Neal Hart (April 7, 1879 – April 2, 1949) was an American actor and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of the

silent film era A silent film is a film without synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, 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) ...

Biography

Hart was born in

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

. Before he began working in films, he was a city marshal, cowboy, and stage driver. He worked in entertainment as a member of a

Wild West show Wild West shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe that existed around 1870–1920. The shows began as theatrical stage productions and evolved into open-air shows that depicted romanticized stereotypes of co ...

. Hart appeared in 125 films between 1916 and 1949. He also directed 23 films between 1919 and 1928. Until 1920 he worked at

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

as an actor, an assistant to director George Marshall, and a scenario writer. He went from Universal to Pinnacle Studios in 1920, adding producing to his writing and acting as he continued to work in

Western film The Western is a film genre defined by the American Film Institute as films which are "set in the American West that mbodythe spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier." Generally set in the American frontier between the Calif ...

s through the 1920s. On April 2, 1949, Hart died at the

Motion Picture Country Hospital The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) is a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as tempo ...

Woodland Hills, Los Angeles Woodland Hills is a neighborhood bordering the Santa Monica Mountains in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California, United States. History The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans in the United States, ...

, and was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery. He was a distant cousin of western actor

William S. Hart William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integ ...

, who is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York City.

Partial filmography

* '' Stampede in the Night'' (1916 short) * '' The Night Riders'' (1916 short) * '' The Passing of Hell's Crown'' (1916 short) * '' The Committee on Credentials'' (1916 short) * ''

For the Love of a Girl ''For the Love of a Girl'' is a 1916 American silent film featuring Harry Carey. Cast * Harry Carey as "Black" La Rue * Bessie Arnold * Joe Rickson * Olive Carey (as Olive Fuller Golden) * Neal Hart See also * List of American films of 19 ...

'' (1916 short) * ''

Love's Lariat ''Love's Lariat'' is a 1916 American silent film featuring Harry Carey. Plot A cowboy called Sky High learns that he has inherited a fortune, but must move to the East to collect and keep it. The only other heir, Landers, conspires with gold ...

'' (1916) * ''

Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

'' (1916 serial) * '' The Man from Montana'' (1917) * '' The Mystery Ship'' (1917) * ''

The Lion's Claws ''The Lion's Claws'' is a 1918 American adventure film serial directed by Harry Harvey and Jacques Jaccard and starring Marie Walcamp and Ray Hanford. The serial, which had 18 chapters, is considered to be a lost film. Cast Reception Like ma ...

'' (1918) * '' Smashing Through'' (1918) * ''

The Crow ''The Crow'' is a supernatural superhero comic book series created by James O'Barr revolving around the titular character of the same name. The series, which was originally created by O'Barr as a means of dealing with the death of his fianc� ...

'' (1919) * ''

Tangled Trails ''Tangled Trails'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by Charles Bartlett and starring Neal Hart and Violet Palmer. The film is also known as ''Sands of Sacrifice''. Plot As described in a film magazine, Corporal Jack Borden (Ha ...

'' (1921) * '' The Kingfisher's Roost'' (1921) * '' Lure of the Gold'' (1922) * ''

Trigger Tricks ''Trigger Tricks'' is a 1930 American pre-Code Western film written and directed by B. Reeves Eason, and starring Hoot Gibson, Sally Eilers, Robert Homans, Jack Richardson, Monte Montague and Neal Hart. It was released on June 8, 1930, by Un ...

'' (1930) * ''

Wild Horse The wild horse (''Equus ferus'') is a species of the genus Equus (genus), ''Equus'', which includes as subspecies the modern domestication of the horse, domesticated horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') as well as the Endangered species, endangered ...

'' (1931) * '' Guns for Hire'' (1932) * ''

The Reckless Rider ''The Reckless Rider'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Phyllis Barrington and Neal Hart.Pits p.135 It was a loose remake of the 1928 FBO Pictures film '' When the Law Rides'' also written b ...

'' (1932) * '' The Dude Bandit'' (1933) * ''

The Renegade Ranger ''The Renegade Ranger'' is a 1938 American Western film directed by David Howard. It was the first film Tim Holt made for RKO, for whom he would be one of the studio's biggest stars.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Roche ...

'' (1938) * '' Tucson Raiders'' (1944) (uncredited) * ''

Marshal of Reno ''Marshal of Reno'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Wallace Grissell starring Wild Bill Elliott in the role of Red Ryder. It was the second of twenty-three Red Ryder feature films that would be produced by Republic Pictures. The pict ...

'' (1944) (uncredited) * ''

Cheyenne Wildcat ''Cheyenne Wildcat'' is a 1944 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and one of the 23 Republic Pictures Red Ryder features. The film, starring veteran western actor, Wild Bill Elliott as Red Ryder, was based on the comic strip "Red ...

'' (1944) (uncredited) * '' Phantom of the Plains'' (1945) (uncredited) * ''

Badman's Territory ''Badman's Territory'' is a 1946 American Western film starring Randolph Scott. It was followed by the loose sequels '' Return of the Bad Men'' (1948) and '' Best of the Badmen'' (1951). Plot Just north of Texas and west of the Oklahoma border ...

'' (1946) (uncredited)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Neal 1879 births 1949 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from Staten Island 20th-century American male actors Articles containing video clips Film directors from New York City