Louis Bennison (October 17, 1884 – June 9, 1929) was an American stage and silent film actor, known for westerns.
Louis Bennison | |
|---|---|
 Bennison as the title character in Speedy Meade (1919) | |
| Born | October 17, 1884 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Died | June 9, 1929 (aged 44) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1914–1927 |
Biography
editBennison was born on October 17, 1884, in Oakland, California. He attended the University of California, Berkeley. Bennison performed in plays such as The Unchastened Woman and Johnny Get Your Gun. In 1912, he was a member of the stock company at the Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco.[1]
He had starring film roles and made his motion picture debut in the silent film Damaged Goods in 1914, other films included Pretty Mrs. Smith (1915), Oh, Johnny! (1918) and as the titular character in Speedy Meade (1919).
In the 1920s, Bennison developed a relationship with Broadway actress Margaret Lawrence, and on June 9, 1929, the two were found dead in Lawrence's New York apartment, the result of a murder–suicide by firearm. Police believed the incident was alcohol-related.[2][3][4][5]
Filmography
edit- Damaged Goods - Dr. Clifford (1914)
- The Keeper of the Flock (1915) (film short)
- Pretty Mrs. Smith - Mr. Smith No. 1, Ferdinand (1915)
- Oh, Johnny! - Johnny Burke (1918)
- Sandy Burke of the U-Bar-U - Sandy Burke (1919)
- Speedy Meade - Speedy Meade (1919)
- The Road Called Straight - Al Boyd (1919)
- High Pockets - 'High Pockets' Henderson (1919)
- A Misfit Earl - Jim Dunn (1919)
- Lavender and Old Lace - Captain Charles Winfield / Carl Winfield (1921)
References
edit- ^ "'Red Rose' and 'Gamblers' Due". San Francisco Chronicle. January 4, 1912. p. 10 – via Newsbank.
- ^ "Noted Stage Stars in Murder-Suicide". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 10, 1929. p. 1. cont., p. 5
- ^ Frasier, David K. (2005). Suicide in the Entertainment Industry: An Encyclopedia of 840 Twentieth Century Cases. McFarland. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7864-2333-0.
- ^ "Margaret Lawrence slain by Louis Bennison, actor, who ends life in her home". The New York Times. June 10, 1929.
- ^ Biography of Louis Bennison and His Involvement with Margaret Lawrence Retrieved August 18, 2017
External links
edit
Media related to Louis Bennison at Wikimedia Commons- Louis Bennison at IMDb
- Louis Bennison at the Internet Broadway Database
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