Wilfred Lucas
from Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
from Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilfred Lucas (January 30, 1871 – December 13, 1940) was a Canadian-born American stage actor who found success in film as an actor, director, and screenwriter.
Wilfred Lucas made his Broadway debut in 1904, playing in both the The Blue Grass Handicap and The Superstition of Sue. Following his 1906 role in the highly successful play The Chorus Lady, he was recruited to the fledgling Biograph Studios by D. W. Griffith.
At the time, the film business was still looked down upon by many members of the theatrical community. In her 1925 book titled When the Movies Were Young, Griffith's wife, actress Linda Arvidson, told the story of the early days at Biograph Studios. In it, she referred to Lucas as the "first real grand actor, democratic enough to work in Biograph movies." In 1908 Lucas made his motion picture debut in Griffith's The Greaser's Gauntlet, appearing in more than 50 of these short (usually 17 minutes) films over the next two years.
In 1910 while still acting, he wrote the script for Griffith's film Sunshine Sue, which was followed by many more scripts by 1924. Lucas also began directing in 1912 with Griffith on An Outcast Among Outcasts, and directed another 44 films over the next 20 years.
In early 1916 he starred as John Carter in Acquitted, about which Photoplay wrote, "No single performance in the records of active photography has surpassed his visualization of the humble book-keeper in Acquitted." Later in 1916 he appeared in D.W. Griffith's film Intolerance.
Part of the group of Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood, Lucas became friends and sometimes starred with Mary Pickford, Sam De Grasse, and Marie Dressler. Canadian-born director Mack Sennett hired him to both direct and act in a large number of films at his Keystone Studios.
Lucas made the successful transition from silent film to sound. While working in Hollywood, in 1926 he returned to the stage, performing in several Broadway plays. He later appeared as a foil for Laurel and Hardy in their feature films Pardon Us and A Chump at Oxford.
During his long career, Wilfred Lucas appeared in more than 375 films. Although for a time he was cast in leading roles, he became very successful as secondary and minor characters, making a good living in the film industry for more than three decades.
The Best of Laurel and Hardy
The Warden (archive footage) (uncredited)
(Unknown)
East Ivestown Leader (uncredited)
Dean Williams
Eye Doctor (uncredited)
Roomer
Southerner (uncredited)
Policeman
Broker
Elderly Huntsman at Estate Dance (uncredited)
Brother MacDonald
Policeman (uncredited)
Bailiff (uncredited)
Constable Herb at Tule Mesa
Board Member (uncredited)
Weiner (uncredited)
Dog Show Director
Bartender (uncredited)
Burbank Offical (uncredited)
Undetermined Role
Bailiff (uncredited)
Bill, Man Outside Racetrack (uncredited)
Pompous Man (uncredited)
Marshal Andy Thompson (uncredited)
Bobby
Police Detective Randall
Stationmaster (uncredited)
Race Judge
Member of Parliament
Police Lieutenant
Cell Block Keeper
Councilman
Doctor (uncredited)
Professor Ullrich
Wheeler
Man at Hospital Dedication (uncredited)
Ballfield Doctor
John Dickinson (uncredited)
Race Judge (archive footage) (uncredited)
Prison Yard Captain (uncredited)
Brandon's Assistant
Bailiff (uncredited)
The Super Snooper
(Unknown)
Jim Blake (uncredited)
Drexel
Jury Foreman #1 (uncredited)
Sheriff Tom
John Ware
Director of Screen Test (uncredited)
Police Commissioner (uncredited)
Nate Temple
Customer in Drugstore (uncredited)
Doctor (uncredited)
Gun Dealer
Ship's Captain (uncredited)
Lincoln's Secretary (uncredited)
Judge in Wagner Case (uncredited)
Fire Tug Captain
Himself (uncredited)
Juvenile Officer
Director (Uncredited)
Testifying Colonel (uncredited)
Man at Hutchinson's Meeting
Proprietor (uncredited)
Police Chief
Raglan Staff Officer (uncredited)
Businessman
Off-Screen Voice (voice / uncredited)
Sheriff
Professor Edwin Millstone (uncredited)
His Excellency Permitting Henry's Arrest (uncredited)
Doctor (Uncredited)
Wilfred Lucas, game hunter
Capt. Walker
Announcer (uncredited)
Onlooker
Dock Official (uncredited)
Townsman with Mayor
Pat, a Welfare Worker (uncredited)
Mack's Horse Trainer (uncredited)
Chief Martin
First Policeman (uncredited)
First Scotland Yard Man (uncredited)
Druggist (uncredited)
John Gale
Chairman of the Board
Boat Captain (uncredited)
Metropolitan Operagoer
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Capt. Wilson [Chs. 4-12]
Roman Greeting Antony (uncredited)
Dignitary (uncredited)
Mr. Wade
Mr. Ryan
Eaton - Railroad President
Mr. Wayne
El Shaitan
Bob Mills
(Unknown)
Randall
Prosecuting Attorney
John Davis
Bill (uncredited)
Nightclub Bouncer (uncredited)
Andrews' Lawyer Barry (uncredited)
(Unknown)
Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
Mr. Lucas, Airline Superintendent
Sheriff's Deputy
Judge Hollister
Mr. Lucas
Ship's Purser
(Unknown)
Stockholm ”Queen of the Baltic”
(Unknown)
Debate Chairman
Bill the Replacement Director (uncredited)
Court Martial Judge (uncredited)
Policeman (uncredited)
The Specialist
Whitney [Ch. 1] (uncredited)
Child Welfare Official (Uncredited)
Captain Kane
John Larrigan
Official (uncredited)
Pharmacist
Second Jury Foreman (uncredited)
Mike O'Flanagan
Writer
Millie's Elderly Escort (uncredited)
Sam Ellery (uncredited)
(Unknown)
Duryea
(Unknown)
J.P. Walker
Warden
Doctor
Sportscaster
Candidate Louis
Undetermined Role
Dist. Atty. John Hampton
Capt. Hammond
(Unknown)
Sheriff Franklin
Dr. Saltus
Manager
Señor Vallejo
Big Ben Benson
Roman Senator
Love Your Neighbor
(Unknown)
Mr. Gillstrom, Charley's Boss
X-10
Lord Cumberly
Her Sacrifice
Edwin Ramsey
Minister (uncredited)
Maj. Bissell
Oldring
Stage Manager
John Pendergast
Harry Blaine
Col. Owen
R.S. Falk
Judge Bledsoe
Hugh Clayton
Richard O'Neil
C. Hanaford
Earl of Rutland
Mark Hadley
Old Jim Darley
Old Jim Darley
Charles Richmond
Richard Stanton
Hudford
Story
James Presbury
Richard Wade
The Beautiful Sinner
Story
Story
Julius Furman
Franklyn Chase
Ashby
Charles W. Wright
The Laird
Aaron Kidder
The Policeman
Ship Captain
Capt. Wolff
(Unknown)
Mortimer Davidson
Elton Reeves
Prosecutor (uncredited)
The Fighting Breed
John MacDonald
Gaston Allegretti
Red Jack Braggan
Edward Mariott
John MacDonald
Horace Lennon
Robert Appleton Jr.
Jim Buckley
Diamond Terry
Sir John Thornbull
President Alvarez
Writer
The Red, Red Heart
Director
Director
Scenario Writer
Director
Director
Jim Bludso
Jim Bludso
Philip
John Houston
Robert Powers
Her Excellency, the Governor
James Barclay
Henry Havens
Andrew Maxwell
Richard Manning
Rudyard Byng
Fred Arnold
Acquitted
John Carter
Macduff
Jim Hamilton
Hell-to-Pay Austin
Hell-to-Pay Austin
Extra (uncredited)
Doc Arnold
The Spanish Jade
Osmund Manvers
Jack Van Norman
Gentleman Burglar
Baffles
Brute Force
A Misplaced Foot
Director
A Glimpse of Los Angeles
Director
The Severed Hand
Director
Director
The Widow and the Widower
The Widower
Pure Gold and Dross
(Unknown)
A Tender-Hearted Crook
(Unknown)
Pirate Gold
Director
Baby Day
Director
Director
A Quiet Little Wedding
Director
Director
The Milk We Drink
Director
Mike
Billy's Father
Joe
Minor Role (uncredited)
(Unknown)
The American
Just Like a Woman
The Wealthy Friend
When Kings Were the Law
The King of Romanda
The Blacksmith
An Indian (uncredited)
Bruteforce
The Indian Girl's Great Brother
The Sailor
Stephen
Director
Director
Writer
Nellie's Husband
(Unknown)
George
George
Heart Beats of Long Ago
The Lover
Violent Jailbird
Steve Hardester
The Diamond Star
John Wilson
(Unknown)
The Fireman
The Spanish Gypsy
Jose
The Broken Cross
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
The New Dress
Jose
(Unknown)
Enoch Arden
Enoch Arden
The Fisherman
(Unknown)
The Thief and the Girl
The Thief
The Indian Chief's Brother
The Sorrowful Example
The Husband
The Blind Princess and the Poet
Princess's Father
The planter
Hugh Frazier
In Second Audience
A Policeman
Love in the Hills
The Manley Suitor
First Crook
The Doctor
The Clerk
The District Attorney
(Unknown)
Frederick Wallace
Writer
The Honor of Thieves
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
Jose
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
The Nest
Howard Hardy