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1-50 of 392
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Jessie Ralph was a sailor's daughter, who first came to the stage at the age of 16, performing with a stock company in either Boston, Massachusetts, or Providence, Rhode Island (accounts differ). The year was 1880, and it took Jessie another 26 years to make her debut on the Great White Way in "The Kreutzer Sonata". Already a seasoned actress, she enjoying third billing. Her screen career started with one and two reelers as early as 1915, but her proper entry into Hollywood did not come about until 1933.
For more than 20 years, plump, down-to-earth Jessie made her reputation as a character actress on Broadway playing an assortment of nurses, maids and aunts. She was used in musicals by George M. Cohan and acted in Shakespearean roles, from "Twelfth Night" to "Romeo and Juliet". She was nurse to Jane Cowl's Juliet in the 1923 play which ran for an unprecedented 174 performances and co-starred Eva Le Gallienne and Katharine Cornell (amazing, when considering that the star was already 39 years old!). Like other successful actresses of the stage, Jessie was brought to Hollywood to reprise a Broadway hit role, in this case her Aunt Minnie in Child of Manhattan (1933).
After half a lifetime in the theatre, Jessie's sojourn in Hollywood was relatively brief but marked by a series of memorable performances. She was the definitive incarnation of the endearing nurse Peggotty in David Copperfield (1935) and played Greta Garbo's loyal maid Nanine in Camille (1936). She was the matriarch of the Whiteoaks of Jalna (1935), an adaptable society matron in San Francisco (1936) and harridan of a mother-in-law to W.C. Fields, Hermisillo Brunch, in The Bank Dick (1940). Whether in comedy or drama, as a Chinese aunt in both stage and screen versions of The Good Earth (1937), or a kindly sorceress in The Blue Bird (1940), Jessie gave consistently good value for money. The New York Times review of October 12, 1935, wrote of her performance in I Live My Life (1935): "Jessie Ralph as the tyrannical head of the family, proves again that she is the best of the screen grandmothers".
Jessie retired from acting in 1941 after having a leg amputated and died three years later.- Marie Ault was born on 2 September 1870 in Wigan, Lancashire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927), Fanny Hawthorne (1927) and Major Barbara (1941). She was married to James Alexander Paterson. She died on 9 May 1951 in London, England, UK.
- Director
- Cinematographer
- Writer
In the late 1890s Porter worked as both a projectionist and mechanic, eventually becoming director and cameraman for the Edison Manufacturing Company. Influenced by both the "Brighton school" and the story films of Georges Méliès, Porter went on to make important shorts such as Life of an American Fireman (1903) and The Great Train Robbery (1903). In them, he helped to develop the modern concept of continuity editing, paving the way for D.W. Griffith who would expand on Porter's discovery that the unit of film structure was the shot rather than the scene. Porter, in an attempt to resist the new industrial system born out of the popularity of nickelodeons, left Edison in 1909 to form his own production company which he eventually sold in 1912.- Albert Fish was born on 19 May 1870 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He died on 16 January 1936 in Ossining, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
Character actor in films, often portraying strident types, he is best remembered cast as "The Thin Man" (actually, "Wynant") of the hit 1934 MGM film. He Ellis was active on Broadway as an actor, producer and playwright from 1905-32 (see "Other Works"). He died in Beverly Hills, CA at age 81 in 1952.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Edward LeSaint was born on 13 December 1870 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Modern Times (1936), Merely Mary Ann (1920) and Only a Shop Girl (1922). He was married to Stella Razeto. He died on 10 September 1940 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Richard Bennett was born on 21 May 1870 in Deer Creek, Indiana, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Home Towners (1928) and Damaged Goods (1914). He was married to Aimee Raisch Hastings, Adrienne Morrison and Grena Heller. He died on 22 October 1944 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Actor
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (22 April 1870 - 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin, was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924. Under his administration, Russia, and later the Soviet Union, became a one-party socialist state governed by the Communist Party. Ideologically a Marxist, his developments to the ideology are called Leninism.- Actor
- Soundtrack
A man so disagreeable on celluloid, Claude Gillingwater's characters seemed to subsist on a steady diet of persimmons. Fondly recalled as the cranky old skinflint whose seemingly cold heart could only be warmed by the actions of a cute little tyke, the tall and rangy Gillingwater invariably played much older than he was. He, with the omnipresent bushy brows, crop of silver hair and perpetually sour puss, had a much more versatile career than perhaps realized -- on both stage and in film. Most assuredly, this caustic screen image he perfected belied a softer, gentler off-screen demeanor for he was a kind and sympathetic gent and devoted husband to wife Carlyn Stiletz (or Stellith). Their only child, Claude Gillingwater Jr., briefly became an actor himself. Sadly, Gillingwater Sr.'s thriving character career ended on a grim and tragic note in 1939.
Born Claude Benton Gillingwater on August 2, 1879, in the small Mississippi River town of Louisiana, Missouri, he was the son of James E. and Lucy (Hunter) Gillingwater and attended St. Louis High School. For a time he was an apprentice to a lawyer uncle, but he eventually left home and joined a traveling stock company. Gradually building up his nascent career on the stage, he was discovered by theater impresario David Belasco. Gillingwater proceeded strongly on the Broadway stage beginning with a melodramatic role in "A Young Wife" (1899). This led to a well-received series of parts for the next full decade in New York ranging from high drama ("Madame Butterfly", "Du Barry") to operettas ("Mlle. Modiste," "The Old Town," "The Girl in the Train") to original works ("The Only Son," "The New Secretary").
1918 was a banner year for Gillingwater for he not only appeared in the hit Broadway show "Three Wise Fools," but also made his silent film debut in support of Gladys Leslie and Richard Barthelmess in Wild Primrose (1918). This disagreeable typecast began to assert itself with his second movie three years later as the grumbling, icy-souled Earl of Dorincourt whose grandson helps reveal his tenderer side in Little Lord Fauntleroy (1921), which starred America's sweetheart Mary Pickford in a dual role.
A rash of leading/co-starring roles came with the immediate impact of this single success, including Crinoline and Romance (1923) with Viola Dana, Alice Adams (1923) with Florence Vidor, Dulcy (1923) with Constance Talmadge, and Three Wise Fools (1923) with Eleanor Boardman. The last film mentioned gave him the opportunity to repeat his 1918 Broadway triumph. More than not, however, he was supporting the Hollywood elite such as kid star Jackie Coogan in My Boy (1921), Richard Dix in Fools First (1922) and The Christian (1923), 'Leonore Ulric' in Tiger Rose (1923), Alla Nazimova in Madonna of the Streets (1924), Ronald Colman in A Thief in Paradise (1925), Anna Q. Nilsson in Winds of Chance (1925), and Colleen Moore in Oh Kay! (1928). Sometimes his character's names reflected his curt, stern image -- names such as John P. Grout, Lord Storm and Simon Peck.
A founding member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (1927), he advanced into the talking era of films with equal verve, although his roles were, more often than not, token grouches. Some of his more distinctive parts came with the films A Tale of Two Cities (1935) (as Jarvis Lorry), Mississippi (1935) and The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936). He proved to be an excellent crabapple foil for 20th Century-Fox moppet star Shirley Temple in Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) and subsequently appeared in two more of her pictures - Just Around the Corner (1938) and Little Miss Broadway (1938).
Gillingwater played a few more curmudgeons in his last years but this period of time was to be marked by acute sadness and physical/mental hardship. A serious accident on the movie set of the picture Florida Special (1936) (he fell from a platform and injured his back) damaged his health and threatened his career, and the death of his long-time wife Carlyn left him irrevocably depressed. Fearing the possibility of becoming an invalid and wishing not to become a serious burden to anyone, the 69-year-old actor committed suicide at his Beverly Hills home with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head on November 1, 1939. Gillingwater left a fine Hollywood legacy and the fun of some of his old films is watching his vinegar turn to sugar.- Actor
- Additional Crew
As a young boy in England, Lawrence Grant became a great admirer of the Native American peoples. He devoured every book or article he could get his hands on relating to their culture and history. Years later Grant got the opportunity to spend some months living with several Native American tribes in Wyoming and Montana. He filmed his experiences using an early motion picture color film process called Kinemacolor. Later, after editing the thousands of feet of film he shot, Grant embarked on a lecture tour that he named "Travels with Kinemacolor".
Grant first came to America in 1908 with a repertoire company that also starred Pauline Frederick. Within a few years he was able to launch a successful 25 year career as a Hollywood character actor.
Lawrence Grant died on 19 February 1952, in Santa Barbara, California, at the age of 81. His health began to fail him the previous year after four performances he gave at the Santa Barbara Lobero Theater during a major heat wave. Though married four times, the only immediate family he had at the time of his death was four nieces living in England.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Charles Sellon was born on 24 August 1870 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Make Me a Star (1932), The Monster (1925) and Bright Eyes (1934). He was married to Florence E. Willis. He died on 26 June 1937 in La Crescenta, California, USA.- D'Arcy Corrigan was born on 2 January 1870 in County Cork, Ireland, UK [now Republic of Ireland]. He was an actor, known for The Last Warning (1928), A Christmas Carol (1938) and Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927). He died on 25 December 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Samuel Adams was born on 16 December 1870 in Ontario, Canada. He was an actor, known for Pick a Star (1937), Amateur Crook (1937) and The Luckiest Girl in the World (1936). He died on 24 March 1958 in Sun Valley, California, USA.
- Rosa Luxemburg was born on 5 March 1870 in Zamosc, Poland, Russian Empire [now Zamosc, Lubelskie, Poland]. She was a writer, known for Valitsen rohkeuden (1977). She was married to Gustav Lübeck. She died on 15 January 1919 in Berlin, Germany.
- Actress
Felipa Gómez was born on 10 September 1870 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was an actress. She died on 15 April 1967 in Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Jack Richardson was born on 18 November 1870 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Midnight Express (1924), The Old Maid's Baby (1919) and The Toll Gate (1920). He was married to Louise Lester and Florence Stone. He died on 12 June 1960 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Charles Hill Mailes was born on 25 May 1870 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was an actor, known for The Mark of Zorro (1920), The Hungarian Nabob (1915) and Money Madness (1917). He was married to Claire McDowell. He died on 17 February 1937 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Anders Randolf was born Anders Randrup in Denmark 1870.
His parents were Matthius Randrup and Kristine Jensen. He had a number of siblings - two of which were sisters Kirstine Randrup born in 1884 and Jensine Marie Randrup born 1880. He grew up on Old Rybjergaard farm, living with an Aunt rather than his parents. Her name was Marie (Randrup) and she was married to Anders Kristian Jensen.
Anders moved to the USA around 1890-1893. When Anders first got to the USA he went to live with an Aunt in Denver. When she died a short time later he moved to Chicago and entered the army. He became an officer and taught fencing. In 1912 he moved to New York and started working for movie studio Vitagraph.
He got married in the United States. His wife was Dorthea Amdersine Jorgensen (b. 1890) and she was from Denmark. They had one daughter Karen Kristine Randolf (1917-1989). After his death in 1930 there was a grand funeral in Hollywood. A short time later his wife and daughter moved back to Denmark.
In 1942 his daughter had one son who was named Peter Michael Mogens Randolf. (Father unclear but her son was given the Randolf surname)) His Grandson Peter married (Kirsten) and they had a son named Anders Peter Randolf II, born July 26,1973. His grandson died in 1991. - Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Dadasaaheb Phalke was born in 1870 in Trymbakeshwar in Nasik. He was born to a Sanskrit scholar, he studied at J.J. college of Art in Bombay and at Kala Bhavan, Baroda. He then studied architecture and became landscape painter of academic nature studies. He worked in a photographic studio and at Ratlam learned three-colour block making and ceramics. He then worked as a portrait photographer, stage make-up man, assistant to a German illusionist and as a magician! He was offered backing to start an Art Printing Press and his backers to acquaint him with the latest printing process arranged for him to go to Germany provided that he remain with the company. But by the time Phalke returned he knew that a printing career would not satisfy him. He raised loan from his friend and pledging his life insurance, Phalke went to England in 1912 to purchase the necessary equipment and acquaint himself with the technical aspects of filmmaking. When he returned from London he launched Raja Harishchandra about an honest king who for the sake of his principles sacrifices his kingdom and family before the gods impressed with his honesty restore him to his former glory and this movie was released in 1913. Later he produced Mohini Bhasmasur (1913),Satyavan Savitri (1914), Lanka Dahan (1917), Shri Krishna Janam (1918) and Kaliya Madan (1919). Due to changing tastes of movies and extreme commercialised atmosphere in film world, Phalke retired. Later in 1937 he produced Gangavataram (1937), but he had lost his magic. He died in Nasik, a forgotten man. But today he is considered as a pioneer of Indian cinema and a prestigious Indian film industry award is named after him.- Coming to the U.S. in 1884, Vassar performed as a musical/comic star during the 1890s. She played in "The Lady of the Slipper; Or, A Modern Cinderella" which opened at the Globe Theatre in New York in 1912 and ran for 232 performances.
- Marion Ballou was born on 17 October 1870 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She was an actress, known for The Big Pond (1930), Little Women (1933) and The Melody Lingers On (1935). She was married to George Pauncefort. She died on 25 March 1939 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Franklin Dyall was born on 3 February 1870 in Liverpool, England, UK. He was an actor and director, known for The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), Easy Virtue (1927) and The Gaunt Stranger (1931). He was married to Mary Merrall and Mary Phyllis Logan. He died on 8 May 1950 in Worthing, Sussex, England, UK.- Louÿs' refined evocations, not to say re-inventions, of the society of Hellenistic Greece proved extremely popular in both France and the English speaking world, especially due to the somewhat risque nature of such works as Aphrodite (1896) and Les Chansons de Bilitis (1894). He lived his entire life in Paris, travelling occasionally around the Mediterranean coast where so many of his works of art were set. He had close friends among the writers of his day but otherwise kept among himself rather apart from literary cliques except for that of Mallarme.
- Actor
- Writer
Norman McKinnel was born on 10 February 1870 in Maxwelltown, Scotland, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Hindle Wakes (1931), Hindle Wakes (1918) and Fanny Hawthorne (1927). He was married to Gertrude Scott. He died on 29 March 1932 in Bloomsbury, London, England, UK.- Stocky, bespectacled English character actor, whose career began in the music halls. Educated at Dover College, Oliver Burchett Clarence acted in repertory theatre from 1890. He then worked as a member of actor-manager Frank Benson's troupe for a number of years. During the First World War, he served as a special constable. After the war, Clarence undertook extensive classical training in Britain and America and subsequently accumulated a long list of credits on London's Shakespearean stage. A regular in British films from 1930, he was generally well-cast in period drama or comedy, often as cloth-capped working class types, priests or likable old dodderers. O.B. Clarence retired from acting at the age of eighty.