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Larry Semon
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Biography
American silent film comedian whose hugely successful career disappeared virtually overnight, Larry Semon was the son of a traveling vaudeville magician, Zera the Great. He grew up in show business and was trained in stage comedy and acrobatics. A talent for drawing and cartooning led to art school and then work as a cartoonist for various New York City newspapers. The humor evident in his published cartoons prompted executives at New York's Vitagraph Studios to hire him as a gag writer in 1916. He quickly proved himself and was promoted to director for the Hughie Mack series of comedies. His background in magic helped him create interesting new gags for the comedian. When Mack left the stud…
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American silent film comedian whose hugely successful career disappeared virtually overnight, Larry Semon was the son of a traveling vaudeville magician, Zera the Great. He grew up in show business and was trained in stage comedy and acrobatics. A talent for drawing and cartooning led to art school and then work as a cartoonist for various New York City newspapers. The humor evident in his published cartoons prompted executives at New York's Vitagraph Studios to hire him as a gag writer in 1916. He quickly proved himself and was promoted to director for the Hughie Mack series of comedies. His background in magic helped him create interesting new gags for the comedian. When Mack left the studio in 1917, Semon took over the starring role himself. His one-reelers were quite successful, and Vitagraph sent him to California to participate in its new West Coast operation. He produced as well as wrote, starred in and directed his own films, at the same time also producing films for other comics. In the summer of 1928 Semon apparently fell ill with tuberculosis and simultaneously, it seems, suffered a nervous breakdown. He entered a sanitarium near San Bernardino, CA, where he reportedly died on October 8. However, an air of mystery surrounds his death, since his wife (and former co-star) Dorothy Dwan was allowed almost no contact with him and never saw his body, which was ordered cremated after a tightly secured funeral, which was carried out per Semon's "previous instructions" and to which almost no attendees were allowed. The whereabouts of Semon's cremated remains are to this day a mystery, and his widow professed until her death to be mystified by the circumstances of his passing. With enormous financial obligations facing him Larry Semon could easily have considered a dramatic escape of this sort from his creditors. Whether he did, or whether his death was the sad final chapter to a high-rising, briefly brilliant, but ultimately short-lived career may never be known for certain.
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BODY OF WORK
Larry Semon's Filmography
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A Simple Sap
as It
No Poster
Dummies
as The Entertainer
Oh, What a Man!
as The Detective
The Stunt Man
as Larry
Underworld
as Slippy Lewis
Spuds
as Spuds
The Perfect Clown
as Bert Larry
The Cloudhopper
as Borden Rhoom / Getz A. Bunn
Go Straight!
as Self
No Poster
The Dome Doctor
as Peter Pep
The Wizard of Oz
as Scarecrow / Toymaker
Kid Speed
as The Speed Kid
Her Boy Friend
as Larry, the Chief's son
The Girl in the Limousine
as Tony
Trouble Brewing
as Government agent
Horseshoes
as Larry
Lightning Love
as Larry, a Suitor
The Gown Shop
as Larry, a salesman
The Barnyard
as Lay Zee, Farm Hand
The Midnight Cabaret
as Larry, a Waiter
No Poster
No Wedding Bells
as Larry
No Poster
The Counter Jumper
as Larry, the Counter Jumper
Golf
as The son
A Pair of Kings
as King August / Stranger
No Poster
A Weakend Driver
The Show
as The Prop Man / Gentle Onlooker
The Sawmill
as The Dumb-Bell
The Bell Hop
as The Bellhop
The Fall Guy
as Larry, the Fall Guy
The Bakery
as Larry, a Bakery Clerk
The Rent Collector
as Larry, the Rent Collector
The Hick
as Larry, the Hick
The Sportsman
as The Sportsman
The Suitor
as The Suitor
The Stage Hand
as The Stage Hand
School Days
as Joe
The Fly-Cop
as The Fly Cop
The Head Waiter
as The Head Waiter
The Grocery Clerk
as The Grocery Clerk
Dew Drop Inn
as Larry, the Detective
Dull Care
as Larry, a Detective
Between the Acts
as Larry, the Handy Man and a Drunkard
The Simple Life
as A Farmer's Boy
His Home Sweet Home
as The Husband
The Star Boarder
as Star Boarder / Little Joe, Escaped Convict
Passing the Buck
as The House Detective
Well, I'll Be
as The Sheriff
Scamps and Scandals
as Larry
Traps and Tangles
as Detective Sparks
Pluck and Plotters
as The Janitor
Frauds and Frenzies
as Larry, First Prisoner
Bears and Bad Men
as Larry Cutshaw
Huns and Hyphens
as Larry
Dunces and Dangers
as Larry
Bathing Beauties and Big Boobs
as Lawrence
Hindoos and Hazards
as Larry
No Poster
Romans and Rascals
as Caesar / A Minstrel
Babes and Boobs
as A Boob
Tough Luck and Tin Lizzies
as Larry
No Poster
Plagues And Puppy Love
as Larry
Risks and Roughnecks
as Our Hero
No Poster
Gall and Golf
as O.U. Dubb
No Poster
Turks and Troubles
No Poster
Footlights and Fakers
No Poster
He Never Touched Me
No Poster
Somewhere in Any Place
No Poster
Big Bluffs and Bowling Balls
No Poster
Jolts and Jewelry
Bullies and Bullets
No Poster
Plans and Pajamas
as The Idler / Headmistress
No Poster