Betty Compson was an American actress and film producer who got her start during Hollywood's silent era. She is best known for her performances in The Docks of New York and The Barker, the latter of which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
The Barker is a 1928 American part-talkie pre-Code romantic drama film produced and released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., acquired in September 1928. The film was directed by George Fitzmaurice and stars Milton Sills, Dorothy Mackaill, Betty Compson, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The Barker is a part-talkie with talking sequences and sequences with synchronized musical scoring and sound effects. The film was adapted by Benjamin Glazer, Joseph Jackson and Herman J. Mankiewicz from the play by Kenyon Nicholson.
James Cornelius Kirkwood Sr. was an American actor and director.
The Big City is a 1928 American silent crime film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney. Waldemar Young wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Tod Browning. The film is now lost.
Hollywood is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by James Cruze, co-written by Frank Condon and Thomas J. Geraghty, and released by Paramount Pictures. The film is a lengthier feature follow-up to Paramount's own short film exposé of itself, A Trip to Paramountown from 1922.
For Those We Love is a 1921 American silent romantic drama film produced by and starring Betty Compson, and featuring Lon Chaney and Richard Rosson. Written and directed by Arthur Rosson, the film was based on a story by Perley Poore Sheehan (who later co-wrote the script for Chaney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The film was distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. Some sources list the release date as being in March 1921. This is unlikely since the film was only copyrighted in July, but the exact release date has not been confirmed. It is now considered a lost film. A still exists showing Chaney holding the heroine.
To Have and to Hold is a 1916 American silent adventure/drama film directed by George Melford. Based on the 1899 novel of the same name, the film starred Wallace Reid and Mae Murray in her film debut.
To Have and to Hold is a 1922 American silent historical drama film. Based on the 1899 novel of the same name. The film was directed by George Fitzmaurice and starred Bert Lytell and Betty Compson.
To the Ladies is a 1923 American silent comedy film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures. It is based on a 1922 Broadway play, To the Ladies, by George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly.
Ladies Must Live is a 1921 American silent societal drama film directed by George Loane Tucker and released by Paramount Pictures. It was the last directorial effort of George Loane Tucker and was released four months after his death. Betty Compson stars along with Leatrice Joy, John Gilbert and Mahlon Hamilton. It was one of the few instances where future husband and wife Joy and Gilbert appeared in the same film.
The Little Minister is a 1921 American silent drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is based on an 1891 novel and 1897 play by J. M. Barrie. Betty Compson stars in the film. Earlier film adaptations of Barrie's novel were mad and this one was released within weeks of a version by Vitagraph starring Alice Calhoun.
Scarlet Seas is a surviving 1929 American synchronized sound romantic adventure film produced by Richard A. Rowland and distributed by First National Pictures. Although there is no audible dialogue, the film was released with a musical score with sound effects using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc recording process. The picture was directed by John Francis Dillon. It starred Richard Barthelmess, Betty Compson, and a teen-aged Loretta Young. Originally, the film was presumed lost.
Prisoners of Love is a lost 1921 American silent drama film produced by and starring Betty Compson and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. It was directed by Arthur Rosson and was Compson's first film after a year's hiatus from film making.
The Enemy Sex is a 1924 American silent drama film starring Betty Compson and directed by her husband James Cruze. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and released by Paramount Pictures. It is taken from the 1914 novel The Salamander by Owen Johnson.
Cheating Cheaters is a 1927 American silent comedy crime film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Edward Laemmle and starred Betty Compson. This film was based on a 1916 Broadway play of the same name by Max Marcin.
Eve's Daughter is a 1918 American silent comedy-drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by James Kirkwood and starred popular theatre star Billie Burke.
The Woman With Four Faces is a lost 1923 American silent crime melodrama film directed by Herbert Brenon and starring Betty Compson. Famous Players–Lasky produced while Paramount Pictures released. The story is based on a play, The Woman With Four Faces, by Bayard Veiller.
Locked Doors is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film directed by William C. deMille and starring Betty Compson. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures.
The Top of the World is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by George Melford and starring James Kirkwood, Sr., Anna Q. Nilsson, Joseph Kilgour, Mary Mersch, Raymond Hatton, Sheldon Lewis, and Charles A. Post. Based on a 1920 novel of the same title by Ethel M. Dell, the screenplay was written by Jack Cunningham. It was released on February 9, 1925, by Paramount Pictures.
The Branding Iron is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Barbara Castleton and James Kirkwood. It was produced by Barker and Samuel Goldwyn and distributed by Goldwyn Pictures. Castleton appeared nude in the film, which caused the particular scene to be cut in some parts of the country. Pennsylvania banned the film altogether due to the topic of infidelity.
