William Pitt Striker Earle (December 28, 1882 – November 30, 1972) was an American director of the silent film era. He attended Columbia University and worked for a time as a photographer before breaking into the movie business by sneaking onto the lot of Vitagraph Company of America to observe how directors worked. After a few days of this, Earle approached the studio president and was given his first movie to direct, For the Honor of the Crew, a short about a crew race at Columbia University.[1] He subsequently directed a number of features and shorts for Vitagraph. Later he worked with producer David O. Selznick. Earle founded his own, short-lived production company called Amex Production Corporation with J. S. Joffe, and shot the final two films of his career in Mexico.[2]
William Pitt Striker Earle | |
|---|---|
 Earle in 1921 | |
| Born | December 28, 1882 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 30, 1972 (aged 89) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Burial place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1915–1926 |
| Spouse(s) | Valerie Damon De Blois (m. 1905;div. 1915) Blanche Earle (m. 1952; her death) Evangeline Russell (m. 1966; her death) |
| Parent |
|
Personal life edit
Earle was born in New York City. He was the son of Ferdinand P. Earle, a hotelier and military officer.[3]
He married Valerie Damon De Blois in 1905. They divorced in 1915.[4] He next married English actress Blanche Taylor, who later went by the name "Bonnie Earle", and was with him until her death in 1952.[5] Earle's last wife was former actress Evangeline Russell Blackton, the widow of Vitagraph executive J. Stuart Blackton. She died in 1966.[6]
Feature filmography edit
- The Law Decides co-directed with Marguerite Bertsch (1916)
- The Scarlet Runner co-directed with Wally Van (1916)
- Whom the Gods Destroy co-directed with J. Stuart Blackton, Herbert Brenon (1916)
- The Courage of Silence (1917)
- Womanhood, the Glory of the Nation co-directed with J. Stuart Blackton (1917)
- Within the Law (1917)
- Mary Jane's Pa co-directed with Charles Brabin (1917)
- I Will Repay (1917)
- Who Goes There? (1917)
- His Own People (1917)
- The Wooing of Princess Pat (1918)
- Little Miss No-Account (1918)
- The Little Runaway (1918)
- Heredity (1918)
- T'Other Dear Charmer (1918)
- The Love Hunger (1919)
- The Better Wife (1919)
- The Lone Wolf's Daughter (1919)
- The Broken Melody (1919)
- The Woman Game (1920)
- Whispers (1920)
- The Dangerous Paradise (1920)
- The Road of Ambition (1920)
- Poor, Dear Margaret Kirby (1921)
- Gilded Lies (1921)
- The Last Door (1921)
- The Way of a Maid (1921)
- Love's Masquerade (1922)
- Destiny's Isle (1922)
- The Dancer of the Nile (1923)
- Tras las bambalinas del bataclan (1925)
- Milagros de la Guadalupana (1926)
References edit
- ^ Shields, David S. (2013). Still: American Silent Motion Picture Photography. University of Chicago Press. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-226-01343-5.
- ^ Garcia Riera, Emilio (1998). Breve historia del cine mexicano : primer siglo, 1897-1997. Mexico City: Ediciones Mapa. p. 69 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Obituaries". The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. 34 (2). New York Genealogical and Biographical Society: 145. April 1903.
- ^ "Wife Sues W.P.S. Earle". The New York Times. June 29, 1915. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Actress of Silent Films". The Kansas City Times. January 23, 1952. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Former Star of Silent Films Dies". Pasadena Independent. February 24, 1966. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
External links edit
