Theodore Wharton

Theodore Wharton
Born	(1875-04-12)April 12, 1875 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died	November 28, 1931(1931-11-28) (aged 56) Hollywood, California
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1910–1920

Theodore Wharton (1875–1931) was an American film director, producer and writer. He directed 48 films in the 1910s and 1920s, including the 1915 The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford, which featured Oliver Hardy.

Biography

Wharton was born April 12, 1875 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the younger brother of Leopold Wharton (1870–1927), who was also a film director. In 1890 Wharton started in both the business side of the theater as well as acting in Dallas, Texas. He worked for a number of stock companies, including that of Augustin Daly until 1899, and then became a stage manager. In 1907 he visited Edison Studios and worked there until 1909. Over the next 3 years he wrote and directed many screenplays for various studios including Essanay Studios.

During 1912 the US government commissioned him to produce The Late Indian Wars, the first sevel-reel motion picture in America. It was filmed on location in the great plains, with a script by General Charles King and a large cast including other generals and "Buffalo Bill" Cody. The Whartons Studio opened in Ithaca, New York in 1914. Stars he directed included Francis X. Bushman, Henry B. Walthall and Beverly Bayne. In the 1920s Wharton moved to Santa Cruz, California, as promoted by mayor Fred Swanton. He died November 28, 1931 in Hollywood.

Selected filmography

• Abraham Lincoln's Clemency (1910)
• The Exploits of Elaine (1914)
• The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford (1915)
• The New Exploits of Elaine (1915)
• The Romance of Elaine (1915)
• The Lottery Man (1916)
• The Black Stork (1917)
• Patria (1917)
• The Great White Trail (1917)
• The Moon Riders (1920)
• The Eagle's Talons (1923)

External links

• Theodore Wharton at IMDb