Robert Edeson (June 3, 1868 – March 24, 1931) was an American film and stage actor of the

silent era A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

and a vaudeville performer.

Life and career

Edeson was born in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, the son of manager and actor George R. Edeson. After working as treasurer of the Park Theatre in Brooklyn, he initially acted in New York in 1887 in a production of ''Fascination.'' He debuted on Broadway in ''Marriage'' (1896). His last Broadway appearance was in ''The World We Live In'' (1922). He also performed in vaudeville. Edeson received his first boost in films in 1914 when he starred in the Cecil B. DeMille directed film, '' The Call of the North'' (1914). Edeson replaced actor Rudolph Christians in

Erich von Stroheim Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim (born Erich Oswald Stroheim; September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was an Austrian-American director, actor and producer, most noted as a film star and avant-garde, visionary director of the silent era. H ...

's production of ''

Foolish Wives ''Foolish Wives'' is a 1922 American erotic silent drama film produced and distributed by Universal Pictures under their Super-Jewel banner and written and directed by Erich von Stroheim. The drama features von Stroheim, Rudolph Christians, Mis ...

'' (1922), after Christians died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severit ...

. Edeson famously only showed his back to the camera so as not to clash with shot footage of Christians that was still to be used in the completed film. Edeson's final film was ''Aloha'' (1931). His third wife was the former Aida Banker.

Death

On March 24, 1931, Edeson died at his home in Hollywood. He was 62 years old.

Selected filmography

*'' The Paymaster's Son'' (1913) as The Paymaster's Son *'' The Call of the North'' (1914) as Ned Stewart *''

The Absentee ''The Absentee'' is a novel by Maria Edgeworth, published in 1812 in ''Tales of Fashionable Life'', that expresses the systemic evils of the absentee landlord class of Anglo-Irish and the desperate condition of the Irish peasantry. There are ma ...

'' (1915) as Nathaniel Crosby *'' The Light That Failed'' (1916) as Dick Hedlar * '' Big Jim Garrity'' (1916) as Jim Garrity *'' On the Night Stage'' (1915) as Austin *'' The Caveman'' (1915) as Hanlick Smagg *''

Public Defender A public defender is a lawyer appointed to represent people who otherwise cannot reasonably afford to hire a lawyer to defend themselves in a trial. Several countries provide people with public defenders, including the UK, Hungary and Singapore, ...

'' (1917) as Arthur Nelson *''

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 ...

'' (1921) as Richard Vane *''

'' (1922) as Andrew J. Hughes *''

The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in orde ...

'' (1922) as Colonel Zapta *''

Sure Fire Flint ''Sure Fire Flint'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by Dell Henderson and starring Johnny Hines. Cast *Johnny Hines as Sure Fire Flint * Edmund Breese as Johnny Jets * Robert Edeson as Anthony De Lanni *Effie Shannon as Mrs. De La ...

'' (1922) as Anthony De Lanni * '' Any Night'' (1922) as Jim Barton * '' You Are Guilty'' (1923) as Theodore Tennent *'' The Tie That Binds'' (1923) as Charles Dodge *'' The Silent Partner'' (1923) as Ralph Coombes *'' To the Last Man'' (1923) as Gaston Isbel *''

The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (Biblical Hebrew עשרת הדברים \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים, ''aséret ha-dvarím'', lit. The Decalogue, The Ten Words, cf. Mishnaic Hebrew עשרת הדיברות \ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְ� ...

'' (1923) as Inspector Redding *'' Feet of Clay'' (1924) as Dr. Fergus Lansell *''

Welcome Stranger The Welcome Stranger is the biggest alluvial gold nugget that has ever been found, which had a calculated refined weight of .Potter, Terry F. (1999) ''The Welcome Stranger: a definitive account of the worlds largest alluvial gold nugget''. I ...

'' (1924) as Eb Hooker *'' Men'' (1924) as Henri Duval *'' Triumph'' (1924) as Samuel Overton *''

Thy Name Is Woman ''Thy Name Is Woman'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Fred Niblo and starring Ramon Novarro and Barbara La Marr. A copy of the film survives in the Turner Archive. The film made an estimated profit of more than $100,000. Plot ...

'' (1924) as The Commandante * '' Missing Daughters'' (1924) as Secret Service Chief *''

The Prairie Pirate ''The Prairie Pirate'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Edmund Mortimer and featuring Harry Carey. Plot As described in a film magazine reviews, Brian Delaney, returning one evening from herding the cattle, finds his siste ...

'' (1925) as Don Esteban *'' Men and Women'' (1925) as Israel Cohen *''

The Golden Bed ''The Golden Bed'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It is based on the novel ''Tomorrow's Bread'' by Wallace Irwin. Jeanie MacPherson wrote the screenplay. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, ev ...

'' (1925) as Amos Thompson * '' Go Straight'' (1925) as The Hawk *''

Locked Doors ''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. Plot As described in a review in a film m ...

'' (1925) as Norman Carter * '' Blood and Steel'' (1925) as W.L. Grimshaw *'' The Volga Boatman'' (1926) as Prince Nikita *''

The Clinging Vine ''The Clinging Vine'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film produced by Cecil B. DeMille and Paul Slone and directed by Sloane. It was distributed by DeMille's Producers Distributing Corporation.

'' (1926) as T. M. Bancroft *'' The Blue Eagle'' (1926) as Chaplain Regan *''

The King of Kings King of Kings; grc-gre, Βασιλεὺς Βασιλέων, Basileùs Basiléōn; hy, արքայից արքա, ark'ayits ark'a; sa, महाराजाधिराज, Mahārājadhirāja; ka, მეფეთ მეფე, ''Mepet mepe'' ...

'' (1927) as Matthew the Apostle *''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

'' (1927) as William Flynn *''

Altars of Desire ''Altars of Desire'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring silent movie star Mae Murray. It was produced and released by MGM. A print of ''Altars of Desire'' survives and is preserved by MGM. Synopsis ...

'' (1927) as John Sutherland * ''

The Night Bride ''The Night Bride'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Marie Prevost, Harrison Ford and Franklin Pangborn.Munden p.543 Cast * Marie Prevost as Cynthia Stockton * Harrison Ford as Stanley Warrington ...

'' (1927) *'' George Washington Cohen'' (1928) as Mr. Gorman *''

A Ship Comes In ''A Ship Comes In'' (also known as ''His Country'') is a 1928 silent film which tells the story of immigrants coming to the United States. It stars Rudolph Schildkraut, Louise Dresser, Milton Holmes, Linda Landi, and Fritz Feld. The movie ...

'' (1928) as Judge Gresham *'' Beware of Blondes'' (1928) as Costigan *''

Walking Back ''Walking Back'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Rupert Julian and an uncredited Cecil B. DeMille. Prints of the film exist. Plot A young jazz hound, "Smoke" Thatcher (Richard Walling), is failing his academic studies due to h ...

'' (1928) as Edgar Thatcher *''

Dynamite Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germany, and patented in 1867. It rapidl ...

'' (1929) as Wise Fool *''

Romance of the Rio Grande ''Romance of the Rio Grande'' (also: En kärleksnatt vid Rio Grande) is a 1929 American pre-Code Western film directed by Alfred Santell and starring Warner Baxter, Mona Maris, Mary Duncan and Antonio Moreno. It was produced and distributed by ...

'' (1929) as Don Fernando *'' Pardon My Gun'' (1930) as Pa Martin *'' A Devil with Women'' (1930) as General Garcia *'' Danger Lights'' (1930) as Tom Johnson *'' The Lash'' (1930) as Don Mariana Delfine *''

The Way of All Men ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1930) Swift * '' Swing High'' (1930)

References

External links

* * *
a young Robert Edeson on the cover of THE THEATRE magazine September 1905
American male film actors American male stage actors American male silent film actors 1868 births 1931 deaths 20th-century American male actors Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery {{US-film-actor-1860s-stub