Sydney Ayres
American postcard by Flying A, no. 29. Photo: Flying A.
American actor Sydney Ayres (1879-1916) was a handsome, dark wavy-haired leading man who appeared on the New York stage and starred in early silent films. Ayres also directed and wrote scenarios. He worked for various studios including Edison, Laemmle, Nestor, Selig, and Flying A, before he passed away at age 37.
Daniel Sydney Ayres was born in 1879 in New York City, USA.
At age 21, Sydney worked as a drama teacher while living with his parents in Oakland. Ayres began his professional acting career in a production of 'Faust' in the Oakland theater company of Lewis Morrison. He was a huge celebrity in Oakland and a leading man at Oakland's Ye Liberty Playhouse. This was followed up by a North America tour with the famed Orpheum Theater as one of their featured actors. He appeared as a wavy-haired leading man on the New York stage. Then he starred for various pioneering film studios including Edison, American, Powers, Rex, Big U (Universal), Laemmle, Nestor, and Selig. Previously married, Sydney Ayres met lovely young Anna Franck, the daughter of a prominent Oakland family. The two married in 1912, but Ayres' first wife publicly claimed their divorce was not finalised and accused him of bigamy. This was a tremendous scandal at the time, with front-page news accounts. Ayres provided proof he was divorced, stating the former wife had deserted him five years prior and had not received service of the divorce papers. "I have nothing to say against the woman making this charge. She cannot harm me anymore, for I have done no wrong."
Sydney Ayres often simultaneously acted and directed films after 1913. According to IMDb, he was the director of 47 films from 1914 to 1916, and the writer of 17 films between 1911 and 1915. He was still working until the year of his death, 1916. In 1915, Ayres was involved in a serious car accident while working on a film in Hollywood. He finished the project from a wheelchair with the assistance of his wife. Ayres ended up collapsing, prompting a newspaper to write that it was caused by “thrilling ‘movie’ scenes, overwork, an automobile wreck, and other motion picture experiences.” Within a year Ayres was dead and the Oakland Tribune listed the cause of death as a “nervous breakdown.” He passed away in Oakland, California, just days after his 37th birthday. His death certificate states the cause of death was paralysis associated with multiple sclerosis which affected his spinal cord. He left his wife Ann and their two-year-old daughter as well as his parents and two sisters. Daniel Sydney Ayres is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, along with his second wife Ann Franck Ayres, and their daughter Ann Ayres Wakefield.
Sources: Michael Colbruno (Mountain View People), Melissa (IMDb), Wikipedia, and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.
Sydney Ayres
American postcard by Flying A, no. 29. Photo: Flying A.
American actor Sydney Ayres (1879-1916) was a handsome, dark wavy-haired leading man who appeared on the New York stage and starred in early silent films. Ayres also directed and wrote scenarios. He worked for various studios including Edison, Laemmle, Nestor, Selig, and Flying A, before he passed away at age 37.
Daniel Sydney Ayres was born in 1879 in New York City, USA.
At age 21, Sydney worked as a drama teacher while living with his parents in Oakland. Ayres began his professional acting career in a production of 'Faust' in the Oakland theater company of Lewis Morrison. He was a huge celebrity in Oakland and a leading man at Oakland's Ye Liberty Playhouse. This was followed up by a North America tour with the famed Orpheum Theater as one of their featured actors. He appeared as a wavy-haired leading man on the New York stage. Then he starred for various pioneering film studios including Edison, American, Powers, Rex, Big U (Universal), Laemmle, Nestor, and Selig. Previously married, Sydney Ayres met lovely young Anna Franck, the daughter of a prominent Oakland family. The two married in 1912, but Ayres' first wife publicly claimed their divorce was not finalised and accused him of bigamy. This was a tremendous scandal at the time, with front-page news accounts. Ayres provided proof he was divorced, stating the former wife had deserted him five years prior and had not received service of the divorce papers. "I have nothing to say against the woman making this charge. She cannot harm me anymore, for I have done no wrong."
Sydney Ayres often simultaneously acted and directed films after 1913. According to IMDb, he was the director of 47 films from 1914 to 1916, and the writer of 17 films between 1911 and 1915. He was still working until the year of his death, 1916. In 1915, Ayres was involved in a serious car accident while working on a film in Hollywood. He finished the project from a wheelchair with the assistance of his wife. Ayres ended up collapsing, prompting a newspaper to write that it was caused by “thrilling ‘movie’ scenes, overwork, an automobile wreck, and other motion picture experiences.” Within a year Ayres was dead and the Oakland Tribune listed the cause of death as a “nervous breakdown.” He passed away in Oakland, California, just days after his 37th birthday. His death certificate states the cause of death was paralysis associated with multiple sclerosis which affected his spinal cord. He left his wife Ann and their two-year-old daughter as well as his parents and two sisters. Daniel Sydney Ayres is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, along with his second wife Ann Franck Ayres, and their daughter Ann Ayres Wakefield.
Sources: Michael Colbruno (Mountain View People), Melissa (IMDb), Wikipedia, and IMDb.
And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.