Erville Alderson(1882-1957)
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
A character actor whose film career spanned from Hollywood's Silent Era
until the 1950s. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 11, 1882,
Erville would start his film career in 1918 at the age of 36 in
Her Man (1918). Film pioneer D.W. Griffith utilized Erville in many of his films,
including 1924's America (1924) and Isn't Life Wonderful (1924). In 1926, Erville was in Sally of the Sawdust (1925),
and for the first time, worked behind as well as in front of the
camera, as the movie's Assistant Director. By the time talkies became
the norm, Erville found his age and white hair earned him many "old
codger" roles as everything from a sheriff to a blank clerk, although a
lot of his roles fell into the the "uncredited" bit category. Despite
this, he did manage to make his mark in several credited roles, with
one of the best being his portrayal of Nate Tompkins in 1941's Sergeant York (1941).
His last film role would be uncredited in 1957's The Spirit of St. Louis (1957), and on August
4, 1957, he would pass away at the age of 74 in Glendale,
California.
