Ashton Dearholt (April 4, 1894 – April 27, 1942) was an American actor of the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

era. He appeared in 75 films between 1915 and 1938. He was born in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

, and died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. He was sometimes billed as Richard Holt.

Biography

Dearholt worked with

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

on a number of melodramas during the 1910s but usually worked outside the studio system, producing and starring in a series of "Pinto Pete"

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

during the 1920s. He occasionally acted under the name Richard Holt. He founded Ashton Dearholt Productions in 1924. Ten years later, Dearholt and

Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, ...

founded the film production company Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises when he was filming ''

The New Adventures of Tarzan ''The New Adventures of Tarzan'' is a 1935 American film serial in 12 chapters starring Herman Brix. The serial presents a more authentic version of the character than most other film adaptations, with Tarzan as the cultured and well-educated gen ...

''. His character in that serial was a mercenary antagonistic explorer sent to steal the valuable Green Goddess. During its production in

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by Hon ...

, Dearholt married the leading actress, Ula Holt, and Burroughs broke up with his first wife to marry Dearholt's ex-wife,

Florence Gilbert Florence Gilbert (born Florence Ella Gleistein; February 20, 1904 – February 27, 1991) was an American silent film actress of the 1920s. She was renowned for playing supporting roles alongside such actors as William Fairbanks and Jack ...

Partial filmography

* ''

To Melody a Soul Responds ''To Melody a Soul Responds'' is a 1915 short film produced by American Film Manufacturing Company, released by Mutual Film and directed by B. Reeves Eason. Cast * Ashton Dearholt as Edler * Joseph Galbraith as Krieg, the Master Violinist * ...

'' (1915) * '' Purity'' (1916) * '' The Love Hermit'' (1916) * '' Souls in Pawn'' (1917) * '' Charity Castle'' (1917) * '' The Bride's Silence'' (1917) * '' The Bride's Awakening'' (1918) * ''

The Two-Soul Woman ''The Two-Soul Woman'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Elmer Clifton and starring Priscilla Dean, Ashton Dearholt and Joseph W. Girard.Parish & Pitts p.71 Cast * Priscilla Dean as Joy Fielding / Edna * Ashton Dearholt as Chester ...

'' (1918) * ''

The Brass Bullet ''The Brass Bullet'' is a 1918 American silent adventure film serial directed by Ben F. Wilson. It is now considered to be a lost film. Cast * Juanita Hansen as Rosalind Joy * Jack Mulhall as Jack James * Charles Hill Mailes as Homer Joy * J ...

'' (1918) * '' The Luck of Geraldine Laird'' (1920) * ''

A Yankee Go Getter ''A Yankee Go-Getter'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Duke Worne and starring Neva Gerber. The film is preserved at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film In ...

'' (1921) * '' At Devil's Gorge'' (1923) * '' Battling Bates'' (1923) * '' The Law Rustlers'' (1923) * '' The Santa Fe Trail'' (1923) * '' Cupid's Rustler'' (1924) * '' Lash of the Whip'' (1924) * '' Western Yesterdays'' (1924) * '' The Diamond Bandit'' (1924) * '' Easy Going Gordon'' (1925) * '' Once in a Lifetime'' (1925) * ''

The Canvas Kisser ''The Canvas Kisser'' is a 1925 American silent sports drama film directed by Duke Worne and starring Ashton Dearholt, Ruth Dwyer and Edward Cecil.Munden p.109 Synopsis A boxer makes his living by betting on opponents and then deliberately los ...

'' (1925) * '' Going the Limit'' (1925) * '' Too Much Youth'' (1925) * '' The Baited Trap'' (1926) * '' Wolves of the Desert'' (1926) * ''

West of the Law ''West of the Law'' is a 1942 American Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Adele Buffington. This is the eighth film in Monogram Pictures' ''Rough Riders'' series, and stars Buck Jones as Marshal Buck Roberts, Tim McCoy a ...

'' (1926) * '' In Search of a Hero'' (1926) * ''

The Boaster ''The Boaster'' is a 50-minute, 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Duke Worne and starring Ashton Dearholt, Gloria Grey and Joseph W. Girard.Munden p.72 Synopsis Angered by his son Dick's boastful ways, which in one incident lead him ...

'' (1926) * '' A Captain's Courage'' (1926) * '' A Racing Romeo'' (1927) * ''

'' (1935) *''

Tundra In physical geography, tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term ''tundra'' comes through Russian (') from the Kildin Sámi word (') meaning "uplands", "treeless mou ...

'' (1936)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dearholt, Ashton 1894 births 1942 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from Wisconsin 20th-century American male actors Male Western (genre) film actors