Larry Semon (1889 - 1928)

American comedian, actor, director, producer, and screenwriter during the silent film era

* July 16, 1889 West Point, Mississippi, USA
 as Lawrence Semon
 October 8, 1928 Victorville, California, USA



Larry Semon (1889-1928) was an American actor, comedian, director, and producer during the silent film era. He was best known for his work in the 1920s, when he appeared in a number of successful films, including "The Wizard of Oz" (1925), "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1924), and "The Knickerbocker Buckaroo" (1924).

Semon was born in 1889 in Texas, United States. He began his career as a vaudeville performer, and eventually transitioned to the film industry. In the early 1920s, he began working as a director, producer, and actor for Vitagraph Studios, where he made a number of popular comedies.

Semon was known for his energetic and physical style of comedy, and often performed elaborate stunts in his films. He was also known for his ability to play multiple characters in a single film, and often starred in his own productions.

One of Semon's most famous films is "The Wizard of Oz" (1925), a parody of the classic children's story by L. Frank Baum. In this film, Semon played the role of the Wizard, as well as a number of other characters. The film was a critical and commercial success, and is still remembered today as a classic of silent film comedy.

In addition to his work in film, Semon was also a successful stage performer, and appeared in a number of Broadway productions. He was known for his high-energy performances, and was popular with audiences of all ages.

Despite his success, Semon's career was cut short by his untimely death in 1928 He died of a pneumonia and tuberculosis, at the age of 39.

Vintage magazines

Boy's Cinema, nr. 8, 31 January 1920
Boy's Cinema, nr. 20, 24 April 1920
Mon Ciné, nr. 1, 23 February 1922

Mon Ciné, nr. 1, 23 February 1922
Mon Ciné, nr. 6, 30 March 1922
Mon Ciné, nr. 17, 15 June 1922

Photoplay, January 1928
Photoplay, February 1928
Photoplay, March 1928

Photoplay, April 1928
Photoplay, April 1928
Photoplay, December 1928


Books with substantial mentioning of Larry Semon

Glenn Mitchell A-Z of Silent Film Comedy Glenn Mitchell
A-Z of Silent Film Comedy, An Illustrated Companion
London, 1998

Ronald L. Smith
Who's Who in Comedy, Comedians, Comics and Clowns From Vaudeville to Today's Stand-ups
New York, Oxford, 1992

Ann Lloyd (ed.) Movies of the Silent Years Ann Lloyd (ed.)
Movies of the Silent Years
London, 1985

Kalton C. Lahue and Sam Gill Clown Princes and Court Jesters Kalton C. Lahue and Sam Gill
Clown Princes and Court Jesters
South Brunswick and New York - London, 1970

Charles Donald Fox and Milton L. Silver (eds.) Who's Who on the Screen Charles Donald Fox and Milton L. Silver (eds.)
Who's Who on the Screen
New York City, 1920

Books with an entry on Larry Semon

Roy Liebman Silent Film Performers Roy Liebman
Silent Film Performers, An Annotated Bibliography of Published, Unpublished and Archival Sources for over 350 Actors and Actresses
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London, 1996

Joe Franklin Encyclopedia of Comedians Joe Franklin
Encyclopedia of Comedians
Secaucus, N.J., 1979

Charles Donald Fox Mirrors of Hollywood Charles Donald Fox
Mirrors of Hollywood, with brief biographies of favorite film folk
New York, 1925

Books with photograph(s) of Larry Semon

John Richard Finch and Paul Elby Close-Ups John Richard Finch and Paul Elby
Close-Ups, From the Golden Age of the Silent Cinema
South Brunswick and New York - London, 1978

Films

1919
Dull Care
The Head Waiter

1921
The Hick

1923
No Wedding Bells

1925
The Wizard of Oz

1927
Underworld
Special Delivery
Spuds

IMDb: 0783865
VIAF: 24802993