Vernon (born Dorothy Baird), Bobby made his stage debut as a slave-boy in a musical comedy at the age of eleven. first worked as a newsboy in San Francisco. Sid Grauman recognized Vernon's talent and started him singing at the Empress Theatre at the age of eleven. Later, he became one of the stock actors in the vaudeville act Kolb and Dill. After three years of working with them, Max Dill broke his leg in their show, "The Rollicking Girl." At the age of sixteen, Vernon replaced him for three weeks.

His first experience in screen was at the age of sixteen in Universal Studios's Joker comedies. Early in his career, he was cast as an old man. By 1915, he began working for Keystone Studios. He starred in many romantic comedies with Gloria Swanson as his leading lady. The pair became popular for their great screen chemistry. However, as director Charley Chase recalled, Swanson was "frightened to death" of her co-star's dangerous stunts. He later described his Keystone days to Motion Picture Classic:

In December of 1917, he began working for the Christie Film Company.

On September 9, 1918, Vernon left the Christie studio to serve during World War I at the submarine base at San Pedro, Los Angeles.

Vernon's career never progressed to feature films. He was busy making two-reel comedies. In a 1929 interview, he said:

A few months prior to the interview, he underwent a dangerous spine operation. The doctors claimed it was from years of taking falls.

Vernon sang and danced at Grauman's Theatre to great applause in February of 1930.

Vernon completed his 12-year contract with the Christie Film Company in 1929. He then began freelancing. His first sound comedy was Cry Baby, directed by Del Lord in 1930. This was not his first sound film, as he made a brief cameo in The Voice of Hollywood #3 in 1929.

In 1933, after an acting career of 19 years, Vernon turned to writing. His last credited work in film was for Geronimo, released in 1940.