Henry Kolker
Joseph Henry Kolker was an American stage and film actor and director.
Early years
Kolker was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1874. He came to America at age five and was educated by Franciscan Monks at Quincy, Illinois.Career
Kolker had a substantial stage career before entering silent films. He began acting professionally in stock theater in 1895. On stage he appeared opposite actresses such as Edith Wynne Matthison, Bertha Kalich and Ruth Chatterton. Kolker bore a resemblance to John Drew and this was accentuated when he started wearing a moustache and as he aged. Some thought he was Drew's son and a part of the Barrymore family.Kolker began acting in films in 1915. He is best remembered for his movie roles, including one in the ground-breaking Pre-Code film Baby Face as an elderly CEO. Another well-remembered part is as Mr. Seton, father of Katharine Hepburn and Lew Ayres in the 1938 film Holiday directed by George Cukor.
Kolker also directed. His best-known effort is Disraeli, starring George Arliss, which is now a mostly lost film with only one reel remaining, and not to be confused with a later sound era portrayal by Arliss of the same name.
Personal life
Kolker was married to Lillian Carroll; they divorced in 1926. Soon after the divorce, he married Margaret Bruen.Kolker died on July 15, 1947, aged 72.
Selected filmography
As actor
- The Bigger Man as John Stoddard
- The Warning as Robert Denman
- How Molly Made Good
- Gloria's Romance as Dr. Stephen Royce
- The Shell Game as Lawrence Gray
- Social Hypocrites as Dr. Frank Simpson
- The [House of Mirth (1918 film)|The House of Mirth] as Lawrence Selden
- The Great Victory as Kaiser Wilhelm II
- The Parisian Tigress as Henri Dutray
- Blackie's Redemption as Fred the Count
- The Red Lantern
- Tangled Threads as Dr. MacGregor
- The Brat as A Dandy
- Her Purchase Price as Duke of Wryden
- A Man of Stone
- Any Woman as Egbert Phillips
- Sally, Irene and Mary as Marcus Morton
- The [Palace of Pleasure (film)|The Palace of Pleasure] as Premier
- Hell's Four Hundred as John Gilmore
- Winning the Futurity
- Wet Paint as A Husband
- A Kiss in a Taxi as Leon Lambert
- Annie Laurie as King's Representative
- Rough House Rosie as W.S. Davids
- Soft Living as Roidney S. Bowen
- Midnight Rose as Corbin
- The Charge of the Gauchos as Viceroy Cisneros
- Don't Marry as Gen. Willoughby
- Coquette as Jasper Carter
- The Valiant as Judge
- Pleasure Crazed as Col. Farquar
- Love, Live and Laugh as Enrico
- The Bad One as Prosecutor
- East Is West as Butler
- Abraham Lincoln as New Englander
- The Way of All Men as Sharp
- Du Barry, Woman of Passion as D'Aiguillon
- East Is West as Mr. Benson
- One Heavenly Night as Prefect of Police
- Don't Bet on Women as Butterfield
- Doctors' Wives as Hospital Official
- Quick Millions as District Attorney
- Indiscreet as Mr. Woodward
- The Spy as Tchijinski
- I Like Your Nerve as Areal Pacheco
- The Unholy Garden as Col. Lautrac
- The Yellow Ticket as Passport Clerk
- The Washington Masquerade as Stapleton
- Jewel Robbery as Baron Franz
- The First Year as Peter Barstow
- Devil and the Deep as Hutton
- Down to Earth as Randolph
- The Crash as John Fair
- Faithless as Mr. Carter
- Rasputin and the Empress as Chief of Secret Police
- The Keyhole as Schuyler Brooks
- Gabriel Over the White House as Sen. Langham – Senate Majority Leader
- Hello, Sister! as Jameson Brewster, Bank President
- A Bedtime Story as Agent de Police
- Hell Below as Adm. Sir Hugh Higby
- The Narrow Corner as Mr. Blake, Fred's Father
- Baby Face as Carter
- Notorious But Nice as Defense Attorney Clark
- The [Power and the Glory (1933 film)|The Power and the Glory] as Mr. Borden
- Bureau of Missing Persons as Theodore Arno
- Golden Harvest as Henry Flint
- I Loved a Woman as Mr. Sanborn
- Love, Honor, and Oh Baby! as The Judge
- Gigolettes of Paris as Police Interrogator
- Meet the Baron as Baron Munchausen
- Blood Money as Newspaper Managing Editor
- Massacre as Sen. Woolsey
- Bedside as Maritza's Manager
- I've [Got Your Number (film)|I've Got Your Number] as Robert Kirkland
- The [Cat and the Fiddle (film)|The Cat and the Fiddle] as Theatre Manager
- Wonder Bar as Mr. R.H. Renaud
- Journal of a Crime as Henri Marcher
- Success at Any Price as Hatfield
- Sisters Under the Skin as Jones
- Let's Talk It Over as Doctor
- Black Moon as The Psychiatrist
- The Hell Cat as C.W. Sloane
- Let's Try Again as Mr. Blake
- Stamboul Quest as 'Excellency' German War Office
- Whom the Gods Destroy as Carlo, the Puppeteer
- Blind Date as J.W. Hartwell, Sr.
- Name the Woman as Judge Adams
- The Girl From Missouri as Sen. Titcombe
- She [Loves Me Not (1934 film)|She Loves Me Not] as Charles M. Lawton
- Now and Forever as Mr. Clark
- Million Dollar Ransom Dr. Davis
- One Exciting Adventure as Customer
- A Lost Lady as John Ormsby
- Lady by Choice as Opper
- Imitation of Life as Dr. Preston
- Love Time as Emperor Francis I
- Kid Millions as Attorney
- The Ghost Walks as Dr. Kent
- Sing Sing Nights as Kurt Nordon
- The Band Plays On as Professor Hackett
- Charlie Chan in Paris as M. Lamartine
- Society Doctor as Dr. Harvey
- Red Hot Tires as Martin Sanford
- The Mystery Man as Ellwyn A. 'Jo-Jo' Jonas
- One New York Night as Arthur Carlisle
- Times Square Lady as Mr. Fielding
- A [Dog of Flanders (1935 film)|A Dog of Flanders] as Monsieur LaTour, Art Critic
- The Florentine Dagger as Auctioneer
- The Case of the Curious Bride as District Attorney Stacey
- Reckless as Mr. Gearhart
- Go Into Your Dance as Doctor
- Spring Tonic as Mr. Enix
- Honeymoon Limited as Mr. Randall
- Mad Love as Prefect Rosset
- The Black Room as Baron Frederick de Berghman
- Here Comes the Band as Simmon's Attorney
- Diamond Jim as J.C. Randolf, Bank President
- Ladies Love Danger as Jose Lopez
- Red Salute as Dean
- I Live My Life as Relative at Mrs. Gage's
- Shipmates Forever as The Doctor
- The [Last Days of Pompeii (1935 film)|The Last Days of Pompeii] as Warder
- Three Kids and a Queen as Crippets
- Frisco Waterfront as District Attorney
- The Great Impersonation as Dr. Schmidt
- Collegiate as Mr. MacGregor
- My Marriage as Maj. Vaile
- Bullets or Ballots as Mr. Hollister
- Romeo and Juliet as Friar Laurence
- Sitting on the Moon as Worthington
- In His Steps as Calvin Carver
- The Man Who Lived Twice as Judge Henry Treacher
- Theodora Goes Wild as Jonathan Grant
- Great Guy as Abel Canning
- Under Cover of Night as District Attorney Pritchard
- Once a Doctor as Dr. Bruce Nordland
- They Wanted to Marry as Mr. Hunter
- Green Light as Dr. Lane
- Maid of Salem as Crown Chief Justice Laughton
- Let Them Live as Judge Lederer
- The Devil Is Driving as Charles Stevens
- Conquest as Sen. Wybitcki
- Thoroughbreds Don't Cry as 'Doc' Godfrey
- The Invisible Menace as Col. Hackett
- Love Is a Headache as Mr. Sam Ellinger
- The Adventures of Marco Polo as Nicolo Polo
- Holiday as Edward Seton Sr.
- Safety in Numbers as Dr. Lawrence Edmonds
- Marie Antoinette as Court Aide
- Too Hot to Handle as "Pearly" Todd
- The Cowboy and the Lady as Horace Smith
- Let Us Live as Chief of Police
- Union Pacific as Asa M. Barrows
- Should Husbands Work? as Taylor
- These Glamour Girls as Philip S. Griswold II
- Hidden Power as Weston
- The Real Glory as The General
- Parents on Trial as James Wesley
- Here I Am a Stranger as R.J. Bennett
- Main Street Lawyer as Donnelly, District Attorney
- Grand Ole Opry as William C. Scully
- Money and the Woman as Mr. Rollins, Barbara's Father
- Las Vegas Nights as John Stevens
- The Man Who Lost Himself as Mulhausen
- The Great Swindle as Stewart Cordell
- A Woman's Face as Judge
- The Parson of Panamint as Judge Arnold Mason
- Sing for Your Supper as Myron T. Hayworth
- Reunion in France as General Bartholomew
- Sarong Girl as Mr. Jefferson Baxter
- Bluebeard as Deschamps
- The [Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947 film)|The Secret Life of Walter Mitty] as Dr. Benbow
As director
Kolker directed 18 feature films, most of them lost.- Santo Icario
- A Man's Country
- The Woman Michael Married
- The Third Generation
- Bright Skies
- Heart of Twenty
- The Palace of Darkened Windows
- The Greatest Love
- Bucking the Tiger
- Who Am I?
- The Fighter
- Disraeli
- The Leopardess
- Sant'Ilario
- The Snow Bride
- The Purple Highway
- I Will Repay
- ''The Great Well''
As writer
- The Man with the Iron Heart
- ''The Third Generation''