Robert Edeson (June 3, 1868 – March 24, 1931) was an American film and stage actor of the

silent era 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) ...

and a vaudeville performer.

Life and career

Edeson was born in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

After working as treasurer of the Park Theatre in Brooklyn, he initially acted in New York in 1887 in a production of ''Fascination.'' He debuted on Broadway in ''Marriage'' (1896). His last Broadway appearance was in ''The World We Live In'' (1922). He also performed in vaudeville. Edeson received his first boost in films in 1914 when he starred in the Cecil B. DeMille directed film, '' The Call of the North'' (1914). Edeson replaced actor Rudolph Christians in Erich von Stroheim's production of '' Foolish Wives'' (1922), after Christians died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

. Edeson famously only showed his back to the camera so as not to clash with shot footage of Christians that was still to be used in the completed film. Edeson's final film was ''Aloha'' (1931). His third wife was the former Aida Banker.

Death

On March 24, 1931, Edeson died at his home in Hollywood. He was 62 years old.

Selected filmography

*'' The Paymaster's Son'' (1913) as The Paymaster's Son *'' The Call of the North'' (1914) as Ned Stewart *'' The Absentee'' (1915) as Nathaniel Crosby *'' The Light That Failed'' (1916) as Dick Hedlar * '' Big Jim Garrity'' (1916) as Jim Garrity *''

On the Night Stage ''On the Night Stage'' is a 1915 American silent Western film directed by Reginald Barker and starring William S. Hart and Rhea Mitchell. The film is based upon a story by C. Gardner Sullivan with the scenario written by Thomas H. Ince. ...

'' (1915) as Austin *'' The Caveman'' (1915) as Hanlick Smagg *''

Public Defender A public defender is a lawyer appointed to represent people who otherwise cannot reasonably afford to hire a lawyer to defend themselves in a trial. Several countries provide people with public defenders, including the UK, Hungary and Singapore, ...

'' (1917) as Arthur Nelson *''

Extravagance Extravagance may refer to: * ''Extravagance'' (1916 film), an American film * ''Extravagance'' (1919 film), an American lost film * ''Extravagance'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Phil Rosen * ''Extravagance'' (1930 film), a ...

'' (1921) as Richard Vane *'' Foolish Wives'' (1922) as Andrew J. Hughes *''

The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in or ...

'' (1922) as Colonel Zapta *'' Sure Fire Flint'' (1922) as Anthony De Lanni * '' Any Night'' (1922) as Jim Barton * '' You Are Guilty'' (1923) as Theodore Tennent *'' The Tie That Binds'' (1923) as Charles Dodge *'' The Silent Partner'' (1923) as Ralph Coombes *'' To the Last Man'' (1923) as Gaston Isbel *'' The Ten Commandments'' (1923) as Inspector Redding *''

Feet of Clay Feet of clay is an idiom used to refer to a weakness or character flaw, especially in people of prominence and power. It can also be used to refer to larger groups, such as societies, businesses, and empires. An entity with feet of clay may app ...

'' (1924) as Dr. Fergus Lansell *''

Welcome Stranger The Welcome Stranger is the biggest alluvial gold nugget that has ever been found, which had a calculated refined weight of .Potter, Terry F. (1999) ''The Welcome Stranger: a definitive account of the worlds largest alluvial gold nugget''. I ...

'' (1924) as Eb Hooker *'' Men'' (1924) as Henri Duval *'' Triumph'' (1924) as Samuel Overton *'' Thy Name Is Woman'' (1924) as The Commandante * '' Missing Daughters'' (1924) as Secret Service Chief *'' The Prairie Pirate'' (1925) as Don Esteban *'' Men and Women'' (1925) as Israel Cohen *''

The Golden Bed ''The Golden Bed'' is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It is based on the novel ''Tomorrow's Bread'' by Wallace Irwin. Jeanie MacPherson wrote the screenplay. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, ...

'' (1925) as Amos Thompson * '' Go Straight'' (1925) as The Hawk *'' Locked Doors'' (1925) as Norman Carter * '' Blood and Steel'' (1925) as W.L. Grimshaw *'' The Volga Boatman'' (1926) as Prince Nikita *'' The Clinging Vine'' (1926) as T. M. Bancroft *'' The Blue Eagle'' (1926) as Chaplain Regan *''

The King of Kings King of Kings; grc-gre, Βασιλεὺς Βασιλέων, Basileùs Basiléōn; hy, արքայից արքա, ark'ayits ark'a; sa, महाराजाधिराज, Mahārājadhirāja; ka, მეფეთ მეფე, ''Mepet mepe'' ...

'' (1927) as Matthew the Apostle *''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

'' (1927) as William Flynn *''

Altars of Desire ''Altars of Desire'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by Christy Cabanne and starring silent movie star Mae Murray. It was produced and released by MGM. A print of ''Altars of Desire'' survives and is preserved by MGM. Synopsis ...

'' (1927) as John Sutherland * '' The Night Bride'' (1927) *'' George Washington Cohen'' (1928) as Mr. Gorman *'' A Ship Comes In'' (1928) as Judge Gresham *'' Beware of Blondes'' (1928) as Costigan *''

Walking Back ''Walking Back'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Rupert Julian and an uncredited Cecil B. DeMille. Prints of the film exist. Plot A young jazz hound, "Smoke" Thatcher (Richard Walling), is failing his academic studies due t ...

'' (1928) as Edgar Thatcher *'' Dynamite'' (1929) as Wise Fool *'' Romance of the Rio Grande'' (1929) as Don Fernando *'' Pardon My Gun'' (1930) as Pa Martin *'' A Devil with Women'' (1930) as General Garcia *'' Danger Lights'' (1930) as Tom Johnson *'' The Lash'' (1930) as Don Mariana Delfine *'' The Way of All Men'' (1930) Swift * ''

Swing High ''Swing High'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code short documentary film directed by Jack Cummings. In 1932, it was nominated for an Academy Award at the 5th Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Novelty). The film documents The Flying Codonas, a f ...

'' (1930)

References

External links

* * *
a young Robert Edeson on the cover of THE THEATRE magazine September 1905
American male film actors American male stage actors American male silent film actors 1868 births 1931 deaths 20th-century American male actors Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery {{US-film-actor-1860s-stub