Volume III: Biographies

DURKIN, James *

Actor, director (1913-1915)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: James Durkin directed and acted in Thanhouser films in 1913 and 1914, during which time he directed features starring his wife, Maude Fealy.

Biographical Notes: James Peter Durkin was born on May 21, 1879. He spent many years acting on the stage. In 1907, he was in Chicago at the New Theatre, where he was seen in the lead male role in the four-act play, Margaret Fleming. In Washington, D.C., on November 28, 1909 he married famous stage actress Maude Fealy. At the time, Durkin was traveling the Keith circuit with a stock company. In the glow of his wife's fame and with her financial backing, he became a partner in the Fealy-Durkin Stock Company, which produced many plays, especially in Denver, where his wife spent most of her youth.

Durkin joined Thanhouser in late spring 1913, where his first appearance was in The Junior Partner. He remained at Thanhouser for two years, during which time he directed features starring his wife. The Photoplay Magazine, January 1914, stated that Durkin was directing at Thanhouser to fill a vacancy left by Thomas N. Heffron when the latter went to Biograph. In 1914 Mr. and Mrs. James Durkin lived on Garden Walk, New Rochelle. An article in Variety, July 10, 1914, stated that Durkin and his wife, Maude Fealy, had withdrawn from Thanhouser and would likely start a motion picture firm of their own. Perhaps Durkin resigned, then had second thoughts and decided to remain with Thanhouser.

The New Rochelle Pioneer, December 12, 1914, told of the move: "James Durkin, director, who lives at Home Park, has resigned, and it is understood that he is going to the Pacific Coast to connect with one of the Coast feature companies." The week before, the same paper noted that Durkin was directing George Darling, a seven and one-half foot tall English giant, in a film. It is believed that this subject was that released on April 18, 1915 as Big Brother Bill and was completed under the direction of Arthur Ellery. By the time of the film's release, Durkin had been away from Thanhouser for several months.

The New Rochelle Pioneer, December 26, 1914, informed readers that Durkin was not going to the West Coast after all: "James Durkin, director for more than a year with Thanhouser, is to direct for B.A. Rolfe in New York City."

The Moving Picture World, April 7, 1915, stated that he was with the Pre-Eminent Film Company and was going to direct Maude Fealy in The Inner Shrine. Around the same time, in its issue of April 14, 1915, The New York Dramatic Mirror noted that he would soon direct Violet Heming in The Running Fight, for Paramount. However, he may have returned to Thanhouser for a short time, for an item in The New Rochelle Pioneer, May 29, 1915, related that Durkin and his assistant, Jack Sullivan, after finishing up their current Thanhouser films would go to Famous Players to make films there, to be seen on the Paramount program.

In June 1915 this expectation was realized, and James Durkin joined the Famous Players Film Company as a director. His first production there was The Incorrigible Dukane, starring John Barrymore. Maude Fealy and James Durkin divorced in 1917. James Durkin remained in films through the 1930s, and died on March 12, 1934 in Los Angeles, California.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1913: The Junior Partner (11-4-1913), Peggy's Invitation (12-16-1913)

1914: When the Wheels of Justice Clogged (5-31-1914), Remorse (6-16-1914), The Outlaw's Nemesis (6-21-1914), Jean of the Wilderness (9-8-1914), Old Jackson's Girl (10-20-1914), The Chasm (11-13-1914), Pawns of Fate (11-17-1914), Good Fellowship (11-23-1914)

1915: Big Brother Bill (4-18-1915)

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