Joe Harris (January 11, 1870 - June 11, 1953) was an American actor, who between 1913 and 1923 appeared in at least 94 silent films, many of them cowboy

westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

. He often played villains opposite early cowboy star

Harry Carey Harry Carey may refer to: *Harry Carey (actor) (1878–1947), American actor * Harry Carey Jr. (1921–2012), American actor * Harry Carey (footballer) (1916–1991), Australian rules footballer See also * Henry Carey (disambiguation) * Harry Car ...

Biography

Harris was born Joseph Harris on January 11, 1870, in

Lewiston, Maine Lewiston (; ; officially the City of Lewiston, Maine) is the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County. The city lies halfway between Augusta, the state's capital, and Portland, the state's most populous ci ...

to Irish parents. His first major film roles were in Hollywood productions by Venus Features where he was one of the stock actors for Powers Picture Plays, which was owned by film producer Pat Powers. He ultimately became friends with cowboy silent film star Harry Carey, for whom he worked as a hired hand. He became one of the members of

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's stock company at

Universal Pictures 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 ...

and ultimately appeared with Carey in about twenty silent Westerns. He and Carey remained lifelong friends, and he lived with Carey and his family for most of his life. He died at the age of 83 on June 11, 1953, in Hollywood, California at the house of Harry Carey Jr.

Partial filmography

* ''

The Shadow of Nazareth ''The Shadow of Nazareth'' is a 1913 silent movie set in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. Starring Arthur Maude and Constance Crawley, it depicts the story of a vain woman named Judith, her brother Judas Iscariot, and her two admi ...

'' (1913) * ''A Florentine Tragedy'' (1913) * ''Withering Roses'' (1914) * ''The Bride of Lamermoore'' (1914) * '' Fooling Uncle'' (1914) * '' Bess, The Outcast'' (1914) * '' Sally's Elopement'' (1914) * '' Mary Magdalene'' (1914) * '' The Wife'' (1914) * '' The Sacrifice'' (1914) * '' The Professor's Awakening'' (1914) * '' Italian Love'' (1914) * '' Elsie Venner'' (1914) * '' The Peaccok's Feather Fan'' (1914) * '' Retribution'' (1914) * '' Mlle. La Mode'' (1914) * '' The Man Who Came Back'' (1914) * '' Eugenics Vs. Love'' (1914) * '' Her Heritage'' (1914) * '' The Courting of Prudence'' (1914) * '' Jane, The Justice'' (1914) * '' Susie's New Shoes'' (1914) * '' Three Mounted Men'' (1918) * ''

Humdrum Brown ''Humdrum Brown'' is a 1918 American silent comedy drama film directed by Rex Ingram and starring Henry B. Walthall, Mary Charleson and Dorothy Clark.Gmür p.295 Cast * Henry B. Walthall as Hector 'Humdrum' Brown * Mary Charleson as Alicia ...

'' (1918) * '' Hell Bent'' (1918) * '' A Fight for Love'' (1919) * '' Bare Fists'' (1919) * '' Riders of Vengeance'' (1919) * '' Marked Men'' (1919) * ''

The Outcasts of Poker Flat "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" (1869) is a short story written by writer of the American West Bret Harte. An example of naturalism and local color of California during the first half of the nineteenth century. The story was first published in Janua ...

'' (1919) * ''

Ace of the Saddle ''Ace of the Saddle'' is a 1919 American silent Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. The film is considered to be lost. Plot As described in a film magazine, Cheyenne Harry Henderson (Carey) owns a cattle ranch on th ...

'' (1919) * '' A Gun Fightin' Gentleman'' (1919) * '' Overland Red'' (1920) * '' Bullet Proof'' (1920) * '' Human Stuff'' (1920) * '' Hitchin' Posts'' (1920) * ''

The Freeze-Out ''The Freeze-Out'' is a 1921 American silent Western film directed by John Ford and starring Harry Carey. The film is considered to be a lost film. Plot As described in a film publication summary, the Stranger (Carey) comes to town of Broke ...

'' (1921) * ''

Red Courage ''Red Courage'' is a lost 1921 American silent Western film directed by B. Reeves Eason and featuring Hoot Gibson. Plot As described in a film magazine, Pinto Peters (Gibson) and his pal Chuckwalla Bill (Day) ride into town just as the edit ...

'' (1921) * '' The Bearcat'' (1922) * '' For Big Stakes'' (1922) * ''

Crashin' Thru ''Crashin' Thru'' is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by Val Paul and starring Harry Carey. With no copies of ''Crashin' Thru'' located in any film archives, it is a lost film. Cast * Harry Carey as Blake * Cullen Landis as Con ...

'' (1923)

References

External links

*
Joe Harris - Directed by John Ford
1870 births 1953 deaths Male actors from Maine American male film actors American male silent film actors 20th-century American male actors {{US-film-actor-1870s-stub