Harry Semels (November 20, 1887 – March 2, 1946) was an American

film 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 (), lite ...

. He appeared in over 315 film between 1917 and 1946.

Career

Semels appeared in his first film in 1917. He began to achieve fame after arriving at Columbia Pictures, appearing in several

Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

shorts including ''

Disorder in the Court ''Disorder in the Court'' is a 1936 short subject directed by Preston Black starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 15th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures sta ...

'', ''

Wee Wee Monsieur ''Wee Wee Monsieur'' is a 1938 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 29th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the c ...

'' and ''

Three Little Sew and Sews ''Three Little Sew and Sews'' is a 1939 short subject directed by Del Lord starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). It is the 36th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starri ...

''. He also appeared in feature films like ''

Road to Morocco ''Road to Morocco'' is a 1942 American comedy film starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, and featuring Anthony Quinn and Dona Drake. The film, which was written by Frank Butler and Don Hartman and directed by David Butler for Para ...

'', ''

The Princess and the Pirate ''The Princess and the Pirate'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo. Based on a story by Sy Bartlett, the film is about a princess who travels incognito to elope with her true love inst ...

'' and ''

The Kid from Brooklyn ''The Kid from Brooklyn'' is a 1946 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen, Steve Cochran, Walter Abel, Eve Arden, and Fay Bainter. Virginia Mayo's and Vera-Ellen's singing v ...

''. A versatile character actor, Semels often appeared as villains, waiters, soldiers, lawyers, et al.

Personal life

Semels was Jewish and had two children, Ruth and David, who was killed in action during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

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Death

Semels died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

on March 2, 1946, in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. He was 58 years old.

Selected filmography

*'' Here Comes the Bride'' (1919) *''

A Fallen Idol ''A Fallen Idol'' is a lost 1919 American silent melodrama film starring Evelyn Nesbit, a famed former model and Broadway showgirl who had been at the center of two highly publicized court trials after her wealthy husband shot and killed a promine ...

'' (1919) *'' Bound and Gagged'' (1919) *''

The Black Secret ''The Black Secret'' is a 1919 American adventure film, adventure film serial directed by George B. Seitz. The film was recorded in both Fort Lee, New Jersey, as well as in the nearby Hudson Palisades. Recording took place during a time when man ...

'' (1919) *'' Pirate Gold'' (1920) *''

Rogues and Romance ''Rogues and Romance'' is a surviving 1920 American silent drama film directed by George B. Seitz. The film was a feature-length version of the serial '' Pirate Gold'', also directed by Seitz, and was shot in Europe. The film survives incomplete ...

'' (1920) *'' The Phantom Foe'' (1920) *''

Velvet Fingers ''Velvet Fingers'' is a 1920 American adventure film serial directed by George B. Seitz. Although the film is listed as lost by some sources, a copy is available in the archives of the Cinémathèque Française. Cast * George B. Seitz as Velvet ...

'' (1920) *'' The Sky Ranger'' (1921) *''

Hurricane Hutch ''Hurricane Hutch'' is a 1921 American adventure film serial directed by George B. Seitz. The film is considered to be lost. The story concerns the search for a lost formula for making paper from seaweed that will save a mortgaged papermill. Ca ...

'' (1921) *''

Speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quanti ...

'' (1922) *''

Plunder Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

'' (1923) *'' Into the Net'' (1924) *'' The Heart of a Siren'' (1925) *'' Play Ball'' (1925) *''

Moran of the Mounted ''Moran of the Mounted'' is a 1926 American silent western film directed by Harry Joe Brown and starring Reed Howes, Sheldon Lewis and Virginia Warwick.Connelly p.388 A northern, it was distributed by the independent Rayart Pictures, the forerun ...

'' (1926) * '' Stick to Your Story'' (1926) *'' The Demon'' (1926) *''

For Alimony Only ''For Alimony Only'' is a 1926 American silent drama film directed by William C. deMille and starring Leatrice Joy, Clive Brook, and Lilyan Tashman. The film's sets were by the art director Max Parker while the costumes were designed by Adrian ...

'' (1926) *''

The House Without a Key ''The House Without a Key'' is a 1925 novel by Earl Derr Biggers, the first of the Charlie Chan mysteries. Set in 1920s Hawaii, the novel acquaints the reader with the look and feel of the islands from the standpoint of both white and non-white ...

'' (1926) *''

The Isle of Forgotten Women ''The Isle of Forgotten Women'' is a 1927 American silent drama film directed by George B. Seitz. It was released as ''Forgotten Women'' in the UK. Cast * Conway Tearle as Bruce Paine * Dorothy Sebastian as Marua * Gibson Gowland as John Stort ...

'' (1927) *'' On Guard'' (1927) *'' Hawk of the Hills'' (1927) *'' The Noose'' (1928) *''

The Yellow Cameo ''The Yellow Cameo'' is a 1928 American adventure film serial directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet. The film is now considered to be lost. Cast * Allene Ray as Kay Cottrell * Edward Hearn as Terry Lawton * Cyclone the Dog as Cyclone, the Dog * N ...

'' (1928) *'' Beware of Blondes'' (1928) *''The Battle of the Sexes (1928 film), The Battle of the Sexes'' (1928) *''Riley the Cop'' (1928) *''The Tiger's Shadow'' (1928) *''Out with the Tide'' (1928) *''Virgin Lips'' (1928) *''The Charge of the Gauchos'' (1928) *''The Royal Rider'' (1929) *''The Delightful Rogue'' (1929) *''Those Who Dance'' (1930) *''Women Everywhere'' (1930) *''The Lion and the Lamb'' (1931) *''Dishonored (film), Dishonored'' (1931) *''Night Beat (1931 film), Night Beat'' (1931) *''Sally of the Subway'' (1932) *''Sin's Pay Day'' (1932) *''Vanity Street'' (1932) *''South of the Rio Grande (1932 film), South of the Rio Grande'' (1932) *''Young Blood (1932 film), Young Blood'' (1932) * ''The Wyoming Whirlwind'' (1932) *''Texas Buddies'' (1932) *''Drum Taps (film), Drum Taps'' (1933) *''The Thrill Hunter'' (1933) *''Damaged Lives'' (1933) *''The Meanest Gal in Town'' (1934) *''The Revenge Rider'' (1935) *''Three Little Beers'' (1935) *''I'll Name the Murderer'' (1936) *''Movie Maniacs'' (1936) *''Under Two Flags (1936 film), Under Two Flags'' (1936) *''Half Shot Shooters'' (1936) *''

'' (1936) - District Attorney (uncredited) *''The Gladiator (1938 film), The Gladiator'' (1938) *''

'' (1938) * ''The Marines Are Here'' (1938) *''

'' (1939) * ''Overland Mail (1939 film), Overland Mail'' (1939) *''Dutiful But Dumb'' (1941) * ''A Yank on the Burma Road'' (1942) *''Back from the Front'' (1943) *''Dizzy Pilots'' (1943) * ''Sailor's Holiday (1944 film), Sailor's Holiday'' (1944) * ''The Unseen (1945 film), The Unseen'' (1945) (uncredited rôle as Hurdy Gurdy Man)

References

External links

* * 1887 births 1946 deaths Male actors from New York City American male film actors Jewish American male actors American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors {{US-film-actor-1880s-stub