Nickolas P. J. Cogley (May 4, 1869 – May 20, 1936) was an American actor, director and writer of the

silent films 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, wh ...

. He appeared in more than 170 films between 1909 and 1934.

Biography

Cogley was born in

New York, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...

. He attended St. Francis Xavier College in New York. Cogley appeared in

blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...

in some of his roles. For example, in the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

film '' The Coward'' (1915) he played "A Negro Servant," and in '' Toby's Bow'' (1919) he portrayed the black servant "Uncle Toby" that gives the film its name. The use of blackface was not unusual in American silent films, and did not disappear until the 1930s when public sensibilities regarding race began to change and blackface became increasingly associated with racism and

bigotry Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived social group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that pers ...

.John Kenrick
Blackface and Old Wounds
Musicals101.com. Accessed online November 2, 2013. On stage, Cogley acted at New York's Lyceum Theatre for 25 years. He died in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, following surgery.

Partial filmography

* '' The Sanitarium'' (1910) * '' The New Superintendent'' (1911) * ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...

'' (1912) * '' Mabel's New Hero'' (1913) * '' The Paymaster's Son'' (1913) * ''

A Noise from the Deep ''A Noise from the Deep'' is a 1913 American Short subject, short silent comedy film starring Mabel Normand and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. The film was directed and produced by Mack Sennett and also features the Keystone Cops on horseback. ''A Noi ...

'' (1913) * '' The Bangville Police'' (1913) * '' That Ragtime Band'' (1913) * '' Murphy's I.O.U.'' (1913) * '' The Gangsters'' (1913) * '' Passions, He Had Three'' (1913) * '' Help! Help! Hydrophobia!'' (1913) * ''

Peeping Pete ''Peeping Pete'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Phyllis Allen * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as Pete's wife * Charles Avery * Peggy Pearce * Nick Cogley as Sheriff * Dot Farley * Mack Sennett as Pete * ...

'' (1913) * '' A Bandit'' (1913) * '' The Gypsy Queen'' (1913) * ''

Mother's Boy Mother's boy, also commonly and informally mummy's boy, mommy's boy or mama's boy, is a derogatory term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his mother at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, earn ...

'' (1913) * '' Two Old Tars'' (1913) * '' The Woman Haters'' (1913) * '' In the Clutches of the Gang'' (1914) * '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' (1914) as Keystone Cop Desk Sergeant (uncredited) * '' Love, Loot and Crash'' (1915) * '' The Coward'' (1915) * '' A La Cabaret'' (1916) * '' Hearts and Sparks'' (1916) * '' A Dash of Courage'' (1916) * '' Stars and Bars'' (1917) * '' Madam Who?'' (1918) *'' Maid o' the Storm'' (1918) * '' Inside the Lines'' (1918) * '' Sis Hopkins'' (1919) * '' Toby's Bow'' (1919) * '' Jes' Call Me Jim'' (1920) * '' Guile of Women'' (1921) * '' Beating the Game'' (1921) * '' The Old Nest'' (1921) as Uncle Ned * ''

An Unwilling Hero ''An Unwilling Hero'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and written by Arthur F. Statter. The film stars Will Rogers, Molly Malone, John Bowers, Darrell Foss, and Jack Curtis. The film was released on May ...

'' as * '' One Clear Call'' (1922) * ''

The Marriage Chance ''The Marriage Chance'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by Hampton Del Ruth and starring Alta Allen, Milton Sills and Irene Rich.Munden p.493 Cast * Alta Allen as Eleannor Douglas * Milton Sills as William Bradley * Henry B ...

'' (1922) * '' Restless Souls'' (1922) * ''

Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of affa ...

'' (1923) * '' Crinoline and Romance'' (1923) * '' The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln'' (1924) * ''

Hey! Hey! Cowboy ''Hey! Hey! Cowboy'' is a lost film, lost 1927 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Lynn Reynolds and Edward Laemmle and starring Hoot Gibson. It was produced and released by Universal Pictures. Cast * Hoot Gi ...

'' (1927) * '' The Missing Link'' (1927) * '' The Heart of Maryland'' (1927) * '' In Old Kentucky'' (1927) * ''

Abie's Irish Rose ''Abie's Irish Rose'' is a popular comedy by Anne Nichols, which premiered in 1922. Initially a Broadway theatre, Broadway Play (theatre), play, it has become familiar through repeated stage productions, films and radio programs. The basic premi ...

'' (1928) * ''

Treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

'' (1933) * '' Cross Fire'' (1933)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cogley, Nick 1869 births 1936 deaths Burials at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery, Santa Monica American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from New York (state) 20th-century American male actors