Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle (June 11, 1875 – October 28, 1945), known professionally as Gilbert Emery, was an American actor who appeared in over 80 movies from 1921 to his death in 1945. He was also a playwright, author of seven
Broadway plays from 1921 to 1933.
Early years
Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle was born June 11, 1875, in
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
,
New York, to William L. and Hariette (Gilbert) Pottle. He prepared for college at Naples High School and at the Normal School in
Oneonta, New York. He graduated from
Amherst College
Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
in the class of 1899.
Career
Pottle started out as a short story writer, using the name Emery Pottle, and he later wrote plays. From 1899 to 1900 he was an instructor in English and public speaking at
Beloit Academy in
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
. In 1900 he was a reporter for the ''Morning Sun'' in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
; from 1900-1901 he worked for the ''
Evening Post''; and from 1901-1903 he worked for ''
Criterion Magazine''. He was an instructor in English at
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
and a writer.
During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Pottle was a member of the
American Expeditionary Forces' Liaison Service, serving with
French Balloon Companies 39, 49 and 74. He was later a member of the
Paris Peace Conference from 1918 to 1919, and a member of the
Interallied Food Commission in 1919.
He wrote a number of books in his early years, including ''Handicapped'', ''The Little Village'', and ''The Little House''. He also wrote poems and short stories for magazines and several plays. Much of his writing was under the pen name Gilbert Emery.
Emery began his career as a playwright in 1921 with several of his plays produced on Broadway into the 1930's. He also acted in several other productions. His first play, "The Hero", was revived in 2014 to acclaimed reviews including the New York Time
Personal life
On November 22, 1904, Emery (using the name Emery Pottle) married Juliet Wilbour Tompkins, a writer, in New York. Tompkins sued for divorce in March 1905.
[ ]
Death
Emery died on October 28, 1945, in
Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and is buried in Rose Ridge Cemetery in Naples, NY.
Playwright
"Far-Away Horses" (Mar 21, 1933 - Mar 1933) (also "staged by")
"Housewarming" (Apr 07, 1932 - Apr 1932)
"Say When" (Jun 26, 1928 - Jul 07, 1928) ("Based on a play by Gilbert Emery")
"Love in a Mist" (Apr 12, 1926 - Jul 17, 1926) (also director)
"Episode" (Feb 04, 1925 - Feb 1925) (also actor)
"Tarnish" (Oct 01, 1923 - May 1924)
"The Hero" (Mar 14, 1921 - Mar 1921), (Sep 05, 1921 - Nov 1921)
Filmography
From 1921 until his death in 1945, Gilbert Emery acted in at least 88 films, including:
References
External links
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''Wounded Soldier at Montauville'' a poem written by Emery during World War I
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emery, Gilbert
1875 births
1945 deaths
American male film actors
American male silent film actors
Amherst College alumni
20th-century American male actors
People from Naples, New York
American dramatists and playwrights