Frank Currier
Encyclopedia
Frank Currier was an American actor and director
of the silent era
. He appeared in 133 films between 1912
and 1928
. He also directed 19 films in 1916
. He is memorable as the Roman Admiral who adopts Judah Ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro
) as his son after Ben-Hur saves his life during battle at sea in the 1925 film Ben-Hur.
Currier, like Theodore Roberts
, Kate Lester
, Ida Waterman
and William H. Crane to name a few had a long and successful stage career in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. His youth was spent honing his stagecraft. By the time he started appearing in silent films he was in his 50s and middle-aged. Currier, like Roberts, had a distinctive grandfatherly look as he aged and was respected and beloved by film audiences.
He was born in Norwich, Connecticut
in 1857 and died in Hollywood, California in 1928.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
of the silent era
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
. He appeared in 133 films between 1912
1912 in film
The year 1912 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Mack Sennett, who had previously worked as an actor and comedy director with D. W. Griffith, formed a new company with New York City entrepreneur Adam Kessel called Keystone Studios...
and 1928
1928 in film
-Events:Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent.* July 28 - Lights of New York is released by Warner Brothers. It is the first "100% Talkie" feature film, in that dialog is spoken throughout the film...
. He also directed 19 films in 1916
1916 in film
The year 1916 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 17 - release of A Daughter of the Gods, the first US production with a million dollar budget, with the first nude scene by a major star....
. He is memorable as the Roman Admiral who adopts Judah Ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro
Ramón Novarro
Ramón Novarro was a Mexican leading man actor in Hollywood in the early 20th century. He was the next male "Sex Symbol" after the death of Rudolph Valentino...
) as his son after Ben-Hur saves his life during battle at sea in the 1925 film Ben-Hur.
Currier, like Theodore Roberts
Theodore Roberts
Theodore Roberts the actor is not to be confused with author Theodore Goodridge Roberts, 1877–1953, who wrote "The Harbor Master". Please see discussion page....
, Kate Lester
Kate Lester
Kate Lester born Sarah Cody was an English theatrical and silent film actress born in Shouldham Thorpe, Norfolk, England. Her family, the Suydams of New York, were staying in England at the time of her birth....
, Ida Waterman
Ida Waterman
Ida Waterman born Ida Shaw, was a stage and screen actress....
and William H. Crane to name a few had a long and successful stage career in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. His youth was spent honing his stagecraft. By the time he started appearing in silent films he was in his 50s and middle-aged. Currier, like Roberts, had a distinctive grandfatherly look as he aged and was respected and beloved by film audiences.
He was born in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
in 1857 and died in Hollywood, California in 1928.
Selected filmography
- The Battle of Frenchman's RunThe Battle of Frenchman's RunThe Battle of Frenchman's Run is a 1915 comedy film featuring Harry Carey.-Cast:* Harry Carey* George Cooper* Frank Currier* J. Herbert Frank* Dorothy Kelly* Albert Roccardi* Charles Wellesley* Mrs. Wellesley* Charles West -...
(1915) - The Red LilyThe Red LilyThe Red Lily is a 1924 silent drama film directed by Fred Niblo, starring Ramon Novarro, Enid Bennett and Wallace Beery.-Plot:Jean Leonnec and Marise La Noue are pennyless lovers who eloped to Paris, she to become a prostitute known as 'the red lily', he to learn the ways of the underworld from...
(1924) - The Family SecretThe Family Secret (1924 film)The Family Secret is a 1924 silent film featuring child star Baby Peggy. It is based on Editha's Burglar, a story by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1881 by St. Nicholas Magazine and adapted for the stage by Augustus E...
(1924) - The White DesertThe White DesertThe White Desert is a 1925 drama film directed by Reginald Barker. The film stars Claire Windsor and Pat O'Malley, with Robert Frazer, Frank Currier and Sojin. It is written by Monte M. Katterjohn and Gordon Rigby...
(1925) - The Great LoveThe Great Love (1925 film)The Great Love is a 1925 silent film directed by Marshall Neilan based upon his own story, scripted by Benjamin Glazer. The film stars Robert Agnew, Viola Dana and ZaSu Pitts. This film is considered lost.-Cast:* Robert Agnew - Dr. Lawrence Tibbits...
(1925) - Ben-HurBen-Hur (1925 film)Ben-Hur is a 1925 silent film directed by Fred Niblo. It was a blockbuster hit for newly merged Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This was the second film based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace...
(1925) - The Big ParadeThe Big ParadeThe Big Parade is a 1925 silent film. It tells the story of an idle rich boy who joins the US Army's Rainbow Division and is sent to France to fight in World War I, becomes friends with two working class men, experiences the horrors of trench warfare, and finds love with a French girl.The film was...
(1925) - Tell It to the MarinesTell It to the MarinesTell It to the Marines is a 1926 silent movie starring Lon Chaney, William Haines and Eleanor Boardman, and directed by George W. Hill. The film follows a Marine recruit and the sergeant who trains him...
(1926) - La BohèmeLa Bohème (1926 film)La Bohème is a 1926 silent drama film directed by King Vidor, based on the opera La bohème by Giacomo Puccini.-Plot:The film takes place in Paris in 1830. Several bohemians try to survive on the streets, living under poor conditions and desiring to one day become famous. One of them is Marcel , a...
(1926) - The EnemyThe Enemy (1927 film)The Enemy is a 1927 drama film directed by Fred Niblo, and starring Lillian Gish. The film has been thought to be lost. The MGM library, now controlled by Turner Classic Movies, has a print which is missing the final reel...
(1927)