Joseph J. Franz (October 12, 1883 – September 9, 1970) was an actor and

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

during the

silent film A silent film is a film without 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, w ...

era in the United States. Franz was born in

Utica, New York Utica () is the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most populous city in New York, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 census. It is located on the Mohawk River in the Mohawk Valley at the foot of the Adiro ...

. He died in Los Angeles in 1970. He was sometimes credited as Joseph J. Franz. He features in a

Frontier A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. Australia The term "frontier" was frequently used in colonial Australia in the meaning of country that borders the unknown or uncivilised, th ...

advertisement with two of the studio's other stars. Franz acted on stage in stock theater for three years before he began acting in films.

Filmography

Actor

*'' Honor the Law'' (1938), a 39 installment series of 15 minute episodes *''

Good Dame ''Good Dame'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by Marion Gering and written by Sam Hellman, Vincent Lawrence and William R. Lipman. The film stars Sylvia Sidney, Fredric March, Jack La Rue, Noel Francis, Russell Hopton, Bradley P ...

'' (1934) as Detective Scanlon (credited as Joseph J. Franz) *'' Easy Come, Easy Go'' (1928) as a detective *''

The Devil's Trail ''The Devil's Trail'' is a 1919 American silent drama film that is set in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. It was directed by Stuart Paton and stars Betty Compson.

'' (1919) (credited as J.J. France) *'' The Mints of Hell '' (1919) as Sgt. Blake *''

The End of the Game ''The End of the Game'' is an album by British blues rock musician Peter Green, who was the founder of Fleetwood Mac and a member from 1967 to 1970. Released in 1970, this was his first solo album, recorded in June of that year, only a month ...

'' (1919) as Hotel Clerk (credited as J.J. Franz) *'' Life's a Funny Proposition '' (1919) as Horace Pendleton *'' The Pretender (1918 film)'' as Percival Longstreet (credited as Joseph J. Franz) *'' The Law at Silver Camp'' (1915), a short, as Kerns - the Stagecoach Driver (credited as Joseph J. Franz) *'' Gangsters of the Hills'' (1915) *'' The Decree of Destiny'' (1915) *'' When Shadows Fall'' (1915) *'' Christmas at Lonesome Gulch'' (1915) *'' Her Birthday Present'' (1914) *'' Joe's Retribution'' (1914) *'' The Hello Girl of Angel Camp'' (1914) *'' The Rustler Outwitted'' (1914) *'' The School Teacher at Angel Camp'' (1914) *'' The Circle of Gold'' (1914) *'' The Bandit of Devil's Gap'' (1914) *'' The Moccasin Print'' (1914) *'' Dolly's Deliverance'' (1914) *'' The Girl from Texas'' (1914 *'' The Scarecrow's Secret'' (1914) *'' In the Hollow of an Oak'' (1914) *'' Four Days'' (1914) *''

The Man in the Attic ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' ...

'' (1914) *'' A Rose of Yesterday'' (1914) *'' Cattle (1914 film)'' *''

Under Arizona Skies ''Under Arizona Skies'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by J. Benton Cheney. The film stars Johnny Mack Brown, Reno Browne, Raymond Hatton, Riley Hill, Tris Coffin and Reed Howes. The film was released o ...

'' (1914) *'' The Janitor's Son'' (1914) *'' The Strange Signal'' (1914) *'' A Frontier Romance'' (1914) *'' The Mind's Awakening'' (1914) *'' When Memory Recalls'' (1914) *'' The Ranger's Reward'' (1914) *'' The Fight in Lonely Gulch'' (1914) *'' The Broken Barrier'' (1914) *'' On the Verge'' (1914) *'' The Gun Men of Plumas'' (1914) *'' His Dress Rehearsal'' (1914) *'' The Girl and the Hobo '' (1914) *'' Brother for Brother'' (1914) *'' The Sheriff's Story'' (1914) *'' Won by Wire'' (1914) *''

The Outlaw's Daughter ''The Outlaw's Daughter'' is a novel by Australian writer Arthur Wright about bushranging. Plot A bushranger, Devil Devine, abandons his daughter. Years later he holds her up and tries to marry her but is stopped. The bushranger is pursued by the ...

'' (1914) *'' The Runaway (1914 film) '' *'' Nugget Nell's Ward'' (1914) *'' Man's Best Friend (1914 film) '' *'' The Poison (1914 film)'' *''

Strange Evidence ''Strange Evidence'' (also known as ''Dance of the Witches'', and ''Wife in Pawn'') is a 1933 British crime film directed by Robert Milton, produced by Alexander Korda and written by Lajos Bíró and Miles Malleson. Starring Leslie Banks, Geo ...

'' (1914) *'' The Girl Bandit'' (1914) *''

The Sheriff's Deputy ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1914) *'' His Younger Brother'' (1914) *'' The Mystery of Buffalo Gap'' (1914) *'' So Shall Ye Reap'' (1914) *'' The Fatal Card (1914 film)'' (1914) *'' The Heart of Smiling Joe'' (1914) *'' Put Yourself in His Place (1914 film)'' (1914) *'' The Turning Point'' (1914) *'' I Abide with Me'' (1914) *''

Her Brother is a 1960 Japanese drama film directed by Kon Ichikawa. It is based on the novel ''Otōto'' by Aya Koda. Plot In Taishō era Tokyo, 17-year-old Gen takes care of the household of her family due to her stepmother's rheumatism. Meanwhile, her y ...

'' (1914 film) *'' Crossroads (1914 film)'' *'' The Winning Stroke'' (1914) *'' His Father'' (1913) *'' The Circuit Rider of the Hills'' (1913) *'' When Spirits Walk'' (1913) *'' A Hasty Jilting'' (1913) *''

The Frontier Twins Start Something ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1913) *'' Big Bluff Joe'' (1913) *''

College Holiday ''College Holiday'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Jack Benny, George Burns, Gracie Allen and Martha Raye.Fuller-Seeley p.238 It was produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Plot A woman hotelier wi ...

'' as a cop (uncredited) (1936) *''

Invitation to Happiness ''Invitation to Happiness'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Wesley Ruggles and written by Claude Binyon. The film stars Irene Dunne, Fred MacMurray, Charlie Ruggles, Billy Cook, William Collier, Sr. and Marion Martin. The film was relea ...

'' (1939) as a reporter (uncredited) *'' I'm from Missouri'' as a timekeeper (1939)(uncredited)

Director

*'' A Sagebrush Hamlet'' (1919) *'' The Blue Bandanna'' (1919) *''

The Cave Girl ''The Cave Girl'' is a lost world novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs. Originally published in two separate stories, ''The Cave Girl'' begun in February 1913 and published by "All-Story" in July, August, and September 1913; and '' ...

'' (1921) *''

Fightin' Mad ''Fightin' Mad'' is a 1921 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western comedy film, comedy film directed by Joseph Franz (director), Joseph Franz and starring William Desmond (actor), William Desmond, Virginia Brown Faire and Rosemary ...

'' (1921) * '' Tracks'' (1922) *'' Steppin' Fast'' (1923)

Selected filmography

* '' A Sagebrush Hamlet'' (1919) * ''

Bare-Fisted Gallagher ''Bare-Fisted Gallagher'' is a lost 1919 silent western feature directed by Joseph J. Franz and starring William Desmond. It was produced by Jesse D. Hampton and released through Robertson-Cole soon to amalgamate into Film Booking Offices o ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Gray Wolf's Ghost ''The Gray Wolf's Ghost'' is a 1919 American silent Western film directed by Park Frame and Joseph Franz and starring Lurline Lyons, Rita Stanwood and Hector V. Sarno.Connelly, p. 355. Cast * Lurline Lyons as Dona Maria Saltonstall * Rit ...

'' (1919) * '' The Blue Bandanna'' (1919) * ''

A Broadway Cowboy ''A Broadway Cowboy'' is a 1920 American silent Western comedy film directed by Joseph Franz and starring William Desmond. It was distributed by Pathé Exchange. Plot As described in a film magazine, Betty Jordan (Francisco), daughter of a M ...

'' (1920) * '' The Parish Priest'' (1920) * ''

'' (1921) * ''

'' (1921) * '' The Love Gambler'' (1922) * '' Youth Must Have Love'' (1922) * '' Tracks'' (1922) * '' Smiling Jim'' (1922) * ''

The New Teacher The New Teacher () is a 1939 Soviet comedy drama film directed by Sergey Gerasimov. Plot A young specialist, Stepan Ivanovich Lautin (played by Boris Chirkov), returns to his hometown after completing his studies in Moscow with plans to build a ...

'' (1922) * '' Stepping Fast'' (1923) * ''

Alias the Night Wind ''Alias the Night Wind'' is a lost 1923 American silent mystery film directed by Joseph Franz and starring William Russell, Maude Wayne and Charles K. French.Solomon p.283 Plot Cast * William Russell as Bing Howard * Maude Wayne as Kath ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Pell Street Mystery ''The Pell Street Mystery'' is a 1924 American silent action film directed by Joseph Franz and starring George Larkin, Frank Whitson, and Ollie Kirby. It is part of a series of films featuring Larkin as a New York City newspaper reporter. Plo ...

'' (1924) * '' Blue Blazes'' (1926) * ''

The Desperate Game ''The Desperate Game'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Joseph Franz and Milburn Morante. It stars Pete Morrison, Lew Meehan, and Bert Lindley. Cast * Pete Morrison as Jim Wesley * Dolores Gardner as Marguerite Grayson * ...

'' (1926)

References

Bibliography

* Munden, Kenneth White. ''The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States, Part 1''. University of California Press, 1997.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Franz, Joseph 1883 births 1970 deaths American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors Film directors from New York (state) People from Utica, New York