Marc McDermott
Encyclopedia
Marcus McDermott was an Australia
n-born American
actor
who starred on Broadway
and in over 180 American films
from 1909 until his death.
to Irish
parents. At age 15, while McDermott was studying at the Jesuit
College of Sydney
, his father Patrick died. To support his mother and sister, McDermott joined an acting troupe in Sydney. Within a year, he was discovered by illustrious stage actor George Rignold
, who put him in some of his future works. Later in London
, McDermott was seen by the wife of Patrick Campbell, and was cast to star opposite her in future plays. He then sailed to the United States and played on Broadway opposite her as Sir George Orreyed in The Second Mrs. Tanqeray. Back in London, New York
agent and producer Charles Frohman saw McDermott's work and was impressed. He then hired him to play Sherlock Holmes
and later brought him to the United States.
McDermott got his first taste of the American film industry when he was hired by Thomas Edison
in 1909 to appear as a featured player at Edison's Bronx
studio, in replacement of Maurice Costello
, who had moved to Vitagraph, the first motion picture stock company ever formed. McDermott was then picked for a role in Les Misérables
, acting with Maurice Costello and William V. Ranous. Later that year, he acted in the 1909 short Lochinvar, based on the story by Sir Walter Scott
. That movie was released before Les Misérables, but he filmed the movie after Lochinvar. The next year, McDermott was cast as Ebenezer Scrooge
in the short seventeen-minute silent film adaptation of Charles Dickens
' work, A Christmas Carol
. In 1912, McDermott starred with Mary Fuller
and Charles Ogle
in What Happened to Mary?
, the first motion picture serial made in the U.S. The Edison Studios
production consisted of twelve one-reel episodes released monthly starting on July 26, 1912 to coincide with the serial of the same name published in McClure's Ladies' World magazine.
Two years later, McDermott appeared as the lead in The Man Who Disappeared, another popular ten-chapter series that also was featured in magazines just as each chapter appeared on screen. McDermott had starred in over 140 films for Edison by 1916, and had frequently appeared in popular film magazines like Photoplay
and Moving Picture World
. That year, on April 20, McDermott married stage actress Miriam Nesbitt
, who later costarred with him in many films such as The Man Who Disappeared. McDermott then left Edison Studios to join Vitagraph Studios. For the next decade, McDermott spent his time starring in minor and major roles in dozens of movies.
of the liver
, during surgery to treat the condition. He was entombed in Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
who starred on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and in over 180 American films
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
from 1909 until his death.
Early life and career
McDermott was born Marcus McDermott in Goulburn, New South WalesGoulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
to Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
parents. At age 15, while McDermott was studying at the Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
College of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, his father Patrick died. To support his mother and sister, McDermott joined an acting troupe in Sydney. Within a year, he was discovered by illustrious stage actor George Rignold
George Rignold
George Richard Rignold, born George Richard Rignall, was an English-born actor, active in Australia.-Early life:...
, who put him in some of his future works. Later in 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...
, McDermott was seen by the wife of Patrick Campbell, and was cast to star opposite her in future plays. He then sailed to the United States and played on Broadway opposite her as Sir George Orreyed in The Second Mrs. Tanqeray. Back in London, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
agent and producer Charles Frohman saw McDermott's work and was impressed. He then hired him to play Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
and later brought him to the United States.
McDermott got his first taste of the American film industry when he was hired by Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
in 1909 to appear as a featured player at Edison's Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
studio, in replacement of Maurice Costello
Maurice Costello
Maurice Costello was a prominent vaudeville actor of the late 1890s and early 1900s, who later played a principal role in early American films, as both a leading man, supporting player and a director....
, who had moved to Vitagraph, the first motion picture stock company ever formed. McDermott was then picked for a role in Les Misérables
Les Misérables (1909 film)
Les Misérables is a silent film based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.-Cast:* William V. Ranous – Javert* Maurice Costello – Jean Valjean* Hazel Neason* Marc McDermott...
, acting with Maurice Costello and William V. Ranous. Later that year, he acted in the 1909 short Lochinvar, based on the story by Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
. That movie was released before Les Misérables, but he filmed the movie after Lochinvar. The next year, McDermott was cast as Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness...
in the short seventeen-minute silent film adaptation of Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' work, A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol (1910 film)
A Christmas Carol, is a 1910 silent film directed by J. Searle Dawley for Edison. It runs 10 minutes and is one of the earliest film adaptations of Charles Dickens' famous 1843 novella. It featured Marc McDermott as Ebenezer Scrooge and Charles S...
. In 1912, McDermott starred with Mary Fuller
Mary Fuller
Mary Claire Fuller was an American stage and silent film actress and screenwriter.-Early life:Born in Washington, D.C., to Nora Swing and attorney Miles Fuller, she spent her childhood on a farm. As a child, she was interested in music, writing and art...
and Charles Ogle
Charles Stanton Ogle
Charles Stanton Ogle was an American silent film actor.-Biography:Born in Steubenville, Ohio, Ogle first performed in live theatre, making his first appearance on Broadway in 1905. He embarked on a career in film with Edison Studios in The Bronx, New York in 1908, appearing in The Boston Tea Party...
in What Happened to Mary?
What Happened to Mary?
What Happened to Mary is the first motion picture serial made in the United States...
, the first motion picture serial made in the U.S. The Edison Studios
Edison Studios
Edison Studios was an American motion picture production company owned by the Edison Company of inventor Thomas Edison. The studio made close to 1,200 films as the Edison Manufacturing Company and Thomas A. Edison, Inc. until the studio's closing in 1918...
production consisted of twelve one-reel episodes released monthly starting on July 26, 1912 to coincide with the serial of the same name published in McClure's Ladies' World magazine.
Two years later, McDermott appeared as the lead in The Man Who Disappeared, another popular ten-chapter series that also was featured in magazines just as each chapter appeared on screen. McDermott had starred in over 140 films for Edison by 1916, and had frequently appeared in popular film magazines like Photoplay
Photoplay
Photoplay was one of the first American film fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded a similar magazine entitled Motion Picture Story...
and Moving Picture World
The Moving Picture World
The Moving Picture World was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. By 1914, it had a reported circulation of approximately 15,000.The publication was founded by James Petrie Chalmers, Jr...
. That year, on April 20, McDermott married stage actress Miriam Nesbitt
Miriam Nesbitt
Miriam Nesbitt was a stage and film actress.Born Miriam Schanke or Skanke, she studied at the Stanhope-Wheatcroft Dramatic School, before landing a part in Daniel Frohman's play The Tree of Knowledge under the stage name Miriam Nesbitt...
, who later costarred with him in many films such as The Man Who Disappeared. McDermott then left Edison Studios to join Vitagraph Studios. For the next decade, McDermott spent his time starring in minor and major roles in dozens of movies.
Death
McDermott died at age 47 on January 5, 1929 of cirrhosisCirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
of the liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
, during surgery to treat the condition. He was entombed in Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
.
Selected filmography
- Les MisérablesLes Misérables (1909 film)Les Misérables is a silent film based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.-Cast:* William V. Ranous – Javert* Maurice Costello – Jean Valjean* Hazel Neason* Marc McDermott...
(1909) - A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol (1910 film)A Christmas Carol, is a 1910 silent film directed by J. Searle Dawley for Edison. It runs 10 minutes and is one of the earliest film adaptations of Charles Dickens' famous 1843 novella. It featured Marc McDermott as Ebenezer Scrooge and Charles S...
(1910) as Ebenezer ScroogeEbenezer ScroogeEbenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness... - What Happened to Mary?What Happened to Mary?What Happened to Mary is the first motion picture serial made in the United States...
(1912) - The Passer-By (1912)
- Who Will Marry Mary?Who Will Marry Mary?Who Will Marry Mary? is a 1913 action film serial starring Mary Fuller. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Mary Fuller - Mary Cuyler* Ben F. Wilson - Captain Justin Bradford * Richard Tucker - Duke Leonardo de Ferrara...
(1913) - The Man Who DisappearedThe Man Who DisappearedThe Man Who Disappeared was a 1914 American drama film serial directed by Charles Brabin. The film is considered lost.-Cast:* Marc McDermott - John Perriton* Herbert Yost - Nelson Wales * Miriam Nesbitt - Mary Wales...
(1914) - The Spanish JadeThe Spanish JadeThe Spanish Jade is a 1922 British silent drama film directed by John S. Robertson. Alfred Hitchcock is credited as a title designer. The film is now considered a lost film.-Cast:* David Powell as Gil Pérez* Marc McDermott as Don Luis Ramónez de Alavia...
(1922) - Hoodman BlindHoodman BlindHoodman Blind is a 1923 drama film directed by John Ford. The film is considered to be lost. It is a remake of a 1913 film of the same name directed by James Gordon.-Cast:* David Butler - Jack Yeulette* Gladys Hulette - Nancy Yeulette / Jessie Walton...
(1923) - He Who Gets SlappedHe Who Gets SlappedHe Who Gets Slapped is a 1924 film starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, and John Gilbert. It was directed by Victor Sjöström. The film is based on the Russian play Тот, кто получает пощёчины by playwright Leonid Andreyev, which was published in 1914 and in English, as He Who Gets Slapped, in 1922...
(1924) - Dorothy Vernon of Haddon HallDorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall (film)Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall is a 1924 silent historical drama directed by Marshall Neilan. The film is based upon the 1902 novel by the same name.-Production:...
(1924) - Flesh and the DevilFlesh and the DevilFlesh and the Devil is an MGM romantic drama silent film. It stars Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Lars Hanson, and Barbara Kent, directed by Clarence Brown, and based on the play The Undying Past by Hermann Sudermann....
(1926) - The TemptressThe TemptressThe Temptress is an American silent romantic drama film directed by Fred Niblo. Starring Greta Garbo, Antonio Moreno, Lionel Barrymore and Roy D'Arcy it premiered on October 10, 1926...
(1926) - The Road to RomanceThe Road to RomanceThe Road to Romance is a 1927 film directed by John S. Robertson, based upon a Joseph Conrad-Ford Madox Ford novel, Romance. The film is considered lost...
(1927) - Man, Woman and SinMan, Woman and SinMan, Woman and Sin is a 1927 silent film produced and distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. It was directed by Monta Bell and uncredited John Gilbert. The picture stars Gilbert and stage actress Jeanne Eagels in one of her rare film appearances. The film is obscure but survives complete...
(1927)