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1-50 of 38,831
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Eugene Testera was married to Hazel. Eugene died on 1 January 1864 in San Bernardino, California, USA.- Leland Stanford was born on 9 March 1824 in Colonie, New York, USA. He was a producer, known for Sallie Gardner at a Gallop (1878) and Skeleton of Horse (1881). He died on 21 June 1893 in Palo Alto, California, USA.
- Pio Pico was born on 5 May 1801 in San Gabriel, California, USA. He was married to María Ignacia Alvarado. He died on 11 September 1894 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Frank Norris was born on 5 March 1870 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer, known for Greed (1924), Moran of the Lady Letty (1922) and Life's Whirlpool (1916). He was married to Jeanette Black. He died on 25 October 1902 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Cinematographer
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Arthur Marvin was born in May 1859 in Warners, New York, USA. He was a cinematographer and director, known for Sherlock Holmes Baffled (1900), A Jersey Skeeter (1900) and The Troublesome Fly (1900). He was married to Caroline Schnatterer. He died on 18 January 1911 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Francis Boggs is an obscure figure in the history of cinema, but an important one. It was he who brought the movies to Los Angeles in 1909 when he established a permanent L. A. film studio for the Chicago-based Selig Polyscope Company. In a four-year film career he wrote and directed nearly 200 one-reel films. Today only three are known to survive. He was also the first victim of movieland murder. Boggs was an actor, who toured mining towns in California and finally in Chicago, where he became associated with former magician and minstrel-show operator William Nicholas Selig in filmmaking. He returned to California to shoot the climactic scenes of The Count of Monte Cristo (1908) and ended up playing the lead role as well. He set up Selig's Los Angeles operation in 1909. In 1911 he was shot and killed by a mentally disturbed employee (the attack also wounded Selig) and was soon forgotten, his work eventually crumbling to dust. But Francis Boggs is as much, if not more, responsible for establishing the American film industry in California as any of the more well-known film pioneers.- Vedah Bertram born Adele Buck in Massachusetts into a prominent Boston family, her father Jerome Buck, a wealthy newspaper publisher. Film cowboy star G.M. Anderson saw her photograph in a Boston society column, he decided to contact her and asked her to be his co-star in his Broncho Billy western series, despite opposition by her family she did so, adopting the name Vedah Bertram in order to spare her family's feelings, she became an immediate success in the films as Broncho Billy's girl friend, making her debut in 'The Ranch Girl's Mistake' in 1912, she became hughly popular with cinema audience, starring in around 24 short westerns until her last movie 'Broncho Billy Outwitted', sadly in August 1912, she was admitted into an Oakland hospital with stomach pains and died of acute appendicitis, she was only 20 years old. One of the first film actresses to be mourned by the public, her death proved doubly shocking to her parents who reputedly had remained unaware of her film career.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Frank Richardson was an actor, known for George Warrington's Escape (1911), A Diplomat Interrupted (1912) and Pansy (1912). He died on 14 February 1913 in Murrieta Springs, California, USA.- Actress
- Writer
Florence Barker was born on November 22, 1891 in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Norman Barker, was a farmer and she had four siblings. When she was a teenager she began acting with stock companies. She fell in love with actor Joe De Grasse, who was 18 years her senior; they moved in together and he helped guide her career. In 1908 she made her film debut in D.W. Griffith's "An Awful Moment." Over the next three years she appeared in more than 50 films, including "The Course of True Love," "The Diamond Star," and "The Newlyweds" with Mary Pickford. She became one of the first American actresses to make films in Europe. About acting she said "I love the work and would advise any actress to make a try for the pictures. The work is arduous to be sure. No one ever attained success unless it was accomplished by close and concerted application." The talented young actress was signed by Powers Players in 1912. She was given leading roles in the comedies "Her Yesterday" and "The Petticoat Detective." Her performances got good reviews and her future seemed bright. She also wrote the script for her 1912 comedy "Priscilla's Comedy." While visiting her mother in early 1913 she became ill. Tragically, on February 15, 1913 she died from pneumonia at only 21 years old. She was cremated and her ashes were buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.- Joaquin Miller was born on 8 September 1837 in Liberty, Indiana, USA. He was a writer, known for The Danites (1912). He was married to Abigail Leland, Theresa Dyer and Paquita. He died on 16 February 1913 in Oakland, California, USA.
- William A. Russell was born in 1878 in Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for Electric Insoles (1910), Method in His Madness (1910) and Tag Day (1909). He died on 11 January 1914 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- McKee Rankin was born on 6 February 1844 in Sandwich, Ontario, Canada. McKee was a writer, known for The Runaway Wife (1915) and The Danites (1912). McKee was married to Kitty Blanchard (actress). McKee died on 17 March 1914 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Count Alberti was born in September 1849 in Germany. He was an actor, known for A Spanish Wooing (1911), A Diplomat Interrupted (1912) and Merely a Millionaire (1912). He died on 29 October 1914 in California, USA.
- Bertie Pitcairn was born in May 1885 in Pennsylvania, USA. She was an actress, known for Tommy's Tramp (1914), The Horse Thief (1914) and The Love of Tokiwa (1914). She died on 30 November 1914 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Thornton Cole was born in January 1878 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Fleur-de-Lis Ring (1914), Martin Chuzzlewit (1914) and Too Many Burglars (1911). He died on 21 February 1915 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Lincoln Beachey was born on 3 March 1887 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was an actor, known for A Girl of Yesterday (1915), The Universal Boy (1914) and Niagara Falls Celebration (1911). He died on 14 March 1915 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Frank M. Stites was born on 28 February 1882 in Spencer County, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for A Girl of Yesterday (1915), The Mysterious Contragrav (1915) and Grand Opening of the World's Only Movie City (1915). He was married to Jessie Maude Nelson. He died on 16 March 1915 in Universal City, California, USA.
- Will E. Ellis was a writer, known for Between Love and the Law (1912), Roderick's Ride (1912) and The Higher Impulse (1914). Will E. died on 31 March 1915 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
William V. Ranous was born on 12 March 1857 in New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Treasure Island (1913), Othello (1908) and Julius Caesar (1908). He was married to Doris Thompson. He died on 1 April 1915 in Santa Monica, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
Elmer Booth was born on 9 December 1882 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for His Auto's Maiden Trip (1912), Why He Gave Up (1911) and Abe Gets Even with Father (1911). He was married to Irene Outtrim. He died on 16 June 1915 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Nita Allen was an actress, known for Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917) and Daughter of Destiny (1917). She died on 3 July 1915 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Additional Crew
- Writer
George Helgesen Fitch was an American humorist who is best remembered for his book "At Good Old Siwash" (1911), a collection of eleven stories that first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. Drawn from his student days at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, Fitch told of the exploits of the big Swede, Ole Skjarsen and the Eta Bita Pie fraternity.
Fitch helped pay for his college education, starting at the age of nine, from the money he saved while working at the same printing plant that employed his father. Fitch was the oldest of two boys and a daughter born to Elmer and Rachel Fitch. His father had also at one time been a school teacher and later became a publisher.
After college Fitch worked on several newspapers in Illinois and Iowa. In 1912 he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.
Fitch was also remembered for a story he wrote about one of his hobbies "My Demon Motor Boat" (1912).
George Helgesen Fitch died at a hospital in Berkeley, California from complications after a failed appendectomy. He and his wife had been visiting his sister, who was a student at the University of California. Besides his wife, Fitch left behind two young daughters. His remains were laid to rest at a cemetery in Peoria, Illinois.- William H. West was born on 26 July 1860 in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. He was an actor, known for The Fatal Opal (1914), On the Warpath (1911) and Mysteries of the Grand Hotel (1915). He was married to Roumelia G. Morris. He died on 20 August 1915 in Glendale, California, USA.
- Charles Manley was born on 25 September 1830 in Ireland. He was an actor, known for Uncle Josh in a Spooky Hotel (1900), Uncle Josh's Nightmare (1900) and Uncle Josh at the Moving Picture Show (1902). He was married to Amelia Badeau Marcher and Marie ?. He died on 26 February 1916 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Doc Vinard was born in 1879 in England. He was an actor, known for Shattered Memories (1915) and The Statue (1913). He died on 1 March 1916 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Malcolm Strong was born in 1883 in New York, USA. He was a writer, known for The Best Man's Bride (1916), Father's Lucky Escape (1915) and Father's Helping Hand (1915). He died on 3 May 1916 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Clinton Stagg was born in November 1888 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. He was a writer, known for The Race (1916), A Gutter Magdalene (1916) and High Speed (1920). He died on 3 May 1916 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
- Page Peters was born in 1889. He was an actor, known for Madame la Presidente (1916), The Gentleman from Indiana (1915) and The Call of the Cumberlands (1916). He died on 22 June 1916 in Hermosa Beach, California, USA.
- Mary Davenport was born on 1 April 1850 in the USA. She was an actress, known for The Widow of Red Rock (1914). She was married to J. Duke Murray (manager). She died on 26 June 1916 in Fresno, California, USA.
- Actor
- Director
George Osborne was born on 16 December 1848 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He was an actor and director, known for The Social Ghost (1914), The Vigil (1914) and Love's Sacrifice (1914). He was married to Helen Mason and Emma Louisa O'Brien. He died on 11 August 1916 in San Francisco, California, USA.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Handsome, dark wavy-haired leading man who appeared on the New York stage, starred in early silent films (1-3 reelers) as well as directed and wrote scenarios. Worked for various studios including Edison, American, Powers, Rex, Big U (Universal), Laemmle, Nestor and Selig. Still working until the year of his death, he passed away at the age of 37 from paralysis associated with multiple sclerosis which affected his spinal cord. He left his wife Ann and their two year old daughter as well as his parents and two sisters.- Charles Cummings was born in Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Mysteries of the Grand Hotel (1915), The Hidden Children (1917) and The Chalice of Sorrow (1916). He died on 4 October 1916 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- George Elwell was born on 21 April 1893 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for The Raiders (1916). He died on 3 November 1916 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Jack London was the best-selling, highest paid and most popular American author of his time.
He was born John Griffith Chaney, on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. He was raised by his mother Flora Wellman and his stepfather John London (he didn't know who his father was until his adulthood). After graduation from a grammar school he worked 12 to 18 hours a day at a cannery. Jack had a special relationship with his black foster mother, Virginia (Jenny) Prentiss. She loaned him some money and in 1891 he bought a sloop and became an oyster pirate. A few months later he joined the California Fish Patrol. In 1893 he joined the crew of a sealing schooner, bound for Japan. His first story, "Typhoon off the Coast of Japan", based on his sailing experiences, was published in November of 1893. Still unemployed, he became a tramp and hoboed around the country. In 1894 he was arrested for vagrancy and spent a month in jail, where he was a witness to "awful abysses of human degradation." His entire life, after these events, became a race to erase the traumatizing memories of his childhood and youth.
He continued his self-education at the Oakland Public Library. Among his readings were works by Gustave Flaubert and Lev Tolstoy. In 1896 he was admitted to the University of California, but after a year was forced to leave due to financial reasons. In 1897 he went to the Canadian Yukon and joined the Klondike Gold Rush. There he experienced all the hardships of uncivilized life and suffered from--among other things--severe frostbite, scurvy, malaria and dysentery. This left his health seriously impaired. London's struggles for survival inspired "To Build a Fire" (1902), which is considered his best short story. Writing became his ticket out of poverty; a way, in his words, to "sell his brains". His first marriage to Bess Maddern began as a friendship, not love, and ended 3 years later, leaving her with two daughters. His second marriage to Charmian Kittrdge, an editor, lasted until his death.
"The Call of the Wild" (1903) was his biggest success. "The Sea-Wolf" (1904) was turned into the first full-length American movie. Later came "The Iron Heel" (1908), a premonition of the Orwellian world, and the autobiographical "Martin Eden" (1909). The highest-paid writer of his time, he earned over $2 million yet he was always broke. In 1905 he bought a ranch in California, where he designed the first concrete silo in the state. His books provided operating income. He once said, "I would write a book for no other reason than to add three or four hundred acres to my magnificent estate." His ecological approach and effort to adapt the ideas of Asian sustainable agriculture was ahead of his time. In 1913 his Big House was ruined by a devastating fire and Jack was financially and mentally hurt. He built a small cottage and made big plans, but he lived only 3 more years. His 1400-acre ranch is now a National Historic Landmark, named Jack London State Historic Park. The writer's cottage was preserved by his wife Charmian, who lived there until her death in 1955.
His changing views and philosophy were often misunderstood as he grew out of his own mistakes. At one time he wrote, "I have been more stimulated by [Friedrich Nietzsche] than by any other writer in the world." Later London disregarded the "superman" theory of Nietzsche, calling himself Nietschze's "intellectual enemy." His readings of Carl Jung contributed to his complex philosophy. His other influences ranged from Rudyard Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson to Charles Darwin, Aldous Huxley and Karl Marx. While sympathizing with the Mexican revolution in "The Mexican", he wrote differently about it when he was sent to Mexico as a reporter in 1914. By age 40, somewhat disillusioned, he resigned from the Socialist party and from various clubs. During his last years London was in extreme pain, caused by complications from kidney failure (uremia is recorded on his death certificate). He was laid to rest at his ranch according to his will: "And roll over me a red boulder from the ruins of the Big House." - Inez Millholland was born on 6 August 1886 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She was married to Eugen Jan Boissevain. She died on 25 November 1916 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Additional Crew
Jim Kidd was born in 1846 in Texas, USA. He died on 9 December 1916 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Jim Kid was born in 1846 in Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Jordan Is a Hard Road (1915). He died on 9 December 1916 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Soundtrack
Joe Hayden was born in 1845. Joe died on 15 December 1916 in Santa Rose, California, USA.- Soundtrack
George W. Johnson was born in 1839 in near Toronto, Canada. George W. was married to Margaret Clark. George W. died on 2 January 1917 in Pasadena, California, USA.- Matt Snyder was born on 22 March 1835. He was an actor, known for The Garden of Allah (1916), Salomy Jane (1914) and Money (1915). He died on 17 January 1917 in San Francisco, California, USA.
- Daniel Leighton was born in 1880. He was an actor, known for The Phantom's Secret (1917), The Supreme Temptation (1916) and The Crown Prince's Double (1915). He died on 20 January 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actor
- Director
- Stunts
Jack Bonavita was born on 15 December 1865 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and director, known for The Woman, the Lion and the Man (1915), The Wizard of the Jungle (1913) and The Winning of Jess (1915). He was married to HH Princess de Montglyon (Rosalie F. Mercy d'Argenteau). He died on 19 March 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Director
Fatty Voss was born on 12 October 1886 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Fatty's Feature Fillum (1917), Pirates of the Air (1916) and Shot in a Bar Room (1915). He died on 22 April 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Cinematographer
Dent Gilbert was born on 13 February 1892 in Missouri, USA. He was a cinematographer, known for Public Opinion (1916), The Dupe (1916) and The Black Wolf (1917). He died on 26 April 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Harry Fisher Jr. was born on 13 September 1885 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for The Yankee Girl (1915), And Percy Got Married (1915) and Billy Puts One Over (1915). He died on 21 May 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Jack Standing was born on 10 February 1886 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Evangelist (1916), A Father's Love (1913) and The Perils of Pauline (1914). He was married to Patricia Dorothy Harcourt and Catherine Doucet. He died on 26 October 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Charles Marriott was born in 1859 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Betty and the Buccaneers (1917), It's No Laughing Matter (1915) and The Tongues of Men (1916). He died on 7 December 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Lee Arthur was born in 1877 in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA. Lee was a writer, known for Bab the Fixer (1917), Cohen's Luck (1915) and The Mystery of Room 13 (1915). Lee was married to Alice Brown. Lee died on 10 December 1917 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Campbell was born in Sale, Cheshire on 26th April 1880 and began acting as a boy. He married fellow music hall performer Fanny Gertrude Robotham on March 30, 1901 and was later hired by English music hall impresario Fred Karno for his "Fun Factory" comedy troupes that featured other comics like a young Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. Campbell arrived in New York with a Karno troupe in July, 1914 and was soon hired by Broadway producer Charles Frohman. In late 1915 fellow Karno alum Chaplin and his brother Sid found Eric working in a George M. Cohan play "Pom Pom" and in March, 1916, brought him to Hollywood. Built like a wrestler, over 6' tall and over 250 pounds, topped by small shaved head. Chaplin smeared his face with exaggerated eyebrows and darkened eyes, with a scraggly and long beard. He was the menacing bearded ogre opposite Chaplin in his most famous silents. His first Chaplin film was The Floorwalker (1916), playing the role of the villainous heavy, reprised in subsequent classics like The Rink (1916), The Pawnshop (1916), The Adventurer (1917), The Cure (1917), The Immigrant (1917), Easy Street (1917) and Chase me Charlie (1917). By the summer of 1917 Campbell was Chaplin's favorite co-star and foil, and almost as famous as the little comedian. In early 1917 Campbell filmed his last Chaplin Mutual, The Adventurer, after which Chaplin began construction on his own studio on LaBrea Avenue in Hollywood (which still stands today). During the five-month construction period, Chaplin lent Campbell to Mary Pickford, the world's biggest star, to appear in her film Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley (1917). He was on the verge of becoming a world-wide star as filming began. But at the same time that he was becoming famous his personal life was beset by tragedy and scandal. On July 9, 1917 his wife died suddenly of a heart attack after dinner at a Santa Monica restaurant near their home. Walking to a nearby store to buy a mourning dress, his 16-year-old daughter Una was hit by a car a seriously injured. At a September 12th party given for Artcraft Studio publicity man Pete Schmid, Campbell met Pearl Gilman, a diminutive vaudeville comedienne with a family reputation for gold-digging. She had been married to candy heir Charles W. Alisky in 1912, and a few years later divorced and married another wealthy man, Theodore Arnreiter. Her sister Mabelle was married to elderly steel magnate William E. Corey, the owner of U.S. Steel. Just five days after they met, Campbell and Gilman Alisky-Arnreiter were married at the home of Elaine Hardy at 824 5th Street in Santa Monica. His daughter Una, still recuperating at a friend's home in Santa Monica canyon, was not told of the wedding for several weeks. Less than two months after marrying the gentle giant, Gilman Alisky-Arnreiter sued him for divorce. He moved out of the Santa Monica bungalow and into the Los Angeles Athletic Club, taking a room next to his best friend Chaplin. A month later later on December 20, Campbell attended a Christmas party at the Vernon Country Club, and drove back to L.A. in a drunken stupor. Approaching the intersection of Wilshire Blvd. and Vermont Ave. at over 60 m.p.h., he lost control of his car, crossed Wilshire and hit another car head-on. He was killed instantly, his massive body locked in the crumpled wreckage for over five hours. Heartbreak never left Campbell, even in death. After his remains were cremated, his ashes were sent to the Rosedale Cemetery, where they remained for six months while the cemetery waited in vain for someone to pay for his funeral. When the bill remained unpaid, the urn was returned to the Handley Mortuary, where it sat unnoticed in a closet from 1917 until late 1938. When the mortuary closed the urn was sent back to Rosedale, where it sat in another closet for still another 13 years. In 1952 a kindhearted office worker arranged for Campbell's remains to finally be buried. But, unfortunately, he forgot to record exactly where Campbell was buried, so the burly Scotsman is lost among the markers and statues in the quiet cemetery. In conjunction with a Scottish film about Campbell's life, a memorial plaque was laid in 1996. Campbell's death had a profound effect on Chaplin, and a quieter effect on movie history. After that time, Chaplin's movies lost some of their comic mystery; that certain something that his Mutual films had but subsequent films did not. His later works were much more self-centered and missing the comic give-and-take of his work with Campbell. There's no telling how famous Eric Campbell would have become, or what different films Chaplin may have done with his burly best friend.
- J. Frank Burke was born on 22 April 1867 in Hartland, Vermont, USA. He was an actor, known for The Iced Bullet (1917), Madcap Madge (1917) and The Italian (1915). He died on 23 January 1918 in Los Angeles, California, USA.