George Lessey (June 8, 1879 – June 3, 1947) was an American actor 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 * ''D ...

of the

silent era 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, wh ...

. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1910 and 1946. He also directed more than 70 films between 1913 and 1922. Lessey was born in

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a New England town, town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (althoug ...

, and as a boy he acted in theatrical productions there. He graduated from

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educatio ...

. For a year, Lessey was a leading man for

Edison Studios Edison Studios was an American film production organization, owned by companies controlled by inventor and entrepreneur, Thomas Edison. The studio made close to 1,200 films, as part of the Edison Manufacturing Company (1894–1911) and then Thom ...

, after which he directed films for the company for two years. In 1914, he joined

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 Ameri ...

as a director. He portrayed Romeo in the initial film version of ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'', directed the first serial, ''

What Happened to Mary ''What Happened to Mary'' (sometimes erroneously referred to as ''What Happened to Mary?'') is the first serial film made in the United States. Produced by Edison Studios, with screenplays by Horace G. Plympton, and directed by Charles Brabin, t ...

'', and played the first dual role in film as twins in ''

The Corsican Brothers ''The Corsican Brothers'' (french: Les Frères corses) is a novella by Alexandre Dumas, père, first published in 1844. It is the story of two conjoined brothers who, though separated at birth, can still feel each other's physical distress. It h ...

.'' On stage, Lessey appeared in the original Broadway production of ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', itse ...

'' (1935) in one of the few

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

roles, that of the lawyer Mr. Archdale. In the 1930s, Lessey worked as a model for men's clothes. Lessey was married to the former May Abbey. On June 3, 1947, Lessey died on vacation in

Westbrook, Connecticut Westbrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,769 at the 2020 census. The town center is classified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place (CDP). Geography Westbrook lies in the shoreli ...

, aged 67.

Selected filmography

* '' A Fresh Air Romance'' (1912, Short) - Young Doctor Fogg * '' A Soldier's Duty'' (1912, Short) - Commanding General * '' The Twelfth Juror'' (1913, Short) * ''

Graft Graft or grafting may refer to: *Graft (politics), a form of political corruption * Graft, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Graft-De Rijp Science and technology *Graft (surgery), a surgical procedure *Grafting, the joining of plant t ...

'' (1915, Serial) * ''

The Purple Lady ''The Purple Lady'' is a lost 1916 American silent comedy film. Directed by George A. Lessey, the film stars Ralph Herz, Irene Howley, and Alan Hale. It was released on June 26, 1916. Cast list * Ralph C. Herz as Silas Gilworthy * Irene Howle ...

'' (1916, director) * ''

Patria Patria may refer to: Entertainment * Patria (novel), a 2016 novel by Spanish writer Fernando Aramburu * Patria (TV series), a 2020 limited television series, based on the novel * ''Patria'' (serial), a 1917 American serial film Music * "Pátri ...

'' (1917, Serial) * ''

The Eagle's Eye ''The Eagle's Eye'' is a 1918 American serial film consisting of 20 episodes that dramatizes German espionage in the United States during World War I. The stories are based on the experiences of William J. Flynn during his career as chief of the U ...

'' (1918, director) * ''To Him That Hath'' (1918) - Henry Allen * ''Twilight'' (1919) - Dr. Henry Charmant * ''

The $1,000,000 Reward ''The $1,000,000 Reward'' is a 1920 American drama film serial directed by George Lessey and produced by Harry Grossman. This is now considered to be a lost film, as there are no available copies of it. Cast * Lillian Walker as Betty Thorndyke * ...

'' (1920, director) - James Bradley * ''

The Harvest Moon ''The Harvest Moon'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley and starring Doris Kenyon, Wilfred Lytell, and George Lessey.Koszarski p. 91 It was shot at the Fort Lee studios in New Jersey. Cast * Doris Kenyon as Dor ...

'' (1920) - Jacques Vavin * ''Wits vs. Wits'' (1920) - James Marsley * ''

A Divorce of Convenience ''A Divorce of Convenience'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Robert Ellis and starring Owen Moore, Katherine Perry and Nita Naldi.Munden p.191 Cast * Owen Moore as Jim Blake * Katherine Perry as Helen Wakefield * George Less ...

'' (1921) - Senator Wakefield * ''

Is Life Worth Living? ''Is Life Worth Living?'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Eugene O'Brien, Winifred Westover and Arthur Housman.Monaco p.139 Cast * Eugene O'Brien as Melville Marley * Winifred Westover as Lois Mas ...

'' (1921) - Lawyer * '' Why Girls Leave Home'' (1921) - Mr. Hedder * '' Handcuffs or Kisses'' (1921) - Elias Pratt * ''

Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

'' (1921) - Rufus Halliday * '' School Days'' (1921) - His Guardian - the Deacon * ''

The Snitching Hour ''The Snitching Hour'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by Alan Crosland and starring Arthur Housman, Gladys Leslie, and Nita Naldi.Monaco p. 139 Cast * Arthur Housman as Bunny * Gladys Leslie as Lois Dickerson * Frank Currier a ...

'' (1922) - Larry * ''

The Silent Command ''The Silent Command'' is a 1923 American silent film, silent drama film directed by J. Gordon Edwards featuring Bela Lugosi as a foreign saboteur in his American film debut. The film, written by Anthony Paul Kelly and Rufus King (writer), Rufu ...

'' (1923) - Mr. Collins * ''

It Is the Law ''It Is the Law'' is a 1924 American silent mystery film directed by J. Gordon Edwards and starring Arthur Hohl, Herbert Heyes, and Mona Palma. It is a film adaptation of the 1922 Broadway play of the same name by Elmer Rice, itself based on ...

'' (1924) - Inspector Dolan * ''

Scar Hanan ''Scar Hanan'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Edward Linden and Ben F. Wilson and starring Yakima Canutt, Dorothy Wood and Helen Broneau.Munden, p. 684 Cast * Yakima Canutt as Scar Hanan * Dorothy Wood as Marian Fleming ...

'' (1925) - Bart Hutchins * '' The Fool'' (1925) - Goodkind * '' White Thunder'' (1925) - Sheriff Richards * '' Durand of the Bad Lands'' (1925) - John Boyd * ''

Annapolis Salute ''Annapolis Salute'' is a 1937 film. A few scenes were shot at William Paca House. Cast * James Ellison as Bill J. Martin * Marsha Hunt as Julia Clemens * Harry Carey as Chief Martin * Van Heflin as Clay V. Parker * Ann Hovey as Bunny Oliver ...

'' (1937) - Captain Brooks (uncredited) * '' ...One Third of a Nation...'' (1939) - Doctor (uncredited) * ''Birthright'' (1939) * '' Dr. Kildare's Strange Case'' (1940) - Rufus Ingersoll * ''

Edison, the Man ''Edison, the Man'' is a 1940 biographical film depicting the life of inventor Thomas Edison, who was played by Spencer Tracy. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story for their work on th ...

'' (1940) - Toastmaster * ''

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante ''Andy Hardy Meets Debutante '' is a 1940 American romantic comedy film directed by George B. Seitz. The film stars Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden and Judy Garland. It is the ninth of the ''Andy Hardy'' full-length film ...

'' (1940) - Underwood * '' Sporting Blood'' (1940) - Banker Cobb * '' The Golden Fleecing'' (1940) - Buckley Sloan * ''

Boom Town A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...

'' (1940) - Judge * '' Strike Up the Band'' (1940) - Mr. Morgan * ''

Sky Murder ''Sky Murder'' is a 1940 detective film starring Walter Pidgeon as detective Nick Carter in his third and final outing for MGM as Nick Carter. The film was part of a trilogy based on original screen stories starring the popular literary series ch ...

'' (1940) - Senator Monrose * '' Dulcy'' (1940) - Judge Paroling Henry to Dulcy (uncredited) * '' Hullabaloo'' (1940) - Mr. Arthur Jay Norton * ''

Gallant Sons ''Gallant Sons'' is a 1940 American mystery film directed by George B. Seitz and written by William R. Lipman and Marion Parsonnet. The film stars Jackie Cooper, Bonita Granville, Gail Patrick, Gene Reynolds, June Preisser, Ian Hunter, Leo Gorce ...

'' (1940) - Judge * '' Go West'' (1940) - Railroad President * ''

Blonde Inspiration ''Blonde Inspiration'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Busby Berkeley and written by Marion Parsonnet. The film stars John Shelton, Virginia Grey, Albert Dekker, Charles Butterworth, and Donald Meek. The film was released on February ...

'' (1941) - C. V. Hutchins * ''

Forbidden Passage ''Forbidden Passage'' is a 1941 American short crime film directed by Fred Zinnemann. It was nominated for an Academy Award at the 14th Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Two-Reel). Summary This short film is part of the '' Crime Does No ...

'' (1941, Short) - American Consul in Lisbon * ''

Men of Boys Town ''Men of Boys Town'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Norman Taurog and written by James Kevin McGuinness. It is a sequel to the 1938 film '' Boys Town''. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Bobs Watson, Larry Nunn, Darryl Hic ...

'' (1941) - Bradford Stone * ''

The Big Boss ''The Big Boss'' (, lit. "The Big Brother from Tangshan"; originally titled ''Fists of Fury'' in America) is a 1971 Hong Kong action martial arts film produced by Raymond Chow and starring Bruce Lee in his first major film in a lead role. Th ...

'' (1941) - Senator Williams * ''

Adventure in Washington ''Adventure in Washington'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Herbert Marshall, Virginia Bruce and Gene Reynolds. The plot is about an unlikely U.S. Senate page boy whose misadventures in Washington, D.C., ...

'' (1941) - Vice-President (uncredited) * '' Moon Over Miami'' (1941) - William Boulton * '' Sweetheart of the Campus'' (1941) - Dr. Hale * ''

Blossoms in the Dust ''Blossoms in the Dust'' is a 1941 American biographical film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Felix Bressart, Marsha Hunt, Fay Holden and Samuel S. Hinds. It tells the true story of Edna Gladney, who helped o ...

'' (1941) - Mr. Keats * '' We Go Fast'' (1941) - J.P. Hempstead * ''

It Started with Eve ''It Started with Eve'' is a 1941 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin, Robert Cummings, and Charles Laughton. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Music Score (Charles Previ ...

'' (1941) - Johnson - Hotel Guest (uncredited) * '' You Belong to Me'' (1941) - Marshall (uncredited) * '' Born to Sing'' (1942) - Mr. Lawson (uncredited) * ''

Roxie Hart Roxanne "Roxie" Hart is a fictional character. She is the main character of the 1926 play ''Chicago'' and its various remakes and derivatives. Development The playwright, reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, was inspired by the trials, both of which ...

'' (1942) - Judge Cannon * '' Rings on Her Fingers'' (1942) - Fenwick Sr. * ''

The Postman Didn't Ring ''The Postman Didn't Ring'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Harold D. Schuster and written by Mortimer Braus. The film stars Richard Travis, Brenda Joyce, Spencer Charters, Stanley Andrews, William Bakewell and Emma Dunn. The film w ...

'' (1942) - Governor Marvin Winthrop (uncredited) * ''

The Pride of the Yankees ''The Pride of the Yankees'' is a 1942 American film produced by Samuel Goldwyn, directed by Sam Wood, and starring Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, and Walter Brennan. It is a tribute to the legendary New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, who die ...

'' (1942) - Mayor of New Rochelle * ''

The Gay Sisters ''The Gay Sisters'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Irving Rapper, and starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, Gig Young (who adopted his character's name as his screen name) and Nancy Coleman. The ...

'' (1942) - Judge Barrows * '' Girl Trouble'' (1942) - Morgan * ''

Now, Voyager ''Now, Voyager'' is a 1942 American drama film starring Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, and directed by Irving Rapper. The screenplay by Casey Robinson is based on the 1941 novel of the same name by Olive Higgins Prouty. Prouty ...

'' (1942) - Uncle Herbert (uncredited) * ''

Laugh Your Blues Away ''Laugh Your Blues Away'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and written by Harry Sauber and Ned Dandy. The film stars Jinx Falkenburg, Bert Gordon, Johnny Mitchell, Isobel Elsom, Roger Clark and George Lessey. The film w ...

'' (1942) - Mr. Westerly * '' The Crystal Ball'' (1943) - Judge (uncredited) * ''

Dixie Dugan ''Dixie Dugan'' is best known as a long-running syndicated newspaper comic strip published from October 21, 1929 to October 8, 1966. The title character was originally modeled after 1920s film actress Louise Brooks and early stories followed Dix ...

'' (1943) - Sen. Patterson * ''

Mission to Moscow ''Mission to Moscow'' is a 1943 film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on the 1941 book by the former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, Joseph E. Davies. The movie chronicles the experiences of the second American ambassador to the Soviet ...

'' (1943) - Bill - Well-wisher (uncredited) * ''

Someone to Remember ''Someone to Remember'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and written by Frances Hyland. The film stars Mabel Paige, Harry Shannon, John Craven, Dorothy Morris, Charles Dingle and David Bacon. The film was released on Aug ...

'' (1943) - College Trustee (uncredited) * ''

Pistol Packin' Mama "Pistol Packin' Mama" was a " Hillbilly"-Honky Tonk record released at the height of World War II that became a nationwide sensation, and the first "Country" song to top the Billboard popular music chart. It was written by Al Dexter of Troup, ...

'' (1943) - Mr. Burton * ''

What a Woman! ''What a Woman!'' is a 1943 American romantic comedy film directed by Irving Cummings and starring Rosalind Russell and Brian Aherne. The screenplay concerns a literary agent Carol Ainsley's trying to transform her star client, Michael Cobb, i ...

'' (1943) - Senator Hendricks (uncredited) * ''

Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout ''Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Muriel Roy Bolton and Agnes Christine Johnston. Ninth in a series of 11 films made between 1939 and 1944 about the Aldrich family and their ...

'' (1944) - Commissioner Towers (uncredited) * ''

None Shall Escape ''None Shall Escape'' is a 1944 war film. Even though the film was made during World War II, the setting is a post-war Nuremberg-style war crimes trial. Alexander Knox plays Wilhelm Grimm, a Nazi officer who is on trial, and the story unfolds th ...

'' (1944) - Presiding Judge * '' Charlie Chan in the Secret Service'' (1944) - Slade (uncredited) * ''

Cover Girl A cover girl is a woman whose photograph features on the front cover of a magazine. She may be a model, celebrity or entertainer. The term would generally not be used to describe a casual, once-off appearance by a person on the cover of a magaz ...

'' (1944) - Minister (uncredited) * ''

Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), known as "Buffalo Bill", was an American soldier, Bison hunting, bison hunter, and showman. He was born in Le Claire, Iowa, Le Claire, Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), but ...

'' (1944) - Mr. Schyler Vandervere * '' The Adventures of Mark Twain'' (1944) - Henry H. Rogers (uncredited) * '' Roger Touhy, Gangster'' (1944) - Judge (uncredited) * ''

Bride by Mistake ''Bride by Mistake'' (1944) is an American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Wallace, and starring Alan Marshal and Laraine Day. The screenplay is by Phoebe Ephron and Henry Ephron, based on a story by Norman Krasna, and is a remake of ...

'' (1944) - Business Man (uncredited) * '' Wilson'' (1944) - Senator (uncredited) * '' Sweet and Low-Down'' (1944) - Norman Wilson (uncredited) * ''

Eadie Was a Lady ''Eadie Was a Lady'' is a 1945 American musical comedy. Plot Eadie Allen is a student at Glen Moor College and the niece of a wealthy Boston socialite (Aunt Priscilla) in Back Bay. She has secretly taken a new job as a dancer in a seedy burlesq ...

'' (1945) - Rev. Ames (uncredited) * '' One More Tomorrow'' (1946) - Men's Club Member (uncredited) * ''

The Missing Lady ''The Missing Lady'' is a 1946 American mystery film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Kane Richmond and Barbara Read. It was the third and final in a series of three films released by Monogram in 1946 starring Richmond as The Shadow, the ot ...

'' (1946) - James Douglas (uncredited)

References

External links

*
George Lessey
portraits at New York Public Library, Billy Rose Collection {{DEFAULTSORT:Lessey, George 1879 births 1947 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors People from Amherst, Massachusetts 20th-century American male actors Film directors from Massachusetts Amherst College alumni