Florence Lawrence was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was long thought to be the first film actor to be named publicly until evidence published in 2019 indicated that the first named film star was French actor Max Linder. At the height of her fame in the 1910s, she was known as the "Biograph Girl" for work as one of the leading ladies in silent films from the Biograph Company. She appeared in almost 300 films for various motion picture companies throughout her career.
Carl Laemmle was a German-American film producer and the co-founder and, until 1934, owner of Universal Pictures. He produced or worked on over 400 films.
Francis Xavier Bushman was an American film actor and director. His career as a matinee idol started in 1911 in the silent film His Friend's Wife. He gained a large female following and was one of the biggest stars of the 1910s and early 1920s.
James Neil Hamilton was an American stage, film and television actor, best remembered for his role as Commissioner Gordon on the Batman TV series of the 1960s, having first played a character by that name in 1928's Three Weekends. During his motion picture career, which spanned more than a half century, Hamilton performed in over 260 productions in the silent and sound eras.
Beverly Bayne was an American actress who appeared in silent films beginning in 1910 in Chicago, Illinois, where she worked for Essanay Studios.
Sally O'Neil was an American film actress of the 1920s. She appeared in more than 40 films, often with her name above the title.
Ruth Stonehouse was an actress and film director during the silent film era. Her stage career started at the age of eight as a dancer in Arizona shows.
Say It with Sables is a 1928 silent drama film directed by Frank Capra and produced by Harry Cohn for Columbia Pictures. Columbia no longer has a negative or print of this film, so the film is considered a lost film. Various film festivals have run a surviving trailer for the film during retrospectives of Capra's work.
Take Me Home is a 1928 silent comedy produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Marshall Neilan and starred Bebe Daniels and Neil Hamilton.
Romeo and Juliet is a lost 1916 American silent film based on William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet. John W. Noble is credited as director and Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne star as the lovers. This film was produced in 1916, the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, and was released amongst many other commemorations of his works.
The Charge of the Gauchos is a 1928 American-Argentine silent historical film directed by Albert H. Kelley and starring Francis X. Bushman, Jacqueline Logan, and Guido Trento. Bushman plays Manuel Belgrano, one of the leaders of the 1810 May Revolution. The film's Spanish title refers to a line from the Argentine national anthem. It was made as a patriotic endeavor designed to boost the small Argentine film industry, but with enough action and romance to appeal to international audiences particularly in the UK and the United States. The film was also released under the title The Beautiful Spy.
The Marriage Clause is a 1926 silent film drama directed by Lois Weber and starring Francis X. Bushman and Billie Dove. It was produced and released by Universal Pictures. The film marked a return to directing for Weber, who had taken a break for a few years.
The Shield of Honor is a 1927 American silent crime drama film directed by Emory Johnson based on the original story by Emilie Johnson. It starred Neil Hamilton, Dorothy Gulliver, and Ralph Lewis. This film explores a new branch of law enforcement - the Sky Cops. We follow the story of Jack MacDowell, the department's first pilot. During his new duties, Jack acquires a love interest and enlists the help of his retired father. They all work together, attempting to solve a series of diamond heists. Jack and his father deal with burning buildings, exchanging gunfire with jewel thieves, and a spectacular aerial battle. They finally arrest the perpetrators. Following its New York City premiere on December 10, 1927, the film was released on February 18, 1928, by Universal Pictures.
Ernst Laemmle (1900–1950) was a German screenwriter and film director. He was the nephew of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle and like many of his relatives he was brought over to America to work for the studio. Ernst directed a number of short western films during the silent era. He also directed films for Universal's German subsidiary.
The Thirteenth Juror is a 1927 American silent mystery film directed by Edward Laemmle and written by Charles Logue and Walter Anthony. It is based on the 1908 play Counsel for the Defense by Henry Irving Dodge. The film stars Anna Q. Nilsson, Francis X. Bushman, Walter Pidgeon, Martha Mattox, Sidney Bracey and Sailor Sharkey. The film was released on November 13, 1927, by Universal Pictures.
The Morals of Hilda is a 1916 American silent film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. The melodrama is based on the story of Henry Christeen Warnack and features Gretchen Lederer, Lois Wilson and Emory Johnson.
Doctor Neighbor is a 1916 American silent feature film black and white melodrama. The film was directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. It stars Hobart Bosworth and pairs Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson in leading roles.
Heartaches is a 1916 American silent short film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. The film is based on a story by Grant Carpenter. This drama's features Dorothy Davenport, Alfred Allen, and Emory Johnson.
The Unattainable is a 1916 American Blank and White silent drama directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. The film is based on the story by Elwood D. Henning. The photoplay stars Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson.
Black Friday was a 1916 American silent Feature film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. Universal based the film on the novel written by Frederic S. Isham and adapted for the screen by Eugenie Magnus Ingleton. The drama stars Dorothy Davenport, Emory Johnson, and a cast of Universal contract players.
