Lou Tellegen
Encyclopedia
Lou Tellegen was a Dutch
-born silent film
and stage actor
, director
and screenwriter
.
He left his birth town Sint Oedenrode to make his stage debut in Amsterdam
in 1903, and over the next few years built a reputation to the point where he was invited to perform in Paris
, eventually co-starring in several roles with Sarah Bernhardt
, with whom he was involved romantically. In 1910, he made his motion picture debut alongside Bernhardt in La dame aux camélias
, a silent film
made in France
based on the play by Alexandre Dumas, fils
.
, where The New York Times
first published, and then retracted, the announcement of their impending marriage. (She was 37 years his senior.) Back in France, in 1912 they made their second film together, Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth
(Queen Elizabeth), and the following year, Adrienne Lecouvreur. The latter is considered a lost film
.
In the summer of 1913, Tellegen went to London
where he produced and starred in the Oscar Wilde
play, The Picture of Dorian Gray
. Invited back to the United States, Tellegen worked in theatre and made his first American film in 1915, titled The Explorer, followed by The Unknown, both with Dorothy Davenport
as his co-star. Considered one of the best-looking actors on screen, he followed up with three straight films starring opposite Geraldine Farrar
. In 1916, he married Farrar, a well-known opera
diva turned film actress, who was herself known to be the lover of Germany
's Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany
.
Tellegen's marriage to Farrar did not last (they divorce
d in 1923). Tellegen had married a total of four times, the first being a countess in 1903 (this union produced a daughter), the second to Farrar in 1916. He became an American citizen in 1918.
who wore a white hat instead of the stereotypical bad guy black hat. Fame faded, employment was not forthcoming and debt-ridden, he went bankrupt. He was diagnosed with cancer
, though this information was kept from him, and he became despondent. In 1931, he wrote his autobiography
Women Have Been Kind.
On October 29, 1934, while a guest in a Cudahy mansion at 1844 N. Vine St. (now the site of the Vine-Franklin underpass of the Hollywood Freeway
), Tellegen locked himself in the bathroom, then shaved and powdered his face. Then while standing in front of a full-length mirror, he committed suicide
by stabbing himself with a pair of sewing scissors seven times (supposedly while surrounded by newspaper
clippings of his career), resulting in lurid press coverage.
When asked to comment on Tellegen's death, former wife Geraldine Farrar replied, "Why should that interest me?". Tellegen's remains were cremated and scattered at sea.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-born silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
and stage actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Early life
Born Isidore Louis Bernard Edmon van Dommelen, he was the illegitimate child of army lieutenant Isidore Louis Bernard Edmon Tellegen (1836–1902) and Anna Maria van Dommelen.He left his birth town Sint Oedenrode to make his stage debut in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1903, and over the next few years built a reputation to the point where he was invited to perform in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, eventually co-starring in several roles with Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt
Sarah Bernhardt was a French stage and early film actress, and has been referred to as "the most famous actress the world has ever known". Bernhardt made her fame on the stages of France in the 1870s, and was soon in demand in Europe and the Americas...
, with whom he was involved romantically. In 1910, he made his motion picture debut alongside Bernhardt in La dame aux camélias
The Lady of the Camellias
The Lady of the Camellias is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils, first published in 1848, and subsequently adapted for the stage. The Lady of the Camellias premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris, France on February 2, 1852. The play was an instant success, and Giuseppe Verdi immediately set...
, a silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
made in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
based on the play by Alexandre Dumas, fils
Alexandre Dumas, fils
Alexandre Dumas, fils was a French author and dramatist. He was the son of Alexandre Dumas, père, also a writer and playwright.-Biography:...
.
Career
In 1910, he and Bernhardt travelled to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
first published, and then retracted, the announcement of their impending marriage. (She was 37 years his senior.) Back in France, in 1912 they made their second film together, Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth
Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth
Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth , Les Amours d'Elisabeth, Reine d'Angleterre or La reine Élisabeth is a 1912 short 4-reel French silent film based on the love affair between Elizabeth I of England and the Earl of Essex...
(Queen Elizabeth), and the following year, Adrienne Lecouvreur. The latter is considered a lost film
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
In the summer of 1913, Tellegen went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he produced and starred in the Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
play, The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine...
. Invited back to the United States, Tellegen worked in theatre and made his first American film in 1915, titled The Explorer, followed by The Unknown, both with Dorothy Davenport
Dorothy Davenport
Dorothy Davenport was an American actress, screenwriter, film director, and producer who appeared in silent film for Biograph Studios under the direction of D.W. Griffith.-Early career:...
as his co-star. Considered one of the best-looking actors on screen, he followed up with three straight films starring opposite Geraldine Farrar
Geraldine Farrar
Geraldine Farrar was an American soprano opera singer and film actress, noted for her beauty, acting ability, and "the intimate timbre of her voice." She had a large following among young women, who were nicknamed "Gerry-flappers".- Early life and opera career :Farrar was born in Melrose,...
. In 1916, he married Farrar, a well-known opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
diva turned film actress, who was herself known to be the lover of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany
Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany
Frederick William Victor Augustus Ernest of the House of Hohenzollern was the last Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire. He was colloquially known as William or Wilhelm throughout Europe....
.
Tellegen's marriage to Farrar did not last (they divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d in 1923). Tellegen had married a total of four times, the first being a countess in 1903 (this union produced a daughter), the second to Farrar in 1916. He became an American citizen in 1918.
Later career and death
Tellegen had appeared in numerous films before his face was damaged in a fire. One of his memorable roles was as the bad guy villain in John Ford's 1926 western 3 Bad Men3 Bad Men
-Cast:* George O'Brien as Dan O'Malley* Olive Borden as Lee Carlton* Lou Tellegen as Sheriff Layne Hunter* Tom Santschi as 'Bull' Stanley* J. Farrell MacDonald as Mike Costigan* Frank Campeau as 'Spade' Allen* Priscilla Bonner as Millie Stanley...
who wore a white hat instead of the stereotypical bad guy black hat. Fame faded, employment was not forthcoming and debt-ridden, he went bankrupt. He was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, though this information was kept from him, and he became despondent. In 1931, he wrote his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
Women Have Been Kind.
On October 29, 1934, while a guest in a Cudahy mansion at 1844 N. Vine St. (now the site of the Vine-Franklin underpass of the Hollywood Freeway
Hollywood Freeway
The Hollywood Freeway is one of the principal freeways of Los Angeles, California and one of the busiest in the United States. It is the principal route over the Cahuenga Pass, the primary shortcut between the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley...
), Tellegen locked himself in the bathroom, then shaved and powdered his face. Then while standing in front of a full-length mirror, he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by stabbing himself with a pair of sewing scissors seven times (supposedly while surrounded by newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
clippings of his career), resulting in lurid press coverage.
When asked to comment on Tellegen's death, former wife Geraldine Farrar replied, "Why should that interest me?". Tellegen's remains were cremated and scattered at sea.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | La Dame aux camélias | Armand Duval | |
| 1912 | Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth , Les Amours d'Elisabeth, Reine d'Angleterre or La reine Élisabeth is a 1912 short 4-reel French silent film based on the love affair between Elizabeth I of England and the Earl of Essex... |
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex | Alternative titles: Queen Elizabeth and La Reine Élisabeth |
| 1913 | Adrienne Lecouvreur | Alternative title: An Actress's Romance | |
| 1915 | The Explorer | Alec McKenzie | Credited as Lou-Tellegen |
| 1915 | The Unknown | Richard Farquhar | Extant, Library of Congress |
| 1916 | The Victory of Conscience | Louis, Count De Tavannes | |
| 1916 | The Victoria Cross | Major Ralph Seton | Extant, Library of Congress |
| 1917 | The Black Wolf | The Black Wolf | |
| 1917 | The Long Trail | Andre Dubois | |
| 1917 | What Money Can't Buy | |
Director |
| 1918 | The Thing We Love The Thing We Love The Thing We Love is a 1918 silent film drama produced by Jesse Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Lou Tellegen and starred Wallace Reid, Kathlyn Williams and Tully Marshall. It marked Tellegen's second foray into directing as he usually was a leading man in front of... |
|
Director |
| 1919 | The World and Its Woman | Prince Michael Orbeliana | Alternative title: The Golden Song |
| 1919 | Flame of the Desert | Sheik Essad | |
| 1920 | The Woman and the Puppet | Don Mateo | Extant |
| 1920 | Blind Youth | |
Writer |
| 1924 | Let Not Man Put Asunder | Dick Lechmere | |
| 1924 | Between Friends | David Drene | |
| 1924 | Single Wives | Martin Prayle | |
| 1924 | The Breath of Scandal | Charles Hale | |
| 1924 | Those Who Judge | John Dawson | |
| 1924 | Greater Than Marriage | John Masters | |
| 1925 | The Redeeming Sin | Lupin | |
| 1925 | Fair Play | Bruce Elliot | Alternative title: The Danger Zone |
| 1925 | The Verdict | Victor Ronsard | |
| 1925 | Parisian Nights Parisian Nights Parisian Nights is a 1925 drama film directed by Alfred Santell and featuring Boris Karloff.-Cast:* Elaine Hammerstein - Adele* Gaston Glass - Jacques* Lou Tellegen - Jean* William J. Kelly - Fontane* Boris Karloff - Pierre* Renée Adorée - Marie... |
Jean | |
| 1925 | After Business Hours | John King | |
| 1925 | The Sporting Chance | Darrell Thorton | |
| 1925 | Parisian Love | Pierre Marcel | Extant |
| 1925 | With This Ring | Rufus Van Buren | |
| 1925 | East Lynne | Sir Frncis Levisn | |
| 1925 | Borrowed Finery | Harlan | |
| 1926 | The Outsider | Anton Ragatzy | |
| 1926 | Siberia | Egor Kaplan | Extant |
| 1926 | The Silver Treasure | Sotillo, the Bandit | |
| 1926 | 3 Bad Men 3 Bad Men -Cast:* George O'Brien as Dan O'Malley* Olive Borden as Lee Carlton* Lou Tellegen as Sheriff Layne Hunter* Tom Santschi as 'Bull' Stanley* J. Farrell MacDonald as Mike Costigan* Frank Campeau as 'Spade' Allen* Priscilla Bonner as Millie Stanley... |
Sheriff Layne Hunter | Extant |
| 1926 | Womanpower | The Broker | |
| 1927 | Stage Madness | Pieerre Doumier | |
| 1927 | The Princess from Hoboken The Princess from Hoboken The Princess from Hoboken is a 1927 comedy film directed by Allen Dale and featuring Boris Karloff.-Cast:* Edmund Burns - Terence O'Brien* Blanche Mehaffey - Sheila O'Toole* Ethel Clayton - Mrs. O'Brien* Lou Tellegen - Prince Anton Balakrieff... |
Prince Anton Balakrieff | |
| 1927 | The Little Firebrand | Harley Norcross | |
| 1927 | Married Alive | James Duxbury | |
| 1928 | No Other Woman | |
Director |
| 1930 | To oneiron tou glyptou | Writer, director Alternative title: Pygmalion kai Galateia |
|
| 1931 | Enemies of the Law | Eddie Swan | |
| 1934 | Caravane | Uncredited | |
| 1935 | Together We Live | Bischofsky |
External links
- Extensive biography (Dutch)
- The Suicide of Lou Tellegen
- Lou Tellegen photo gallery NYP Library