Owen Moore (12 December 1886 – 9 June 1939) was an Irish-born American actor, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937.

Early life and career

Moore was born in Fordstown Crossroads, County Meath, Ireland. Along with his parents, John and Rose Anna Moore, brothers Tom, Matt, and Joe, and sister Mary, he emigrated to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

as a steerage passenger on board the S.S. ''Anchoria.'' The Moore family were inspected on

Ellis Island Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...

in May 1896 and settled in the Toledo, Ohio area. Moore and his siblings went on to successful careers in motion pictures in

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Picture ...

. While working at

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

Biograph Studios Biograph Studios was an early film studio and laboratory complex, built in 1912 by the Biograph Company at 807 East 175th Street, in The Bronx, New York City, New York. History Early years The first studio of the Biograph Company, formerl ...

, Moore met a young Canadian actress named Gladys Smith, whom he married on January 7, 1911. Their marriage was kept secret at first because of the strong opposition of her mother. However, Smith soon overshadowed her husband under her stage name,

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

. In 1912, he signed on with Victor Studios, co-starring in a number of their films with studio owner/actress

Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was thought to be the first film actor to ...

Pickford left Biograph Studios to join the

Independent Moving Pictures The Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP) was a motion picture studio and production company founded in 1909 by Carl Laemmle. The company was based in New York City, with production facilities in Fort Lee, New Jersey. In 1912, IMP merged wit ...

(IMP) to replace their star,

Carl Laemmle Carl Laemmle (; born Karl Lämmle; January 17, 1867 – September 24, 1939) was a film producer and the co-founder and, until 1934, owner of Universal Pictures. He produced or worked on over 400 films. Regarded as one of the most important o ...

, the owner of IMP (IMP later merged into

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

), agreed to sign Moore as part of the deal. This humiliation, together with his wife's meteoric rise to fame, drastically affected Moore, and

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

became a problem that led to violent behavior and his physically abusing Pickford. In 1916, Pickford met actor

Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thi ...

. In 1920, Pickford filed for divorce from Moore when she agreed to his demand of $100,000 settlement. Pickford and Fairbanks married days later. Moore appeared in many successful films for Lewis J. Selznick (father of producer

David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca'' (1940), both of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Picture. ...

and agent

Myron Selznick Myron Selznick (October 5, 1898 – March 23, 1944) was an American film producer and talent agent. Life and career Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Selznick was the son of film executive Lewis J. Selznick and brother of renowned producer ...

), in the late teens and early 1920s. He was a popular star at Selznick Pictures along with Olive Thomas, Elaine Hammerstein, Eugene O'Brien and

Conway Tearle Conway Tearle (born Frederick Conway Levy, May 17, 1878 – October 1, 1938) was an American stage actor who went on to perform in silent and early sound films. Early life Tearle was born on May 17, 1878, in New York City, the son of the ...

. He also appeared in films for his own production company as well as Goldwyn and Triangle. Moore married a second time to silent film actress, Katherine Perry, in 1921. With the advent of sound film, Moore's career declined, and he became a supporting actor for newer stars. He competed, as the third lead, with

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...

and Noah Beery, Sr. for the attentions of

Mae West Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...

in '' She Done Him Wrong'', Paramount's most lucrative film of 1933. His last film appearance was as a movie director in the 1937 drama '' A Star Is Born,'' starring

Janet Gaynor Janet Gaynor (born Laura Augusta Gainor; October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an American film, stage, and television actress. Gaynor began her career as an extra in shorts and silent films. After signing with Fox Film Corporation (late ...

and

Fredric March Fredric March (born Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel; August 31, 1897 – April 14, 1975) was an American actor, regarded as one of Hollywood's most celebrated, versatile stars of the 1930s and 1940s.Obituary '' Variety'', April 16, 1975, ...

– ironically a movie about a former film star who turned to alcohol, much like himself at that time.

Death

After years of fighting alcoholism, Moore was found dead on June 9, 1939, in his apartment in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...

. An Associated Press news report said that he "apparently had been dead two days". An autopsy was scheduled for the next day. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Moore has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

at 6727 Hollywood Boulevard.

Selected filmography

* ''

The Guerrilla ''The Guerrilla'' is a 1908 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Arthur V. Johnson as Jack Stanford * Dorothy West as Dorothy * George Gebhardt as Confederate Soldier * Charles Inslee as Servant * Owen Moore * ...

'' (1908, Short) * '' The Valet's Wife'' (1908, Short) * '' The Honor of Thieves'' (1909, Short) as Ned Grattan * '' The Sacrifice'' (1909, Short) * '' A Rural Elopement'' (1909, Short) as In Crowd * ''

The Criminal Hypnotist ''The Criminal Hypnotist'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Owen Moore as The Man * Marion Leonard as The Man's Fiancee * Arthur V. Johnson as The Criminal Hypnotist * David Miles as The Robbery V ...

'' (1909, Short) as The Man * '' The Welcome Burglar'' (1909, Short) as In Office / In Bar * '' The Brahma Diamond'' (1909, Short) * '' The Golden Louis'' (1909, Short) as The Good Samaritan * ''

Trying to Get Arrested ''Trying to Get Arrested'' is a 1909 American comedy short film directed by D. W. Griffith, produced by the Biograph Company of New York City, and starring John R. Cumpson. Filmed in two days in early 1909 at Palisades Park, New Jersey, it was r ...

'' (1909, Short) as Passerby * ''

The Prussian Spy ''The Prussian Spy'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Marion Leonard as Lady Florence * Harry Solter as Count Lopes * Owen Moore as The Spy * Arthur V. Johnson as Soldier * Florence Lawrence as T ...

'' (1909, Short) as The Spy * '' His Wife's Mother'' (1909, Short) as Restaurant Patron * ''

A Fool's Revenge ''A Fool's Revenge'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It is based on the 1832 Victor Hugo play ''Le roi s'amuse''. Cast * Owen Moore as The Duke * Charles Inslee as The Fool * Marion Leonard Marion ...

'' (1909, Short) as The Duke * ''

The Roue's Heart ''The Roue's Heart'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * Harry Solter as Monsieur Flamant * Linda Arvidson as Noblewoman / Sculptress's Friend * John R. Cumpson as Nobleman * Adele DeGarde as Sculptr ...

'' (1909, Short) as Nobleman * '' The Deception'' (1909, Short) as The Rich Patron * '' A Burglar's Mistake'' (1909, Short) as At Folsom's * '' Lady Helen's Escapade'' (1909, Short) as The Boyfriend * ''

Resurrection Resurrection or anastasis is the concept of coming back to life after death. In a number of religions, a dying-and-rising god is a deity which dies and is resurrected. Reincarnation is a similar process hypothesized by other religions, whic ...

'' (1909, Short) as At Court / At Prison * '' Two Memories'' (1909, Short) as Party Guest * ''

A Sound Sleeper ''A Sound Sleeper'' is a 1909 American comedy film directed by D. W. Griffith and produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. The short was filmed in one day in the Coytesville borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey, which at the time was a ...

'' (1909), Short) as Police Officer * '' Jones and the Lady Book Agent'' (1909, Short) as Office Employee * ''

The Lonely Villa ''The Lonely Villa'' is a 1909 American short silent crime drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. The film stars David Miles, Marion Leonard and Mary Pickford in one of her first film roles. It is based on the 1901 French play ''Au Téléphone ...

'' (1909, Short) as A Burglar * '' The Little Darling'' (1909, Short) as In Boarding House * '' The Hessian Renegades'' (1909, Short) as Colonial Army Messenger * ''

Leather Stocking ''Leather Stocking'' is a 1909 American silent short drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. adapted from James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel ''The Last of the Mohicans''. Cast * George Nichols as colonel * Mack Sennett * Marion Leonard as co ...

'' (1909, Short) as Leather Stocking * ''

Pippa Passes ''Pippa Passes'' is a verse drama by Robert Browning. It was published in 1841 as the first volume of his ''Bells and Pomegranates'' series, in a low-priced two-column edition for sixpence, and republished in his collected ''Poems'' of 1849, ...

'' (1909, Short) as Sibald * '' Nursing a Viper'' (1909, Short) as Fleeing Aristocrat * '' The Red Man's View'' (1909, Short) as Indian (uncredited) * '' In Little Italy'' (1909, Short) as At the Ball * '' To Save Her Soul'' (1909, Short) as At Party * '' The Rocky Road'' (1910, Short) * '' The Time-Lock Safe'' (1910, Short) as The Friend * ''

What the Daisy Said ''What the Daisy Said'' is a one-reel film (about 12 minutes) made by D. W. Griffith for Biograph in 1910. Plot The film opens upon two sisters (Martha, played by Mary Pickford, and Millie, played by Gertrude Robinson) standing in a field of d ...

'' (1910, Short) (uncredited) * ''

In the Border States ''In the Border States'' is a 1910 American drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Prints of the film survive in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress. Cast * Charles West as Young Father * Charles Arling * ...

'' (1910, Short) * ''

Love in Quarantine ''Love in Quarantine'' is a 1910 short silent comedy film directed by Frank Powell and starring Mack Sennett. Plot The characters Harold and Edith become engaged. However, a feud starts and Edith leaves Harold at the gate to return to their ...

'' (1910, Short) * '' Their First Misunderstanding'' (1911, Short) * '' Behind the Times'' (1911, Short) as Billy Thompson * '' The Lesser Evil'' (1912, Short) * '' The Angel of the Studio'' (1912, Short) * '' So Runs the Way'' (1913, Short) * '' Caprice'' (1913) as Jack Henderson * '' The Battle of the Sexes'' (1914) as Cleo's lover * '' Home, Sweet Home'' (1914) as The Tempter * '' The Escape'' (1914) as Dr. von Eiden * '' Aftermath'' (1914) as Allan Buchannan * ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'' (1914) as Prince Charming * '' Mistress Nell'' (1915) as King Charles II * '' Pretty Mrs. Smith'' (1915) as Mr. Smith No. 3, Frank * '' Help Wanted'' (1915) as Jack Scott * '' Betty in Search of a Thrill'' (1915) as Jim Denning * '' Mabel Lost and Won'' (1915, Short) as Mabel's Sweetheart * '' The Little Teacher'' (1915, Short) as Teacher's Fiancé * '' Nearly a Lady'' (1915) as Jack Rawlins * '' 'Twas Ever Thus'' (1915) as Long Biceps / Frank Warren / Jack Rogers * '' Jordan Is a Hard Road'' (1915) as Mark Sheldon * ''Betty of Greystone'' (1916) as David Chandler * ''Little Meena's Romance'' (1916) as The Count * ''Susan Rocks the Boat'' (1916) as Larry O'Neil * ''

Under Cover ''Under Cover'' is the ninth solo studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. The album consists entirely of cover songs, with an emphasis on rock music from the 1960s and 1970s. This is Osbourne's first and only album to fe ...

'' (1916) as Steven Denby * ''

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

'' (1916) as Dave Fulton * '' Intolerance'' (1916) as Extra (uncredited) * '' The Kiss'' (1916) as Jean-Marie * '' A Coney Island Princess'' (1916) as Pete Milholland * ''

A Girl Like That ''A Girl Like That'' is a 1917 American drama silent film directed by Dell Henderson and written by Paul West and Roswell Dague. The film stars Irene Fenwick, Owen Moore, Thomas O'Keefe, Eddie Sturgis, Harry Lee and John T. Dillon. The film w ...

'' (1917) as Jim Brooks * ''

The Little Boy Scout ''The Little Boy Scout'' is a lost 1917 American silent drama film produced by Famous Players Film Company and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Francis J. Grandon and starred Ann Pennington. The motion picture was also known as ...

'' (1917) as Thomas Morton * ''The Crimson Gardenia'' (1919) as Roland Van Dam * '' Piccadilly Jim'' (1919) as James Braithwaite Crocker / Piccadilly Jim * '' Sooner or Later'' (1920) as Patrick Murphy * ''

The Desperate Hero ''The Desperate Hero'' is a 1920 American silent comedy film directed by Wesley Ruggles and starring Owen Moore, Gloria Hope, Emmett King.Connelly p.339 Cast * Owen Moore as Henry Baird * Gloria Hope as Mabel Darrow * Emmett King as Philip Da ...

'' (1920) as Henry Baird * '' The Poor Simp'' (1920) as Melville G. Carruthers * '' The Chicken in the Case'' (1921) as Steve Perkins * ''

A Divorce of Convenience ''A Divorce of Convenience'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Ellis and starring Owen Moore, Katherine Perry and Nita Naldi.Munden p.191 Cast * Owen Moore as Jim Blake * Katherine Perry as Helen Wakefield * George Lesse ...

'' (1921) as Jim Blake * '' Oh, Mabel Behave'' (1922) as Randolph Roanoke * '' Reported Missing'' (1922) as Richard Boyd * '' Love Is an Awful Thing'' (1922) as Anthony Churchill * ''

Modern Matrimony ''Modern Matrimony'' is a 1923 American silent comedy drama film directed by Victor Heerman and starring Owen Moore, Alice Lake, and Mayme Kelso Mayme Kelso (February 28, 1867 – June 5, 1946) was an American actress of the silent era. ...

'' (1923) as Chester Waddington * ''

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

'' (1923) as Himself * '' The Silent Partner'' (1923) as George Coburn * '' Thundergate'' (1923) as Robert Wells / Kong Sur * ''

Her Temporary Husband ''Her Temporary Husband'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by John McDermott and starring Owen Moore. Based upon a play of the same name by Edward A. Paulton, it was produced and distributed by Associated First National (later F ...

'' (1923) as Thomas Burton * '' Torment'' (1924) as Hansen * '' East of Broadway'' (1924) as Peter Mullaney * ''

The Parasite ''The Parasite'' is an 1894 novelette by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Parasite makes use of a form of mind control similar to the mesmerism of the Victorian era. Plot summary The main character is a young man known as Austin Gilroy. He studie ...

'' (1925) as Arthur Randall * '' Code of the West'' (1925) as Cal Thurman * '' Go Straight'' (1925) as John Rhodes * '' Camille of the Barbary Coast'' (1925) as Robert Morton * '' False Pride'' (1925) as James Mason Ardsley * ''

The Blackbird ''The Blackbird'' is a 1926 American silent crime film directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney. The screenplay was written by Waldemar Young, based on a story "The Mockingbird" by Tod Browning (which was originally supposed to be the ...

'' (1926) as Bertram P. Glayde aka West End Bertie * ''

The Skyrocket ''The Skyrocket'' is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by Marshall Neilan and starring Peggy Hopkins Joyce. The film was based on the 1925 novel of the same name by Adela Rogers St. Johns and scripted by Benjamin Glazer. Cas ...

'' (1926) as Mickey Reid * '' Married ?'' (1926) as Dennis Shawn * '' Money Talks'' (1926) as Sam Starling * '' The Road to Mandalay'' (1926) as The Admiral * '' The Red Mill'' (1927) as Dennis * '' The Taxi Dancer'' (1927) as Lee Rogers * '' Women Love Diamonds'' (1927) as Patrick Michael Regan * ''

Tea for Three "Tea for Three" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, ''Only Fools and Horses''. It was the fourth episode of series 5, and was first broadcast on 21 September 1986. In the episode, Del and Rodney find themselves battling for the affections of Trigger ...

'' (1927) as Philip Collamore * '' Becky'' (1927) as Dan Scarlett * ''

Husbands for Rent ''Husbands for Rent'' is a 1927 American synchronized sound comedy film directed by Henry Lehrman and written by C. Graham Baker, Joseph Jackson and Jimmy Starr. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musica ...

'' (1927) as Herbert Willis * ''

The Actress ''The Actress'' is a 1953 American comedy-drama film based on Ruth Gordon's autobiographical play ''Years Ago''. Gordon herself wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by George Cukor and stars Jean Simmons, Spencer Tracy, and Teresa Wright, ...

'' (1928) as Tom Wrench * '' Stolen Love'' (1928) as Curtis Barstow * ''

High Voltage High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant sp ...

'' (1929) as Det. Dan Egan * ''

Side Street A side road is a minor highway typically leading off a main road.Main road — definition

'' (1929) as Dennis O'Farrell * ''

What a Widow! ''What a Widow!'' was a 1930 American pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and produced by and starring Gloria Swanson. It was distributed through United Artists. The film was produced by Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. It received gene ...

'' (1930) as Gerry Morgan * '' Outside the Law'' (1930) as Harry 'Fingers' O'Dell * ''

Extravagance Extravagance may refer to: * ''Extravagance'' (1916 film), an American film * ''Extravagance'' (1919 film), an American lost film * ''Extravagance'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Phil Rosen * ''Extravagance'' (1930 film), a ...

'' (1930) as Jim Hamilton * '' Stout Hearts and Willing Hands'' (1931, Short) as Lookalike Bartender 1 * ''

Hush Money Hush money is a term for an arrangement in which one person or party offers another an attractive sum of money or other enticement, in exchange for remaining silent about some illegal, stigmatized, or shameful behavior, action, or other fact abo ...

'' (1931) as Steve Pelton * '' As You Desire Me'' (1932) as Tony Boffie * '' She Done Him Wrong'' (1933) as Chick Clark * ''

A Man of Sentiment ''A Man of Sentiment'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Marian Marsh, Owen Moore and Christian Rub.Pitts p.94 Cast * Marian Marsh as Julia Wilkens * Owen Moore as Stanley Colton * Christian Rub as He ...

'' (1933) as Stanley Colton * '' A Star Is Born'' (1937) as Casey Burke - Director (final film role)

References

External links

* *
kinotv.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Owen 1886 births 1939 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Irish male actors Actors from County Meath American male film actors American male silent film actors Burials at Calvary Cemetery (Los Angeles) Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923) Irish male film actors Irish male silent film actors