J.P. McGowan
male
Born on February 23, 1880 (145 years old)
Passed Away on March 26, 1952
From Terowie, Australia
Known for Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. J. P. McGowan, as he was usually known, remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directors Guild (now Directors Guild of America). Born in the then-bustling railway centre of Terowie in South Australia, McGowan grew up in Adelaide (Islington) and Sydney. He was a capable horseman and served in the Second Boer War with Montmorency's Scouts as a special dispatch rider. McGowan directed and often acted in the first 33 episodes of Kalem's 1914 adventure film series, The Hazards of Helen, which eventually ran to 54 episodes, some still with McGowan's participation. While filming he began a relationship with Helen Holmes, the film's star, and the two married. They left Kalem to set up their own production company, Signal Films, which successfully made a series of railroad melodramas but lost out when their distributor (Mutual) failed. The collaboration ended when they divorced in 1925. There was an adopted daughter, Kaye. McGowan successfully made the transition from silent film to talkies. While never a major star, in a busy career that spanned four decades he is credited with acting in 232 films—mostly strong roles like sheriff or villain—writing 26 screenplays and directing 242 productions. In 1932 he directed a young John Wayne in the 12-episode rail vs airplane serial The Hurricane Express for the independent Mascot Pictures. From 1938 to 1951, as Executive Secretary of the Screen Directors Guild, he fought to secure recognition for the director within the studio systems of the film and emerging television industry. J.P. McGowan died in 1952 in Hollywood and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Cast Credits
- 1956
- 1951
- 1939
- 1938
- 1937
Hit the Saddle
as
Rance McGowan
1937
Jungle Jim
as
Ship Captain J.S. Robinson
1937
Borderland
as
El Rio Sheriff
1937
Empty Holsters
as
U.S. Marshal Billy O'Neill
1937
Heart of the Rockies
as
Ed Dawson
1937
Rough Riding Rhythm
as
Pete Hobart
1937
Prairie Thunder
as
Col. Stanton
1937
Slave Ship
as
Helmsman
1937
She Had to Eat
as
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
1937
- 1936
Silver Spurs
as
Webb Allison
1936
Guns and Guitars
as
Dave Morgan
1936
Stampede
as
Matt Stevens
1936
Secret Patrol
as
Blacksmith Barstow
1936
Fury and the Woman
as
Anderson
1936
Robin Hood of El Dorado
as
Danglong
1936
Ride 'Em Cowboy
as
Jim Howard
1936
The Three Mesquiteers
as
Brack Canfield
1936
Sinner Take All
as
Police Officer Murphy (uncredited)
1936
The Accusing Finger
as
Inner Guard
1936
The Prisoner of Shark Island
as
Ship's Captain (uncredited)
1936
- 1935
The Silent Code
as
Commissioner
1935
Mississippi
as
Dealer (uncredited)
1935
The Call of the Savage
as
Freighter Captain
1935
Bar 20 Rides Again
as
Buck Peters
1935
Murder in the Fleet
as
Chief of Police (Uncredited)
1935
The Outlaw Tamer
as
Sheriff Jim Porter
1935
Whispering Smith Speaks
as
Caboose Passenger (uncredited)
1935
Border Brigands
as
Inspector Winston - RCMP
1935
Diamond Jim
as
Engineer
1935
Rustlers of Red Dog
as
Capt. Trent [Chs. 3-4]
1935
East of Java
as
Sergeant, Rescue Party
1935
Les Misérables
as
Javert's Plainclothesman
1935
- 1934
- 1933
- 1932
- 1931
- 1930
- 1929
'Neath Western Skies
as
Dugan
1929
Plunging Hoofs
as
Jim Wales
1929
A Texas Cowboy
as
Brute Kettle
1929
- no image
The Invaders
1929
The Lawless Legion
as
Matson
1929
Señor Americano
as
Maddox
1929
The Last Roundup
as
Hash
1929
Headin' Westward
as
Sneezer Clark
1929
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
as
Pepper Hardcastle
1929
Below the Deadline
as
Taggart
1929
The Fighting Terror
1929
The Law of the Plains
as
Seagrue
1929
The Oklahoma Kid
1929
- 1928
- 1927
- 1926
- 1925
- 1924
- 1923
- 1922
- 1921
- 1920
- 1917
- 1916
- 1915
The Girl Telegrapher's Peril
as
Blake - a Lineman
1915
The Railroad Raiders of '62
as
Lockwood - the old one-armed Flagman
1915
The Broken Train
as
Warren - Railroad Employee
1915
A Railroader's Bravery
as
Thomas - the Chief of the Gang
1915
The Broken Rail
as
Trow - of the Working Crew
1915
The Mettle of Jerry McGuire
as
Jerry McGuire
1915
- no image
A Desperate Leap
1915
The Girl and the Game
as
Spike
1915
The Leap from the Water Tower
as
Rand - the Fireman
1915
- 1914
- 1913
- 1912
Dust of the Desert
as
Sheik Mohammad
1912
An Arabian Tragedy
1912
The Poacher's Pardon
as
Mr. Wallace - the Gamekeeper
1912
The Little Gluers
as
Valentine Hay
1912
Ireland, the Oppressed
as
Lord Kilhannack
1912
- no image
The Shaughraun
as
Corry Kinchela
1912
From the Manger to the Cross
as
Wise Man 1
1912
Captured by Bedouins
as
Lt. Greig
1912
Winning a Widow
1912
His Mother
as
John Foster
1912
Tragedy of the Desert
as
The Arab Sheik
1912
- no image
Far from Erin's Isle
1912
- no image
Vagabonds
as
Big Jim
1912
- no image
The Mayor from Ireland
as
Shamus Foley
1912
- 1911
Railroad Raiders of '62
as
Federal Officer
1911
Slim Jim's Last Chance
as
The Rancher
1911
By a Woman's Wit
1911
When the Dead Return
as
Jacques
1911
The Colleen Bawn
as
Hardress Cregan
1911
- no image
The Fiddler’s Requiem
as
Dolores' father
1911
Rory O'More
as
Commander of the English troops
1911
- no image
A Sawmill Hero
1911
- no image
The Special Messenger
as
Royal
1911
- no image
The Fishermaid of Ballydavid
as
Policeman
1911
- 1910
Crew Credits
- 1938
- 1937
- 1936
- 1935
- 1933
- 1932
- 1931
- 1930
O'Malley Rides Alone
as
Director
1930
O'Malley Rides Alone
as
Producer
1930
Under Texas Skies
as
Director
1930
Canyon Hawks
as
Director
1930
Code of Honor
as
Director
1930
The Oklahoma Sheriff
as
Director
1930
- no image
Western Honor
as
Director
1930
The Hunted Men
as
Director
1930
- no image
Breezy Bill
as
Director
1930
- no image
The Man from Nowhere
as
Director
1930
- no image
Beyond the Law
as
Director
1930
- no image
Call of the Desert
as
Director
1930
- no image
Covered Wagon Trails
as
Director
1930
- no image
The Canyon of Missing Men
as
Director
1930
Near the Rainbow's End
as
Director
1930
- 1929
The Last Roundup
as
Director
1929
Code of the West
as
Director
1929
A Texas Cowboy
as
Director
1929
- no image
The Invaders
as
Director
1929
Captain Cowboy
as
Director
1929
Captain Cowboy
as
Writer
1929
Headin' Westward
as
Director
1929
'Neath Western Skies
as
Director
1929
'Neath Western Skies
as
Producer
1929
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
as
Director
1929
Below the Deadline
as
Director
1929
The Fighting Terror
as
Director
1929
The Law of the Plains
as
Director
1929
- no image
Riders of the Rio Grande
as
Director
1929
The Oklahoma Kid
as
Director
1929
The Man from Nevada
as
Director
1929
The Man from Nevada
as
Producer
1929
- 1928
- 1927
- 1926
- 1925
The Fast Freight
as
Director
1925
The Fast Freight
as
Scenario Writer
1925
The Ace of Clubs
as
Director
1925
Outwitted
as
Writer
1925
The Road Agent
as
Director
1925
- no image
Mistaken Orders
as
Director
1925
The Lost Express
as
Director
1925
Barriers of the Law
as
Director
1925
- no image
Ambushed
as
Director
1925
Cold Nerve
as
Director
1925
Outwitted
as
Director
1925
- no image
A Desperate Chance
as
Director
1925
Webs of Steel
as
Director
1925
- 1924
- 1923
- 1922
- 1921
- 1920
- 1919
- 1918
- 1917
- 1916
Medicine Bend
as
Director
1916
Judith of the Cumberlands
as
Director
1916
- no image
The Diamond Runners
as
Director
1916
- no image
The Diamond Runners
as
Scenario Writer
1916
A Lass of the Lumberlands
as
Director
1916
Whispering Smith
as
Director
1916
The Manager of the B & A
as
Director
1916
A Lass of the Lumberlands
as
Producer
1916
Judith of the Cumberlands
as
Producer
1916
- 1915
The Death Train
as
Director
1915
A Deed of Daring
as
Director
1915
A Railroader's Bravery
as
Director
1915
The Girl on the Engine
as
Director
1915
The Fate of Number One
as
Director
1915
The Girl Telegrapher's Peril
as
Director
1915
The Broken Circuit
as
Director
1915
The Fast Mail's Danger
as
Director
1915
The Little Engineer
as
Director
1915
The Mettle of Jerry McGuire
as
Director
1915
- no image
A Desperate Leap
as
Director
1915
- no image
When Rogues Fall Out
as
Director
1915
The Engineer's Peril
as
Director
1915
The Open Drawbridge
as
Director
1915
The Railroad Raiders of '62
as
Director
1915
The Girl at Lone Point
as
Director
1915
A Life in the Balance
as
Director
1915
The Girl on the Trestle
as
Director
1915
The Girl Engineer
as
Director
1915
A Race for a Crossing
as
Director
1915
The Box Car Trap
as
Director
1915
The Broken Train
as
Director
1915
The Human Chain
as
Director
1915
Near Eternity
as
Director
1915
The Midnight Limited
as
Director
1915
A Wild Ride
as
Director
1915
The Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild Engine
as
Director
1915
In Danger's Path
as
Director
1915
The Girl and the Game
as
Director
1915
The Pay Train
as
Director
1915
The Leap from the Water Tower
as
Director
1915
Blackbirds
as
Director
1915
The Girl and the Game
as
Writer
1915
- 1914
- no image
The Operator at Black Rock
as
Director
1914
Helen's Sacrifice
as
Director
1914
The Plot at the Railroad Cut
as
Director
1914
His Nemesis
as
Director
1914
His Nemesis
as
Writer
1914
The Girl at the Throttle
as
Director
1914
The Stolen Engine
as
Director
1914
The Flying Freight's Captive
as
Director
1914
The Black Diamond Express
as
Director
1914
The Escape on the Limited
as
Director
1914
The Lost Mail Sack
as
Director
1914
The Flaw in the Alibi
as
Director
1914
- no image
Kaintucky Bill
as
Director
1914
- no image
The Car of Death
as
Director
1914
- no image
A String of Pearls
as
Director
1914
- 1913
