J.P. McGowan
From Wikipedia John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. J. P. McGowan, as he was usually known, remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directors Guild (now Directors Guild of America). Born in the then-bustling railway centre of Terowie in South Australia, McGowan grew up in Adelaide (Islington) and Sydney. He was a capable horseman and served in the Second Boer War with Montmorency's Scouts as a special dispatch rider. McGowan directed and often acted in the first 33 episodes of Kalem's 1914 adventure film series, The Hazards of Helen, which eventually ran to 54 episodes, some still with McGowan's participation. While filming he began a relationship with Helen Holmes, the film's star, and the two married. They left Kalem to set up their own production company, Signal Films, which successfully made a series of railroad melodramas but lost out when their distributor (Mutual) failed. The collaboration ended when they divorced in 1925. There was an adopted daughter, Kaye. McGowan successfully made the transition from silent film to talkies. While never a major star, in a busy career that spanned four decades he is credited with acting in 232 films—mostly strong roles like sheriff or villain—writing 26 screenplays and directing 242 productions. In 1932 he directed a young John Wayne in the 12-episode rail vs airplane serial The Hurricane Express for the independent Mascot Pictures. From 1938 to 1951, as Executive Secretary of the Screen Directors Guild, he fought to secure recognition for the director within the studio systems of the film and emerging television industry. J.P. McGowan died in 1952 in Hollywood and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Filmography
Savage Fury
as Ship's Captain
Savage Fury
as Ship's Captain
The Lady and the Bandit
as Old Man
The Lady and the Bandit
as Old Man
Stagecoach
as Bit Part (uncredited)
Stagecoach
as Bit Part (uncredited)
Code of the Fearless
as Undetermined Minor Role
Code of the Fearless
as Undetermined Minor Role
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
as Scudder
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
as Scudder
Kidnapped
as Clansman
Kidnapped
as Clansman
Hunted Men
as Cop
Hunted Men
as Cop
The Buccaneer
as Jailer
The Buccaneer
as Jailer
Prairie Thunder
as Col. Stanton
Prairie Thunder
as Col. Stanton
Heart of the Rockies
as Ed Dawson
Heart of the Rockies
as Ed Dawson
Rough Riding Rhythm
as Pete Hobart
Rough Riding Rhythm
as Pete Hobart
Empty Holsters
as U.S. Marshal Billy O'Neill
Empty Holsters
as U.S. Marshal Billy O'Neill
She Had to Eat
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
She Had to Eat
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Slave Ship
as Helmsman
Slave Ship
as Helmsman
Hit the Saddle
as Rance McGowan
Hit the Saddle
as Rance McGowan
Borderland
as El Rio Sheriff
Borderland
as El Rio Sheriff
Jungle Jim
as Ship Captain J.S. Robinson
Jungle Jim
as Ship Captain J.S. Robinson
Sinner Take All
as Police Officer Murphy (uncredited)
Sinner Take All
as Police Officer Murphy (uncredited)
Stampede
as Matt Stevens
Stampede
as Matt Stevens
The Accusing Finger
as Inner Guard
The Accusing Finger
as Inner Guard
Fury and the Woman
as Anderson
Fury and the Woman
as Anderson
The Three Mesquiteers
as Brack Canfield
The Three Mesquiteers
as Brack Canfield
Ride 'Em Cowboy
as Jim Howard
Ride 'Em Cowboy
as Jim Howard
Guns and Guitars
as Dave Morgan
Guns and Guitars
as Dave Morgan
Secret Patrol
as Blacksmith Barstow
Secret Patrol
as Blacksmith Barstow
Robin Hood of El Dorado
as Danglong
Robin Hood of El Dorado
as Danglong
The Prisoner of Shark Island
as Ship's Captain (uncredited)
The Prisoner of Shark Island
as Ship's Captain (uncredited)
East of Java
as Sergeant, Rescue Party
East of Java
as Sergeant, Rescue Party
Diamond Jim
as Engineer
Diamond Jim
as Engineer
Border Brigands
as Inspector Winston - RCMP
Border Brigands
as Inspector Winston - RCMP
Murder in the Fleet
as Chief of Police (Uncredited)
Murder in the Fleet
as Chief of Police (Uncredited)
Whispering Smith Speaks
as Caboose Passenger (uncredited)
Whispering Smith Speaks
as Caboose Passenger (uncredited)
Les Misérables
as Javert's Plainclothesman
Les Misérables
as Javert's Plainclothesman
The Call of the Savage
as Freighter Captain
The Call of the Savage
as Freighter Captain
Mississippi
as Dealer (uncredited)
Mississippi
as Dealer (uncredited)
Rustlers of Red Dog
as Capt. Trent [Chs. 3-4]
Rustlers of Red Dog
as Capt. Trent [Chs. 3-4]
When Lightning Strikes
as Lafe Broderick
When Lightning Strikes
as Lafe Broderick
Wagon Wheels
as Couch
Wagon Wheels
as Couch
The Red Rider
as Scotty McKee
The Red Rider
as Scotty McKee
No More Women
as Captain of The Hawk
No More Women
as Captain of The Hawk
Flaming Gold
as Mack
Flaming Gold
as Mack
Lawless Valley
as Big Mike Carter, aka El Lobo, aka Texas Rand
Lawless Valley
as Big Mike Carter, aka El Lobo, aka Texas Rand
The Canyon of Missing Men
as Slug Sagel
The Canyon of Missing Men
as Slug Sagel
Breezy Bill
as Sheriff
Breezy Bill
as Sheriff
A Texas Cowboy
as Brute Kettle
A Texas Cowboy
as Brute Kettle
Señor Americano
as Maddox
Señor Americano
as Maddox
The Oklahoma Kid
The Oklahoma Kid
The Invaders
The Invaders
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
as Pepper Hardcastle
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
as Pepper Hardcastle
The Law of the Plains
as Seagrue
The Law of the Plains
as Seagrue
Bad Men's Money
as Sheriff Bud Jennings
Bad Men's Money
as Sheriff Bud Jennings
The Lawless Legion
as Matson
The Lawless Legion
as Matson
Below the Deadline
as Taggart
Below the Deadline
as Taggart
'Neath Western Skies
as Dugan
'Neath Western Skies
as Dugan
Ships of the Night
as Motilla
Ships of the Night
as Motilla
The Chinatown Mystery
The Chinatown Mystery
The Code of the Scarlet
as Blake
The Code of the Scarlet
as Blake
The Devil’s Tower
as George Stilwell
The Devil’s Tower
as George Stilwell
Dugan of the Dugouts
as Capt. von Brinken
Dugan of the Dugouts
as Capt. von Brinken
Arizona Nights
as Jeff Decker
Arizona Nights
as Jeff Decker
Perils of the Rail
as Barker's Accomplice at Smelter Junction
Perils of the Rail
as Barker's Accomplice at Smelter Junction
Crack O' Dawn
as Earle Thorpe Sr.
Crack O' Dawn
as Earle Thorpe Sr.
Senor Daredevil
as Jesse Wilks
Senor Daredevil
as Jesse Wilks
Duped
as 'Hard Rock' Ralston
Duped
as 'Hard Rock' Ralston
The Whipping Boss
as Livingston
The Whipping Boss
as Livingston
Elmo the Fearless
Elmo the Fearless
The Wives of Jamestown
as The O’Rourke
The Wives of Jamestown
as The O’Rourke
The Shaughraun
as Corry Kinchela
The Shaughraun
as Corry Kinchela
The Poacher's Pardon
as Mr. Wallace - the Gamekeeper
The Poacher's Pardon
as Mr. Wallace - the Gamekeeper
Winning a Widow
Winning a Widow
Tragedy of the Desert
as The Arab Sheik
Tragedy of the Desert
as The Arab Sheik
Captured by Bedouins
as Lt. Greig
Captured by Bedouins
as Lt. Greig
His Mother
as John Foster
His Mother
as John Foster
Slim Jim's Last Chance
as The Rancher
Slim Jim's Last Chance
as The Rancher