George Siegmann
George A. Siegmann was an American actor and film director in the silent film era. His work includes roles in notable productions such as The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, The Three Musketeers, Oliver Twist, The Cat and the Canary, and The Man Who Laughs.
Born in New York City in 1882, Siegmann is listed as having been in over 100 films. His more notable roles include Silas Lynch in D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation, Cyrus the Great in Intolerance, Porthos in The Three Musketeers, Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist, the guard in the 1927 film The Cat and the Canary, and Dr. Hardquanonne in The Man Who Laughs, which was completed in 1927 but released in 1928. In 1919, Siegmann served as a director for Universal Pictures' production of the five-reel horror film The Trembling Hour starring Kenneth Harlan and Helen Eddy.
Siegmann's career almost ended early, in 1915, when he was seriously injured while riding as a passenger in a car driven by fellow film actor and director Tod Browning. Browning collided at full speed with a "street work car loaded with iron rails", reportedly due to his not seeing that work vehicle's "rear lamp". Another actor, Elmer Booth, was a passenger as well in Browning's car. Booth died instantly, and Siegmann suffered four broken ribs, a deeply lacerated thigh, and internal injuries. Browning was badly injured too, including a shattered right leg and the loss of his front teeth.
Siegmann married at least twice. In 1917 he married 22-year-old Marguerite Webb, a native of Michigan. The length of their union is undetermined, although it presumably ended by divorce prior to his marriage to Maud Darby in 1927. That second marriage proved to be a relatively brief one, for the following year George, at age 46, died of pernicious anemia.
Filmography
The Hessian Renegades - Hessian A Flash of Light - Wedding GuestThe Green-Eyed Devil Brute Force Home, Sweet Home The Lover's Gift - Sheriff ReedThe Angel of Contention - Sheriff MagoonThe Avenging Conscience - The ItalianThe Birth of a Nation - Silas Lynch - Mulatto Lieut. GovernorA Yankee from the West - Sheriff DickIntolerance - Cyrus Should She Obey? - Allegorical TypesGrafters - The MenaceThe Little Yank Mother Love and the Law - William BernardHearts of the World - Von StrohmThe Great Love - Mr. SeymourThe Hawk's Trail - Quang Goo HaiThe Spitfire of Seville The Trembling Hour The Untamed - Jim SilentLittle Miss Rebellion - Col. MoroThe Big Punch - Flash McGrawPartners of Fate - PurserA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Sir SagramoreThe Queen of Sheba - King Armud of ShebaDesperate Trails - Sheriff PriceShame - Foo ChangThe Three Musketeers - PorthosSilent Years - Pierre GavotThe Truthful Liar - Mark PottsFools First - Spud MillerMonte Cristo - Luigi VampaOliver Twist - Bill SikesHungry Hearts - RosenblattA California Romance - Don Juan DiegoLost and Found on a South Sea Island - FaulkeSlander the Woman - ScarboroughStepping Fast - 'Red' PollockMerry-Go-Round - Schani HuberScaramouche - DantonHell's Hole - ConductorThe Eagle's Feather - Van BrewenJealous Husbands - 'Red' LynchAnna Christie - Anna's UncleEnemies of Children The Man Life Passed By - CroganOn Time - Wang WuSinger Jim McKee - 'Brute' BernsteinStolen Secrets - Nat FoxThe Shooting of Dan McGrew - Jake HubbelWhen a Girl Loves - RogojinThe Right of the Strongest - 'Trav' WilliamsThe Guilty One - CaptainRevelation - HoferJanice Meredith - Colonel RahlManhattan - Bud McGinnisA Sainted Devil - El TigreRecompense - StenhouseZander the Great - Black BartNever the Twain Shall Meet - James MuggridgePursued - John GrantManhattan Madness - Dr. HarlanThe Caretaker's Daughter - The Gunman - Prospective Car BuyerThe Red Kimono - Mr. MackThe Sporting Life - Limehouse Dan CrippenThe Phantom Express - Rufus HardyThe Palace of Pleasure - CaesarThe Midnight Sun - Ivan Kusmin - BankerMy Old Dutch - Workhouse SuperintendentBorn to the West - Jesse FillmoreThe Carnival Girl - SigmundPoker Faces - George DixonThe Old Soak - AlHotel Imperial - Gen. JuschkiewitschThe Red Mill - WillenThe King of Kings - BarabbasThe Cat and the Canary - The GuardLove Me and the World Is Mine - PorterUncle Tom's Cabin - Simon LegreeThe Thirteenth Juror - The Politician, George QuinnStop That Man! - 'Butch' BarkerThe Man Who Laughs - Dr. Hardquanonne