J.P. McGowan

Acting

J.P. McGowan

Born 1880-02-23 · Terowie, Australia

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.

Acting credits

Stagecoach poster
7.6

A group of people traveling on a stagecoach find their journey complicated by the threat of Geronimo, and learn something about each other in the process.

Stagecoach

1939

Señor Americano poster
7.0

A U.S. soldier goes after bandits in California, although it is still owned by Mexico.

Señor Americano

1929

Crack O' Dawn poster
6.0

The Thompson-Thorpe automobile was once a great car but dissension between the owners led to the break-up of the company, and Thompson and Thorpe have each started their own car-manufacturing company. Not knowing his true identity, Earle Thorpe Jr. has been hired by Henry Thompson to drive his new car in an upcoming race. Unknown to Thompson has two crooked mechanic/engineers on his payroll who plan to make their own car, using Thompson's plans, and win the big race themselves. Etta, Thompson’s daughter, and Earle team up to re-unite Thompson and Thorpe Sr. by taking the best features of both cars and combine them into one super car.

Crack O' Dawn

1926

Les Misérables poster
7.1

In 19th century France, Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a relentless policeman named Javert. The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and soon Valjean finds himself in the midst of the student revolutions in France.

Les Misérables

1935

Mississippi poster
6.8

A young pacifist, after refusing on principle to defend her sweetheart's honor and being banished in disgrace, joins a riverboat troupe as a singer, acquires a reputation as a crackshot after a saloon brawl in which the villain of the piece accidentally kills himself with his own gun, falls in love with his former fianceé's sister and finally bullies an apprehensive family into accepting him.

Mississippi

1935

The Prisoner of Shark Island poster
6.9

After healing the leg of the murderer John Wilkes Booth — responsible for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln — Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, considered part of the atrocious conspiracy, is sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the sinister Shark Island Prison.

The Prisoner of Shark Island

1936

East of Java poster
7.5

Survivors of a shipwreck find refuge on a tropical island--but so do the ship's cargo of lions and tigers.

East of Java

1935

Diamond Jim poster
6.5

A loose biopic based on the life of Gilded Age tycoon "Diamond" Jim Brady.

Diamond Jim

1935

No artwork available
10.0

On the coast of Africa, the captain of a ship is about to make a deal to sell a white captive to an African chief as a slave. A cabin boy who discovers the captain's plans determines to thwart them and save the girl.

The Slaver

1927

Whispering Smith poster
NR

Whispering Smith is a virile, fearless type of the true American whoso theory of life is to give every man a chance to show what is in him. There is nothing of the bully or braggart about him. He is only a man who knows instinctively what is right and never falters in his steps to see that justice is given where it is deserved and crime punished on the same basis. Originally shot as a serial to be called "Whispering Smith", distributor Mutual Films decided to release it as two separate films - this film, which was released first, and Medicine Bend (1916).

Whispering Smith

1916

No artwork available
8.0

An American adventurer goes into the interior of Africa on a quest for the great starfire diamond.

Danger Quest

Cold Steel poster
NR

On his deathbed Steele Weir's father tells his son of a band of criminals who framed him for murder and robbed him of valuable land in the West. Under contract to build a dam, Steele goes to the headquarters of the gang; and becoming aware of his identity, they plot against him with the services of lawyer Martinez. He, however, proves to be Steele's friend and obtains evidence against the gang. When Ed Sorenson, the leader's son, steals the evidence, Steele's sweetheart, Janet, outwits the enemies, and after many adventures the bandits are convicted and Steele wins the girl.

Cold Steel

1921

Rustlers of Red Dog poster
8.5

A movie serial in 12 chapters: After gold is discovered in the town of Nugget, the titular band of thieves and cutthroats inundates the frontier settlement. A group of three compatriots -- upstanding ex-sheriff Jack Woods, his harmonica-playing friend Laramie and tricky, smooth-talking gambler Deacon -- combine their respective skills in a fateful struggle to deceive and disarm the gang.

Rustlers of Red Dog

1935

Stormy Seas poster
8.0

Two men in love with the same girl race to save her when she is trapped aboard a ship on fire in storm-swept seas.

Stormy Seas

1923

Duped poster
8.0

New Yorker John Holmes, who has made a fortune on Wall Street, receives an urgent message to go West because a California gold mine in which he has invested may be lost due to the larceny of his foreman. Once in California, he meets Dolores Verdiego, who became an innocent victim of the foreman and his gang when she was coerced into making a false ownership claim on the mine from an old charter.

Duped

1925

Gun Gospel poster
10.0

From Death Valley in the Mojave Desert to Mount Whittier, the outlaw gangs are wreaking havoc on the gold and money shipments from the mines and ranches. Wells Fargo organizes an express service that will insure the shipments and ensure a guaranteed delivery. Granger Hume is hired to help Wells-Fargo deliver on their promise.

Gun Gospel

1927

The Buccaneer poster
6.4

French pirate Jean Lafitte rescues a girl and joins the War of 1812.

The Buccaneer

1938

His Nemesis poster
10.0

With ruin staring him in the face, Manning, of Manning and Company, commits a theft which averts the crash. The scoundrel cleverly contrives to throw suspicion upon Reynolds, an old and faithful employee. Reynolds receives a three-year sentence. Beatrice, the daughter of Manning's victim, believes in her father's innocence. Led to believe Manning the real cause of her father's tribulations, Beatrice vows to wreak vengeance upon the scoundrel.

His Nemesis

1914

Medicine Bend poster
NR

Whispering Smith, a railroad detective, is sent to Medicine Bend to suppress the looting of cars.

Medicine Bend

1916

Sinner Take All poster
4.9

A young lawyer is determined to identify who is murdering members of a wealthy New York publishing family.

Sinner Take All

1936

Murder in the Fleet poster
6.6

A traitor is lurking somewhere aboard the USS Carolina, and Lt. Tom Randolph is determined to find the offender. First a revolutionary new piece of technology -- an electric firing device -- is sabotaged. Then one of the cruiser's crew is murdered. In order to catch the killer, the captain locks down the ship. With foreign dignitaries, corporate goons and even Tom's girlfriend, Betty, trapped on the vessel, there is no shortage of suspects.

Murder in the Fleet

1935

Baffled poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Baffled

1924

Red Blood poster
3.0

Donald Custer loses in a poker game to 'Ace High' having forged his father's name to a check. Knowing the game was crooked, Buck returns to retrieve the check only to find Donald already there and Carlotta dead. When Buck sends Donald away, things look bad when 'Ace High' finds him with the body.

Red Blood

1925

The Accusing Finger poster
5.8

A proud, pro-capital punishment district attorney with a 90% execution rate, finds himself wrongly convicted of murdering his estranged wife and sentenced to die. The woman he loves and his investigator rival for her affections rally to find the real killer, while he is confronted by the misery of life on death row.

The Accusing Finger

1936

Behind the camera

The Red Glove poster
NR

On the American frontier in the last decades of the 19th century, Billie is a female cowboy who fights a series of bad men in this film serial.

The Red Glove

1919

Mystery Valley poster
8.0

Mystery Valley is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt.

Mystery Valley

1928

Mystery Valley poster
8.0

Mystery Valley is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt.

Mystery Valley

1928

Whispering Smith poster
NR

Whispering Smith is a virile, fearless type of the true American whoso theory of life is to give every man a chance to show what is in him. There is nothing of the bully or braggart about him. He is only a man who knows instinctively what is right and never falters in his steps to see that justice is given where it is deserved and crime punished on the same basis. Originally shot as a serial to be called "Whispering Smith", distributor Mutual Films decided to release it as two separate films - this film, which was released first, and Medicine Bend (1916).

Whispering Smith

1916

The Call of the Desert poster
9.0

Tod Walker takes Rex Carson's map to a gold mine and leaves him in the desert. Carson recuperates at Jean Walker's ranch and she takes a liking to him. But when her uncle Tod arrives, he claims Carson tried to jump his claim. She sides with her uncle and Carson, banished from the Walker ranch, sets out to get his claim back.

The Call of the Desert

1930

Courage poster
8.0

Allen Jennings, whose father was murdered and his gold mine claim jumped, has been seeking the murderers for years. One day, a mine owner and rancher named John Sanderson hires Allen to evict neighboring ranchers Grace and Tom Henden, children of Jim Henden. Unknown to Jennings, Henden and Sanderson, whose real name is John Jasper, were once partners, and it was they who jumped Allen's father's claim.

Courage

1924

Stormy Seas poster
8.0

Two men in love with the same girl race to save her when she is trapped aboard a ship on fire in storm-swept seas.

Stormy Seas

1923

Duped poster
8.0

New Yorker John Holmes, who has made a fortune on Wall Street, receives an urgent message to go West because a California gold mine in which he has invested may be lost due to the larceny of his foreman. Once in California, he meets Dolores Verdiego, who became an innocent victim of the foreman and his gang when she was coerced into making a false ownership claim on the mine from an old charter.

Duped

1925

His Nemesis poster
10.0

With ruin staring him in the face, Manning, of Manning and Company, commits a theft which averts the crash. The scoundrel cleverly contrives to throw suspicion upon Reynolds, an old and faithful employee. Reynolds receives a three-year sentence. Beatrice, the daughter of Manning's victim, believes in her father's innocence. Led to believe Manning the real cause of her father's tribulations, Beatrice vows to wreak vengeance upon the scoundrel.

His Nemesis

1914

His Nemesis poster
10.0

With ruin staring him in the face, Manning, of Manning and Company, commits a theft which averts the crash. The scoundrel cleverly contrives to throw suspicion upon Reynolds, an old and faithful employee. Reynolds receives a three-year sentence. Beatrice, the daughter of Manning's victim, believes in her father's innocence. Led to believe Manning the real cause of her father's tribulations, Beatrice vows to wreak vengeance upon the scoundrel.

His Nemesis

1914

Medicine Bend poster
NR

Whispering Smith, a railroad detective, is sent to Medicine Bend to suppress the looting of cars.

Medicine Bend

1916

No artwork available
8.0

Trail Riders is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt, Lafe McKee, and Betty Baker.

Trail Raiders

1928

No artwork available
8.0

Trail Riders is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt, Lafe McKee, and Betty Baker.

Trail Raiders

1928

Baffled poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Baffled

1924

Red Blood poster
3.0

Donald Custer loses in a poker game to 'Ace High' having forged his father's name to a check. Knowing the game was crooked, Buck returns to retrieve the check only to find Donald already there and Carlotta dead. When Buck sends Donald away, things look bad when 'Ace High' finds him with the body.

Red Blood

1925

No artwork available
8.0

The old sheriff dies. In jest, the mountaineers nominate Kaintucky Bill, the worst moonshiner in the state, for the office. Considering it a huge joke, Kaintucky Bill takes the oath of office.

Kaintucky Bill

1914

Captain Cowboy poster
10.0

Story of a Cowboy who met challenges with action! He matched his fists against another man's diabolical brain!

Captain Cowboy

1929

Captain Cowboy poster
10.0

Story of a Cowboy who met challenges with action! He matched his fists against another man's diabolical brain!

Captain Cowboy

1929

Captain Kidd poster
10.0

Swashbuckling serial starring Eddie Polo. Chapter titles: 1. Shanghaied 2. The Pirate's Slave 3. Hidden Treasure 4. The Lost Fortune 5. The Missing Plans 6. Trapped 7. The Secret Passage 8. Outwitted 9. The Third Degree 10. Double-Crossed 11. [unknown] 12. A Fight for a Fortune 13. [unknown] 14. A Fight in Mid-Air 15. Victory and Happiness.

Captain Kidd

1922

No artwork available
7.0

Trailin' Back is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt, Lafe McKee and Leon De La Mothe.

Trailin’ Back

1928

No artwork available
7.0

Trailin' Back is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt, Lafe McKee and Leon De La Mothe.

Trailin’ Back

1928

No artwork available
10.0

The Painted Trail is a 1928 American silent Western film directed by J.P. McGowan and starring Buddy Roosevelt, Betty Baker and Leon De La Mothe.

Painted Trail

1928

The Bandit Tamer poster
7.0

The Bandit Tamer is a 1925 American silent film directed by J.P. McGowan.

The Bandit Tamer

1925

The Hurricane Express poster
5.4

The Wrecker wrecks trains on the L & R Railroad. One of his victims is Larry Baker's father. Baker wants to find the evildoer, among a host of suspects, but it will be difficult since the Wrecker can disguise himself to look like almost anyone

The Hurricane Express

1932