Willis Marks (August 20, 1865,

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota, the city is the home and birthplace of the renowned Mayo Clinic. Acco ...

, United States – December 6, 1952,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

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 ...

) was an American

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.

Biography

In 1888, Marks debuted on stage professionally. He acted in

Oliver Morosco Oliver Morosco (June 20, 1875 – August 25, 1945) was an American theatrical producer, director, writer, film producer, and theater owner. He owned the Morosco Photoplay Company. He brought many of his theater actors to the screen. Frank A. Garb ...

's stock company for nine years.He went to

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, ...

in 1915, and for 20 years he portrayed older men in many

films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, including ''

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), in which he played

William Seward William Henry Seward (May 16, 1801 – October 10, 1872) was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States Senator. A determined oppon ...

. Marks' career declined after the emergence of sound movies. Marks was married to actress Carroll Marshall. His son, Chandler Marks, was also an actor. Marks' papers are housed at the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private university, private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Mountain States, Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is ...

Partial filmography

* '' Secret Love'' (1916) * ''

Her Bitter Cup ''Her Bitter Cup'' (alternate title ''A Heart's Crucible'') is a 1916 American silent film directed by Cleo Madison. One of only two feature-length films directed by Madison, she also played the leading role, a fervent labor organizer who uses dr ...

'' (1916) * ''

The Mysterious Mrs. M ''The Mysterious Mrs. M'' is a 1917 silent film drama directed by Lois Weber and starring Harrison Ford and Mary MacLaren. It was a Bluebird Pictures Production distributed by Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Cast *Harrison Ford - Raymond Van ...

'' (1917) * '' The Clock'' (1917) * ''

The Vanity Pool ''The Vanity Pool'' is a lost 1918 American silent film drama directed by Ida May Park and starring Mary MacLaren, Anna Q. Nilsson, and Thomas Holding. The script was based on a short story by Nalbro Bartley that was originally published in ''Yo ...

'' (1918) * ''

The Flash of Fate ''The Flash of Fate'' is a 1918 American silent thriller film directed by Elmer Clifton and starring Herbert Rawlinson, Sally Starr and Jack Nelson.Parish & Pitts p.71 Cast * Herbert Rawlinson as Randolph Shorb * Sally Starr as Mary Freeman ...

'' (1918) * ''

You Never Saw Such a Girl ''You Never Saw Such a Girl'' is a lost 1919 American silent drama film directed by Robert G. Vignola and written by Marion Fairfax and George Weston. The film stars Vivian Martin, Harrison Ford, Mayme Kelso, Willis Marks, Edna Mae Cooper, a ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Man from Funeral Range ''The Man from Funeral Range'' is a lost 1918 American silent Western film directed by Walter Edwards and written by Monte M. Katterjohn and W.E. Wilkes. The film stars Wallace Reid, Ann Little, Lottie Pickford, Willis Marks, Tully Marshall, a ...

'' (1919) * '' When a Girl Loves'' (1919) * ''

Greased Lightning ''Greased Lightning'' is a 1977 American biographical film starring Richard Pryor, Beau Bridges, and Pam Grier, and directed by Michael Schultz. The film is loosely based on the true life story of Wendell Scott, the first Black NASCAR race winn ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Virtuous Thief ''The Virtuous Thief'' is a lost 1919 American silent drama film directed by Fred Niblo. Plot As described in a film magazine, Dick Armitage (Hughes), essentially honest but weak, steals a small sum from his employer, Walter Haskell (Conklin) ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Trembling Hour ''The Trembling Hour'' is a 1919 American silent mystery film directed by George Siegmann and starring Helen Jerome Eddy, Kenneth Harlan and Henry A. Barrows.Codori p.233 Cast * Helen Jerome Eddy as Margy Webb * Kenneth Harlan as Major Ralph Du ...

'' (1919) * ''

Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Family Honor ''The Family Honor'' is a 1920 American silent drama-romance film directed by King Vidor and starring Florence Vidor.The Dancin' Fool ''The Dancin' Fool'' is a surviving 1920 American silent romantic comedy film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Sam Wood directed this one of his earliest efforts. Wallace Reid and Bebe Daniels star, at th ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Jack-Knife Man ''The Jack-Knife Man'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by King Vidor and his debut film with First National. A story of Christian charity and the virtues of self-help, the work reflects his "Creed and Pledge", a declaration of his ...

'' (1920) * ''

Homespun Folks ''Homespun Folks'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by John Griffith Wray and starring Lloyd Hughes, Gladys George and George Webb. It was produced on a budget of $137,000, and grossed $241,000 at the box offices.Taves p.167-68 P ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Little Grey Mouse ''The Little Grey Mouse'' is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Edward LeSaint and starring Gladys Brockwell, William Scott, Frank Leigh, Nigel De Brulier, Golda Madden, and Nancy Caswell. The film was released by Fox Film Corporatio ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Beautiful Gambler ''The Beautiful Gambler'' is a 1921 silent Western film directed by William Worthington and starring Grace Darmond, Jack Mower, and Harry von Meter. It is not known whether the film currently survives. Plot Molly Hanlon marries a villainous ...

'' (1921) * ''

Chickens The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Greater Profit The Greater Profit is a 1921 American lost silent crime film directed by William Worthington and starring Edith Storey. Cast *Edith Storey as Maury Brady *Pell Trenton as Captain Ward Ransom *Willis Marks as 'Nunc' Brady *Lloyd Bacon as Jim Cr ...

'' (1921) * ''

Travelin' On ''Travelin' On'' is an album by the jazz pianist Oscar Peterson and his trio, released in 1968. It was recorded during the same sessions as '' Mellow Mood''. It was the sixth part of Peterson's '' Exclusively for My Friends'' series. Music The ...

'' (1922) * ''

Man Under Cover ''Man Under Cover'' is a 1922 American crime film directed by Tod Browning and starring Herbert Rawlinson and George Hernandez. A copy of ''Man Under Cover'' is housed at the Museum of Modern Art. Plot As described in a film magazine, Paul Port ...

'' (1922) * '' Truxton King'' (1923) * ''

Which Shall It Be? ''Which Shall It Be?'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Renaud Hoffman and starring Willis Marks, Ethel Wales Ethel Wales (April 4, 1878 – February 15, 1952) was an American actress who appeared in more than 130 films du ...

'' (1924) * ''

His Forgotten Wife ''His Forgotten Wife'' is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Warner Baxter, Madge Bellamy, and Tom Guise.Munden p. 352 Plot As described in a film magazine review, Donald Allen is reported killed in Fr ...

'' (1924) * ''

'' (1924) * '' The Shadow on the Wall'' (1925) * '' Shattered Lives'' (1925) * '' The Night Ship'' (1925) * ''

Silent Pal ''Silent Pal'' is a 1925 American silent Western film directed by Henry McCarty and starring Thunder the Dog, Eddie Phillips and Shannon Day.Connelly p.410 Produced by the independent Gotham Pictures, it was designed as a vehicle for Thunder ...

'' (1925) * '' Private Affairs'' (1925) * '' The Unknown Soldier'' (1926) * ''

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' is a classic American 1903 children's novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her aunts, one stern and one kind, in the fictional village of Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca's joy ...

'' (1932)

References

External links

*
A guide to the Willis Marks Papers, 1841-1926
at Digital.library.du.edu 1865 births 1952 deaths People from Rochester, Minnesota American male silent film actors 19th-century American male actors American male stage actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Minnesota {{US-film-actor-1860s-stub