James Neill

Acting

James Neill

Born 1860-09-29 · Savannah, Georgia, USA

James Neill (September 29, 1860 – March 16, 1931) was an American stage actor and film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 113 films between 1913 and 1930. His wife, and frequent costar on stage and screen, was Edythe Chapman.

Acting credits

The Cheat poster
6.0

A venal, spoiled stockbroker's wife impulsively embezzles $10,000 from the charity she chairs and desperately turns to a Burmese ivory trader to replace the stolen money.

The Cheat

1915

The Ten Commandments poster
6.5

The first part tells the story of Moses leading the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land, his receipt of the tablets and the worship of the golden calf. The second part shows the efficacy of the commandments in modern life through a story set in San Francisco. Two brothers, rivals for the love of Mary, also come into conflict when John discovers Dan used shoddy materials to construct a cathedral.

The Ten Commandments

1923

The Rose of the Rancho poster
4.0

Esra Kincaid takes land by force and, having taken the Espinoza land, his sights are set on the Castro rancho. Government agent Kearney holds him off till the cavalry shows up and he can declare his love for Juanita, called “the Rose of the Rancho.”

The Rose of the Rancho

1914

The King of Kings poster
6.4

The King of Kings is the Greatest Story Ever Told as only Cecil B. DeMille could tell it. In 1927, working with one of the biggest budgets in Hollywood history, DeMille spun the life and Passion of Christ into a silent-era blockbuster. Featuring text drawn directly from the Bible, a cast of thousands, and the great showman’s singular cinematic bag of tricks, The King of Kings is at once spectacular and deeply reverent—part Gospel, part Technicolor epic.

The King of Kings

1927

Manslaughter poster
5.5

Society-girl thrillseeker Lydia's fun comes to an end when she accidentally causes the death of motorcycle policeman.

Manslaughter

1922

Dusk to Dawn poster
8.0

A young woman's split personality creates a complicated life.

Dusk to Dawn

1922

The Lash poster
NR

A silent drama film directed by James Young

The Lash

1916

Her Husband’s Trademark poster
10.0

James Berkeley (who wants to get rich) and Allan Franklin (determined to be a great engineer) are rivals for the hand of Lois Miller. Berkeley marries her, and 15 years later, though he has not realized his ambition, he keeps his wife luxuriously attired as a "trademark" of his prosperity. Allan, who has obtained a large tract of oil land from the Mexican Government, visits the Berkeleys; and James, hoping to profit from his wealth, goes to Mexico with him, accompanied by Lois, who unwillingly agrees to help her husband. When Allan and Lois realize their love for each other, James, refusing to become angry, is denounced by his wife. A band of Mexican bandits attempt to capture Lois, and in the attack James is slain. Allan rescues Lois, and they escape across the border.

Her Husband’s Trademark

1922

Sandy poster
NR

A Scots-Irish lad comes to America hoping to find his fortune. On the sea voyage he meets and falls for a lovely young girl, but they are parted on arrival. Years later, in the Kentucky town where he has settled and prospered, he meets the girl again, and both sparks and complications arise.

Sandy

1918

No artwork available
NR

Cleo drops her bonnet while sitting on the wall. Young Wally picks it up; their eyes meet and the old, old tale follows.

Cross Purposes

1913

The Ragamuffin poster
NR

In planning to break into the house of the wealthy Bob Van Dyke, Jenny's stepfather decides that his stepdaughter should do most of the dirty work, and Jenny, not wanting to disappoint him, grudgingly agrees. As soon as she enters the house, Bob catches her, but then goes back to his bedroom after making her give her word not to take anything. Jenny breaks her promise...

The Ragamuffin

1916

Betty to the Rescue poster
NR

Henry Sherwin is led to believe by mine expert James Fleming that the mine he invested all his money in is valueless, though Fleming has discovered a rich vein of gold that he keeps secret. When Sherwin dies shortly thereafter, he leaves his daughter Betty in the care of John Kenwood and his sister, Constance, who allows Betty to believe she has an income, sending her to boarding school while they surreptitiously go to work to support her. Upon her return home Fleming pursues her but she rejects him, and he tells her the mine is worthless. However, a dream leads her to believe otherwise and after much travail she discovers the truth as well as Fleming’s duplicity. John declares his long-hidden love for her, and they are wed.

Betty to the Rescue

1917

Forbidden Paths poster
NR

Sato (Sessue Hayakawa) faithfully works for importer James Thornton (James Neill). When the old man dies, he leaves his daughter Mildred (Vivian Martin) in Sato's care. Sato loves the girl, but as he is Japanese he cannot hope to ever marry her (at least not in the racially prejudiced era of the early 1900s). Besides, Mildred loves Harry Maxwell (Tom Forman), who was raised alongside her.

Forbidden Paths

1917

For the Defense poster
NR

Two playboys stumble drunkenly home, where the owner falls asleep and the other attacks the maid. The butler intervenes and a fight results in the death of the assailant. A French girl, escaping from a pimp who kidnapped her, witnesses the crime. The butler convinces his master he is the killer, and must flee. He joins the girl but is caught. She helps police expose the real killer by going undercover as another maid.

For the Defense

1916

Richelieu poster
NR

Based on a play by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Originally released in six reels, but later cut to four due to poor reviews.

Richelieu

1914

Joan the Woman poster
5.7

A WWI English officer is inspired the night before a dangerous mission by a vision of Joan of Arc, whose story he relives.

Joan the Woman

1916

Those Without Sin poster
NR

Melaine is captured by a northern soldier while she is carrying secret southern messages. She falls into the hands of her father's former superior who attempts to compromise her. She is saved by a successful Confederate attack.

Those Without Sin

1917

Too Many Millions poster
NR

Walsingham Van Dorn has a fancy name but no money until he inherits 40 million dollars from a pair of wealthy, but wicked, uncles.

Too Many Millions

1918

The Dream Girl poster
NR

The father of San Francisco waif Meg runs an illegal liquor club and supports "English" Hal in scheme to blackmail a wealthy girl. Meg is put on probation to Benjamin Merton, father of the girl to be blackmailed. When she discovers her father's plan she reveals all, risking expulsion from her new home and the company of its very attractive son Tom.

The Dream Girl

1916

The Ghost House poster
NR

The old Atwell home is said to be haunted, and Jeremy Foster, the gardener--who is actually the head of a band of thieves that use the house for a hideout--does his best to keep the superstition alive. Despite the rumors, impoverished sisters Lois and Alice Atwell decide to move into the empty family home. They take possession the same night that Ted Rawson is ordered to explore the place as an initiation rite by his fraternity.

The Ghost House

1917

The Trouble Buster poster
NR

Soon after arriving in the U.S., Romanian immigrant Franz Libelt dies, leaving his daughter Michelna an orphan. The girl is befriended by newsboy Blackie Moyle, who invites her to share his home, which is a large piano box in a vacant lot. After he teaches her to be a "newsie," she cuts her hair, dresses as a boy, and changes her name to Mike. When Blackie is blinded while protecting her from a thief, Mike is forced to find a way to support them both

The Trouble Buster

1917

A Man's Mate poster
8.0

Paul Bonard an artist, loses his memory when he receives a blow on the head from one of two apaches fighting over Wildcat, a sultry stepper in a cafe. He becomes an apache himself, falls in love with Wildcat and paints her portrait--his masterpiece. Wildcat learns Paul's identity and restores him to his family, though realizing that she will lose him. Surgery restores Paul's memory, but some subconscious force guides him back to the cafe and Wildcat's love.

A Man's Mate

1924

Romance and Arabella poster
9.0

Romance and Arabella is a 1919 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Walter Edwards and starring Constance Talmadge, Harrison Ford, and Monte Blue.

Romance and Arabella

1919

Only the Brave poster
7.0

Cooper is a Union Army officer who after being jilted by girlfriend, Virginia Bruce, volunteers on what could be a suicide mission. He volunteers to go behind enemy lines disguised in Confederate gray as a staff officer to Robert E. Lee. He's to ride to a certain plantation which is a local brigade headquarters and deliberately let himself be caught with maps showing false Union troop positions. Of course, the penalty, then as now, is execution.

Only the Brave

1930

Behind the camera