John Bunny

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John Bunny

John Bunny (born September 21, 1863 in New York City , New York , † April 26, 1915 in Brooklyn , New York ) was an American film and stage actor .

Life

John Bunny was born in New York to a British father and Irish mother , the eldest son . Since his father was the eighth generation captain of a merchant ship in the British Navy, it was planned that both John and his younger brother George (1867-1952) should follow in his footsteps. However, John Bunny decided otherwise. After attending St. James High School in Brooklyn, Bunny first worked as a clerk in a drugstore before running away from home in the late 19th century because his dream was to become an actor.

He found his first engagement with a small minstrel troupe that was on tour in New York. It was here that Broadway producers became aware of Bunny, who engaged him in February 1900 for his first play, Aunt Hannah . In the next ten years, eleven more pieces followed, in which Bunny mostly appeared as the main actor.

The real success did not come about until 1909, when he stood in front of the camera for the first time for the silent film Cohen's Dream and thus laid the foundation for a short but intense career as a film actor. In 1910, the Vitagraph film studio approached Bunny and worked with him to develop the concept for the successful comedy character Mr. Bunny . The short films that were produced from 1911 onwards were also exported to Europe and even found a wide audience here. With the participation of the actress Flora Finch , who convinced as Mrs. Bunny , the more than 100 films soon became known as Bunnyfinches . Bunny is therefore still considered one of the first US world stars to this day.

Since the two always harmonized on the big screen, it was assumed at the time that Bunny and Finch were also a couple in private, which, however, was not true. He was married to Clara Scallan from January 1890; the two had two sons together, George and John Bunny junior.

Bunny's success as an overweight, clumsy clown also had a shadowy existence, as his overweight of more than 220 kilograms was visibly impairing his health. To everyone involved, he died of kidney failure at the age of 51 in his home in New York .

legacy

Today a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame commemorates John Bunny.

The Bunny Theater in New York City was initially named after John Bunny, but was renamed the Nova Theater in the course of the 20th century . In 2003 it was closed.

Filmography (selection)

  • 1910: Cupid and the Motor Boat
  • 1909: Cohen's Dream
  • 1909: Cohen at Coney Island
  • 1910: Cupid and the Motor Boat
  • 1914: A Strand of Blond Hair
  • 1914: Bunny's Little Brother
  • 1914: Bunny backslides
  • 1914: Hearts and Diamonds
  • 1914: Such a Hunter

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Bunny, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-American actor
DATE OF BIRTH September 21, 1863
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City , New York
DATE OF DEATH April 26, 1915
Place of death Brooklyn , New York