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Post by BATouttaheck on Nov 7, 2018 21:49:27 GMT
Donald Crisp By 1910, he had become interested in pursuing a career in theater and began working as a stage manager for the renowned entertainer, composer, playwright and director George M. Cohan. During this period, he met and became friends with a stage actor named D.W. Griffith. His first films were made with Griffith by Biograph Company in New Jersey. When Griffith went to seek his fortune in Hollywood in 1912, Crisp accompanied him. He worked as an assistant to D.W. Griffith for several years in Hollywood, which fostered a passion in him to become a director in his own right. He directed over 70 films, his final directorial effort being Runaway Bride (1930) starring Mary Astor. Reportedly, Crisp gave up directing partly because it had become extremely wearisome as he was so often called upon--and sometimes forced--to do favors for studio chiefs by agreeing to employ their relatives in his films. Broken Blossoms (1919) as Battling Burrows His barrel-chested frame and large workingman's hands, which got him cast as tough characters in silent films. 
Soft expressive voice, often spoken in his own British dialect or an Irish one, though was passable as American characters as well. Often played wise, proud and strong-willed elders who were sometimes too set in their ways. How Green Was My Valley (1941)  National Velvet (1944)  Spencer's Mountain (1963)  That's him in his final feature, seated at the far end of the table on the right .. playing Grandpa Spencer.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Nov 7, 2018 22:10:11 GMT
GLORIA SWANSONBio Excerpt: "Her film debut was as an extra in The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket (1915). From the following year on, she had leading roles in pictures for Keystone, then a year with Triangle, and, in 1919, a contract with Cecil B. DeMille. DeMille transformed her from a typical Mack Sennett comedienne into a lively, provocative, even predatory, star." 1928 Sadie Thompson  1950 Sunset Boulevard  Airport 1975  IMDb PHOTO GALLERY
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Post by BATouttaheck on Nov 7, 2018 22:42:46 GMT
ZASU PITTS Pitts made her stage debut in 1915 and was discovered two years later by pioneer screenwriter Frances Marion Her career really began when she found her way onto the set of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917) and was noticed by Mary Pickford, who put her into the picture as well as her next, The Little Princess (1917) and in husband Douglas Fairbanks' A Modern Musketeer (1917).She grew in popularity following a series of Universal one-reeler comedies and earned her first feature-length lead in King Vidor's Better Times (1919).
In 1924 the actress, now a reputable comedy farceur, was given the greatest tragic role of her career in 'Erich von Stroheim'''s epic classic Greed (1924), an over-four-hour picture cut down by the studio to less than two. The surprise casting initially shocked Hollywood but showed that she could draw tears and pathos as well as laughs with her patented doleful demeanor.  
"The favorite actress of Erich von Stroheim, who called her "the greatest tragedienne of the screen"."
Talkies brought a long and successful career of "comic snoops" and "flighty relatives" . Was originally cast to play Lew Ayres' mother in All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). However, preview audiences laughed when they saw her, and her scenes were reshot by Beryl Mercer.
With Thelma Todd 
When she met D.W. Griffith, the director rejected her because he said she looked too much like Lillian Gish. Instead of being hurt, Pitts said it was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her. Looking at some of the images … can see it !  |
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Post by them1ghtyhumph on Nov 7, 2018 23:16:42 GMT
Olive Oyl is baded on Zasu Pitts
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Nov 7, 2018 23:35:52 GMT
Olive Oyl is baded on Zasu Pitts I just read that. I knew that Olive was older than Popeye by 10 years. She became Popeye's love interest when the Sailor Man became more popular. OO had a whole family at first. A brother, Castor Oyl. Her father, Cole Oyl. Two uncles, Otto Oyl and Lubra Kent Oyl. And the funny one, a rich cousin, Standard Oyl.
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Post by timshelboy on Nov 8, 2018 11:45:57 GMT
Doghouse6 Amazing. Thanks for the great images. And to complete the Astor record, she also became a successful novelist. What a remarkable talent. And you don't mean only her sensational diary (now I'm just being snarky). Her second autobiographical installment, A Life On Film, was one of the most intelligent and fascinating I've ever read, going into a great deal of detail about the acting craft and her personal approach to it. Yes - I'll second the choice of Astor - a magnificent talent - and also the autobiographies - A LIFE ON FILM goes into great detail about the process of film making - a wonderful read compared to - ooh say Lana Turner's "What I was wearing and who I was "dating" " style of memoirs. MY STORY focuses on her rather "busy" personal life but is still very well written. Would love to read the diaries!   There are two recent books about the scandal, so maybe I'll ask Santa for one. |
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Post by teleadm on Nov 11, 2018 3:18:56 GMT
 Pola Negri, in movies from 1914 and when sound came continued to act in movies up until 1938 in German speaking movies, plus one in 1941 and one in 1964. Die Nacht der Entscheidung (called Night of Fate in UK) 1938 was the last of those. |
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Post by teleadm on Nov 13, 2018 19:52:19 GMT
A few more character actors:  Edward Arnold, in movies since 1916 until 1956  Alan Hale, in movies from 1912 until 1950 |
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Post by spiderwort on Nov 15, 2018 14:49:39 GMT
 The great profile, John Barrymore, in movies from 1912 to 1941  and his brother, Lionel Barrymore, in movies from 1905 to 1953.
And let's not forget their wonderful sister, Ethel Barrymore, who worked in films from 1914 to 1957.
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Post by spiderwort on Nov 15, 2018 15:09:32 GMT
Richard Arlen. The man was prolific in film. This is from Feel My Pulse, a film that also included William Powell (mentioned above).  Loved him in Wings (1927). His farewell scene with Buddy Rogers is heartbreaking.
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Post by vegalyra on Nov 15, 2018 16:17:39 GMT
Wings was/is great. One of my favorite silent films. I managed to see it at the Cinemark near my house on their "XD" screen years ago. I believe there were just 2 or 3 other people there. But it was tremendous seeing it as someone might have seen it in one of the big movie palaces back in the late '20s. I think the "XD" screens are Cinemark's largest.
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Post by spiderwort on Dec 6, 2018 15:38:21 GMT
Gary Cooper, whose credited roles began in 1926 and lasted until 1961. Here with Clara Bow in Children of Divorce (1927)   Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who worked from 1923 to 1989. With Joan Crawford in Our Modern Maidens (1929).  Crawford's career spanned 1925-1972. Here with Johnny Mack Brown in Our Dancing Daughters (1928). Brown's career began in 1927 and lasted until 1965.   |
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Post by teleadm on Dec 6, 2018 19:20:22 GMT
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Post by spiderwort on Dec 7, 2018 3:40:19 GMT
Will Rogers' career began in 1918 and lasted until his untimely death in 1935. He never met a man he didn't like.
Fay Wray with Erich von Stroheim in The Wedding March (1928). Wray's career spanned 1923-1980. As an actor von Stroheim worked from 1915 to 1955.
   Victor Sjöström acted from 1912 to 1957. Here in The Phantom Carriage (1921), which he also directed:  and in Wild Strawberries (1957), his final film:  Norma Shearer acted from 1920 to 1942. She stars here with Lon Chaney in He Who Gets Slapped (1924), directed by Victor Sjöström (as Victor Seastrom): 
Janet Gaynor's career began in 1924 and lasted until 1981. Here she is in her Oscar winning role in Sunrise (1927), co-starring George O'Brien. His career began in 1922 and lasted until 1964.
Conrad Veidt acted from 1916 to 1944. In The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920):  and in Casablanca (1942)  Jackie Coogan acted from 1917 to 1984. With Chaplin in The Kid (1921) [Chaplin's career began in 1914 and ended in 1967],  and in The Adams Family (1973) tv series: 
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Post by spiderwort on Dec 7, 2018 6:07:20 GMT
Lillian Gish : My first thought Broken Blossoms (1919) +4.jpg)  The Wind (1928)  The Night of the Hunter (1955)  The Unforgiven (1960)  The Whales of August (1987)  and so many more : LILLIAN GISH IMDb LinkOne of the all time greats with a career that lasted from 1912-1987. I had the good fortune to hear her speak and tell wonderful stories about her career and the giants with whom she worked when I was in college at Northwestern in 1971. She was utterly amazing.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Dec 7, 2018 6:17:00 GMT
spiderwort I wrote Lillian Gish a letter and she replied with a nice hand written note on small notepaper ... she signed it "With every good wish, Lillian Gish." I have seen Miss Gish on talk shows .. how great to have seen her speaking in person.
I once sat next to her sister Dorothy at a showing of DW Griffith Films at the Museum of Modern Art but didn't let on that I knew who she was. She seemed to enjoy the films.
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Post by spiderwort on Dec 7, 2018 15:05:40 GMT
spiderwort I wrote Lillian Gish a letter and she replied with a nice hand written note on small notepaper ... she signed it "With every good wish, Lillian Gish." How wonderful that she responded to you, Bat. But given what I saw of her that day (to say nothing of her work in films), I'm not at all surprised. That is a gift I know you will treasure forever.
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Post by teleadm on Dec 7, 2018 19:00:44 GMT
Jackie Coogan acted from 1917 to 1984. With Chaplin in The Kid (1921) [Chaplin's career began in 1914 and ended in 1967] :  and in The Adams Family (1973) tv series: Dont wanna sound like a bessewisser (boring know-it-all), but Jackie Coogan was active up to The Escape Artist 1981, Our old Imdb mentiones The Prey from 1984 and mentiones it as his last movie, but it was made in 1978. |
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Post by Doghouse6 on Dec 7, 2018 19:20:00 GMT
Jackie Coogan acted from 1917 to 1984. With Chaplin in The Kid (1921) [Chaplin's career began in 1914 and ended in 1967] Dont wanna sound like a bessewisser (boring know-it-all), but Jackie Coogan was active up to The Escape Artist 1981, Our old Imdb mentiones The Prey from 1984 and mentiones it as his last movie, but it was made in 1978. Some more Coogan trivia: There were two incarnations of The Addams Family series: the first ran from 1964 - 66; the second for 7 episodes in 1973 (in which Lennie Weinrib and Janet Waldo assumed the roles played in the first by John Astin and Carolyn Jones). Coogan was Betty Grable's first husband.  |
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Post by marianne48 on Sept 16, 2020 2:52:50 GMT
Character actor Eugene Pallette was a former jockey who started out in Hollywood as a stunt man. He was relatively slender and athletic at the time, and appeared in over 100 silents. By the time talkies arrived, he was much stouter and was able to use his distinctive bullfrog voice to full advantage in supporting roles.
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