Robert Edeson


Robert Edeson was an American film and stage actor of the silent era and a vaudeville performer.

Life and career

Edeson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of manager and actor George R. Edeson. After working as treasurer of the Park Theatre in Brooklyn, he initially acted in New York in 1887 in a production of Fascination. He debuted on Broadway in Marriage. In 1901 he created the role Edward Warden in the original production of Clyde Fitch's The Climbers. His last Broadway appearance was in The World We Live In. He also performed in vaudeville.
Edeson received his first boost in films in 1914 when he starred in the Cecil B. DeMille directed film, The Call of the North.
Edeson replaced actor Rudolph Christians in Erich von Stroheim's production of Foolish Wives, after Christians died of pneumonia. Edeson famously only showed his back to the camera so as not to clash with shot footage of Christians that was still to be used in the completed film.
Edeson's final film was Aloha.
His third wife was the former Aida Banker.

Death

On March 24, 1931, Edeson died at his home in Hollywood. He was 62 years old.

Selected filmography

  • The Paymaster's Son as The Paymaster's Son
  • The Call of the North as Ned Stewart
  • Where the Trail Divides
  • The Absentee as Nathaniel Crosby
  • The Light That Failed as Dick Hedlar
  • Big Jim Garrity as Jim Garrity
  • On the Night Stage as Austin
  • The Caveman as Hanlick Smagg
  • Public Defender as Arthur Nelson
  • Extravagance as Richard Vane
  • Foolish Wives as Andrew J. Hughes
  • The Prisoner of Zenda as Colonel Zapta
  • Sure Fire Flint as Anthony De Lanni
  • Any Night as Jim Barton
  • You Are Guilty as Theodore Tennent
  • The Tie That Binds as Charles Dodge
  • The Silent Partner as Ralph Coombes
  • To the Last Man as Gaston Isbel
  • The Ten Commandments as Inspector Redding
  • Feet of Clay as Dr. Fergus Lansell
  • Welcome Stranger as Eb Hooker
  • Men as Henri Duval
  • Triumph as Samuel Overton
  • Thy Name Is Woman as The Commandante
  • Missing Daughters as Secret Service Chief
  • The Prairie Pirate as Don Esteban
  • Men and Women as Israel Cohen
  • The Golden Bed as Amos Thompson
  • Go Straight as The Hawk
  • Locked Doors as Norman Carter
  • Blood and Steel as W.L. Grimshaw
  • The Volga Boatman as Prince Nikita
  • The Clinging Vine as T. M. Bancroft
  • The Blue Eagle as Chaplain Regan
  • The King of Kings as Matthew the Apostle
  • Chicago as William Flynn
  • Altars of Desire as John Sutherland
  • The Night Bride
  • George Washington Cohen as Mr. Gorman
  • The Little Wildcat as Judge Gresham
  • Beware of Blondes as Costigan
  • Walking Back as Edgar Thatcher
  • Dynamite as Wise Fool
  • Romance of the Rio Grande as Don Fernando
  • Pardon My Gun as Pa Martin
  • A Devil with Women as General Garcia
  • Danger Lights as Tom Johnson
  • The Lash as Don Mariana Delfine
  • The Way of All Men Swift
  • ''Swing High''