Larry Semon

Known for

Directing

Born

February 9, 1889

Birthplace

West Point, Mississippi, USA

Died

October 8, 1928 (aged 39)

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 stud...

Best known work

Underworld

1927

The Wizard of Oz

1925

The Sawmill

1922

Kid Speed

1924

The Show

1922

The Rent Collector

1921

Frauds and Frenzies

1918

Horseshoes

1923

The Grocery Clerk

1919

The Cloudhopper

1925

Filmography

1928
A Simple Sap
as It, Director
1928
Dummies
as The Entertainer, Director
1927
Oh, What a Man!
as The Detective, Director
1927
The Stunt Man
as Larry, Writer, Director
1927
Underworld
as Slippy Lewis
1927
Spuds
as Spuds, Producer
1927
A Dozen Socks
Scenario Writer
1925
The Perfect Clown
as Bert Larry
1925
The Cloudhopper
as Borden Rhoom / Getz A. Bunn, Director, Producer
1925
Go Straight!
as Self
1925
The Dome Doctor
as Peter Pep, Scenario Writer, Producer, Director
1925
The Wizard of Oz
as Scarecrow / Toymaker, Director, Writer, Producer
1924
Kid Speed
as The Speed Kid, Director, Writer, Producer
1924
Her Boy Friend
as Larry, the Chief's son, Producer, Director
1924
The Girl in the Limousine
as Tony, Director, Producer
1924
Trouble Brewing
as Government agent, Director, Writer
1923
Horseshoes
as Larry, Director
1923
Lightning Love
as Larry, a Suitor, Director, Writer
1923
The Gown Shop
as Larry, a salesman, Director
1923
The Barnyard
as Lay Zee, Farm Hand, Director, Writer
1923
The Midnight Cabaret
as Larry, a Waiter, Director, Producer, Writer
1923
No Wedding Bells
as Larry, Director, Writer, Producer
1922
The Counter Jumper
as Larry, the Counter Jumper, Director, Writer, Producer, Editor
1922
Golf
as The son, Director, Writer, Producer
1922
A Pair of Kings
as King August / Stranger, Producer, Writer, Director