Silent actor photo gallery
Charlie Chaplin
Born: Charles Spencer Chaplin, 16 April 1889, London, England
Died: 25 December 1977, Vevey, Switzerland
Spouse(s): Mildred Harris (23 October 1918-4 April 1921) (divorced)
Lita Grey (26 November 1924-25 August 1927) (divorced)
Paulette Goddard (1 June 1936-4 June 1942) (divorced)
Oona O'Neill (16 June 1943-25 December 1977)
Mini biography: Charlie Chaplin was the son of 2 music hall entertainers. He made his first stage appearance at age 5 when he sang in place of his mother who had become ill. He bacame a member of a vaudeville troup which took him to New York in 1910. His first film was in 1914 and in 1919 he formed United Artists with D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. He left the United States for Switzerland in 1952. In 1975 he was knighted. He had 11 children, 8 of them with his last wife.
Selected filmography: The New Janitor, The Tramp, The Gold Rush and City Lights.
Died: 25 December 1977, Vevey, Switzerland
Spouse(s): Mildred Harris (23 October 1918-4 April 1921) (divorced)
Lita Grey (26 November 1924-25 August 1927) (divorced)
Paulette Goddard (1 June 1936-4 June 1942) (divorced)
Oona O'Neill (16 June 1943-25 December 1977)
Mini biography: Charlie Chaplin was the son of 2 music hall entertainers. He made his first stage appearance at age 5 when he sang in place of his mother who had become ill. He bacame a member of a vaudeville troup which took him to New York in 1910. His first film was in 1914 and in 1919 he formed United Artists with D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. He left the United States for Switzerland in 1952. In 1975 he was knighted. He had 11 children, 8 of them with his last wife.
Selected filmography: The New Janitor, The Tramp, The Gold Rush and City Lights.
Rudolph Valentino
Born: Rodolfo Alfonzo Raffaello Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla, 6 May 1895, Castellaneta, Italy
Died: 23 August 1926, NewYork, USA
Spouse(s): Jean Acker (15 November 1919-4 March 1923) (divorced)
Natacha Rambova (17 March 1923-19 January 1926) (divorced)
Mini biography: Rudolph Valentino moved to the United States in 1913 and got his first film part in 1914. His first lead role came in 1921 and more followed. During a dispute with Famous Players over his salary in 1922 he wrote poetry and gave interviews, he also accepted an offer to promote Mineralava Beauty Clay. He returned to films in 1924.
Selected filmography: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Beyond the Rocks and The Eagle.
Died: 23 August 1926, NewYork, USA
Spouse(s): Jean Acker (15 November 1919-4 March 1923) (divorced)
Natacha Rambova (17 March 1923-19 January 1926) (divorced)
Mini biography: Rudolph Valentino moved to the United States in 1913 and got his first film part in 1914. His first lead role came in 1921 and more followed. During a dispute with Famous Players over his salary in 1922 he wrote poetry and gave interviews, he also accepted an offer to promote Mineralava Beauty Clay. He returned to films in 1924.
Selected filmography: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Beyond the Rocks and The Eagle.
Douglas Fairbanks
Born: Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman, 23 May 1883, Denver, USA
Died: 23 December 1939, California, USA
Spouse(s): Anna Beth Sully (11 July 1907-30 November 1919) (divorced)
Mary Pickford (28 March 1920-10 January 1936) (divorced)
Edith Louise Sylvia Hawkes (7 March 1936-12 December 1939)
Mini biography: Douglas Fairbanks began amateur theatre at the age of 12. He went to Hollywood in 1915 and began work for D. W. Griffith. In 1919 he founded United Artists with D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin.
Selected filmography: A Modern Muskateer, The Mark of Zorro, The Three Muskateers and The Thief of Baghdad.
Died: 23 December 1939, California, USA
Spouse(s): Anna Beth Sully (11 July 1907-30 November 1919) (divorced)
Mary Pickford (28 March 1920-10 January 1936) (divorced)
Edith Louise Sylvia Hawkes (7 March 1936-12 December 1939)
Mini biography: Douglas Fairbanks began amateur theatre at the age of 12. He went to Hollywood in 1915 and began work for D. W. Griffith. In 1919 he founded United Artists with D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin.
Selected filmography: A Modern Muskateer, The Mark of Zorro, The Three Muskateers and The Thief of Baghdad.
Buster Keaton
Born: John Frank Keaton VI, 4 October 1895, Kansas, USA
Died: 1 February 1966, California, USA
Spouse(s): Natalie Talmadge (31 May 1921-25 July 1932) (divorced)
Mae Scriven (8 January 1933-1936) (divorced)
Eleanor Norris (28 July 1940-1 February 1966)
Mini biography: Buster Keaton began performing with his parents vaudeville act at the age of 3. There is a story that he got the nickname 'Buster' from Harry Houdini after falling down some stairs aged six months and being unharmed. His first film was released in 1917 and by the middle of 1921 he had his own production company. One of his nicknames was The Great Stoneface.
Selected filmography: The Butcher Boy, The Electric House, The Invader and Grand Slam Opera.
Died: 1 February 1966, California, USA
Spouse(s): Natalie Talmadge (31 May 1921-25 July 1932) (divorced)
Mae Scriven (8 January 1933-1936) (divorced)
Eleanor Norris (28 July 1940-1 February 1966)
Mini biography: Buster Keaton began performing with his parents vaudeville act at the age of 3. There is a story that he got the nickname 'Buster' from Harry Houdini after falling down some stairs aged six months and being unharmed. His first film was released in 1917 and by the middle of 1921 he had his own production company. One of his nicknames was The Great Stoneface.
Selected filmography: The Butcher Boy, The Electric House, The Invader and Grand Slam Opera.
Harold Lloyd
Born: Harold Clayton Lloyd, 20 April 1893, Nebraska, USA
Died: 8 March 1971, California, USA
Spouse: Mildred Davis (10 February 1923-18 August 1969)
Mini biography: Harold Lloyd made his first appearance on stage at age 12. He and his father moved to California in 1913 and later that year he made his first film appearance. He met Hal Roach, who at the time was another extra and they eventually formed a partnership. They started making feature length comedies in 1921 and he became one of Hal Roach's most successful comic actors.
Selected filmography: The Patchwork Girl of Oz, Fresh from the Farm, A Sailor-made Man and The Freshman.
Died: 8 March 1971, California, USA
Spouse: Mildred Davis (10 February 1923-18 August 1969)
Mini biography: Harold Lloyd made his first appearance on stage at age 12. He and his father moved to California in 1913 and later that year he made his first film appearance. He met Hal Roach, who at the time was another extra and they eventually formed a partnership. They started making feature length comedies in 1921 and he became one of Hal Roach's most successful comic actors.
Selected filmography: The Patchwork Girl of Oz, Fresh from the Farm, A Sailor-made Man and The Freshman.
More silent actors
Tom Mix, Roscoe Arbuckle, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers and John Barrymore.
