Charles Albert Browning Jr., a.k.a. Tod Browning, was born July 12, 1880, in Louisville Kentucky. Before he was 10, Browning was already yearning for more than working-class Louisville (Skal & Savada, 1995, p. 20). He began his journey at 18 years of age when he dropped out of high school to join the circus in
Lon Chaney stands out among the sea of innovators of the silent era of film. Chaney's legacy is his unique style of physical character design and ability to portray captivating villains, protagonists, and antiheroes. He was in a league of his own when it came to character acting and he built the foundation for those
Harold Lloyd is commonly grouped in with two other famous comedians of the time, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Lloyd had his own style and brand of comedy that evolved a lot from the early 1010's through the 1930's. He is most remembered for his films featuring thrills and excitement, yet those films only make
Early Years Born on October 4, 1895, Joseph "Buster" Keaton was thrown, literally, into the family business. His father, Joseph Keaton and mother, Myra Cutler, were both travelling performers. At one point they were even part of a travelling medicine show co-owned between Joseph Keaton and the one and only Harry Houdini. Buster's role in
Early On Charlie Chaplin was a master of the comedic drama, however that is not how he started. As a child, Chaplin grew up in impoverished conditions. He lived with his mother and brother, Sydney Chaplin. His absent father died young from cirrhosis and did not support them. His mother had a difficult time bringing
