Francis J. Grandon (1879 – July 11, 1929) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

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, when ...

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

who acted in almost 100 films and directed over 100. Frank Grandon's obituary, printed in newspapers from coast-to- coast, called him "the father of movie serial motion pictures" and a mentor to many young film stars.

Early career

He was born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. Little here is known about the early life of Francis Grandon other than he was listed as a members of Jessie May Hall’s company during an 1895 engagement at the Opera House in Portsmouth, Ohio and that he first arrived in Los Angeles in 1902, most likely as a member of a traveling repertory troupe.

Career profile in ''The Moving Picture World'', 1916

In is January 22, 1916 issue, the trade journal ''The Moving Picture World'' announces Grandon's move to

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at leas ...

, which was founded just a year earlier. The publication, as part of that announcement, also provides the following profile on his career up to that date:

Personal life and death

Helen S. Grandon, his wife, was a native of Indiana and eighteen years his junior when she married him around 1920 at the age of twenty-two. Francis J. Grandon died on July 11, 1929, in Los Angeles after suffering a series of

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

s over several years. In 1925 Grandon had disappeared for a number of weeks before film director

Webster Cullison Webster may refer to: People *Webster (surname), including a list of people with the surname *Webster (given name), including a list of people with the given name Places Canada *Webster, Alberta *Webster's Falls, Hamilton, Ontario United State ...

traced him to a Portland, Oregon hospital ward where he was recovering from his initial stroke. At the time of his death Grandon had no immediate family other than his young wife who was not mentioned in his obituary. Francis J. Grandon's funeral services were held on Saturday, July 13, at the LeRoy Bagley Mortuary on Hollywood Boulevard.Obituary, ''Los Angeles Times'', July 12, 1929

Selected filmography

*''

Barb Wire Barb Wire may refer to: * Barb wire, a fencing material * Barb Wire (character), a comic book superhero published by Dark Horse Comics * ''Barb Wire'' (1996 film), starring Pamela Anderson, based on the comic book * ''Barb Wire'' (pinball), pinb ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Adventures of Kathlyn ''The Adventures of Kathlyn'' (1913) is an American motion picture serial released on December 29, 1913, by the Selig Polyscope Company. An adventure serial filmed in Chicago, Illinois, its thirteen episodes were directed by Francis J. Grandon ...

'' (1916) * '' Playing with Fire'' (1916) * ''

The Soul Market ''The Soul Market'' is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Francis J. Grandon. The film is considered to be lost. Plot Olga Petrova plays Elaine Elton, a famous actress who is engaged to a powerful producer. She meets a millionaire ...

'' (1916) * ''

The Lure of Heart's Desire ''The Lure of Heart's Desire'' is a 1916 silent American drama film directed by Francis J. Grandon. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Edmund Breese as Jim Carew * Arthur Hoops as Thomas Martin * John Mahon as Crazy Jake * Jeanette Ho ...

'' (1916) * ''

Rosemary, That's for Remembrance ''Rosemary, That's for Remembrance'' is a 1914 American silent short drama directed by Francis J. Grandon. The film starred Earle Foxe and Adda Gleason Adda Gleason (December 19, 1888 – February 6, 1971) was an American actress and write ...

'' (1914) * ''

The Livid Flame ''The Livid Flame'' is a 1914 American silent short drama directed by Francis J. Grandon and written by William Wing. The film stars Earle Foxe, Lafayette McKee and Adda Gleason. The film was produced by the Selig Polyscope Company. Synopsis B ...

'' (1914) * '' To Be Called For'' (1914) * ''

A Beast at Bay ''A Beast at Bay'' is a 1912 silent short film directed by D. W. Griffith. It was produced and distributed by the Biograph Company. Preserved in paper print form at the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collect ...

'' (1912) * '' Mrs. Matthews, Dressmaker'' (1912) * ''

The Blind Princess and the Poet ''The Blind Princess and the Poet'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Blanche Sweet as The Princess * Charles West as The Poet * Charles Gorman * Francis J. Grandon * ...

'' (1911) * ''

The Last Drop of Water ''The Last Drop of Water'' is a 1911 American short silent Western film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Blanche Sweet. Three known prints of the film survive. It was filmed in the San Fernando desert as well as Lookout Mountain, Cali ...

'' (1911) * ''

The Indian Brothers ''The Indian Brothers'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Frank Opperman and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Frank Opperman as The Indian Chief * Wilfred Lucas as The Indian Chief's Brother * ...

'' (1911) * ''

Enoch Arden ''Enoch Arden'' is a narrative poem published in 1864 by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, during his tenure as England's poet laureate. The story on which it was based was provided to Tennyson by Thomas Woolner. The poem lent its name to a principle in ...

'' (1911) * ''

The Lonedale Operator ''The Lonedale Operator'' is a 1911 short American drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Blanche Sweet and written by Mack Sennett for the Biograph Company. The plot of the film involves a girl who takes over a telegraph station af ...

'' (1911) * ''

Was He a Coward? ''Was He a Coward?'' is a 1911 American short silent Western film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Blanche Sweet. A print of the film survives in the film archive of the Museum of Modern Art. Cast * Wilfred Lucas as Norris Hilton * Jos ...

'' (1911) * ''

The Lily of the Tenements ''The Lily of the Tenements'' is a 1911 American short silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, starring Clara T. Bracy and featuring Blanche Sweet. Cast * Dorothy West as The Tenement Girl * Clara T. Bracy as The Tenement Girl's Mot ...

'' (1911) * ''

What Shall We Do with Our Old? ''What Shall We Do with Our Old?'' is a 1911 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Cast * W. Chrystie Miller - The Old Carpenter * Claire McDowell - The Old Carpenter's Wife * Adolph Lestina - The Doctor * George Nichols - T ...

'' (1911) * ''

His Trust ''His Trust'' is a 1911 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. It concerns "The faithful devotion and self- sacrifice of an old negro servant," who is played in blackface by Wilfred Lucas. The film's sequel is ''His Trust Ful ...

'' (1911) * ''

Ramona ''Ramona'' is a 1884 American novel written by Helen Hunt Jackson. Set in Southern California after the Mexican–American War, it portrays the life of a mixed-race Scottish– Native American orphan girl, who suffers racial discrimination and ...

'' (1910) * ''

The House with Closed Shutters ''The House with Closed Shutters'' is a 1910 American silent drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and released by the Biograph Company. Prints of ''The House with Closed Shutters'' exist in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art, Georg ...

'' (1910) * ''

What the Daisy Said ''What the Daisy Said'' is a one-reel film (about 12 minutes) made by D. W. Griffith for Biograph in 1910. Plot The film opens upon two sisters (Martha, played by Mary Pickford, and Millie, played by Gertrude Robinson) standing in a field of d ...

'' (1910) * ''

In the Border States ''In the Border States'' is a 1910 American drama film directed by D. W. Griffith. Prints of the film survive in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress. Cast * Charles West as Young Father * Charles Arling ...

'' (1910) * ''

The Modern Prodigal ''The Modern Prodigal'' is a 1910 American short drama silent black and white film directed by D. W. Griffith. It is based on the novel by Bess Meredyth. Cast * Guy Hedlund as The Prodigal Son * Clara T. Bracy as The Prodigal's Mother * Geo ...

'' (1910) as At Post Office * ''

A Mohawk's Way ''A Mohawk's Way'', also known as ''The Mohawk's Treasure'', is a 1910 short silent black and white drama film directed by D. W. Griffith, written by Stanner E.V. Taylor and based on James Fenimore Cooper novel, and photography by G.W. Bitz ...

'' (1910) as Indian medicine man

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grandon, Francis J. 1879 births 1929 deaths American male film actors American film directors Male actors from Chicago American male silent film actors Silent film directors 20th-century American male actors