Nickolas P. J. Cogley (May 4, 1869 – May 20, 1936) was an American actor, director and writer of the

silent films 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, whe ...

. He appeared in more than 170 films between 1909 and 1934.

Biography

Cogley was born in

New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...

. He attended St. Francis Xavier College in New York. Cogley appeared in

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

in some of his roles. For example, in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

film '' The Coward'' (1915) he played "A Negro Servant," and in ''

Toby's Bow ''Toby's Bow'' is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Tom Moore, Doris Pawn, Macey Harlam, Arthur Housman, Colin Kenny, and Augustus Phillips. It is based on the 1919 play of the same name by John Taintor F ...

'' (1919) he portrayed the black servant "Uncle Toby" that gives the film its name. The use of blackface was not unusual in American silent films, and did not disappear until the 1930s when public sensibilities regarding

race Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to: * Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species * Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...

began to change and blackface became increasingly associated with racism and

bigotry Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, relig ...

.John Kenrick
Blackface and Old Wounds
Musicals101.com. Accessed online November 2, 2013. On stage, Cogley acted at New York's Lyceum Theatre for 25 years. He died in

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, following surgery.

Partial filmography

* '' The Sanitarium'' (1910) * ''

The New Superintendent ''The New Superintendent'' is a 1911 American short drama film directed by Francis Boggs, featuring Hoot Gibson as an extra. Cast * Herbert Rawlinson * Tom Santschi * Fred Huntley * George Hernandez * Nick Cogley * Edward H. Philbrook * Major ...

'' (1911) * ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...

'' (1912) * '' Mabel's New Hero'' (1913) * ''

The Paymaster's Son ''The Paymaster's Son'' is a surviving 1913 silent short drama film directed by Francis Ford and produced by Thomas H. Ince. Cast *Robert Edeson - John Burton, The Paymaster's Son *Charles K. French - Silas Burton, The Paymaster *Robert Stanton ...

'' (1913) * ''

A Noise from the Deep ''A Noise from the Deep'' is a 1913 American short silent comedy film starring Mabel Normand and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. The film was directed and produced by Mack Sennett and also features the Keystone Cops on horseback. ''A Noise from the De ...

'' (1913) * ''

The Bangville Police ''The Bangville Police'' (also known as ''Bangville Police'') is a 1913 comedy short starring Fred Mace, Mabel Normand and the Keystone Cops (Mace, Raymond Hatton, Edgar Kennedy, Ford Sterling, and Al St. John). The one-reel film, generally re ...

'' (1913) * ''

That Ragtime Band ''That Ragtime Band'' is a 1913 American short comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Ford Sterling as Prof. Smelts * Mabel Normand as Mabel * Nick Cogley as Rival musician * Alice Davenport * Roscoe 'Fatt ...

'' (1913) * ''

Murphy's I.O.U. ''Murphy's I.O.U.'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Phyllis Allen * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Nick Cogley * Dot Farley * Henry Lehrman * Fred Mace as Murphy * Hank Mann * Charles Murray * Mack Sennett a ...

'' (1913) * ''

The Gangsters ''The Gangsters'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle as one of the Keystone Cops. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Nick Cogley * Fred Mace * Hank Mann * Ford Sterling * Al St. John See also * Fatty Arbuckle ...

'' (1913) * ''

Passions, He Had Three ''Passions, He Had Three'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Roscoe Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Beatrice Van * Nick Cogley * Alice Davenport * Dot Farley * Mabel Normand * Betty Schade * Al St. Joh ...

'' (1913) * ''

Help! Help! Hydrophobia! ''Help! Help! Hydrophobia!'' is a 1913 American short comedy film starring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle - Jim Brown * Viola Barry - (as Peggy Pearce) * Nick Cogley See also * List of American films of 1913 * Fatty Arbuck ...

'' (1913) * ''

Peeping Pete ''Peeping Pete'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Phyllis Allen * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle as Pete's wife * Charles Avery * Peggy Pearce * Nick Cogley as Sheriff * Dot Farley * Mack Sennett as Pete * Ford ...

'' (1913) * ''

A Bandit ''A Bandit'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle. A print of the film survives. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Nick Cogley * Ford Sterling as The Bandit * Al St. John See also * List of American films of 1913 * Fat ...

'' (1913) * ''

The Gypsy Queen ''The Gypsy Queen'' is a 1913 American silent short comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and featuring Roscoe Arbuckle and Mabel Normand. Cast * Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle * Mabel Normand * Nick Cogley See also * List of American films of 1913 ...

'' (1913) * ''

Mother's Boy Mother's boy, also commonly and informally mummy's boy or mama's boy, is a term for a man seen as having an unhealthy dependence on his mother at an age at which he is expected to be self-reliant (e.g. live on his own, be economically independent) ...

'' (1913) * ''

Two Old Tars ''Two Old Tars'' is a 1913 American short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle. Cast * Phyllis Allen * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Nick Cogley * Charles Murray * Ford Sterling See also * List of American films of 1913 * Fatty Arbuckle filmogra ...

'' (1913) * ''

The Woman Haters ''The Woman Haters'' is a 1913 American short silent comedy film featuring Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Nick Cogley See also * Fatty Arbuckle filmography __NOTOC__ These are the films of the American silent fil ...

'' (1913) * ''

In the Clutches of the Gang ''In the Clutches of the Gang'' (also known as ''In the Clutches of a Gang'') is a 1914 American short comedy film featuring Roscoe Arbuckle. The majority of the film is believed to be lost. However, a fragment of the film exists and is held by ...

'' (1914) * '' Tillie's Punctured Romance'' (1914) as Keystone Cop Desk Sergeant (uncredited) * ''

Love, Loot and Crash ''Love, Loot and Crash'' is a 1915 American short comedy film. It features Harold Lloyd in an uncredited role. Plot Dora and her father are at a loss in the kitchen (they have just fired their cook). Their advertisement for a new cook in a news ...

'' (1915) * '' The Coward'' (1915) * ''

A La Cabaret ''A La Cabaret'' is a 1916 silent comedy short directed and written by Walter Wright and starring Ora Carew, Joseph Belmont, Blanche Payson, and Joseph Callahan. The film premiered on August 19, 1916. The black and white film was produced by Ma ...

'' (1916) * ''

Hearts and Sparks ''Hearts and Sparks'' is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and starring Gloria Swanson. Cast * Billie Bennett * Nick Cogley * Albert T. Gillespie * Tom Kennedy * Joe Lee * Hank Mann * Slim Summerville * Gloria ...

'' (1916) * ''

A Dash of Courage ''A Dash of Courage'' is a 1916 American silent comedy film directed by Charley Chase, starring Gloria Swanson, and featuring Wallace Beery, to whom she was briefly married. Synopsis Cast * Harry Gribbon as Police Commissioner * Guy Woodward ...

'' (1916) * '' Stars and Bars'' (1917) * ''

Madam Who? ''Madam Who?'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Bessie Barriscale. It was produced by Paralta Plays and distributed through W. W. Hodkinson Corporation and the General Film Company. Survives in the Lib ...

'' (1918) *''

Maid o' the Storm ''Maid o' the Storm'' is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Raymond B. West and starring Bessie Barriscale, George Fisher and Herschel Mayall.Spehr & Lundquist p.394 The film takes place in Scotland and London. Cast * Bessie Barris ...

'' (1918) * '' Inside the Lines'' (1918) * ''

Sis Hopkins Sis Hopkins may refer to: * Sis Hopkins (1919 film), a comedy film * Sis Hopkins (1941 film) ''Sis Hopkins'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Joseph Santley and written by Jack Townley, Milt Gross and Edward Eliscu. Starring Judy Cano ...

'' (1919) * ''

Jes' Call Me Jim ''Jes' Call Me Jim'' is a 1920 American Comedy film, comedy-Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Clarence G. Badger and written by Edward T. Lowe Jr. and Thompson Buchanan. It is based on the 1875 novel ''Seven Oaks'' by James G. ...

'' (1920) * ''

Guile of Women ''Guile of Women'' is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Clarence G. Badger and written by Edfrid A. Bingham. The film stars Will Rogers, Mary Warren, Bert Sprotte, Lionel Belmore, Charles Smiley, and Nick Cogley. The film was releas ...

'' (1921) * '' Beating the Game'' (1921) * ''

The Old Nest ''The Old Nest'' is a 1921 American drama silent black and white film directed by Reginald Barker and starring Helene Chadwick. It was awarded for the National High School Students' Poll for Best Picture They Had Ever Seen. It is based on the s ...

'' (1921) as Uncle Ned * '' One Clear Call'' (1922) * ''

The Marriage Chance ''The Marriage Chance'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by Hampton Del Ruth and starring Alta Allen, Milton Sills and Irene Rich.Munden p.493 Cast * Alta Allen as Eleannor Douglas * Milton Sills as William Bradley * Henry B. Wa ...

'' (1922) * '' Restless Souls'' (1922) * ''

Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...

'' (1923) * ''

Crinoline and Romance ''Crinoline and Romance'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Viola Dana, Claude Gillingwater, and John Bowers. Plot As described in a film magazine, Colonel Charles E. Cavanaugh (Gillingwater) lives i ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln ''The Dramatic Life of Abraham Lincoln'' is a 1924 American feature film directed by Phil Rosen and written by Frances Marion. By the date of release, the film's title was shortened to ''Abraham Lincoln'', since the previous title was regarded ...

'' (1924) * ''

Hey! Hey! Cowboy ''Hey! Hey! Cowboy'' is a lost film, lost 1927 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Lynn Reynolds and Edward Laemmle and starring Hoot Gibson. It was produced and released by Universal Pictures. Cast * Hoot Gib ...

'' (1927) * '' The Missing Link'' (1927) * '' The Heart of Maryland'' (1927) * '' In Old Kentucky'' (1927) * ''

Abie's Irish Rose ''Abie's Irish Rose'' is a popular comedy by Anne Nichols, which premiered in 1922. Initially a Broadway play, it has become familiar through repeated stage productions, films and radio programs. The basic premise involves an Irish Catholic girl ...

'' (1928) * ''

Treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

'' (1933)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cogley, Nick 1869 births 1936 deaths American male film actors American male silent film actors Male actors from New York (state) 20th-century American male actors