Larry Semon
Larry Semon
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 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.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Directing
Known Credits
213
Gender
Male
Birthday
1889-07-14 (135 years old)
Place of Birth
West Point, Mississippi, USA
Acting

1928

A Simple Sap as It

1928

Dummies as The Entertainer

1927

Underworld as Slippy Lewis

1927

Oh, What a Man! as The Detective

1927

Spuds as Spuds

1927

The Stunt Man as Larry

1925

The Wizard of Oz as Scarecrow

1925

The Perfect Clown as Bert Larry

1925

Go Straight! as Self

1925

The Dome Doctor as Peter Pep

1925

The Cloudhopper as Borden Rhoom / Getz A. Bunn

1924

Kid Speed as The Speed Kid

1924

Trouble Brewing as Government agent

1924

Her Boy Friend as Larry, the Chief's son

1923

Lightning Love as Larry, a Suitor

1923

No Wedding Bells as Larry

1923

The Barnyard as Lay Zee, Farm Hand

1923

The Gown Shop as Larry, a salesman

1923

The Midnight Cabaret as Larry, a Waiter

1923

Horseshoes as Larry

1922

The Show as The Prop Man / Gentle Onlooker

1922

Golf as The son

1922

The Sawmill as The Dumb-Bell

1922

The Counter Jumper as Larry, the Counter Jumper

1922

A Pair of Kings as King August / Stranger

1922

A Weakend Driver as Not available

1921

The Fall Guy as Larry, the Fall Guy

1921

The Bakery as Larry, a Bakery Clerk

1921

The Bell Hop as The Bellhop

1921

The Rent Collector as Larry, the Rent Collector

1921

The Sportsman as The Sportsman

1921

The Hick as Larry, the Hick

1920

School Days as Joe

1920

The Stage Hand as The Stage Hand

1920

The Suitor as The Suitor

1920

The Fly-Cop as The Fly Cop

1919

The Star Boarder as Star Boarder / Little Joe, Escaped Convict

1919

The Grocery Clerk as The Grocery Clerk

1919

Dull Care as Larry, a Detective

1919

Traps and Tangles as Detective Sparks

1919

His Home Sweet Home as The Husband

1919

Between the Acts as Larry, the Handy Man and a Drunkard

1919

The Head Waiter as The Head Waiter

1919

Dew Drop Inn as Larry, the Detective

1919

The Simple Life as A Farmer's Boy

1919

Passing the Buck as The House Detective

1919

Well, I'll Be as The Sheriff

1919

Scamps and Scandals as Larry

1918

Frauds and Frenzies as Larry, First Prisoner

1918

Huns and Hyphens as Larry

1918

Bears and Bad Men as Larry Cutshaw

1918

Romans and Rascals as Caesar / A Minstrel

1918

Dunces and Dangers as Larry

1918

Pluck and Plotters as The Janitor

1918

Hindoos and Hazards as Larry

1917

Bullies and Bullets as Not available

1917

Footlights and Fakers as Not available

1917

Gall and Golf as O.U. Dubb

1917

Turks and Troubles as Not available

1917

Risks and Roughnecks as Our Hero

1917

Big Bluffs and Bowling Balls as Not available

1917

Jolts and Jewelry as Not available

1917

Somewhere in Any Place as Not available

1917

He Never Touched Me as Not available

1916

Walls and Wallops as Not available
Crew

1928

Dummies Director

1928

A Simple Sap Director

1927

A Dozen Socks Scenario Writer

1927

The Stunt Man Writer

1927

The Stunt Man Director

1927

Oh, What a Man! Director

1927

Spuds Producer

1925

The Wizard of Oz Director

1925

The Cloudhopper Director

1925

The Wizard of Oz Writer

1925

The Dome Doctor Producer

1925

The Dome Doctor Scenario Writer

1925

The Cloudhopper Producer

1925

The Dome Doctor Director

1925

The Wizard of Oz Producer

1924

Kid Speed Director

1924

Her Boy Friend Producer

1924

Her Boy Friend Director

1924

Kid Speed Writer

1924

Kid Speed Producer

1924

Trouble Brewing Director

1924

Trouble Brewing Writer

1923

No Wedding Bells Director

1923

The Midnight Cabaret Director

1923

Horseshoes Director

1923

Lightning Love Director

1923

The Gown Shop Director

1923

The Barnyard Director

1923

The Barnyard Writer

1923

The Midnight Cabaret Producer

1923

Lightning Love Writer

1923

No Wedding Bells Writer

1923

No Wedding Bells Producer

1922

The Sawmill Director

1922

Golf Director

1922

A Pair of Kings Producer

1922

A Pair of Kings Writer

1922

A Weakend Driver Director

1922

The Counter Jumper Director

1922

A Pair of Kings Director

1922

Golf Producer

1922

Golf Writer

1922

The Sawmill Writer

1922

The Sawmill Executive Producer

1922

A Weakend Driver Writer

1922

The Show Director

1922

The Show Writer

1922

The Show Producer

1922

The Counter Jumper Writer

1922

The Counter Jumper Producer

1922

The Counter Jumper Editor

1921

The Hick Director

1921

The Bakery Director

1921

The Bell Hop Director

1921

The Fall Guy Director

1921

The Sportsman Director

1921

The Rent Collector Director

1921

The Bell Hop Producer

1921

The Bell Hop Story

1921

The Rent Collector Writer

1921

The Rent Collector Producer

1921

The Fall Guy Story

1921

The Bakery Writer

1921

The Bakery Producer

1920

The Fly-Cop Writer

1920

School Days Director

1920

The Fly-Cop Director

1920

The Suitor Director

1920

School Days Writer

1920

School Days Producer

1920

The Stage Hand Director

1920

The Stage Hand Writer

1920

The Stage Hand Producer

1919

Between the Acts Scenario Writer

1919

The Grocery Clerk Writer

1919

The Simple Life Director

1919

The Simple Life Scenario Writer

1919

Well, I'll Be Scenario Writer

1919

Passing the Buck Scenario Writer

1919

Passing the Buck Director

1919

Scamps and Scandals Director

1919

Between the Acts Director

1919

Dew Drop Inn Director

1919

Traps and Tangles Director

1919

Dull Care Director

1919

His Home Sweet Home Director

1919

The Star Boarder Director

1919

The Grocery Clerk Director

1919

The Head Waiter Director

1919

Scamps and Scandals Scenario Writer

1919

His Home Sweet Home Scenario Writer

1919

Well, I'll Be Director

1919

The Star Boarder Writer

1919

Dull Care Writer

1918

Dunces and Dangers Scenario Writer

1918

Pluck and Plotters Director

1918

Romans and Rascals Director

1918

Dunces and Dangers Director

1918

Huns and Hyphens Director

1918

Bears and Bad Men Director

1918

Frauds and Frenzies Director

1918

Romans and Rascals Scenario Writer

1918

Hindoos and Hazards Director

1918

Skids and Scalawags Director

1918

Romans and Rascals Writer

1918

Bears and Bad Men Writer

1917

Gall and Golf Director

1917

Rips and Rushes Director

1917

Bullies and Bullets Director

1917

Worries and Wobbles Director

1917

Risks and Roughnecks Director

1917

Turks and Troubles Director

1917

Turks and Troubles Scenario Writer

1917

Footlights and Fakers Director

1917

Footlights and Fakers Scenario Writer

1917

He Never Touched Me Director

1917

He Never Touched Me Scenario Writer

1917

Rips and Rushes Scenario Writer

1917

Somewhere in Any Place Scenario Writer

1917

Big Bluffs and Bowling Balls Scenario Writer

1917

Jolts and Jewelry Director

1917

Jolts and Jewelry Scenario Writer

1916

The Man from Egypt Writer

1916

The Man from Egypt Director

1916

Walls and Wallops Director

1916

There and Back Director

1916

Hash and Havoc Director

1916

A Villainous Villain Director

1916

Losing Weight Director

1916

There and Back Scenario Writer

1915

The Baby and the Boss Director