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1-50 of 218
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
The son of writer-theater producer-director-actor Hal Reid, Wallace was on stage by the age of four in the act with his parents. He spent most of his early years, not on the stage, but in private schools where he excelled in music and athletics. In 1910, his father went to the Chicago studio of "Selig Polyscope Company" and Wallace decided that he wanted to be a cameraman. However, with his athletic good looks, he was often put in front of the camera instead of behind - a situation that he disliked. His first film before the camera was The Phoenix (1910), where he played the role of the young reporter. Wallace preferred to be a cameraman, a writer, a director - anything but an actor. He took his fathers play "The Confession" to Vitagraph where he wanted to write and direct the film. Wallace ended up also acting in it. Starting with bit parts in various films, Wallace was eventually cast as the leading man to Florence Turner in numerous films. Wallace next moved on to "Reliance" where he acted, but also wrote screenplays. His next big move was to Hollywood, where he was hired by Universal director Otis Turner, as assistant director, second cameraman, gopher and scenario writer. It was what he was looking for, but he ended up back in front of the camera. At 20, Reid was an unknown assistant director. In 1913, Wallace married Dorothy Davenport, one of the stars that he both directed and starred with. Although only 17, Dorothy had spent a number of years on the stage before heading to the silver screen. The roles that Wallace played were getting bigger and bigger, but after appearing in over 100 films, he took a salary cut and a small part to work with D.W. Griffith on his milestone film The Birth of a Nation (1915). It was after this film that Jesse L. Lasky signed Wallace to a contract with "Famous Players" and he became a big star, but his dreams of directing and writing ended. An alcoholic for years, this situation worsened. His first film for "Famous Players" was The Chorus Lady (1915). Wallace went on to star in a series of pictures in which he represented all that was best of the ideal American. He had parts in over 60 more pictures including Intolerance (1916) and The Squaw Man's Son (1917). But it was the daredevil auto movies that he was most popular at. Flashing cars, dangerous roads and sometimes a race with a speeding locomotive thrilled and scared the public. His auto pictures included The Roaring Road (1919), Excuse My Dust (1920) and Double Speed (1920). When the U.S. entered World War I, Wallace was 25, six foot one and a crack shot. Even though he wanted to enlist, pressure was exerted on him not to. He was the rock on which "Famous Players" was built and his loss would have materially effect the company. He had a newborn son and was the sole support for his wife, his son, his mother, her mother, his father and also had to consider his status as a matinée idol.
He did volunteer his time to selling Liberty bonds and often opened his house to veterans. His films were financial successes, but in his personal life, he spent money like water. Wallace was a star who was worked continuously by the studio but disaster struck on a film site in Oregon. While making the film The Valley of the Giants (1919), Wallace was involved in a train crash and his injuries prevented him from finishing the film. Unwilling to stop the film, the studio sent the company doctor up to Oregon with a supply of morphine so that he would continue working and not feel the pain of his injury. After the picture was finished, he was needed to begin another so the studio kept supplying Wallace with morphine and he became hooked. Coupled with the alcohol, Wallace never had a chance and by 1922, he started entering a succession of hospitals and sanitariums as his health faded. Making his last film for the studio, Thirty Days (1922), Wallace was barely able to stand, let alone act. He died at the sanitarium, in Dorothy's arms, on the 18th day of January 1923 at the age of only 31. Wallace was the third major Paramount personality to be involved in scandal in 1922.- Actress
- Writer
- Additional Crew
This celebrated star of the French stage had a sporadic love-hate affair with early cinema. After her film debut in Le duel d'Hamlet (1900) she declared she detested the medium; yet she consented to appear in another film, La Tosca (1909). Upon seeing the results, she reportedly recoiled in horror, demanding that the negative be destroyed. Her next film appearance, in the Film d'Art production of La dame aux camélias (1912), was a critical and popular success, helping give cinema artistic dignity. The following year she made Les amours de la reine Élisabeth (1912) in Britain. The receipts from this film's distribution in the US provided Adolph Zukor with the funds to found Paramount. Bernhardt, at 69, was offered a fortune to make films with other companies, but stayed with Film d'Art, appearing in Adrienne Lecouvreur (1913). She appeared in two more pictures after losing a leg in 1915, Jeanne Doré (1915) and Mothers of France (1917), both produced as WWI morale boosters. In 1923, when she was 79, her hotel room was turned into a studio so that she could appear in the film La voyante (1924). But her failing health halted production and she died before the film was completed. She was portrayed on the screen by Glenda Jackson in The Incredible Sarah (1976).- Actor
- Producer
Francisco "Pancho" Villa was born Doroteo Arango to rural peasant parents in San Juan del Rio, Mexico, on June 5, 1878. He later took several aliases, the most popular and well-known being "Pancho Villa". Raised in poverty in Durango, he turned to cattle rustling and robbery as a young man. The turning point in his life, however, was the day his sister was attacked and raped by Mexican army troops. Villa wanted revenge against the whole world and soon turned from being simply a bandit leader into a full-fledged revolutionary with the aim of overthrowing Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz. To that end Villa became an ally of another revolutionary, the urbane and educated Francisco I. Madero, and although the two were about as opposite from one another as it was possible to be, Villa soon became a diehard supporter of the diminutive Madero, whom he affectionately called "the little man". Madero appointed Villa a colonel in the revolutionary army. On May 11, 1911, Villa led a daring raid against the federal stronghold of Juarez, soundly defeating the government forces and securing Madero's position as the new president. After Diaz was driven from power and Madero installed as president, Villa went home. His stay there was not to be very long, however. Two years later Madero was overthrown and executed by renegade Gen. Victoriano Huerta. Enraged, Villa re-formed his army, now called the Army of the North, and became an important member of a coalition of anti-Huerta forces, among whom were such legendary Mexican figures as Emiliano Zapata and Venustiano Carranza.
Villa's mounted troops, called "Villistas", were highly mobile and seasoned by years of fighting against the Diaz regime. They inflicted a decisive defeat on Huerta's army in northern Mexico at the Battle of Zacatecas on June 23, 1913, then began a campaign to drive Huerta's forces south to their stronghold of Mexico City. By December, in conjunction with the armies of Carranza and Zapata, Villa captured Mexico City, forcing Huerta to flee and placing control of the government in the hands of the three rebel leaders. However, the following spring Villa was forced out of the triumvirate when he lost a power struggle with Carranza. In the ensuing conflict his troops were badly defeated by Carranza's army and Villa was forced to withdraw to his headquarters in Durango. There he resumed his life as a bandit, raiding isolated American border towns and mining camps as well as Mexican villages.
On March 9, 1916, troops under Villa's command raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico, looted it, burned down much of it and caused the deaths of more than a dozen residents, although about 30 of their own men were killed by American soldiers and civilians defending the town (supposedly Villa was angered by the U.S. authorities allowing elements of Carranza's army, which was pursuing him, to cross through American territory as a shortcut in an attempt to get ahead of Villa and ambush him, and the raid was in retaliation for that). The U.S. government sent an expeditionary force into Mexico under Gen. John J. Pershing to capture Villa. However, Villa's maneuverability and superior knowledge of the terrain enabled him to elude the pursuing American troops, and Pershing's forces withdrew from the area the following year.
In 1920 the Carranza government struck a deal with Villa in which he agreed to halt his raids in exchange for settling down on a ranch in Canutillo and being appointed a general in the Mexican army. However, on June 20, 1923, Villa was ambushed and murdered in Parral by followers of Álvaro Obregón, a former army general, who feared that Villa would oppose their leader's candidacy for president in the upcoming elections. Immediately following his death the name of Pancho Villa was eliminated from all history books, children's books and all monuments in Mexico. It wasn't until 1975 (more than a half-century after his death) that both the Mexican and American governments felt safe enough to exhume his body, and when they did, they discovered that someone had stolen his head. After a large parade was held in his honor in Mexico, Pancho Villa's body was sent to the cemetery where many Mexican revolutionary heroes were buried, and he was finally given the proper burial he deserved.- Stunning silent screen actress Martha Mansfield was a musical comedy star in New York City by the time she entered films in 1916 for Max Linder. Before long she advanced to second leads in features, including the role of Millicent Carew in the John Barrymore starrer Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), which to this day remains her best known. The promising beauty was signed by Fox Studios in 1923 and began work on a new picture The Warrens of Virginia (1924). Nearing the completion of the film, Martha had just finished a scene and was returning to her automobile when her dress caught fire from a carelessly strewn match. Engulfed in flames, co-star Wilfred Lytell managed to throw his coat around her and extinguish the fire, but it was too late. She died the next day of severe burns at age 24.
- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Siegmund Lubin was born on 20 April 1851 in Breslau, Silesia, Germany [now Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland]. He was a producer and director, known for Uncle Tom's Cabin (1903), Passion Play (1900) and Thrilling Detective Story (1906). He was married to Annie Abrams. He died on 10 September 1923 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.- Joe Roberts was born on 2 February 1871 in Albany, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Our Hospitality (1923), The Primitive Lover (1922) and Three Ages (1923). He was married to Lillian Stuart Feld Roberts and Nina Mildred Straw Shannon. He died on 28 October 1923 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- F.A. Turner was born on 12 October 1858 in New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Restitution (1918), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917) and A Man and His Mate (1915). He died on 13 February 1923.
- Actor
- Writer
Charles Hawtrey was born on 21 September 1858 in Eton, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for A Message from Mars (1913), The Private Secretary (1935) and Honeymoon for Three (1915). He was married to Katherine Elsie Emma Petre and Madeline 'Mae' Harriet. He died on 30 July 1923 in Marylebone, London, England, UK.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Born in San Francisco's Castro District, Allen Holubar was the first of five children of Constantin Josef Holubar and Margaret Allen C. Holubar, who immigrated from Bohemia in 1875 and married Margaret, a Scots woman, in San Francisco (Allen was born at 44 Caselli Ave. in a house that still stands). Despite parental pressures to be a machinist, Allen worked his way up from sweeping floors to acting, starting at the Alcazar & Alhambra Theatres in San Francisco. He was evidently a prominent dramatic actor, known widely across the US from 1908-1912. However, in the words of a San Francisco newspaper at the time, "He forsook legitimate drama for the moving picture screen" in 1913. After starring in several landmark films, he began directing and was one of Carl Laemmle's first directors at Universal Pictures. Later, after having differences with Laemmle, he founded his own production company, Allen Holubar Pictures, in 1917.
As an up-and-coming producer, he was famous for being the first to coordinate a movie shoot (Hurricane's Gal (1922)) using radio. In the words of a local paper, "Mr. Holubar has successfully performed the unprecedented task of using the wireless waves to direct the movements of an airship, a destroyer and a schooner, maneuvering all of these within his camera's range as he supervised these activities from a hydroplane far above."
He died of postoperative complications from gallstone surgery at the height of his career in 1923. His wife, the former actress Dorothy Phillips, did not act again until the mid-'60s, when she played an old woman in Cat Ballou (1965), starring Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda.- Director
- Writer
Elwin Neame was one of the leading photographers of his generation. He ran Elwin Neame Ltd. in Wimbledon with his brother William.
He married the popular actress Ivy Close in 1910, who bore him two sons, Ronald Neame and Derek Neame.
Elwin directed four films (scripting two of them). His remarkable dynasty has endured into a fourth generation, through his grandson Christopher Neame and great-grandson Gareth Neame, who became successful producers.
Elwin and Ivy were considered a dashing couple and were extremely successful for several years. He died in 1923, aged 38, when his motorcycle collided with an illegally parked car. He suffered a broken neck.- Cinematographer
- Director
Robert K. Bonine was born on 14 September 1861 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA. Robert K. was a cinematographer and director, known for Eva Tanguay (1902), Panoramic View, King St. Honolulu, H.I. (1906) and A Tough Dance (1902). Robert K. died on 11 September 1923 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.- Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. After his death, a number of scandals were exposed, including Teapot Dome, as well as an extramarital affair with Nan Britton, which diminished his reputation.
- Herbert Standing was born on 13 November 1846 in Peckham, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for An International Marriage (1916), David Garrick (1916) and Peer Gynt (1915). He was married to Janet Grace Dalghesh Riddell and Emily Clementina Brown. He died on 5 December 1923 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Sidney Mason was born on 26 September 1886 in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for Orphan Sally (1922), The Good-Bad Wife (1920) and The Seven Sisters (1915). He was married to Marie Mason (née Van). He died on 1 March 1923 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Beatrice DeMille was born on 30 January 1853 in Liverpool, England, UK. She was a writer and assistant director, known for The Heir to the Hoorah (1916), The Devil-Stone (1917) and Unconquered (1917). She was married to Henry C. DeMille. She died on 8 October 1923 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Sukumar Ray was born on 30 October 1887 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India. Sukumar died on 10 September 1923 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India.
- Katherine Mansfield was born on 14 October 1888 in Wellington, New Zealand. She was a writer, known for Winners and Losers (1975), London Unplugged (2018) and Teatterituokio (1962). She was married to John Middleton Murry and George Bowden. She died on 9 January 1923 in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne, France.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
After a distinguished career of more than 30 years on stage, Charles Kent entered the film industry in its earliest stages--his debut, as far as is known, was in 1908 in Macbeth (1908)). He was not only an actor but a director, and guided many upper-echelon films for Vitagraph, often starring in them. He was one of the first directors to use close-ups creatively, for which he was savaged by contemporary critics. He retired from directing in 1913, but continued acting until shortly before his death.- Frank Hayes was born on 17 May 1871 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Vanity Fair (1923), A Hoosier Romance (1918) and After His Own Heart (1919). He was married to Lottie Harriet Ward Christensen Kemp (maiden name: Ward). He died on 28 December 1923 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- Jess Dandy was born on 9 November 1871 in Rochester, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Fatty Again (1914), The New Janitor (1914) and The Face on the Barroom Floor (1914). He died on 15 April 1923 in Brookline, Massachusetts, USA.
- Frank Goodenough Bayly was born in 1873 in England, UK. Frank Goodenough was a director, known for One Summer's Day (1917) and The Lifeguardsman (1916). Frank Goodenough was married to Katie Johnson. Frank Goodenough died on 28 November 1923 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, UK.
- Evelyn Nelson was born Dorris Evelyn Nelson on November 13, 1899 in Chloride, Arizona. Her father was a miner and cattle owner. When she was a child her family moved to Los Angeles, California. She started her career at Bull's Eye films and appeared in the 1920 comedy Don't Park Here. Evelyn was signed by Vitagraph and costarred with Oliver Hardy in the comedies The Backyard and The Decorator. Then she was chosen to be Jack Hoxie's leading lady in the 1921 film Cyclone Bliss. She would make a series of westerns with Jack including The Crow's Nest, The Desert Bridegroom, and Two-Fisted Jefferson. Her older sister Pauline Nelson became an actress too. After her father died Evelyn moved into a modest apartment with her mother. She began a passionate affair with married actor Wallace Reid.
He ended the relationship because he was fearful it would ruin his career. Tragically in January of 1923 Wallace died of a drug overdose. Evelyn was devastated by his death. In June of 1923 she finished filming Desert Rider. She was physically and emotionally exhausted. On June 16, 1923 she committed suicide by turning on the gas in her apartment. She was only twenty-three years old. Evelyn left two suicide notes for her family. The first note said that she was "tired" and that she wanted "rest more than anything in the world". The other note said "I am just about gone and will soon be with my friend Wally." She was buried in an unmarked grave at Rosedale cemetery in Los Angeles. - Frank D. Baldwin was born on 26 June 1842 in Manchester, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for The Indian Wars (1914) and The Adventures of Buffalo Bill (1917). He died on 22 April 1923 in Denver, Colorado, USA.
- Irish comic actor Paddy McGuire born in 1884, became a star in American musical comedy theatre and burlesque from the mid 1900's. A Great comic character who was best remembered in many of Charlie Chaplin's short movies in 1915-16, such as 'The Champion' 'The Tramp' and 'Shanghaied' and many more, followed by a chance to star in his own comedies the 'Bungling Bill' series for the Vogue Film Company in 1916. from 1917 he was often supporting in many comedies for Ben Turpin, Chester Conklin and Ford Sterling est. His last appearance on screen was 'A Broadway Cowboy' a western/comedy directed by Joseph Franz and starring William Desmond for the Jesse D. Hampton studios in 1920. Sadly in 1923 age 38 he died in Norwalk, California
- Kenneth Douglas was born in 1876 in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Girl of Yesterday (1915). He was married to Grace Lane. He died on 16 October 1923 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.