Sidney Bracey | |
|---|---|
 Bracey, c. 1914 | |
| Born | 18 December 1877 |
| Died | 5 August 1942 (aged 64) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1909–1942 |
| Parent(s) | Henry Bracy Clara T. Bracy |
| Relatives | Lydia Thompson (aunt) |
Sidney Bracey (born Sidney Bracy; 18 December 1877 – 5 August 1942) was an Australian-born American actor. After a stage career in Australia, on Broadway and in Britain, he performed in more than 320 films between 1909 and 1942.
Bracey was born in Melbourne, Victoria, with the name Sidney Bracy, later changing the spelling of his last name. He was the son of Welsh tenor Henry Bracy and English actress Clara T. Bracy. His aunt was the actress and dancer Lydia Thompson. He was educated at Melbourne University. [1]
He began his stage career in Australia in the 1890s, with J. C. Williamson's comic opera companies. On Broadway, in 1900, he appeared as the tenor lead, Yussuf, in the first American production of The Rose of Persia at Daly's Theatre in New York. He then moved to England, appearing as Moreno in the Edwardian musical comedy hit The Toreador at the Gaiety Theatre, London in June 1901. He next joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company on tour in Britain, playing Terence O'Brian in The Emerald Isle from September 1901 to May 1902. He continued his stage career in Britain in Amorelle at London's Comedy Theatre in 1904, The Winter's Tale in 1904–05, and A Persian Princess at Queen's Theatre in 1909, [2] and also played roles in Shakespeare plays on Broadway in 1904 and 1905. [1] Back on Broadway, in 1912, he played Sir Guy of Gisborne in a revival of Reginald de Koven's Robin Hood at the New Amsterdam Theatre, [3] followed by Rob Roy at the Liberty Theatre in 1913. [1]
Bracey then moved into film acting, making first silent films and then "talkies", until his death in 1942, while also performing in live acts together with friends such as Frank Farrington and James Cruze. [1] Early in his film career, from 1913 to 1915, he worked for the Thanhouser Company in dozens of films, often playing butler roles, such as in The Million Dollar Mystery . There he co-wrote and directed a silent movie called Sid Nee's Finish (1914), in which he played the title character. In 1914, he married Evelyn Forshay. [1] After Thanhouser, he worked with several major studios. By 1916, he changed the spelling of his last name to "Bracey". Silent film authority Diane MacIntyre gave this description of him: "Bracey, a stately looking character man, was in big demand for authority like roles; such as movie directors, bosses and, most of the time, the most respectable and poised butler in all of Hollywood. He was thin, dark haired and had an earnest, yet sober, face that could break into a look of wide-eyed exasperation." [2]
Bracey died in Hollywood, California, on 5 August 1942, aged 64. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles. [4]
Tully Marshall was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning almost three decades.
Leo White, was a German-born British-American film and stage actor who appeared as a character actor in many Charlie Chaplin films.
Arthur Hoyt was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 275 films in his 34-year film career, about a third of them silent films.
Robert Zigler Leonard was an American film director, actor, producer, and screenwriter.
Irving Caminsky was an American movie actor and director.
Montagu Love was an English screen, stage and vaudeville actor.
William Nigh was an American film director, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye".
Lucien Littlefield was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men before he was of voting age.
Joseph W. Girard was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1911 and 1944. He was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.
Theodore von Eltz was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March.
Wade Boteler was an American film actor and writer. He appeared in more than 430 films between 1919 and 1943.
Harry C. Myers was an American film actor and director, sometimes credited as Henry Myers. He performed in many short comedy films with his wife Rosemary Theby. Myers appeared in 330 films between 1908 and 1938, and directed more than 50 films between 1913 and 1917.
Harvey Harris Gates was an American screenwriter of the silent era. He wrote for more than 200 films between 1913 and 1948. He was born in Hawaii and died in Los Angeles, California.
George Davis was a Dutch-born American actor. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1916 and 1963. He was born in Amsterdam and died in Los Angeles, California, from cancer.
John M. St. Polis was an American actor.
George Fawcett was an American stage and film actor of the silent era.
George Henry Irving was an American film actor and director.
Robert Frazer was an American actor who appeared in some 224 shorts and films from the 1910s until his death. He began in films with the Eclair company which released through Universal Pictures.
Oliver T. Marsh was a prolific Hollywood cinematographer. He worked on over eighty films just for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer alone.
| General | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | |
| Other | |
