Reed Howes
Encyclopedia
Reed Howes was a model who later became an actor in silent and sound films.
He was born as Hermon Reed Howes in Washington, D.C. in 1900. He served in the US Navy
in the closing stages of World War I
. After the war Howes attended the University of Utah where he graduated. He later went to Graduate School at Harvard University and then entered show business appearing in Vaudeville in stock roles.
. Howes was one of several men known as Arrow Collar Men
(others were Neil Hamilton, Fredric March
, Brian Donlevy
, Jack Mulhall
and allegedly Ralph Forbes
) who were the models seen in the Cluett Peabody company's advertisements for the apparel drawn by illustrator J. C. Leyendecker
. A 1924 advertisement by film company FBO capitalizing on Howes Arrow Collar popularity has Howes: "Acknowledged and acclaimed America's handsomest man To be starred in a series of Eight Productions" .
, Clara Bow
, Mildred Harris
, Marjorie Daw, Viola Dana
, Louise Fazenda
and Virginia Brown Faire. He also appeared in low budget pictures with lesser known female stars i.e. Gladys Hulette
, Ruth Dwyer, Carmelita Geraghty
, Ethel Shannon
and Alice Calhoun
. Indeed many of Howes's silent pictures are 'racing car-romance' movies, the kind Wallace Reid
made popular before his untimely death in 1923. Howes seems to have picked up where Wally Reid left off and in fact Howes resembles Wally in looks or more precisely a cross between Wallace Reid and Neil Hamilton. The majority of Howes silents were produced by Harry Joe Brown
(who also directed) and released through the Rayart company. Al Rogell directed a lot of them. The studios Howes worked for in the silent era were FBO, Warner Brothers, Fox , Paramount
and Universal
.
starring Al Jolson
. He closed out the silent era in a programmer production of long time colleague Harry Joe Brown
. In the talking era Howes shifted to playing heavies(villains), first in crime films and then in Westerns which he would be associated with for the remainder of his career.
He was born as Hermon Reed Howes in Washington, D.C. in 1900. He served in the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in the closing stages of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war Howes attended the University of Utah where he graduated. He later went to Graduate School at Harvard University and then entered show business appearing in Vaudeville in stock roles.
Arrow Collar Man
In the early 1920s Howes began modeling shirts and detachable collars produced by Cluett Peabody & CompanyCluett Peabody & Company
Cluett Peabody & Company, Inc. once headquartered in Troy, New York was a longtime manufacturer of shirts, detachable shirt cuffs and collars, and related apparel. It is best known for its Arrow brand collars and shirts and the related Arrow Collar Man advertisements...
. Howes was one of several men known as Arrow Collar Men
The Arrow Collar Man
The Arrow Collar Man was the name given to the various male models who appeared in advertisements for shirts and detachable shirt collars manufactured by Cluett Peabody & Company of Troy, New York...
(others were Neil Hamilton, Fredric March
Fredric March
Fredric March was an American stage and film actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1932 for Dr. Jekyll and Mr...
, Brian Donlevy
Brian Donlevy
Brian Donlevy was an Irish-born American film actor, noted for playing tough guys from the 1930s to the 1960s. He usually appeared in supporting roles. Among his best known films are Beau Geste and The Great McGinty...
, Jack Mulhall
Jack Mulhall
Jack Mulhall, born John Joseph Francis Mulhall, was a film actor since the silent film era and appeared in over 430 films....
and allegedly Ralph Forbes
Ralph Forbes
rightRalph Forbes was an English actor in the American cinema. He was also a noted stage actor....
) who were the models seen in the Cluett Peabody company's advertisements for the apparel drawn by illustrator J. C. Leyendecker
J. C. Leyendecker
Joseph Christian Leyendecker was one of the pre-eminent American illustrators of the early 20th century. He is best known for his poster, book and advertising illustrations, the trade character known as The Arrow Collar Man, and his numerous covers for The Saturday Evening Post. Between 1896 and...
. A 1924 advertisement by film company FBO capitalizing on Howes Arrow Collar popularity has Howes: "Acknowledged and acclaimed America's handsomest man To be starred in a series of Eight Productions" .
Hollywood Stardom
Howes began making silent pictures in Hollywood in 1923. At this stage of his career his youthful good looks led to him supporting or co-starring with many of filmdoms well-known and beautiful female stars of the time i.e. Marie PrevostMarie Prevost
Marie Prevost was a Canadian-born actress of the early days of cinema. During her twenty year career, she made 121 silent and talking pictures.-Early life:...
, Clara Bow
Clara Bow
Clara Gordon Bow was an American actress who rose to stardom in the silent film era of the 1920s. It was her appearance as a spunky shopgirl in the film It that brought her global fame and the nickname "The It Girl." Bow came to personify the roaring twenties and is described as its leading sex...
, Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris was an American film actress. Harris began her career in the film industry as a popular child actress at age eleven. At the age of fifteen, she was cast as a harem girl in D. W. Griffith's Intolerance . She appeared as a leading lady through the 1920s but her career slowed with...
, Marjorie Daw, Viola Dana
Viola Dana
Viola Dana was an American film actress who was successful during the era of silent movies.- Career :Born Virginia Flugrath, Dana was a child star, appearing on the stage at the age of three. She read Shakespeare and particularly identified with the teenage Juliet. She enjoyed a long run at the...
, Louise Fazenda
Louise Fazenda
Louise Fazenda was an American film actress, appearing chiefly in silent comedy films.-Early life:Of Portuguese ancestry, she was born in Lafayette, Indiana. Her father, Joseph Fazenda, was a merchandise broker. After moving west Louise attended Los Angeles High School and St. Mary's Convent...
and Virginia Brown Faire. He also appeared in low budget pictures with lesser known female stars i.e. Gladys Hulette
Gladys Hulette
Gladys Hulette was a silent film actress from Arcade, New York. Her career began in the early years of silent movies and continued until the mid-1930s. She first performed on stage at the age of three and on screen when she was seven years old. Hulette was also a talented artist...
, Ruth Dwyer, Carmelita Geraghty
Carmelita Geraghty
Carmelita Geraghty was an American silent-film actress.-Early life:Her father was screenwriter Tom Geraghty. She was the sister of writers Maurice Geraghty and Gerard Geraghty....
, Ethel Shannon
Ethel Shannon
Ethel Shannon was an American actress. She appeared in over 30 silent movies in the early 20th century.-Early life and career:...
and Alice Calhoun
Alice Calhoun
Alice Calhoun was an American silent film actress.-Film star:Born Alice Beatrice Calhoun in Cleveland, Ohio, she made her film debut in a role not credited in 1918 and went on to appear in another forty-seven films between then and 1929. As a star with Vitagraph in New York City, she moved with...
. Indeed many of Howes's silent pictures are 'racing car-romance' movies, the kind Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid was an actor in silent film referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover".-Early life:Born William Wallace Reid in St...
made popular before his untimely death in 1923. Howes seems to have picked up where Wally Reid left off and in fact Howes resembles Wally in looks or more precisely a cross between Wallace Reid and Neil Hamilton. The majority of Howes silents were produced by Harry Joe Brown
Harry Joe Brown
Harry Joe Brown was a movie producer and supervisor who was also a theatre and film director...
(who also directed) and released through the Rayart company. Al Rogell directed a lot of them. The studios Howes worked for in the silent era were FBO, Warner Brothers, Fox , Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
Sound
Howes made his sound film debut in Warner's The Singing FoolThe Singing Fool
The Singing Fool is a 1928 musical drama Part-Talkie motion picture which was released by Warner Brothers. The film starred Al Jolson and was a follow-up to his previous film, The Jazz Singer...
starring Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
. He closed out the silent era in a programmer production of long time colleague Harry Joe Brown
Harry Joe Brown
Harry Joe Brown was a movie producer and supervisor who was also a theatre and film director...
. In the talking era Howes shifted to playing heavies(villains), first in crime films and then in Westerns which he would be associated with for the remainder of his career.
Selected Filmography
- The Cyclone RiderThe Cyclone RiderThe Cyclone Rider is a 1924 silent American adventure film directed by Tom Buckingham. Prints of the film survive in the Czech Film Archive.- Cast :* Reed Howes as Richard Armstrong* Alma Bennett as Doris Steele* William Bailey as Reynard Trask...
(1924) - Cyclone Cavalier (1925)
- Bobbed HairBobbed Hair (1925 film)Bobbed Hair is a 1925 silent film comedy produced and distributed by Warner Brothers with directing by Alan Crosland. It is based on a novel written by twenty different authors...
(1925) - Rough House RosieRough House RosieRough House Rosie is a 1927 silent film comedy produced and released by Paramount Pictures and directed by Frank R. Strayer. The film is a starring vehicle for Paramount's reigning queen Clara Bow. Reed Howes, a model turned actor, is Bow's leading man...
(1927) - The Singing FoolThe Singing FoolThe Singing Fool is a 1928 musical drama Part-Talkie motion picture which was released by Warner Brothers. The film starred Al Jolson and was a follow-up to his previous film, The Jazz Singer...
(1928) - Hell DiversHell DiversHell Divers is a 1931 movie starring Wallace Beery and Clark Gable as a pair of competing chief petty officers on board the USS Saratoga...
(1931) - Heroes of the SaddleHeroes of the SaddleHeroes of the Saddle is a 1940 American Western "Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by William Witney.- Cast :* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke* Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin* Duncan Renaldo as Renaldo...
(1940) - Covered Wagon DaysCovered Wagon DaysCovered Wagon Days is a 1940 American Western "Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by George Sherman.- Cast :* Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke* Raymond Hatton as Rusty Joslin* Duncan Renaldo as Rico Rinaldo* Kay Griffith as Maria...
(1940) - Thundering TrailsThundering TrailsThundering Trails is a 1943 American Western "Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by John English.- Cast :* Bob Steele as Tucson Smith* Tom Tyler as Stony Brooke* Jimmie Dodd as Lullaby Joslin* Nell O'Day as Edith Walker* Sam Flint as Judge Morgan...
(1943)
External links
- Reed Howes at IMDb.com
- Reed Howes at Findagrave.com
- Reed Howes: Villains and Supporting Players