James Malachi Rennie (April 18, 1889 – July 31, 1965) was a Canadian American actor who performed on the New York stage and also appeared in several Hollywood films during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He became a U.S. citizen in New York in 1933.

Early life

Of Scottish descent, he was born on April 18, 1889, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of John and Margaret Rennie, both of whom were

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into se ...

. As a youth he acted in a number of stage productions including roles in such Shakespearean plays as ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...

'', ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'', and ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

''. It wasn't long before he was bit by the acting bug. In June 1917, during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, Rennie enrolled in the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry divisi ...

and became a part of the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

's Officers Training Company; while involved in this he and other officers would put on their own productions to show to the general public. He served in France for two years as a British Royal Flying Corps pilot. After the war ended in November 1918 Rennie decided to leave Canada for California to begin a career in American films. In the 1920s Rennie divided his time between the Broadway stage and making silent films. The first stage play in which he won his first acclaim was ''

Moonlight and Honeysuckle ''Moonlight and Honeysuckle'' is a 1921 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Mary Miles Minter and Monte Blue. It was adapted by Barbara Kent from the 1919 stage play of the same name by George Scarboro ...

'' (1919).

Film career

His first film role came in ''

Remodeling Her Husband ''Remodeling Her Husband'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film that marked the only time Lillian Gish directed a film. D. W. Griffith is stated in some sources as co-director or perhaps had limited input as the production was filmed at his Ma ...

'', and while making that film he met Dorothy Gish and they began a romantic relationship. In December 1920 they were married in a double wedding ceremony alongside actress

Constance Talmadge Constance Alice Talmadge (April 19, 1898 – November 23, 1973) was an American silent film star. She was the sister of actresses Norma and Natalie Talmadge. Early life Talmadge was born on April 19, 1898 in Brooklyn, New York, to poor p ...

who was a good friend of Gish. Now that Rennie was married and had Lillian Gish as a

sister-in-law A sibling-in-law is the spouse of one's sibling, or the sibling of one's spouse, or the person who is married to the sibling of one's spouse.Cambridge Dictionaries Online.Family: non-blood relations. More commonly, a sibling-in-law is referred ...

many doors began to open for him. His next film role was as Robert Van Nuys in ''Flying Pat'' opposite his sister-in-law in the role of her husband. During the 1920s he made ten other appearances in silent films between 1922 and 1926; his other silent film credits included roles in ''Dust Flower'' (1922), ''The Bad Man'' (1923), ''The Moral Sinner'' (1924), ''Restless Wives'' (1924), ''

Clothes Make the Pirate ''Clothes Make the Pirate'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Leon Errol and Dorothy Gish. The film was written by Marion Fairfax from the novel of the same name by Holman Francis Day. Synopsis T ...

'' (1925), and the 1926 version of '' Camille'' with

Anita Loos Corinne Anita Loos (April 26, 1888 – August 18, 1981) was an American actress, novelist, playwright and screenwriter. In 1912, she became the first female staff screenwriter in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood, when D. W. Griffith put h ...

in the title role. After the release of ''Camille'' Rennie took four years away from film making to take more time in his marriage to Dorothy. During his hiatus talking films revolutionized the film industry.

Career in sound films

In 1930, Rennie made his return to the American screen in his talking debut in a sound remake of ''The Bad Man'' originating the role he played in the original version. He would make six other sound films between 1932 and 1933; during this time he began co-starring with some of Hollywood's other silent film stars making the transition to sound films as well as up-and-coming actors who would gain their popularity by decade's end; they including the likes of

Ann Harding Ann Harding (born Dorothy Walton Gatley; August 7, 1902 – September 1, 1981) was an American theatre, motion picture, radio, and television actress. A regular player on Broadway and in regional theater in the 1920s, in the 1930s Harding was ...

in ''Girl of the Golden West'' (1930),

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

in ''Illicit'' (1931),

Richard Barthelmess Richard Semler Barthelmess (May 9, 1895 – August 17, 1963) was an American film actor, principally of the Hollywood silent era. He starred opposite Lillian Gish in D. W. Griffith's ''Broken Blossoms'' (1919) and ''Way Down East'' (1920) and w ...

Mary Astor Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...

, and

Marian Nixon Marian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen; October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. Sometimes credited as Marion Nixon, she appeared in more than 70 films. Career Born in Superior, Wisconsin, to parents of Finnish descent, N ...

in ''The Lash'' (1931),

Dorothy Mackaill Dorothy Mackaill (March 4, 1903 – August 12, 1990) was a British-American actress, most active during the silent-film era and into the pre-Code era of the early 1930s. Early life Born in Sculcoates, Kingston upon Hull in 1903 (although she ...

and Donald Cook in ''Party Husband'' (1931), and

Olive Borden Olive Mary Borden (July 14, 1906 – October 1, 1947) was an American film and stage actress who began her career during the silent film era. She was nicknamed "the Joy Girl", after playing the lead in the 1927 film of that same title. Borden ...

in ''The Divorce Racket'' (1932). In 1933, he made one more film entitled '' The Little Damozel'' opposite

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in the British cinema ...

and upon the film's completion he did not return to the screen for seven years.

Later stage and screen career and retirement

By 1934, Rennie's union with Dorothy Gish was disintegrating and on October 11, 1935 he and Gish divorced. In the following year he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In 1939 he married a Warner Bros. dress extra named Sara Eldon McConnell who had been a divorcee herself a few years prior to their marriage. In 1941, he returned to the screen in the role of Ned Franklyn in ''

Skylark ''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...

'' opposite such acclaimed performers as

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...

Brian Aherne William Brian de Lacy Aherne (2 May 190210 February 1986) was an English actor of stage, screen, radio and television, who enjoyed a long and varied career in Britain and the United States. His first Broadway appearance in '' The Barretts of ...

, and Grant Mitchell. After his screen return Rennie found that he enjoyed being back to the art of screen acting. However, as with the case of Ona Munson, Hollywood wasn't kind to the actors who abandoned the film industry during the midpoint of the early sound era and decent roles were difficult to find. Meanwhile, his career on the New York stage continued to flourish. He starred in many Broadway productions, including ''Murder at the Vanities'' (1933–34); ''Divided By Three'' (1935); ''Knock on Wood'' (1935); ''Co-Respondent Unknown'' (1936) with

Ilka Chase Ilka Chase (April 8, 1905 – February 15, 1978) was an American actress, radio host, and novelist. Biography Born in New York City and educated at convent and boarding schools in the United States, England, and France, Chase was the only child ...

; ''Miss Quis'' (1937); ''I Must Love Someone'' (1939) with

Martha Sleeper Martha Sleeper (June 24, 1910 – March 25, 1983) was a film actress of the 1920s–1930s and, later, a Broadway stage actress. She studied dancing for five years with Russian ballet master, Louis H. Chalif, at his New York dancing studio. ...

; ''Russian Bank'' (1940), ''One Man Show'' (1945) with

Constance Cummings Constance Cummings CBE (May 15, 1910 – November 23, 2005) was an American-British actress with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life Cummings was born in Seattle, Washington, the only daughter and younger child of Kate Logan (née C ...

and Frank Conroy; ''Remains to be Seen'' (1951); and ''Four Winds'' (1957), with

Ann Todd Dorothy Ann Todd (24 January 1907 – 6 May 1993) was an English film, television and stage actress who achieved international fame when she starred in 1945's '' The Seventh Veil''. From 1949 to 1957 she was married to David Lean who directed h ...

Conrad Nagel John Conrad Nagel (March 16, 1897 – February 24, 1970) was an American film, stage, television and radio actor. He was considered a famous matinée idol and leading man of the 1920s and 1930s. He was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1940 and ...

and

Carl Esmond Carl Esmond (born Karl Simon; June 14, 1902– December 4, 2004) was an Austrian-born American film and stage actor, born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. Although his age was given as 33 in the passenger list when he arrived in the USA in January 19 ...

. He also toured in many plays and appeared in off-Broadway productions including ''State of the Union'' (1947), with Neil Hamilton and Erin O'Brien-Moore; ''Mister Roberts'' (1949) with John Forsythe and

Jackie Cooper John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor, television director, producer, and executive, known universally as Jackie Cooper. He was a child actor who made the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first ...

; and ''Annie Get Your Gun'' (1958), with

Betty Jane Watson Elizabeth Jane Watson (December 28, 1921 – February 21, 2016) was an American actress and singer known for her roles in musical theatre, especially Laurey in '' Oklahoma!'', creating the role in the London premiere. She also performed in nightc ...

. In his later Hollywood years, Rennie would appear in small, bit parts in such films as ''

Now, Voyager ''Now, Voyager'' is a 1942 American drama film starring Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, and directed by Irving Rapper. The screenplay by Casey Robinson is based on the 1941 novel of the same name by Olive Higgins Prouty. Prouty ...

'' with

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

and the star-studded ''

Tales of Manhattan ''Tales of Manhattan'' is a 1942 American anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart, worked on the six stories in this film. Ba ...

'' (1942) whose grand cast consisted of such talents as

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

Rita Hayworth Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...

Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-American actor of stage and screen, who was popular during the Hollywood's Golden Age. He appeared in 30 Broadway plays and more than 100 films duri ...

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future ...

, and

Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...

. In 1945, Rennie made his last screen appearance in ''A Bell for Adano'' and upon the film's completion he retired from films. Moving to New York City, he and his wife would live comfortably, thanks to all the fortunes Rennie had earned and saved from his acting days. During his retirement Rennie devoted his time to his wife and was active in his church,

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church).

Death

On July 31, 1965, at age 76, Rennie died due to heart failure in his New York apartment (or at Harkness Pavilion). James was cremated, his ashes were interred at

Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum is located at 280 Secor Road in the hamlet of Hartsdale, town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, United States, about north of Midtown Manhattan. It was founded in 1902, and is non-sectarian. Ferncliff ...

, in

Hartsdale, New York Hartsdale is a hamlet located in the town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,293 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of New York City. History Hartsdale, a CDP/hamlet/post-office in the town of Green ...

.''American and British Theatrical Biography'', p.732 c.1979 by J. P. Wearing

Filmography

* ''

'' (1920) - Jack Valentine * ''

Flying Pat ''Flying Pat'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film starring Dorothy Gish and her then husband James Rennie that was directed by F. Richard Jones. It was produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film is prese ...

'' (1920) - Robert Van Nuys * ''Stardust'' (1922) - Thomas Clemons * ''Dust Flower'' (1922) - Rashleigh Allerton * '' Mighty Lak' a Rose'' (1923) - Jimmy Harrison * '' The Bad Man'' (1923) * ''

His Children's Children ''His Children's Children'' is a lost 1923 American silent drama film directed by Sam Wood and starring the winsome Bebe Daniels. It is based on a novel, ''His Children's Children'' by Arthur Train. Famous Players-Lasky produced and Paramount Pi ...

'' (1923) - Lloyd Maitland * ''Restless Wives'' (1924) - James Benson * ''

The Moral Sinner ''The Moral Sinner'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Ralph Ince and written by Willis Goldbeck, Josephine Quirk, and Rita Weiman, based on the 1904 play ''Leah Kleschna'' by C. M. S. McLellan. The film stars Dorothy Dalton, J ...

'' (1924) - Paul Sylvain * ''

Argentine Love ''Argentine Love'' is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by Allan Dwan and based on a short story by Vicente Blasco Ibanez that stars Bebe Daniels. In the film, the legal guardians of an Argentine woman arrange her marriage ...

'' (1924) - Philip Sears * ''

'' (1925) - Lieutenant Cavendish * ''

Share and Share Alike ''Share and Share Alike'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Whitman Bennett and starring Jane Novak, James Rennie and Henry Sands.Koszarskip.75 Cast * Jane Novak as Marcia Maynard * James Rennie as Sam Jefford * Henry San ...

'' (1925) - Sam Jefford * '' Camille'' (1926, short film directed by Ralph Barton) - Philippe * '' The Bad Man'' (1930) - Gilbert Jones * '' The Girl of the Golden West'' (1930) - Dick Johnson * '' The Lash'' (1930) - David Howard * '' Illicit'' (1931) - 'Dick' Ives II * ''

Party Husband ''Party Husband'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film produced by First National Pictures and released through their parent company Warner Bros. It was directed by Clarence G. Badger and stars Dorothy Mackaill. It is preserved at the Librar ...

'' (1931) - Jay Hogarth * ''The Divorce Racket'' (1932) - Detective Malcom 'Duke' Ayres * '' The Little Damozel'' (1933) - Recky Poole * ''

'' (1941) - Ned Franklyn * ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' (1942) - Monsieur Charles Martin (uncredited) * ''

'' (1942) - H.R. 'Hank' Bronson (Robinson sequence) * ''

'' (1942) - Frank McIntyre * ''

Wilson Wilson may refer to: People *Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender * Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson R ...

'' (1944) - Jim Beeker * ''

A Bell for Adano ''A Bell for Adano'' (1945) is a film directed by Henry King and starring John Hodiak and Gene Tierney. It was adapted from the 1944 novel of the same title by John Hersey, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1945. In his review of t ...

'' (1945) - Lt. Colonel Sartorius (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* *
portraits
University of Washington, Sayre) {{DEFAULTSORT:Rennie, James 1889 births 1965 deaths Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian male silent film actors Canadian male Shakespearean actors Canadian male stage actors People from Old Toronto American male film actors Canadian Latter Day Saints American Latter Day Saints Male actors from New York City Male actors from Toronto University of Toronto alumni Canadian military personnel of World War I Burials at Ferncliff Cemetery Naturalized citizens of the United States 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Canadian male actors