Born into a family of touring actors, Orlamond went to America at the end of the 19th century and started playing comedy roles onscreen for the Lubin Company in Philadelphia in 1912. Toward the end of the decade he joined with Metro and stayed with the company for many years. With the advent of sound, his career was untouched although he was becoming quite elderly and eventually retired from the screen in 1937. Orlamond's brother Fritz and sister Ruth also appeared in American silent films, as did his wife, the former Madge Bertrand.