Unidentified Actors

[James Riley]

I have an old family photo of my GF and GM who were said to be "extras" in the silent movies. Included in the photo are five other people who, I am told, are actors and friends. Probably in or around the Ithica, NY area. I am wondering if there is anyone who is considered an expert on the period actors who might be able to ID the folks? Thanks, Jim.

[donnie]

Hi, Jim!

There are a lot of folks online (many active on Facebook) who might be able to help. In thinking about it, a good first step might be to post it on Nitrateville and see if anyone there might be able to identify them.

Report back if you're able to find out—I'd be interested to know.

[James Riley]

Thank you. I will give Nitrateville a try.

[James Riley]

Hi Donnie:

I've tried signing up with NitrateVille.com but they have not gotten back to me. I emailed the admin but, no joy. Anyway, I'm going to try and put the picture here in case anyone can help. The man on the far upper right is my GF and the lady in the middle on the couch is my GM. However, I don't know any of the other people. I've heard they are silent film actors but I don't know if they are older here, or what the case is. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Actors.jpg (524.27 KiB) Viewed 1910 times

[donnie]

Thanks for sharing, Jim. Sorry to say, no one looks familiar, but then again, I'm not the greatest at recognizing silent actors. With your permission, I'll forward it on to a contact or two who may have a better chance at identifying them.

[James Riley]

Hi Donnie:

Thank you for looking. Yes, please do share. My GF was an architecture professor at Cornell and it is my understanding he and his wife were extras in the movies, but they were friends with real actors. Based on other photos I have, it looks like his house, but I'm not sure. I have no idea if the picture was contemporaneous with the acting, or if it was years later. With the exception of the lady on the left, they all look a little older but I suppose that doesn't mean anything.

Any help from your contacts would be great. Thanks.

[Kitty]

Anyway, I'm going to try and put the picture here in case anyone can help.

I'm going to share this on Twitter and find out if anyone on there knows anything.

[BettyLouSpence]

I'm afraid I don't recognize anyone here, but if you need help with dating it, this photo looks like it was taken in the mid-late 1930s, based on the hair attire of the women. When were your GPs active as extras, 1920s? Fascinating family history here.

[James Riley]

Thanks, Kitty.

Hi BettyLouSpence: I’m not really sure when they were extras in the silent movies. It was after 1917 because that is when he married my GM in the picture. He started teaching at Cornell in 1914 and retired in 1947 so I’m going to guess they were extras in the 1920s when he was a professor. I know they were friends with a Scottish guy named Harry Lauder and I think they were in a film(s?) that he was in. I’m wondering if the subject photograph is “old friends” after the era?
FYI: I’m recently retired and just trying to get as much about photographs as I can, for my son, before everyone is dead and gone. My mom (90) had some information about her FIL, but she didn’t know who these other people were.

[James Riley]

Edited to add: I just read a Wiki article about Wharton Studio and they were in Ithaca from 1914 through 1919. So I'm guessing that is when they were extras. That would mean the photo was long after those days? Maybe old actor friends. Maybe they were extras too. Hmmm. According to the article, much of Wharton's work was lost in a fire in 29. That's a drag.