Richard Barthelmess

Richard Semler Barthelmess (May 9, 1895 – August 17, 1963) was an American film actor, principally of the Hollywood silent era. He starred opposite Lillian Gish in D. W. Griffith's '' Broken Blossoms'' (1919) and ''Way Down East'' (1920) and was among the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1927. The following year, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for two films: '' The Patent Leather Kid'' and '' The Noose''.

Early life

Barthelmess was born in New York City, the son of Caroline W. Harris, a stage actress, and Alfred W. Barthelmess. His father died when he was a year old. Through his mother, he grew up in the theatre, doing "walk-ons" from an early age. In contrast to that, he was educated at Hudson River Military Academy at Nyack, New York and Trinity College at Hartford, Connecticut. He did some acting in college and other amateur productions. By 1919 he had five years in stock company experience.

Career

Russian actress Alla Nazimova, a friend of the family, was taught English by Caroline Barthelmess. Nazimova convinced Richard Barthelmess to try acting professionally, and he made his debut screen appearance in 1916 in the serial '' Gloria's Romance'' as an uncredited extra. He also appeared as a supporting player in several films starring Marguerite Clark.

His next role, in ''War Brides'' opposite Nazimova, attracted the attention of director D.W. Griffith, who offered him several important roles, finally casting him opposite Lillian Gish in '' Broken Blossoms'' (1919) and ''Way Down East'' (1920). He founded his own production company, Inspiration Film Company, together with Charles Duell and Henry King. One of their films, ''Tol'able David'' (1921), in which Barthelmess starred as a teenage mailman who finds courage, was a major success. In 1922, ''Photoplay'' described him as the "idol of every girl in America."

Barthelmess had a large female following during the 1920s. An admirer wrote to the editor of ''Picture-Play Magazine'' in 1921:

Different fans have different opinions, and although Wallace Reid, Thomas Meighan, and Niles Welch are mighty fine chaps, I think that Richard Barthelmess beats them all. Dick is getting more and more popular every day, and why? Because his wonderful black hair and soulful eyes are enough to make any young girl adore him. The first play I saw Dick in was ''Boots''— Dorothy Gish playing the lead. This play impressed me so that I went to see every play in which he appeared—'' Three Men and a Girl,'' '' Scarlet Days,'' '' The Love Flower,'' and '' Broken Blossoms,'' in which I decided that Dick was my favorite. I am looking forward to ''Way Down East'' as being a great success, because I know Dick will play a good part.

Barthelmess soon became one of Hollywood's higher paid performers, starring in such classics as '' The Patent Leather Kid'' in 1927 and '' The Noose'' in 1928; he was nominated for Best Actor at the first Academy Awards for his performance in both films. In addition, he won a special citation for producing '' The Patent Leather Kid''.

With the advent of the sound era, Barthelmess remained a star for a number of years. He played numerous leads in talkie films, most notably '' Son of the Gods'' (1930), '' The Dawn Patrol'' (1930), '' The Last Flight'' (1931), '' The Cabin in the Cotton'' (1932) and '' Heroes for Sale'' (1933). He was able to choose his own material and often played in controversial or socially conscious films. However, his popularity began to wane in the 1930s. He became too old for the boyish leads he usually played. In his later films (between 1939 and his retirement in 1942), he turned towards character roles – most notably, his supporting role as the disgraced pilot and husband of Rita Hayworth's character in '' Only Angels Have Wings'' (1939).

Post-acting career

Barthelmess failed to maintain the stardom of his silent film days and gradually left entertainment. He enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve during World War II, and served as a lieutenant commander, stationed at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. He never returned to film, preferring to live off his real estate investments.

Personal life

On June 18, 1920, Barthelmess married Mary Hay, a stage and screen star, in New York. They had one daughter, Mary Barthelmess, before divorcing on January 15, 1927.

In August 1927, Barthelmess became engaged to Katherine Young Wilson, a Broadway actress. However, the engagement was called off due to Wilson's stated desire to continue acting, or possibly his affair around this time with the journalist Adela Rogers St. Johns.

On April 21, 1928, Barthelmess married Jessica Stewart Sargent. He later adopted her son, Stewart, from a previous marriage. They remained married until Barthelmess' death in 1963.

Death

Barthelmess died of throat cancer on August 17, 1963, aged 68, in Southampton, New York. He was interred at the Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum in Hartsdale, New York.

Legacy

* Barthelmess was a founder of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
* In 1960, Barthelmess received a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard for his contributions to the film industry.
* Barthelmess was among the second group of recipients of the George Eastman Award in 1957, given by the George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film.
* Composer Katherine Allan Lively dedicated her piano composition ''Within the Walls of China: A Chinese Episode'' to Barthelmess in the sheet music published in 1923 by G. Schirmer, Inc. An article in ''The Music Trades'' reported that Mrs. Lively was inspired by a viewing of the film ''Broken Blossoms'', and performed the piece for Barthelmess and his friends in New York in the summer of 1922.
* In 2024, East West Players produced ''Unbroken Blossoms'' by Philip W. Chung, a world premier play which depicted the making of '' Broken Blossoms''. Barthelmess was portrayed by actor Conlan Ledwith.

Filmography

;Features:

;Short subjects:

See also

* List of actors with Academy Award nominations

References

Bibliography

* Hammond, Michael "War Relic and Forgotten Man: Richard Barthelmess as Celluloid Veteran in Hollywood 1922–1933", ''Journal of War & Culture Studies'', 6:4, 2013, p. 282-301. http://www.maneyonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/1752628013Y.0000000005

External links

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Photographs of Richard Barthelmess
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barthelmess, Richard
1895 births
1963 deaths
Male actors from New York City
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences founders
American male film actors
American male silent film actors
Burials at Ferncliff Cemetery
Deaths from throat cancer in New York (state)
People from Long Island
20th-century American male actors
United States Navy officers
Warner Bros. contract players
United States Navy personnel of World War II
Military personnel from New York City