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.
Ship's Captain
Old Man
Undetermined Minor Role
Bit Part (uncredited)
Jailer
Clansman
Cop
Scudder
Director
Ship Captain J.S. Robinson
El Rio Sheriff
Rance McGowan
Helmsman
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
U.S. Marshal Billy O'Neill
Pete Hobart
Ed Dawson
Col. Stanton
Writer
Director
Webb Allison
Ship's Captain (uncredited)
Danglong
Blacksmith Barstow
Dave Morgan
Jim Howard
Anderson
Brack Canfield
Inner Guard
Matt Stevens
Police Officer Murphy (uncredited)
Capt. Trent [Chs. 3-4]
Sheriff Jim Porter
Dealer (uncredited)
Freighter Captain
Javert's Plainclothesman
Caboose Passenger (uncredited)
Chief of Police (Uncredited)
Inspector Winston - RCMP
Engineer
Commissioner
Sergeant, Rescue Party
Buck Peters
Director
Captain of The Hawk
Scotty McKee
Couch
Lafe Broderick
Monte Black
Director
Screenplay
Director
Director
Big Mike Carter, aka El Lobo, aka Texas Rand
Mack
Director
Director
Director
Director
Screenplay
Brings note / Director
Director
Director
Director
The Cyclone Kid
Director
Director
Angus McGregor
Breezy Bill
Sheriff
Covered Wagon Trails
Director
Slug Sagel
The Parting of the Trails
Director
Director
Director
The Man from Nowhere
Director
Western Honor
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Dugan
Taggart
Sneezer Clark
Matson
Sheriff Bud Jennings
Jim Wales
Hash
Wyoming Tornado
Writer
Director
Seagrue
The Invaders
Director
Pepper Hardcastle
Tom Dorgan
Director
Maddox
Brute Kettle
Writer
Producer
Riders of the Rio Grande
Director
Director
Dugan of the Dugouts
Capt. von Brinken
The Devil’s Tower
George Stilwell
Blake
Arizona Days
Ed Hicks
Director
(Unknown)
The Lightnin’ Shot
Writer
The Old Code
Raoul de Valle
Abner Whitcomb
Motilla
Painted Trail
Director
Trailin’ Back
Writer
Trail Raiders
Writer
Writer
Director
Jim Twyler
The Lost Limited
Thomas Webber
The Royal American
Capt. Burke
Jeff Decker
Captain Ortwell
Bill Brogan
The Slaver
’Iron' Larsen
When a Dog Loves
Director
Director
Director
Director
Jesse Wilks
Sgt. Churchill
Train Engineer
Earle Thorpe Sr.
Barker's Accomplice at Smelter Junction
Writer
Director
Tiger McGuire
Steve Redding
'Hard Rock' Ralston
Eagle Custer
Scenario Writer
James Curtis
Director
Director
Mistaken Orders
Director
Ambushed
Director
A Desperate Chance
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Jack Norton
The Whipping Boss
Livingston
Stephen Lawlor
'Pepper' Baldwin
Director
Director
Capt. Morgan
Capt. Brandt / The Dragon
Director
Director
Capt. Alvarez / Satan
Steele Weir
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Various roles
Thomas Desmond
Producer
Whispering Smith
Whispering Smith
Producer
Producer
The Diamond Runners
Scenario Writer
Director
Blake - a Lineman
Spike
Rand - the Fireman
Lockwood - the old one-armed Flagman
Warren - Railroad Employee
Thomas - the Chief of the Gang
Trow - of the Working Crew
Jerry McGuire
A Desperate Leap
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
When Rogues Fall Out
Director
Kaintucky Bill
Kaintucky Bill - a Moonshiner
Benton
Mammoth - Manning's Business Rival
Rand - a Yeggman
Dan Haddon - a Cowboy
Brandt - a Defaulting Cashier
A String of Pearls
Director
Director
The Operator at Black Rock
Director
The Car of Death
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
The O’Rourke
A Sawmill Hazard
Director
Director
John Foster
Vagabonds
Big Jim
(Unknown)
Sheik Mohammad
(Unknown)
Lt. Greig
The Arab Sheik
(Unknown)
Director
Mr. Wallace - the Gamekeeper
Wise Man 1
Valentine Hay
The Mayor from Ireland
Shamus Foley
Lord Kilhannack
The Shaughraun
Corry Kinchela
A Sawmill Hero
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
Slim Jim's Last Chance
The Rancher
The Fiddler’s Requiem
Dolores' father
Jacques
Federal Officer
The Special Messenger
Royal
Commander of the English troops
Hardress Cregan
The Fishermaid of Ballydavid
Policeman
Election Agent
When Lovers Part
(Unknown)
Danger Quest
Col. Spiffy