Volume III: Biographies

LE GUERE, George *

Actor (1915)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: George LeGuere appeared in a film, The Seventh Noon, made in the Thanhouser studio and released under the Mutual name.

Biographical Notes: George LeGuere (stage name of Francis Jellinack) was born in New Orleans (one source says Memphis) on July 17, 1887. His father was of French descent, descended from a voyager who came to America with Lafayette, and his mother's family came from Ireland. The Moving Picture World, January 6, 1917, told of his early career: "He attended Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and was graduated at the age of 20. He was prominent in literary work at college, being the editor of the Georgetown College Journal, winner of four gold medals for English and debating. In college Mr. LeGuere became ambitious to go on the stage. He went to work at a railroad office, trying to forget his histrionic ambitions, but finally he gave up railroading and went to New York, where he obtained a part in Blanche Walsh's company.

"After an engagement with Strongheart, he became leading man in Under Southern Skies, with Henry Walthall as the heavy. Since then Mr. LeGuere has created twelve parts on Broadway. He was with William Hodge in The Man From Home, playing the part of the American boy 830 times. He was in Rebellion with Gertrude Elliott, in Mr. Woo with Walker Whiteside, The Dawn of a To-morrow with Eleanor Robson, and other equally popular plays...."

At one time, LeGuere was with Lena Ashwell in The Shulamite, after which he played in a revival of Charley's Aunt and with Lulu Glaser in Lola from Berlin. Further roles included parts in The Top o' the Morning, Rebellion, The Auctioneer, The Bachelor's Romance, The Soul of a Woman, and other productions. Among others with whom he played were David Warfield, Gertrude Elliott, Jane Cowl, Edmund Breese, Katherine Kaelred, Janet Beecher, Olive Wyndham, Ada Lewis, and Emily Stevens.

On July 8, 1913, during a performance of Divorcons in Philadelphia at the Chestnut Street Theatre, LeGuere, one of the better known actors in the company, walked off stage in the middle of a scene with Gertrude Dallas (who was to be a Thanhouser actress several years later). After the audience waited for 35 minutes, LeGuere was fired, and his luggage was unceremoniously deposited behind the building.

The Philadelphia Times, July 9, 1913, told more: "The cause of the trouble, as explained by William A. Page, manager of the theatre, was as follows: 'During the scene in the second act between Miss Dallas, as the wife, and Mr. LeGuere, as the lover, Mr. LeGuere forgot his lines and made several mistakes. Miss Dallas prompted him, quietly at first, and then audibly. Mr. LeGuere became very angry, possibly because the audience detected his errors, and when she finally gave him a direct correction of one of his lines, he said: 'Oh, very well, if you know it all, finish the act by yourself.'

"'Then he turned abruptly and walked off the stage, refusing to return and continue the performance. Miss Dallas did the best she could to do improvise a monologue carrying out the idea of the scene, and when the other actors finally finished the act with her, she had hysterics. Mr. LeGuere refused to apologize, and so was not permitted to finish the week.... While Mr. LeGuere is a clever actor, it is possible that success has turned his head. He has told everyone in the past few days that David Belasco had engaged him for next season, and that Augustus Thomas was endeavoring to get Belasco to release him so that he could be starred in a new Thomas play....'"

On the Screen: LeGuere went into films, where his career included work with, Pathé, Famous Players (A Bachelor's Romance, The Evil Thereof), Essanay (The Blindness of Virtue), George Kleine (The Commuters), Thanhouser-Mutual, Universal, and Metro (The Soul of a Woman, The Turmoil, The Upstart, The Blindness of Love, etc.). In autumn 1915 a trade report said that for some time he had been with Rolfe Photoplays, Inc., which released through Metro. In December of that year, while working in a Metro film in Jacksonville, he was injured and had to remain on the sidelines for two days after being trampled during a crowd scene which employed some 400 extras. During the 1915-1916 season he was on stage with Margaret Anglin and Holbrook Blinn in A Woman of No Importance.

A 1916 directory noted that he played juvenile leads in films. For recreation he enjoyed riding and water sports and wrote short stories. George LeGuere was 5'9" tall, weighed 145 pounds, and had blond hair and blue eyes. At the time he was employed by Lasky in Hollywood, California.

In 1917 he was on the screen with Shirley Mason in The Seven Deadly Sins, a series of seven five-reel pictures treating, in order: envy, pride, passion, greed, wrath, sloth, and "the seventh sin." A circa 1920 sketch by Helen Hoerle, incorporated into a news release issued by Chamberlain Brown's Office, 160 West 45th Street, New York City, noted: "Possessing a boyish personality and a youthful figure, George LeGuere is the type who will probably be playing juveniles when he is old and gray, although that will not be for many years. His French blood gives him a debonair, impetuous manner which is delightful whether on the stage or off; and his Irish ancestry has donated a keen sense of humor, which he says has saved him many times, for tis easier to laugh than to cry; and the person with the smile wins. If that is true, George LeGuere should win - and he has and will continue to do so; for the stage and screen have all too few of his type and ability."

George LeGuere remained in films through the early 1930s. He died on November 21, 1947 at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City. At the time his residence was in Kings Park, Long Island, New York.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1915: The Seventh Noon (Mutual 11-4-1915)

# # #