Erville Alderson (September 11, 1882 – August 4, 1957) was an American character actor, usually portraying strong-willed or wise men. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1918 and 1957.

Life

Alderson was born in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

. He married

Lillian Worth Lillian Worth (born Lillian Burgher Murphy, June 24, 1884 – February 23, 1952) was an American actress. She appeared in 58 films between 1913 and 1937. Early life and career Lillian Burgher Murphy was born on June 24, 1884, in Brooklyn, New Y ...

, an American actress, on January 14, 1918 in Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. By 1925, the couple were divorced. Alderson's work in films included portraying Jefferson Davis as a young Army officer in ''

Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, th ...

'' (1940). Alderson died in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

. He is buried in lot 299, section 12 of the

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles ...

near

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' ...

Selected filmography

*''Her Man'' (1918) as 'Old Milt' McBrian *''The Good-Bad Wife'' (1920) as Col. Denbigh *''

The White Rose The White Rose (german: Weiße Rose, ) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students (and one professor) at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmo ...

'' (1923) as Man of the World *''

The Exciters ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1923) as Chloroform Charlie *''

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

'' (1924) as Justice Montague *''

Isn't Life Wonderful ''Isn't Life Wonderful'' is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith for his company D. W. Griffith Productions, and distributed by United Artists. It was based on the short story "Isn’t Life Wonderful?" in the ...

'' (1924) as The Professor *'' Sally of the Sawdust'' (1925) as Judge Henry L. Foster *'' Lightnin''' (1925) as Courtroom Attendant (uncredited) *''

The White Black Sheep ''The White Black Sheep'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent drama film produced by Inspiration Pictures and distributed by First National Pictures, First National. it was directed by Sidney Olcott with Richard Barthelmess and Patsy Ruth Mil ...

'' (1926) as Yasuf *''

The Fortune Hunter ''The Fortune Hunter'' is a drama in three acts by W. S. Gilbert. The piece concerns an heiress who loses her fortune. Her shallow husband sues to annul the marriage, leaving her pregnant and taking up with a wealthy former lover. The piece wa ...

'' (1927) as Blinky Lockwood *'' Salvation Jane'' (1927) as Gramp *'' The Price of Honor'' (1927) as Ogden Bennett *'' The Heart of Maryland'' (1927) as Maj. Gen. Kendrick *''

The Girl from Chicago ''The Girl from Chicago'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code drama film produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux, with an all-African-American cast including lead actors Grace Smith and Carl Mahon. The story concerns a federal agent who falls in love ...

'' (1927) as Colonel Carlton *'' The Valley of the Giants'' (1927) as Councilman *''

A Thief in the Dark ''A Thief in the Dark'' is a 1928 American silent mystery film directed by Albert Ray, written by C. Graham Baker and William Kernell (based on a plot idea from director Ray), and starring George Meeker, Doris Hill, Gwen Lee, Marjorie Beebe, Mi ...

'' (1928) as Armstrong *'' Fazil'' (1928) as Iman Idris *'' Fleetwing'' (1928) as Trad Ben Sabam *''

Speakeasy A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an illicit establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, or a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. Speakeasy bars came into prominence in the United States d ...

'' (1929) as City Editor *''

Acquitted In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as criminal law is concerned. The finality of an acquittal is dependent on the jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the ...

'' (1929) as Prison Warden (uncredited) *'' Guilty?'' (1930) *'' The Lash'' (1930) *''

The Dawn Trail ''The Dawn Trail'' is a 1930 American Western film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Marceline Day, Miriam Seegar, and Charles Morton, and was released on November 28, 1930. It was remade as the 1939 film ''Texas Stampede''. Cast list * ...

'' (1930) *''

Shanghaied Love ''Shanghaied Love'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Richard Cromwell, Sally Blane and Noah Beery. It was produced and released by Columbia Pictures. The film's sets were designed by the art dire ...

'' (1931) *''

They Call It Sin ''They Call It Sin'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Thornton Freeland and starring Loretta Young as a farmer's daughter who follows a traveling salesman to New York City, only to discover he already is engaged. Plot Small-to ...

'' (1932) *''

Haunted Gold ''Haunted Gold'' is a 1932 Pre-Production Code, American Western film directed by Mack V. Wright and starring John Wayne. It is a remake of the 1928 film ''The Phantom City'', starring Ken Maynard and his horse Tarzan. Filmed in 1932, two year ...

'' (1932) *'' The Thirteenth Guest'' (1932) *''

The Fighting Code ''The Fighting Code'' is a 1933 American Western film written and directed by Lambert Hillyer. The film stars Buck Jones, Diane Sinclair, Ward Bond, Richard Alexander, Alfred P. James and Erville Alderson. The film was released on December 30 ...

'' (1933) *''

Lazy River A lazy river is a water ride found in water parks, hotels, resorts, and recreation centers, which usually consists of a shallow () pool that flows similarly to a river. There is generally a slow current, usually just enough to allow guests to g ...

'' (1934) *''

Square Shooter ''Square Shooter'', which was also known under the title ''Quicksand'', is a 1935 American Western film directed by David Selman and starring Tim McCoy, Jacqueline Wells, and Erville Alderson. Cast list * Tim McCoy as Tim Baxter * Jacqueline ...

'' (1935) *''

Hearts in Bondage ''Hearts in Bondage'' is a 1936 American black-and-white war drama film directed by Lew Ayres for Republic Pictures. Set during the American Civil War, the film depicts the Union Navy's deliberate sinking of , the Confederate States Navy's salv ...

'' (1936) *'' Lincoln in the White House'' (1939) *'' The Mighty Treve'' (1937) *''

Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the " Little Dixie" area of Western Missouri, James and his family maintained stro ...

'' (1939) *''

'' (1940) as

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...

*''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize ...

'' (1940) as Arkansas Storekeeper (uncredited) *'' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940) as

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

(uncredited) *''

Parachute Battalion ''Parachute Battalion'' is a 1941 war film directed by Leslie Goodwins and stars Robert Preston and Nancy Kelly. The supporting cast includes Edmond O'Brien, Harry Carey, and Buddy Ebsen. Plot Three men enlist in the United States Army in the ...

'' (1941) *'' Sergeant York'' (1941) as Nate Tomkins *''

Man from Frisco ''Man from Frisco'' (1944) is a United States feature-length spy and war film by Republic Pictures directed by Robert Florey and starring Michael O'Shea (1906–1973) and Anne Shirley. Plot Matt Braddock is a civil engineer during the Secon ...

'' (1944) *''

An American Romance ''An American Romance'' is a 1944 American epic drama film directed and produced by King Vidor, who also wrote the screen story. Shot in Technicolor, the film stars Brian Donlevy and Ann Richards and is narrated by Horace McNally. The film is ...

'' (1944) as Olson *''

Objective, Burma! ''Objective, Burma!'' is a 1945 American war film that is loosely based on the six-month raid by Merrill's Marauders in the Burma Campaign during the Second World War. Directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Errol Flynn, the film was made by Warner ...

'' (1945) *''

The Bishop's Wife ''The Bishop's Wife'' (also known as ''Cary and the Bishop's Wife'') is a 1947 American romantic comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. The plot is about an angel who helps a bishop with his ...

'' (1947) as Stevens (Mrs. Hamilton's butler) *''

Again Pioneers ''Again Pioneers'' (sometimes referred to as ''Again... Pioneers!'') is a 1950 American black-and-white short film, short Drama (film and television), drama film produced by Paul F. Heard for the Protestant Film Commission. Directed by William Be ...

'' (1950)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alderson, Erville 1882 births 1957 deaths American male silent film actors Male actors from Missouri Male actors from Kansas City, Kansas 20th-century American male actors Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery Male Western (genre) film actors