Alec B. Francis

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Alec B. Francis (1916)

Alec Budd Francis (born December 2, 1867 in London , England , † July 6, 1934 in Hollywood , California , USA ) was a British actor and silent film director .

life and career

Born in London, Alec B. Francis had an eventful professional life: he began his career as a lawyer before moving into theater acting in the 1890s. At times he also left this profession and was stationed for the British Army in India, he also worked as a medic in the Spanish-American War . At times he ran a farm in Iowa and tried his hand at farming there before turning back to the theater. In 1911 Francis, now finally settled in the United States, came to the New York Vitagraph , where he made his first film appearances. In the short films The Sheriff's Friend (1911) and A Living Memory (1912), he tried twice as a director, but then stayed entirely with film acting.

From 1911 until the year of his death, he was in front of the camera for over 240 films. The slender, already graying actor was usually a lively and friendly presence in supporting roles, often his characters stood by the significantly younger main actors to help and admonish them. These lead actors with whom he shot included Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino in Beyond the Rocks (1922), John Barrymore and Mary Astor in The Love Affaires of Beau Brummel (1924), Harry Langdon and Joan Crawford in Tramp, Tramp, Tramp (1926) and George O'Brien in John Ford's seminal silent film western Three Rough Journeyman (1926).

The character actor made the transition to the sound film at the end of the 1920s without any problems and he continued to receive substantial supporting roles. He had two of his best-known late roles as the King of Hearts in the star-studded film adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and as Mr. Brownlow in the Charles Dickens adaptation Oliver Twist .

With his wife Lucy Francis Bowers (1862-1953) Francis was married until his death. He died in July 1934 at the age of 66 after an operation.

Filmography (selection)

Alec B. Francis with Norma Talmadge in The Probation Wife (1919)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Alec B. Francis | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos. Retrieved January 1, 2019 (American English).
  2. ↑ Alec B. Francis | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos. Retrieved January 1, 2019 (American English).
personal data
SURNAME Francis, Alec B.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Francis, Alec Budd (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British actor and silent film director
DATE OF BIRTH December 2, 1867
PLACE OF BIRTH London , England
DATE OF DEATH July 6, 1934
Place of death Hollywood , California , USA