American silent film comedian whose hugely successful career disappeared virtually overnight, Larry Semon was the son of a traveling vaudeville magician, Zera the Great. He grew up in show business and was trained in stage comedy and acrobatics. A talent for drawing and cartooning led to art school and then work as a cartoonist for various New York City newspapers. The humor evident in his published cartoons prompted executives at New York's Vitagraph Studios to hire him as a gag writer in 1916. He quickly proved himself and was promoted to director for the Hughie Mack series of comedies. His background in magic helped him create interesting new gags for the comedian. When Mack left the studio in 1917, Semon took over the starring role himself. His one-reelers were quite successful, and Vitagraph sent him to California to participate in its new West Coast operation. He produced as well as wrote, starred in and directed his own films, at the same time also producing films for other comics.
American silent film comedian whose hugely successful career disappeared virtually overnight, Larry Semon was the son of a traveling vaudeville magician, Zera the Great. He grew up in show business and was trained in stage comedy and acrobatics. A talent for drawing and cartooning led to art school and then work as a cartoonist for various New York City newspapers. The humor evident in his published cartoons prompted executives at New York's Vitagraph Studios to hire him as a gag writer in 1916. He quickly proved himself and was promoted to director for the Hughie Mack series of comedies. His background in magic helped him create interesting new gags for the comedian. When Mack left the studio in 1917, Semon took over the starring role himself. His one-reelers were quite successful, and Vitagraph sent him to California to participate in its new West Coast operation. He produced as well as wrote, starred in and directed his own films, at the same time also producing films for other comics.
In the summer of 1928 Semon apparently fell ill with tuberculosis and simultaneously, it seems, suffered a nervous breakdown. He entered a sanitarium near San Bernardino, CA, where he reportedly died on October 8. However, an air of mystery surrounds his death, since his wife (and former co-star) Dorothy Dwan was allowed almost no contact with him and never saw his body, which was ordered cremated after a tightly secured funeral, which was carried out per Semon's "previous instructions" and to which almost no attendees were allowed. The whereabouts of Semon's cremated remains are to this day a mystery, and his widow professed until her death to be mystified by the circumstances of his passing. With enormous financial obligations facing him Larry Semon could easily have considered a dramatic escape of this sort from his creditors. Whether he did, or whether his death was the sad final chapter to a high-rising, briefly brilliant, but ultimately short-lived career may never be known for certain.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0783865
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113814
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Filmography (Movies)
A Simple Sap
Character:It
Release Date:11/02/1928
Dummies
Character:The Entertainer
Release Date:01/01/1928
Oh, What a Man!
Character:The Detective
Release Date:04/12/1927
The Stunt Man
Character:Larry
Release Date:22/10/1927
Underworld
Character:Slippy Lewis
Release Date:20/08/1927
Spuds
Character:Spuds
Release Date:10/04/1927
The Perfect Clown
Character:Bert Larry
Release Date:14/12/1925
The Cloudhopper
Character:Borden Rhoom / Getz A. Bunn
Release Date:06/06/1925
Go Straight!
Character:Self
Release Date:27/04/1925
The Dome Doctor
Character:Peter Pep
Release Date:18/04/1925
The Wizard of Oz
Character:Scarecrow / Toymaker
Release Date:12/02/1925
Kid Speed
Character:The Speed Kid
Release Date:16/11/1924
Her Boy Friend
Character:Larry, the Chief's son
Release Date:27/09/1924
The Girl in the Limousine
Character:Tony
Release Date:20/07/1924
Trouble Brewing
Character:Government agent
Release Date:12/03/1924
Horseshoes
Character:Larry
Release Date:09/12/1923
Lightning Love
Character:Larry, a Suitor
Release Date:22/10/1923
The Gown Shop
Character:Larry, a salesman
Release Date:13/08/1923
The Barnyard
Character:Lay Zee, Farm Hand
Release Date:11/06/1923
The Midnight Cabaret
Character:Larry, a Waiter
Release Date:09/05/1923
No Wedding Bells
Character:Larry
Release Date:09/01/1923
The Counter Jumper
Character:Larry, the Counter Jumper
Release Date:08/12/1922
Golf
Character:The son
Release Date:03/09/1922
A Pair of Kings
Character:King August / Stranger
Release Date:10/06/1922
A Weakend Driver
Character:
Release Date:04/05/1922
The Show
Character:The Prop Man / Gentle Onlooker
Release Date:19/03/1922
The Sawmill
Character:The Dumb-Bell
Release Date:01/01/1922
The Bell Hop
Character:The Bellhop
Release Date:17/09/1921
The Fall Guy
Character:Larry, the Fall Guy
Release Date:15/07/1921
The Bakery
Character:Larry, a Bakery Clerk
Release Date:19/06/1921
The Rent Collector
Character:Larry, the Rent Collector
Release Date:22/05/1921
The Hick
Character:Larry, the Hick
Release Date:09/03/1921
The Sportsman
Character:The Sportsman
Release Date:08/01/1921
The Suitor
Character:The Suitor
Release Date:01/11/1920
The Stage Hand
Character:The Stage Hand
Release Date:20/09/1920
School Days
Character:Joe
Release Date:03/05/1920
The Fly-Cop
Character:The Fly Cop
Release Date:28/03/1920
The Grocery Clerk
Character:The Grocery Clerk
Release Date:01/12/1919
The Head Waiter
Character:The Head Waiter
Release Date:01/12/1919
Dew Drop Inn
Character:Larry, the Detective
Release Date:02/11/1919
Dull Care
Character:Larry, a Detective
Release Date:05/10/1919
Between the Acts
Character:Larry, the Handy Man and a Drunkard
Release Date:07/09/1919
The Simple Life
Character:A Farmer's Boy
Release Date:04/08/1919
His Home Sweet Home
Character:The Husband
Release Date:06/07/1919
The Star Boarder
Character:Star Boarder / Little Joe, Escaped Convict
Release Date:26/05/1919
Passing the Buck
Character:The House Detective
Release Date:18/05/1919
Well, I'll Be
Character:The Sheriff
Release Date:14/04/1919
Scamps and Scandals
Character:Larry
Release Date:16/02/1919
Traps and Tangles
Character:Detective Sparks
Release Date:19/01/1919
Pluck and Plotters
Character:The Janitor
Release Date:22/12/1918
Frauds and Frenzies
Character:Larry, First Prisoner
Release Date:17/11/1918
Bears and Bad Men
Character:Larry Cutshaw
Release Date:07/10/1918
Huns and Hyphens
Character:Larry
Release Date:22/09/1918
Dunces and Dangers
Character:Larry
Release Date:04/08/1918
Bathing Beauties and Big Boobs
Character:Lawrence
Release Date:22/07/1918
Hindoos and Hazards
Character:Larry
Release Date:29/06/1918
Romans and Rascals
Character:Caesar / A Minstrel
Release Date:27/05/1918
Tough Luck and Tin Lizzies
Character:Larry
Release Date:22/10/1917
Plagues And Puppy Love
Character:Larry
Release Date:01/10/1917
Risks and Roughnecks
Character:Our Hero
Release Date:17/09/1917
Gall and Golf
Character:O.U. Dubb
Release Date:03/09/1917
Turks and Troubles
Character:
Release Date:26/03/1917
Footlights and Fakers
Character:
Release Date:12/03/1917
He Never Touched Me
Character:
Release Date:12/02/1917
Somewhere in Any Place
Character:
Release Date:29/01/1917
Big Bluffs and Bowling Balls
Character:
Release Date:22/01/1917
Jolts and Jewelry
Character:
Release Date:15/01/1917
Bullies and Bullets
Character:
Release Date:08/01/1917
Walls and Wallops
Character:
Release Date:13/11/1916
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