Maxwell Karger (1879–1922)''The First One Hundred Noted Men and Women of the Screen''
by Carolyn Lowrey, c.1920 was an important movie producer and motion picture director during the silent film era of the 1910s.

Biography

Karger's approach to making pictures was similar to contemporary

Thomas H. Ince Thomas Harper Ince (November 16, 1880 – November 19, 1924) was an American silent era filmmaker and media proprietor. Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and was responsible for making over 800 films. Ince revolutionized the motion p ...

. Both died relatively young, but where Ince is remembered for his streamlined productions and circumstances surrounding his death, Karger is completely forgotten today. Karger was a founder of

Rolfe Photoplays Rolfe Photoplays Inc., originally B. A. Rolfe Photoplays Company, was an American motion picture production company established by musical entertainer B.A. Rolfe. Its productions were primarily filmed on the East Coast, usually in and around Fo ...

in New York but later worked primarily at the

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at le ...

studios and was later a personal assistant to

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor who starred in several well-known sile ...

. Karger died of heart disease while on a train between New York and

Fort Wayne Fort Wayne is a city in Allen County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 at the 2020 United S ...

, Indiana. His son Fred Karger (1916-1979) was a voice coach at

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

and was the fourth and final husband of actress

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007). was an American actress. A star of both movies and television, she received an Academy Award for Best Actress, four Golden Globe Awards and nominations for two Pr ...

after her marriage to

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

ended.

Selected filmography

As director *''Hate'' (1922) * ''

Kisses A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, Passion (emotion), passion ...

'' (1922) *'' The Golden Gift'' (1922) *'' The Idle Rich'' (1921) *'' The Hole in the Wall'' (1921) *'' A Trip to Paradise'' (1921) *'' The Man Who'' (1921) *'' A Message from Mars'' (1921) * '' The Golden Gift'' (1922) As producer *''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

'' (1916) *'' Outwitted'' (1917) *'' The Adopted Son'' (1917) *''

Red, White and Blue Blood ''Red, White and Blue Blood'' is a lost 1917 American silent comedy film, directed by Charles Brabin. It stars Francis X. Bushman, Beverly Bayne, and Adella Barker, and was released on December 24, 1917. Cast list * Francis X. Bushman as John ...

'' (1917) *''

Social Hypocrites ''Social Hypocrites'' is a 1918 silent film drama directed by Albert Capellani and starring May Allison. It was produced and distributed by Metro Pictures. Cast *May Allison - Leonore Fielding *Marie Wainwright - Maria, Duchess of St. Keverne *J ...

'' (1918) *'' Pay Day'' (1918) *'' The Winning of Beatrice'' (1918) *''

A Successful Adventure ''A Successful Adventure'' is a lost 1918 silent film romantic comedy starring May Allison and Harry Hilliard. It was produced by Maxwell Karger and released through Metro Pictures. An alternative title was ''The Way to a Man's Heart''. Cast * ...

'' (1918) *''

Flower of the Dusk ''Flower of the Dusk'' is a surviving 1918 silent film directed by John H. Collins and starring his wife Viola Dana. It was produced by Maxwell Karger and distributed by Metro Pictures. The film is based on the 1908 novel by Myrtle Reed. A pr ...

'' (1918) *''

Secret Strings ''Secret Strings'' is a lost 1918 American silent crime drama film produced and distributed by Metro Pictures. Olive Tell, a stage actress, starred in the story based on a play by Kate Jordan. John Ince directed. Plot As described in a film mag ...

'' (1918) *''

Sylvia on a Spree ''Sylvia on a Spree'' is a lost 1918 American silent comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, wi ...

'' (1918) *'' The Shell Game'' (1918) *''

With Neatness and Dispatch With or WITH may refer to: * With, a preposition in English * Carl Johannes With (1877–1923), Danish doctor and arachnologist * With (character), a character in ''D. N. Angel'' * ''With'' (novel), a novel by Donald Harrington * ''With'' (album ...

'' (1918) *''

Social Quicksands ''Social Quicksands'' is a 1918 American silent comedy-drama film, directed by Charles Brabin. It stars Francis X. Bushman, Beverly Bayne, and Mabel Frenyear, and was released on June 10, 1918. Cast list * Francis X. Bushman as Warren Dexter ...

'' (1918) *''

The House of Gold ''The House of Gold'' is a 1918 American silent drama film, directed by Edwin Carewe. It stars Emmy Wehlen, Joseph Kilgour, and Hugh Thompson, and was released on June 17, 1918. Cast * Emmy Wehlen as Pamela Martin * Joseph Kilgour as Dougl ...

'' (1918) * '' A Man's World'' (1918) * ''

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'' (1918) * '' A Pair of Cupids'' (1918) * '' The Silent Woman'' (1918) * '' His Bonded Wife'' (1918) * '' Five Thousand an Hour'' (1918) * '' The Gold Cure'' (1919) *'' Johnny-on-the-Spot'' (1919) *''

Peggy Does Her Darndest ''Peggy Does Her Darndest'' is a lost 1919 silent film comedy directed by George D. Baker and starring May Allison. It was produced and distributed by Metro Pictures. Melodramatic comedy of an athletic girl Peggy Ensloe played by May Allis ...

'' (1919) * '' The Great Victory'' (1919) *'' That's Good'' (1919) *''

The Amateur Adventuress ''The Amateur Adventuress'' is a lost 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Henry Otto and starring Emmy Wehlen. It is based on a short story by Thomas Edgelow that appeared in ''Young's Magazine'' (Oct. 1918). Maxwell Karger produced wi ...

'' (1919) *''

The Island of Intrigue ''The Island of Intrigue'' is a lost 1919 American silent drama film, directed by Henry Otto. It stars May Allison, Jack Mower, and Frederick Vroom, and was released on April 7, 1919. Cast list * May Allison as Maida Waring * Jack Mower as Gil ...

'' (1919) *''

The Brat ''The Brat'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy film directed by John Ford, starring Sally O'Neil, and featuring Virginia Cherrill. The film is based on the 1917 play by Maude Fulton. A previous silent film had been made in 1919 with Al ...

'' (1919) * ''

Satan Junior ''Satan Junior'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by Herbert Blaché and John H. Collins. It was Collins' final involvement in film. Collins began directing the film, production of which had to be suspended due to the flu epide ...

'' (1919) * ''

Please Get Married ''Please Get Married'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by John Ince and starring Viola Dana, Antrim Short and Margaret Campbell. It was based on the Broadway play of the same title by Lewis Allen Browne and James F. Cullen.Goble ...

'' (1919) * '' Blind Man's Eyes'' (1919) *'' The Way of the Strong'' (1919) * '' The Parisian Tigress'' (1919) * ''

Blackie's Redemption ''Blackie's Redemption'', also known by its working title ''Powers That Pray'', is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by John Ince (actor), John Ince. It stars Bert Lytell, Alice Lake, and Henry Kolker, and was released on April 14, 1919 ...

'' (1919) *''

Full of Pep ''Full of Pep'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by Harry L. Franklin. It stars Hale Hamilton, Alice Lake, and Alice Knowland, and was released on May 26, 1919. Plot Jimmy Baxter is a salesman for his father's munitions company ...

'' (1919) * ''

One-Thing-at-a-Time O'Day ''One-Thing-at-a-Time O'Day'' is a lost 1919 American silent comedy film, directed by John Ince. It stars Bert Lytell, Joseph Kilgour, and Eileen Percy, and was released on June 23, 1919. Cast * Bert Lytell as Stradivarius O'Day * Joseph Kilg ...

'' (1919) * '' The Uplifters'' (1919) * '' The Microbe'' (1919) *''

Stronger Than Death ''Stronger Than Death'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Black Label Society. It was initially released in Japan on March 7, 2000, with 11 tracks and in a blood red jewel case. It was released outside Japan almost a mont ...

'' (1920) *'' The Willow Tree'' (1920) *''The Walk-Offs'' (1920) *'' The Right of Way'' (1920) *'' Alias Jimmy Valentine'' (1920) *''

Dangerous to Men ''Dangerous to Men'' is a lost 1920 American silent comedy film directed by William C. Dowlan and starring Viola Dana. It was distributed through Metro Pictures.Love, Honor and Obey ''Love, Honor and Obey'' is a 1920 American silent drama film. Directed by Leander de Cordova, the film stars Wilda Bennett, Claire Whitney, and Henry Harmon. It was released on September 6, 1920. Plot Cast * Wilda Bennett as Conscience Wi ...

'' (1920) *''

Clothes Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

'' (1920) *'' The Fatal Hour'' (1920) *'' The Misleading Lady'' (1920) * '' Puppets of Fate'' (1921) *'' Fine Feathers'' (1921) *'' The Hole in the Wall'' (1921)

References

External links

Maxwell Karger at IMDb.comMaxwell Karger at allmovie.comMaxwell Karger
Kinotv) {{DEFAULTSORT:Karger, Maxwell 1879 births 1922 deaths American film studio executives Silent film producers