George Walsh
British postcard in the Cinema Stars series by Lilywhite Ltd., no. CM 411 C. Photo: Fox.
George Walsh (1889-1981) was an American film actor, who despite a successful career in silent cinema is best remembered for the part that was taken off from him: the title role in Ben-Hur (1925).
George Walsh was born in New York as the younger brother of later Hollywood director Raoul Walsh. In 1911, he graduated from the High School of Commerce, where he excelled in sports such as baseball and swimming. Later, he also attended the Fordham and Georgetown University. He followed his brother Raoul to Hollywood, where he made his first films in 1915, including a bit part in D.W. Griffith's controversial epic, The Birth of a Nation. Griffith gave him a bigger part as the bridegroom at the wedding of Kana in Intolerance. In the following years, the dark-haired, handsome Walsh established himself as a popular leading actor, both in comedies and in adventure films. In 1919 he also directed The Seventh Person with himself in the lead role, but it remained his only film direction.
At the Fox Film Studios between ca. 1916 and 1920, Walsh starred in a large series of successful films, by which Walsh became a fierce rival to Douglas Fairbanks as a daredevil, who combined stunts with comic relief. Most of Walsh's films at Fox were later destroyed by a fire at Fox in 1937 and thus have disappeared today. Many of these were directed by Walsh'brother Raoul. In 1920 Walsh had a conflict with Fox about his salary and left.
After two years of ups and downs, Walsh got a contract at Goldwyn Pictures. His confirmation as Goldwyn star Walsh got in 1923 when directed by Ernst Lubitsch as the partner of Mary Pickford in Rosita. As the charming Don Diego, he defends Pickford's rebellious Rosita but soon ends up in prison himself, destined to be hanged. The perfidious King (Holbrook Blinn) arranges a mock marriage before Diego will be hanged, but in the end, the Queen (Irene Rich) saves the situation and Diego's life. Even more spectacular was Walsh selection by scriptwriter June Mathis for the title role in the super production Ben-Hur, produced by Goldwyn. Walsh had already shot the film halfway with director Charles Brabin in Italy - despite a wide range of problems - when Spring 1924 Goldwyn merged with Metro (the future MGM). The new management unceremoniously replaced Brabin by Fred Niblo and Walsh by rising star Ramon Novarro, Metro's new star after Valentino had left. Walsh learned of his dismissal only through the newspaper, which seriously disappointed him.
After that, Walsh continued acting but at the independent company Chadwick Pictures and the even more low budget company Excellent Pictures. It was not until 1932 he started to do his first talking picture: Me and My Pal (Raoul Walsh, 1932) alongside Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett. Walsh played a sleazy mobster who eyes a naive girl, but her sister (Bennett) and her friend, a cop (Tracy), save her from his clutches. Walsh continued to play supporting parts and bit parts until 1936.
After about 80 films, Walsh retired in 1936 and then managed the numerous horses of his brother, who were bred and raced on racecourses. George Walsh was married to the actress Seena Owen (1894-1966) from 1916 to 1924, the marriage was divorced. In 1981, seven months after his brother, George Walsh died of pneumonia at the age of 92 years and was buried at the San Gabriel Cemetery in San Gabriel.
Sources: Wikipedia (English and German) and IMDb.
George Walsh
British postcard in the Cinema Stars series by Lilywhite Ltd., no. CM 411 C. Photo: Fox.
George Walsh (1889-1981) was an American film actor, who despite a successful career in silent cinema is best remembered for the part that was taken off from him: the title role in Ben-Hur (1925).
George Walsh was born in New York as the younger brother of later Hollywood director Raoul Walsh. In 1911, he graduated from the High School of Commerce, where he excelled in sports such as baseball and swimming. Later, he also attended the Fordham and Georgetown University. He followed his brother Raoul to Hollywood, where he made his first films in 1915, including a bit part in D.W. Griffith's controversial epic, The Birth of a Nation. Griffith gave him a bigger part as the bridegroom at the wedding of Kana in Intolerance. In the following years, the dark-haired, handsome Walsh established himself as a popular leading actor, both in comedies and in adventure films. In 1919 he also directed The Seventh Person with himself in the lead role, but it remained his only film direction.
At the Fox Film Studios between ca. 1916 and 1920, Walsh starred in a large series of successful films, by which Walsh became a fierce rival to Douglas Fairbanks as a daredevil, who combined stunts with comic relief. Most of Walsh's films at Fox were later destroyed by a fire at Fox in 1937 and thus have disappeared today. Many of these were directed by Walsh'brother Raoul. In 1920 Walsh had a conflict with Fox about his salary and left.
After two years of ups and downs, Walsh got a contract at Goldwyn Pictures. His confirmation as Goldwyn star Walsh got in 1923 when directed by Ernst Lubitsch as the partner of Mary Pickford in Rosita. As the charming Don Diego, he defends Pickford's rebellious Rosita but soon ends up in prison himself, destined to be hanged. The perfidious King (Holbrook Blinn) arranges a mock marriage before Diego will be hanged, but in the end, the Queen (Irene Rich) saves the situation and Diego's life. Even more spectacular was Walsh selection by scriptwriter June Mathis for the title role in the super production Ben-Hur, produced by Goldwyn. Walsh had already shot the film halfway with director Charles Brabin in Italy - despite a wide range of problems - when Spring 1924 Goldwyn merged with Metro (the future MGM). The new management unceremoniously replaced Brabin by Fred Niblo and Walsh by rising star Ramon Novarro, Metro's new star after Valentino had left. Walsh learned of his dismissal only through the newspaper, which seriously disappointed him.
After that, Walsh continued acting but at the independent company Chadwick Pictures and the even more low budget company Excellent Pictures. It was not until 1932 he started to do his first talking picture: Me and My Pal (Raoul Walsh, 1932) alongside Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett. Walsh played a sleazy mobster who eyes a naive girl, but her sister (Bennett) and her friend, a cop (Tracy), save her from his clutches. Walsh continued to play supporting parts and bit parts until 1936.
After about 80 films, Walsh retired in 1936 and then managed the numerous horses of his brother, who were bred and raced on racecourses. George Walsh was married to the actress Seena Owen (1894-1966) from 1916 to 1924, the marriage was divorced. In 1981, seven months after his brother, George Walsh died of pneumonia at the age of 92 years and was buried at the San Gabriel Cemetery in San Gabriel.
Sources: Wikipedia (English and German) and IMDb.