Henry Kolker
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Henry Kolker | |
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![]() Kolker, c. 1910 | |
Born | Joseph Henry Kolker December 13, 1874 |
Died | July 15, 1947 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 72)
Occupation(s) | Actor Film director |
Years active | 1914–1947 |
Spouse(s) | Margaret Bruenn (1926–1947; her death) Lillian Carroll (?-1926)(suicide 1935)[1] |
Joseph Henry Kolker (November 13, 1874[2] – July 15, 1947) was an American stage and film actor and director.
Early years
[edit]Kolker was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1874.[3] ([Some sources say 1870.[citation needed]) He came to America at age five and was educated by Franciscan Monks[4] at Quincy, Illinois.[5]
Career
[edit]Kolker had a substantial stage career before entering silent films.[6] He began acting professionally in stock theater in 1895.[5] On stage he appeared opposite actresses such as Edith Wynne Matthison, Bertha Kalich and Ruth Chatterton.
Kolker began acting in films in 1915.[5] He is best remembered for his movie roles, including one in the ground-breaking Pre-Code film Baby Face (1933) as an elderly CEO. Another well-remembered part is as Mr. Seton, father of Katharine Hepburn and Lew Ayres in the 1938 film Holiday directed by George Cukor.
Kolker also directed. His best-known effort is Disraeli (1921), starring George Arliss, which is now a lost film with only one reel remaining,[7] and not to be confused with a later sound era portrayal by Arliss of the same name.
Personal life
[edit]Kolker was married to Lillian Carroll; they divorced in 1926. Soon after the divorce, he married Margaret Bruen.[8]
Kolker died on July 15, 1947, aged 72.
Selected filmography
[edit]As actor
[edit]- The Bigger Man (1915) as John Stoddard
- The Warning (1915) as Robert Denman
- How Molly Made Good (1915, cameo as himself)
- Gloria's Romance (1916) as Dr. Stephen Royce
- The Shell Game (1918) as Lawrence Gray
- Social Hypocrites (1918) as Dr. Frank Simpson
- The House of Mirth (1918) as Lawrence Selden
- The Great Victory (1918) as Kaiser Wilhelm II
- The Parisian Tigress (1919) as Henri Dutray
- Blackie's Redemption (1919) as Fred the Count
- The Red Lantern (1919)
- Tangled Threads (1919) as Dr. MacGregor
- The Brat (1919) as A Dandy
- Her Purchase Price (1919) as Duke of Wryden
- A Man of Stone (1921)
- Any Woman (1925) as Egbert Phillips
- Sally, Irene and Mary (1925) as Marcus Morton
- The Palace of Pleasure (1926) as Premier
- Hell's Four Hundred (1926) as John Gilmore
- Winning the Futurity (1926) (scenes deleted)
- Wet Paint (1926) as A Husband
- A Kiss in a Taxi (1927) as Leon Lambert
- Annie Laurie (1927) as King's Representative
- Rough House Rosie (1927) as W.S. Davids
- Soft Living (1928) as Roidney S. Bowen
- Midnight Rose (1928) as Corbin
- The Charge of the Gauchos (1928) as Viceroy Cisneros
- Don't Marry (1928) as Gen. Willoughby
- Coquette (1929) as Jasper Carter
- The Valiant (1929) as Judge
- Pleasure Crazed (1929) as Col. Farquar
- Love, Live and Laugh (1929) as Enrico
- The Bad One (1930) as Prosecutor
- East Is West (1930) as Butler
- Abraham Lincoln (1930) as New Englander
- The Way of All Men (1930) as Sharp
- Du Barry, Woman of Passion (1930) as D'Aiguillon
- East Is West (1930) as Mr. Benson
- One Heavenly Night (1931) as Prefect of Police
- Don't Bet on Women (1931) as Butterfield
- Doctors' Wives (1931) as Hospital Official
- Quick Millions (1931) as District Attorney
- Indiscreet (1931) as Mr. Woodward
- The Spy (1931) as Tchijinski
- I Like Your Nerve (1931) as Areal Pacheco
- The Unholy Garden (1931) as Col. Lautrac
- The Yellow Ticket (1931) as Passport Clerk
- The Washington Masquerade (1932) as Stapleton
- Jewel Robbery (1932) as Baron Franz
- The First Year (1932) as Peter Barstow
- Devil and the Deep (1932) as Hutton
- Down to Earth (1932) as Randolph
- The Crash (1932) as John Fair
- Faithless (1932) as Mr. Carter
- Rasputin and the Empress (1932) as Chief of Secret Police
- The Keyhole (1933) as Schuyler Brooks
- Gabriel Over the White House (1933) as Sen. Langham - Senate Majority Leader
- Hello, Sister! (1933) as Jameson Brewster, Bank President
- A Bedtime Story (1933) as Agent de Police
- Hell Below (1933) as Adm. Sir Hugh Higby
- The Narrow Corner (1933) as Mr. Blake, Fred's Father
- Baby Face (1933) as Carter
- Notorious But Nice (1933) as Defense Attorney Clark
- The Power and the Glory (1933) as Mr. Borden
- Bureau of Missing Persons (1933) as Theodore Arno
- Golden Harvest (1933) as Henry Flint
- I Loved a Woman (1933) as Mr. Sanborn
- Love, Honor, and Oh Baby! (1933) as The Judge
- Gigolettes of Paris (1933) as Police Interrogator
- Meet the Baron (1933) as Baron Munchausen
- Blood Money (1933) as Newspaper Managing Editor
- Massacre (1934) as Sen. Woolsey
- Bedside (1934) as Maritza's Manager
- I've Got Your Number (1934) as Robert Kirkland
- The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) as Theatre Manager
- Wonder Bar (1934) as Mr. R.H. Renaud
- Journal of a Crime (1934) as Henri Marcher
- Success at Any Price (1934) as Hatfield
- Sisters Under the Skin (1934) as Jones
- Let's Talk It Over (1934) as Doctor
- Black Moon (1934) as The Psychiatrist
- The Hell Cat (1934) as C.W. Sloane
- Let's Try Again (1934) as Mr. Blake
- Stamboul Quest (1934) as 'Excellency' German War Office
- Whom the Gods Destroy (1934) as Carlo, the Puppeteer
- Blind Date (1934) as J.W. Hartwell, Sr.
- Name the Woman (1934) as Judge Adams
- The Girl From Missouri (1934) as Sen. Titcombe
- She Loves Me Not (1934) as Charles M. Lawton
- Now and Forever (1934) as Mr. Clark
- Million Dollar Ransom (1934) Dr. Davis
- One Exciting Adventure (1934) as Customer
- A Lost Lady (1934) as John Ormsby
- Lady by Choice (1934) as Opper
- Imitation of Life (1934) as Dr. Preston
- Love Time (1934) as Emperor Francis I
- Kid Millions (1934) as Attorney
- The Ghost Walks (1934) as Dr. Kent
- Sing Sing Nights (1934) as Kurt Nordon
- The Band Plays On (1934) as Professor Hackett
- Charlie Chan in Paris (1935) as M. Lamartine
- Society Doctor (1935) as Dr. Harvey
- Red Hot Tires (1935) as Martin Sanford
- The Mystery Man (1935) as Ellwyn A. 'Jo-Jo' Jonas
- One New York Night (1935) as Arthur Carlisle
- Times Square Lady (1935) as Mr. Fielding
- A Dog of Flanders (1935) as Monsieur LaTour, Art Critic
- The Florentine Dagger (1935) as Auctioneer
- The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) as District Attorney Stacey
- Reckless (1935) as Mr. Gearhart
- Go Into Your Dance (1935) as Doctor
- Spring Tonic (1935) as Mr. Enix
- Honeymoon Limited (1935) as Mr. Randall
- Mad Love (1935) as Prefect Rosset
- The Black Room (1935) as Baron Frederick de Berghman
- Here Comes the Band (1935) as Simmon's Attorney
- Diamond Jim (1935) as J.C. Randolf, Bank President
- Ladies Love Danger (1935) as Jose Lopez
- Red Salute (1935) as Dean
- I Live My Life (1935) as Relative at Mrs. Gage's
- Shipmates Forever (1935) as The Doctor
- The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) as Warder
- Three Kids and a Queen (1935) as Crippets
- Frisco Waterfront (1935) as District Attorney
- The Great Impersonation (1935) as Dr. Schmidt
- Collegiate (1936) as Mr. MacGregor
- My Marriage (1936) as Maj. Vaile
- Bullets or Ballots (1936) as Mr. Hollister
- Romeo and Juliet (1936) as Friar Laurence
- Sitting on the Moon (1936) as Worthington
- In His Steps (1936) as Calvin Carver
- The Man Who Lived Twice (1936) as Judge Henry Treacher
- Theodora Goes Wild (1936) as Jonathan Grant
- Great Guy (1936) as Abel Canning
- Under Cover of Night (1937) as District Attorney Pritchard
- Once a Doctor (1937) as Dr. Bruce Nordland
- They Wanted to Marry (1937) as Mr. Hunter
- Green Light (1937) as Dr. Lane
- Maid of Salem (1937) as Crown Chief Justice Laughton
- Let Them Live (1937) as Judge Lederer
- The Devil Is Driving (1937) as Charles Stevens
- Conquest (1937) as Sen. Wybitcki
- Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937) as 'Doc' Godfrey
- The Invisible Menace (1938) as Col. Hackett
- Love Is a Headache (1938) as Mr. Sam Ellinger
- The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938) as Nicolo Polo
- Holiday (1938) as Edward Seton
- Safety in Numbers (1938) as Dr. Lawrence Edmonds
- Marie Antoinette (1938) as Court Aide
- Too Hot to Handle (1938) as "Pearly" Todd
- The Cowboy and the Lady (1938) as Horace Smith
- Let Us Live (1939) as Chief of Police
- Union Pacific (1939) as Asa M. Barrows
- Should Husbands Work? (1939) as Taylor
- These Glamour Girls (1939) as Philip S. Griswold II
- Hidden Power (1939) as Weston
- The Real Glory (1939) as The General
- Parents on Trial (1939) as James Wesley
- Here I Am a Stranger (1939) as R.J. Bennett
- Main Street Lawyer (1939) as Donnelly, District Attorney
- Grand Ole Opry (1940) as William C. Scully
- Money and the Woman (1940) as Mr. Rollins, Barbara's Father
- Las Vegas Nights (1941) as John Stevens
- The Man Who Lost Himself (1941) as Mulhausen
- The Great Swindle (1941) as Stewart Cordell
- A Woman's Face (1941) as Judge
- The Parson of Panamint (1941) as Judge Arnold Mason
- Sing for Your Supper (1941) as Myron T. Hayworth
- Reunion in France (1942) as General Bartholomew
- Sarong Girl (1943) as Mr. Jefferson Baxter
- Bluebeard (1944) as Deschamps
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) as Dr. Benbow
As director
[edit]Kolker directed 18 feature films, most of them lost.
- Santo Icario (1914)
- A Man's Country (1919)
- The Woman Michael Married (1919)
- The Third Generation (1920)
- Bright Skies (1920)
- Heart of Twenty (1920)
- The Palace of Darkened Windows (1920)
- The Greatest Love (1920)
- Bucking the Tiger (1921)
- Who Am I? (1921)
- The Fighter (1921)
- Disraeli (1921)
- The Leopardess (1923)
- Sant'Ilario (1923)
- The Snow Bride (1923)
- The Purple Highway (1923)
- I Will Repay (1923)
- The Great Well (1924)
As writer
[edit]- The Man with the Iron Heart (1915, short)
- The Third Generation (1920)
References
[edit]- ^ "EX-WIFE OF FILM ACTOR IS FOUND DEAD ON BEACH (January 16, 1935)". December 6, 2023.
- ^ Who's Who in Music and Drama: An Encyclopedia of Biography of Notable Men and Women in Music and the Drama, c.1913, page 186; edited by Harry Prescott Hanaford, Dixie Lines
- ^ Who's Who in Music and Drama p.186 c.1914 by Dixie Hines and Harry Prescott Hanaford
- ^ ...see Who's Who in Music and Drama by Hines and Hanaford
- ^ a b c "Henry Kolker, star of stage and screen". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 18, 1947. p. 17. ProQuest 107883991. Retrieved September 30, 2020 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Henry Kolker - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos - AllMovie".
- ^ "Silent Era : Progressive Silent Film List".
- ^ "A Forgotten Flirtation -- And Now the Veteran Actor Must Pay $40,000 Alimony". The Salt Lake Tribune. Utah, Salt Lake City. King Features Syndicate, Inc. October 20, 1935. p. 7. Retrieved December 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Henry Kolker at IMDb
- Henry Kolker at the Internet Broadway Database
- Henry Kolker at Find a Grave
- Henry Kolker photo portraits at NYP Library
- 1870s births
- 1947 deaths
- Male actors from Illinois
- American male film actors
- American male silent film actors
- 20th-century American male actors
- Male actors from Los Angeles
- Actors from Quincy, Illinois
- Film directors from California
- Film directors from Illinois
- Male actors from Berlin
- Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)