Richard Sempler Barthelmess was an American film actor of the first half of the 20th century, who starred mainly in the silent film era. Richard co-starred with Lillian Guiche in D. W. Griffith's acclaimed 1919 Broken Flowers and 1920's Way Down East. Barthelmess is also considered one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1927.
Biography
Richard Barthelmess was born on May 9, 1895 in New York to Alfred Barthelmess and actress Caroline Harris. Thanks to his mother, Richard literally grew up in the theater, taking walks around the stage from a very young age.
Richard received his secondary and higher education at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and at the Hudson River Military Academy in Nyack, New York. In college and at the academy, he constantly participated in amateur theatrical performances.
By 1919, Bartelmess already had 5 years of experience in theater.
Richard Bartelmess died on August 17, 1963 from throat cancer. This happened in Southampton, New York. The actor was buried in the Mausoleum in Hartsdale at Ferncliffe Cemetery in New York State.
Creativity and career
Richard's choice of profession was seriously influenced by the Russian actress Alla Nazimova, who was a close friend of Caroline (Richard's mother) and taught English to Barthelmess Jr. privately. It was Nazimova who convinced the Bartelmesses that the young man was talented enough and he needed to become a professional actor.
In 1916, Richard first appeared in the silent television series "Gloria Romance" in a cameo role without being credited. After that, he played supporting roles in several films with Margarita Clark in the title role.
In one film, together with Alla Nazimova, Richard first starred in "Warrior Brides". Bartelmess's talent was noticed by the well-known director D. V. Griffith, who offered the actor to play several main roles in his films.
Thus, Richard Barthelmess in the company of Lillian Gish turned out to be the performers of the main roles in "Broken Flowers" (1919) and in "Way to the East" (1920).
In 1921, Barthelmess, together with Charles Duell and Henry King, founds his own production company, Inspiration Film Company.
In the same 1921, one of the films of the newly-made Tol'able David company, in which Richard played a teenage postman, received great commercial success. Yes, such that already in 1922 Photoplay magazine calls Barthelmess "the idol of every girl in America."
Another Picture-Play magazine wrote in 1921 that while Wallace Reid, Thomas Megan, and Niles Welch are considered excellent actors, Richard Barthelmess is replaying them all. His character Dick is becoming more and more popular every day. His wonderful black hair and soulful eyes can drive any young girl crazy. Richard's first notable work was Boots, starring Dorothy Gish. Then came a series of excellent films "Three Men and a Girl", "Days of Scarlett", "Love Flower" and "Broken Flowers".
Unsurprisingly, Bartlemess soon became the highest paid actor in Hollywood and starred in film adaptations of the classics Patent Leather Baby (1927) and The Loop (1928). For his work on these films, Richard was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, and was also honored with a special award for the production of Baby's Patent Leather.
With the advent of sound films, the fate of Barthelmess changed. He played roles in several films, but they never became popular. These are Son of the Gods (1930), Dawn Patrol (1930), Last Flight (1931), Cotton Cabin (1932) and Central Airport (1933). The last film role for Richard was the secondary role of the disgraced pilot and husband of the main character Rita Hayworth in the film "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939).
Richard Bartelmess, with the advent of sound films, could not maintain the fame to which he was accustomed in the era of silent films. Therefore, in the 30s, he gradually retired from show business, and then entered service in the naval reserve of the US Army.
Over the years of his career, the famous actor has played roles in more than 80 films, including 5 short films. His most recent film roles were in Spoilers and Mayor of 44th Street, both released in 1942.
During World War II, he served as a commander with the rank of lieutenant.
Richard never returned to the cinema. Having accumulated a lot of money over the years of acting, he took up investments and lived on income from investments.
Personal life
Richard's first wife was Mary Hay, a New York actress, theater and film star. The marriage was registered on June 18, 1920. During the marriage, the actors made a daughter, Maria Bertelmess, but then divorced.
Richard's second major hobby was Catherine Young Wilson, a Broadway actress. In 1927, they announced their engagement, but it never came to a wedding. The reason is Richard's romance with journalist Adela Rogers St. John's.
Bertelmess's second wife is Jessica Stuart Sargent. They met and got married in 1928. Jessica Stewart already had a son, Stewart, from her first marriage, and Richard subsequently adopted him. In this marriage, Richard lived a long and happy life until his death in 1963.
Professional achievements and memory of the actor
Richard Bartelmess is a founding member of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Shortly before his death, Richard was honored with a Personal Movie Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the film industry. The star is located at 6755 Hollywood Boulevard.
Barthelmess was one of the recipients of the George Eastman Prize in 1957, which was awarded to him by the George Eastman House for Outstanding Contribution to Cinematography.
In 1922, the American composer Mrs. Catherine Allan Lively dedicated her piano composition to Barthelmess, entitled "Within the Walls of China: A Chinese Episode of Barthelmess." It was published in 1923. George Schirmer wrote in an article for the Music Trade magazine that Mrs. Lively was inspired by watching the movie Broken Flowers when writing music. In the same year, 1923, the composition was performed in a play staged for Barthelmess and his friends in the summer of New York.
1928 Academy Award nominee for Best Actor in Patent Leather Baby and The Loop.
