Volume III: Biographies

THOMAS, Walter *

Actor (1912)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: Walter Thomas was in the 1912 Thanhouser release of Nicholas Nickleby.

Biographical Notes: Walter Thomas, born in England circa 1867, acted in many plays on the American and, later, the British stage. He commenced his career at the age of 16 in Edwin Booth's company in a minor role in Richelieu. Later, he was in Booth's production of François. Then came a role with Julia Marlowe, then in 1895 he was seen in New York in Secret Service, after which he was in Trilby, with Edith Crane. In May 1899 he was in London in Why Smith Left Home. With Mrs. LeMoyne, he was seen in The Greatest Thing in the World in 1900. In January 1905, while a boarder at 136 West 17th Street, New York City, Thomas slashed his throat. At the time he was 37 years old and had recently appeared on the stage in the city in Home Folks, which was scheduled to travel to Chicago on March 19. Newspaper articles stated that an unrequited love affair, the details of which were not given, precipitated the attempted suicide.

For Thanhouser, Walter Thomas appeared in a small part in Nicholas Nickleby, the film dramatization of Dickens' novel, released in March 1912. In 1915 and 1916 the actor was in James K. Hackett's Macbeth company. At the time, the Amityville, Long Island, New York Sun told of his activities as a pedestrian: "Walter Thomas, the well-known actor, is rivaling Edward Weston as a walker. Mr. Thomas has walked to Huntington and Hempstead and return several times. He contemplates a walk to Lake Ronkonkoma, where he will visit Maude Adams, the famous actress...." Beginning on September 21st of the same year he played in stock in Kansas City, where he was seen in Kick In and other productions at the Willis Wood Theatre. Walter Thomas died in a private hospital in New York City on March 21, 1917.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1912: Nicholas Nickleby (3-19-1912)

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