Owen Moore
Encyclopedia
Owen Moore was an Irish
-born actor in American
films, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937.
, Ireland
, and along with his brothers Tom
, Matt, and Joe (1895–1926), and sister Mary(1890-1919), he emigrated to the United States
as a steerage passenger on board the S.S. Anchoria and was inspected on Ellis Island
in May 1896. All went on to successful careers in motion pictures in Hollywood, California.
While working at D. W. Griffith
's Biograph Studios
, Moore met a young Canadian actress named Gladys Smith whom he married on January 7, 1911. Their marriage was kept secret at first because of the strong opposition of her mother. However, Gladys Moore would soon overshadow her husband under her stage name, Mary Pickford
. In 1912, he signed on with Victor Studios
, co-starring in a number of their films with studio owner/actress Florence Lawrence
.
Mary Pickford left Biograph Studios to join the Independent Moving Pictures
(IMP) to replace their major star, Pickford’s Canadian friend, Florence Lawrence
. Carl Laemmle
, the owner of IMP who soon merged IMP into Universal Studios
, agreed to sign her husband as part of the deal. This humiliation and his wife's meteoric rise to fame, drastically affected Moore and alcohol
became a problem that led to violent behavior and his physically abusing
Pickford. In 1916, Pickford met actor Douglas Fairbanks
, Pickford filed for a divorce from Moore, and Pickford and Fairbanks married in 1920.
Moore married a second time to another silent film actress, Katherine Perry
. Although Moore was a good actor, his talent for singing and music went to waste during the silent film era. By the time "musical talkies" came along, it was too late for Moore to take much advantage of his gifts. Nonetheless, he gave an outstanding performance as escaped convict Chick Clark in the classic Mae West vehicle, She Done Him Wrong (1933).
After years of fighting alcoholism, Owen Moore died in Beverly Hills, California
from a heart attack
and was interred in the Calvary Cemetery
in East Los Angeles, California
.
He has Star #6743 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6727 Hollywood Blvd.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born actor in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
films, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937.
Life and career
Moore was born in Fordstown Crossroads, County MeathCounty Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and along with his brothers Tom
Thomas J. Moore
Thomas J. "Tom" Moore was an Irish-born American actor and director. He appeared in at least 186 motion pictures from 1908 to 1954...
, Matt, and Joe (1895–1926), and sister Mary(1890-1919), he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a steerage passenger on board the S.S. Anchoria and was inspected on Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
in May 1896. All went on to successful careers in motion pictures in Hollywood, California.
While working at D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
's Biograph Studios
Biograph Studios
Biograph Studios was a studio facility and film laboratory complex built in 1912 by the Biograph Company, formerly American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, at 807 E. 175th Street, in the Bronx, New York....
, Moore met a young Canadian actress named Gladys Smith whom he married on January 7, 1911. Their marriage was kept secret at first because of the strong opposition of her mother. However, Gladys Moore would soon overshadow her husband under her stage name, Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
. In 1912, he signed on with Victor Studios
Victor Studios
The Victor Film Company was a motion picture company formed in 1912 by movie star Florence Lawrence and her husband, Harry Solter. The company established Victor Studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey, when early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of...
, co-starring in a number of their films with studio owner/actress Florence Lawrence
Florence Lawrence
Florence Lawrence was a Canadian inventor and silent film actress. She is often referred to as "The First Movie Star." When she was popular, she was known as "The Biograph Girl," "The Imp Girl," and "The Girl of a Thousand Faces." Lawrence appeared in more than 270 films for various motion...
.
Mary Pickford left Biograph Studios to join the Independent Moving Pictures
Independent Moving Pictures
The Independent Moving Pictures Company was a movie studio/production company founded in 1909 by Carl Laemmle, and was located at Eleventh Avenue and 53rd Street New York City, and in Fort Lee, New Jersey....
(IMP) to replace their major star, Pickford’s Canadian friend, Florence Lawrence
Florence Lawrence
Florence Lawrence was a Canadian inventor and silent film actress. She is often referred to as "The First Movie Star." When she was popular, she was known as "The Biograph Girl," "The Imp Girl," and "The Girl of a Thousand Faces." Lawrence appeared in more than 270 films for various motion...
. Carl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle
Carl Laemmle , born in Laupheim, Württemberg, Germany, was a pioneer in American film making and a founder of one of the original major Hollywood movie studios - Universal...
, the owner of IMP who soon merged IMP into Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, agreed to sign her husband as part of the deal. This humiliation and his wife's meteoric rise to fame, drastically affected Moore and alcohol
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
became a problem that led to violent behavior and his physically abusing
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
Pickford. In 1916, Pickford met actor Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro....
, Pickford filed for a divorce from Moore, and Pickford and Fairbanks married in 1920.
Moore married a second time to another silent film actress, Katherine Perry
Katherine Perry
Katherine Perry , was an American stage and film actress. She appeared in 36 films between 1920 and 1936....
. Although Moore was a good actor, his talent for singing and music went to waste during the silent film era. By the time "musical talkies" came along, it was too late for Moore to take much advantage of his gifts. Nonetheless, he gave an outstanding performance as escaped convict Chick Clark in the classic Mae West vehicle, She Done Him Wrong (1933).
After years of fighting alcoholism, Owen Moore died in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and was interred in the Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, East Los Angeles
The Calvary Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery operated by the Los Angeles Archdiocese, located at 4201 Whittier Boulevard in Los Angeles, California...
in East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
.
He has Star #6743 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 6727 Hollywood Blvd.
Selected filmography
- The Guerilla - (1908)
- The Lonely VillaThe Lonely VillaThe Lonely Villa is a 1909 drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was produced by the Biograph Company when it and many other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based in Fort Lee, New Jersey at the beginning of the 20th century. A print of the film survives.-...
- (1909) - The Hessian RenegadesThe Hessian RenegadesThe Hessian Renegades is a 1909 silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith.-Cast:* Owen Moore - American Soldier* Linda Arvidson - Farmer* Kate Bruce - Soldier's Family* William J. Butler - Farmer* Verner Clarges - Farmer* D.W. Griffith...
- (1909) - The Red Man's ViewThe Red Man's ViewThe Red Man's View is a 1909 Western film directed by D. W. Griffith. Prints of the film exist in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress.-Cast:* Owen Moore - Silver Eagle...
- (1909) - ResurrectionResurrection (1909 film)Resurrection is a 1909 silent short film made by Biograph Studios. It is based on the Leo Tolstoy novel Resurrection. Adapted for the screen by Frank E. Woods, it was directed by D. W. Griffith and starred several pioneering legends of American cinema such as Arthur V. Johnson, Florence Lawrence,...
- (1909) - In Little ItalyIn Little ItalyIn Little Italy is a 1909 short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith.-Cast:* Marion Leonard - Marie Cadrone* George Nichols - Tony Guiletto* Henry B. Walthall - Victor* Charles Arling * Kate Bruce - At the Ball* William J...
- (1909) - To Save Her SoulTo Save Her SoulTo Save Her Soul is a 1909 short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Mary Pickford. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey when many of the early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century.-Cast:* Arthur V...
- (1909) - The Rocky RoadThe Rocky RoadThe Rocky Road is a 1910 short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Frank Powell. Prints of the film survive in the film archives of the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art.-Cast:* Frank Powell - Ben...
- (1910) - What the Daisy SaidWhat the Daisy SaidWhat the Daisy Said is a one-reel film made by D. W. Griffith for Biograph in 1910.-Plot:Two farm sisters are feeling romantic and looking for suitors. Mary consults a gypsy who gives her a fortune that promotes his intentions to seduce her...
- (1910) - In the Border StatesIn the Border StatesIn the Border States is a 1910 drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Prints of the film survive in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress.-Cast:* Charles West - Young Father* Charles Arling...
- (1910) - Love in QuarantineLove in QuarantineLove in Quarantine is a 1910 short silent comedy film directed by Frank Powell and starring Mack Sennett.-Cast:* Stephanie Longfellow - Edith* Mack Sennett - Harold* Grace Henderson - Edith's Mother* Verner Clarges - The Doctor...
- (1910) - The Lesser Evil - (1912)
- So Runs the WaySo Runs the WaySo Runs the Way is a 1913 short drama film directed by Christy Cabanne.-Cast:* Reggie Morris - Frederick A.Paulson* Lillian Gish - The Young Woman* Lionel Barrymore - Undetermined Role * Joseph McDermott - The Detective...
- (1913) - The Battle of the SexesThe Battle of the Sexes (1914 film)The Battle of the Sexes is a 1914 drama film directed by D. W. Griffith for the Majestic Motion Picture Company. The full 50-minute feature is now considered a lost film, as no complete prints of the film are known to exist. However, a two-minute fragment, once belonging to Reliance-Majestic head...
- (1914) - Home, Sweet Home - (1914)
- The EscapeThe Escape (1914 film)The Escape is a 1914 silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Donald Crisp. It is now considered to be a lost film.-Cast:* Donald Crisp as 'Bull' McGee* Edna Foster as Crippled girl* Earle Foxe* Robert Harron as Larry Joyce...
(19141914 in filmThe year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.-Events:*The 3,300-seat Mark Strand Theatre opens in New York City....
) - CinderellaCinderella (1914 film)Cinderella is a 1914 silent film starring Mary Pickford, directed by James Kirkwood, Sr., produced by Daniel Frohman, and released by Famous Players Film Company, later known as Paramount Pictures. The film is based upon the famous fairy tale with the same name...
(1914) - The Little TeacherThe Little TeacherThe Little Teacher is a 1915 American short comedy film starring Mabel Normand and Fatty Arbuckle, and directed by Mack Sennett.-Cast:* Mabel Normand as The Little Teacher* Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as Fat Student* Mack Sennett as Tall Student...
- (1915) - Little Meena's Romance - (1916)
- Piccadilly JimPiccadilly JimPiccadilly Jim is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published in the United States on February 24, 1917 by Dodd, Mead and Company, New York, and in the United Kingdom in May 1918 by Herbert Jenkins, London...
- 1919 - HollywoodHollywood (1923 film)Hollywood was a silent comedy film directed by James Cruze, co-written by Frank Condon and Thomas J. Geraghty, and released by Paramount Pictures.The film has become famous as having featured cameos of more than thirty famous Hollywood stars...
(1923) cameo - The BlackbirdThe BlackbirdThe Blackbird is a 1926 drama film directed by Tod Browning.-Plot:The Blackbird is a thief who uses a second identity when necessary: a rescue mission keeper with contorted legs, known as his bishop brother The Bishop. He lives above a cheap bar in the Limehouse district, where his alter ego The...
- (1926) - Money TalksMoney Talks (1926 film)Money Talks is a 1926 comedy film directed by Archie Mayo. The film stars Claire Windsor, Bert Roach, Owen Moore and Ned Sparks. It is written by Jessie Burns and Bernard Vorhaus, based on the story by Rupert Hughes. The film is considered partially lost....
- (1926) - The Road to MandalayThe Road to Mandalay (film)The Road to Mandalay is a 1926 silent drama film directed by Tod Browning.-Cast:* Lon Chaney - Singapore Joe* Lois Moran - Joe's Daughter* Owen Moore - The Admiral* Henry B. Walthall - Father James* Sojin - English Charlie Wing...
(1926) - BeckyBecky (film)-Plot:Rebecca is a salesgirl who gets a chance at a Broadway show; there, she attracts and is ultimately rejected by a society playboy.-Cast:* Sally O'Neil - Rebecca O'Brien McCloskey* Owen Moore - Dan Scarlett...
- (1927) - The Red MillThe Red Mill (film)The Red Mill is a 1927 comedy film directed by Fatty Arbuckle and written by Frances Marion. The film never had a VHS release, though it aired on the network channel Turner Classic MoviesTCM on January 3, 2008, which was the birthday of leading role actress Marion Davies...
- (1927) - The Taxi DancerThe Taxi DancerThe Taxi Dancer is a 1927 silent comedy film starring Joan Crawford and Douglas Gilmore. Crawford plays Joselyn Poe, a southern girl who tries her luck as dancer in New York...
- (1927) - The ActressThe Actress (1928 film)The Actress is a 1928 silent drama film produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film was directed by Sidney Franklin and starred Norma Shearer....
(1928) - High VoltageHigh Voltage (1929 film)High Voltage is an American film, released by Pathé and directed by Howard Higgin.The film stars William Boyd, Carol Lombard, Diane Ellis, Owen Moore, Phillips Smalley, and Billy Bevan....
- (1929) - Side StreetSide Street (1929 film)Side Street is a 1929 black-and-white talking movie featuring the only screen teaming of all three Moore Brothers , each of them major silent film stars. George Raft also makes an unbilled appearance as a professional dancer—which Raft was at the time—dancing to the song "Take a Look at Her Now",...
- (1929) - Outside the LawOutside the Law (1930 film)Outside the Law is a crime film directed by Tod Browning and starring Edward G. Robinson. It is a remake of the 1920 film of the same name, also directed by Browning.-Cast:* Edward G...
- (1930) - Stout Hearts and Willing HandsStout Hearts and Willing HandsStout Hearts and Willing Hands is a 1931 short comedy film directed by Bryan Foy. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1932 for Best Short Subject , but was disqualified.-Cast:* Frank Fay* Lew Cody* Laura La Plante* Alec B...
(1931) - Hush MoneyHush MoneyHush Money is a 1931 American comedy-drama film featuring Joan Bennett, Hardie Albright, Owen Moore, Myrna Loy, and George Raft. The movie was directed by Sidney Lanfield.-Cast:*Joan Bennett as Joan Gordon*Hardie Albright as Stuart Elliot...
- (1931) - As You Desire MeAs You Desire Me (film)As You Desire Me is a 1932 film adaptation of the play by Luigi Pirandello made by MGM. It was produced and directed by George Fitzmaurice with Irving Thalberg as co-producer. The adaptation was by Gene Markey, the cinematography byWilliam H...
- (1932) - She Done Him WrongShe Done Him WrongShe Done Him Wrong is a Pre-Code 1933 Paramount Pictures comedy romance film starring Mae West and Cary Grant. Others in the cast include Owen Moore, Gilbert Roland, Noah Beery, Sr., Louise Beavers and Rochelle Hudson....
- (1933) - A Man of Sentiment - (1933)
- A Star Is BornA Star Is Born (1937 film)A Star Is Born is a 1937 Technicolor romantic drama film produced by David O. Selznick and directed by William A. Wellman, with a script by Wellman, Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell. It stars Janet Gaynor as an aspiring Hollywood actress, and Fredric March as an aging movie star who...
(1937)