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 with no 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) ...

. 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 or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. He attended

St. Francis Xavier College A multitude of schools and universities have been named after St. Francis Xavier, a Spanish Roman Catholic saint and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. This page lists notable educational institutions named after St. Xavier, arranged by country ...

in New York. Cogley appeared in

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people, Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of ...

in some of his roles. For example, in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same 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 polic ...

film '' The Coward'' (1915) he played "A Negro Servant," and in ''

Toby's Bow ''Toby's Bow'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Tom Moore, Doris Pawn, Macey Harlam, Arthur Housman, Colin Kenny, and Augustus Phillips. It is based on the 1919 play of the same name by John Taintor ...

'' (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 Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, rel ...

.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 ''The New Superintendent'' is a 1911 American short drama film directed by Francis Boggs, featuring Hoot Gibson as an extra. Cast * Herbert Rawlinson * Tom Santschi * Fred Huntley * George Hernandez * Nick Cogley * Edward H. Philbrook * Majo ...

'' (1911) * ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with '' The Three Musketeers''. L ...

'' (1912) * ''

Mabel's New Hero ''Mabel's New Hero'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Mabel Normand, Fatty Arbuckle, and The Keystone Cops. Cast * Mabel Normand as Mabel * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as Fatty * Charles Inslee as Hansome Harry * Virginia Kirtley as ...

'' (1913) * '' The Paymaster's Son'' (1913) * '' A Noise from the Deep'' (1913) * '' The Bangville Police'' (1913) * ''

That Ragtime Band ''That Ragtime Band'' is a 1913 American short comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Ford Sterling as Prof. Smelts * Mabel Normand as Mabel * Nick Cogley as Rival musician * Alice Davenport * Roscoe 'F ...

'' (1913) * ''

Murphy's I.O.U. ''Murphy's I.O.U.'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Phyllis Allen * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Nick Cogley * Dot Farley * Henry Lehrman * Fred Mace as Murphy * Hank Mann * Charles Murray * Mack Sennett as P ...

'' (1913) * '' The Gangsters'' (1913) * ''

Passions, He Had Three ''Passions, He Had Three'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Roscoe Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Beatrice Van * Nick Cogley * Alice Davenport * Dot Farley * Mabel Normand * Betty Schade * Al St. J ...

'' (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 Peggy Pearce (born Velma Pearce; June 4, 1894 – Febru ...

'' (1913) * '' A Bandit'' (1913) * ''

The Gypsy Queen ''The Gypsy Queen'' is a 1913 American silent short comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and featuring Roscoe Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Cast * Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle * Mabel Normand Amabel Ethelreid Normand (November 9, 1893 � ...

'' (1913) * ''

Mother's Boy Mother's boy, also commonly and informally mummy's boy or mama's boy, is a 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, be economically independent) ...

'' (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 ''A Dash of Courage'' is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by Charley Chase, starring Gloria Swanson, and featuring Wallace Beery, to whom she was briefly married. Synopsis Cast * Harry Gribbon as Police Commissioner * Guy Woodward ...

'' (1916) * '' Stars and Bars'' (1917) * ''

Madam Who? ''Madam Who?'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Bessie Barriscale. It was produced by Paralta Plays and distributed through W. W. Hodkinson Corporation and the General Film Company. Survives in the Lib ...

'' (1918) *''

Maid o' the Storm ''Maid o' the Storm'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Raymond B. West and starring Bessie Barriscale, George Fisher and Herschel Mayall.Spehr & Lundquist p.394 The film takes place in Scotland and London. Cast * Bessie Barris ...

'' (1918) * '' Inside the Lines'' (1918) * '' Sis Hopkins'' (1919) * ''

'' (1919) * ''

Jes' Call Me Jim ''Jes' Call Me Jim'' is a 1920 American comedy- drama film directed by Clarence G. Badger and written by Edward T. Lowe Jr. and Thompson Buchanan. It is based on the 1875 novel ''Seven Oaks'' by James G. Holland. The film stars Will Rogers, ...

'' (1920) * '' Guile of Women'' (1921) * '' Beating the Game'' (1921) * ''

The Old Nest ''The Old Nest'' is a 1921 American drama silent black and white film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Helene Chadwick. It was awarded for the National High School Students' Poll for Best Picture They Had Ever Seen. It is based on the ...

'' (1921) as Uncle Ned * ''

One Clear Call ''One Clear Call'' is the ninth novel in Upton Sinclair Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. (September 20, 1878 – November 25, 1968) was an American writer, muckraker, political activist and the 1934 Democratic Party nominee for governor of Cal ...

'' (1922) * '' The Marriage Chance'' (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 aff ...

'' (1923) * '' Crinoline and Romance'' (1923) * ''

The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln ''The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln'' is a 1924 American feature film directed by Phil Rosen and written by Frances Marion. By the date of release, the film's title was shortened to ''Abraham Lincoln'', since the previous title was regarded ...

'' (1924) * '' Hey! Hey! Cowboy'' (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 play, it has become familiar through repeated stage productions, films and radio programs. The basic premise involves an Irish Catholic gi ...

'' (1928) * ''

Treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

'' (1933)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cogley, Nick 1869 births 1936 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from New York (state) 20th-century American male actors