George A. Siegmann (also credited as George Seigmann; February 8, 1882 – June 22, 1928) 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 (1915), Intolerance (1916), The Three Musketeers (1921), Oliver Twist (1922), The Cat and the Canary (1927), and The Man Who Laughs (1928).
Early life and career 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 (1915), Cyrus the Great in Intolerance (1916), Porthos in The Three Musketeers (1921), Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist (1922), 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.Workman, Christopher; Howarth, Troy (2016). "Tome of Terror: Horror Films of the Silent Era". Midnight Marquee Press. p. 211..
Personal life and death 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"."Elmer Booth Killed", Moving Picture World, July 3, 1915, p.75. Internet Archive, San Francisco, California. Retrieved November 18, 2019. 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 (1909, Short) - Hessian (film debut) A Flash of Light (1910, Short) - Wedding Guest The Green-Eyed Devil (1914, Short) Brute Force (1914, Short) Home, Sweet Home (1914) The Lover's Gift (1914, Short) - Sheriff Reed The Angel of Contention (1914, Short) - Sheriff Magoon The Avenging Conscience (1914) - The Italian The Birth of a Nation (1915) - Silas Lynch - Mulatto Lieut. Governor A Yankee from the West (1915) - Sheriff Dick Intolerance (1916) - Cyrus (uncredited) Should She Obey? (1917) - Allegorical Types Grafters (1917) - The Menace The Little Yank (1917) Mother Love and the Law (1917) - William Bernard Hearts of the World (1918) - Von Strohm The Great Love (1918) - Mr. Seymour The Hawk's Trail (1919) - Quang Goo Hai The Spitfire of Seville (1919) The Trembling Hour (1919) The Untamed (1920) - Jim Silent Little Miss Rebellion (1920) - Col. Moro The Big Punch (1921) - Flash McGraw Partners of Fate (1921) - Purser A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1921) - Sir Sagramore The Queen of Sheba (1921) - King Armud of Sheba Desperate Trails (1921) - Sheriff Price Shame (1921) - Foo Chang The Three Musketeers (1921) - Porthos Silent Years (1921) - Pierre Gavot The Truthful Liar (1922) - Mark Potts Fools First (1922) - Spud Miller Monte Cristo (1922) - Luigi Vampa Oliver Twist (1922) - Bill Sikes Hungry Hearts (1922) - Rosenblatt A California Romance (1922) - Don Juan Diego Lost and Found on a South Sea Island (1923) - Faulke Slander the Woman (1923) - Scarborough Stepping Fast (1923) - 'Red' Pollock Merry-Go-Round (1923) - Schani Huber Scaramouche (1923) - Danton Hell's Hole (1923) - Conductor The Eagle's Feather (1923) - Van Brewen Jealous Husbands (1923) - 'Red' Lynch Anna Christie (1923) - Anna's Uncle Enemies of Children (1923) The Man Life Passed By (1923) - Crogan On Time (1924) - Wang Wu Singer Jim McKee (1924) - 'Brute' Bernstein Stolen Secrets (1924) - Nat Fox The Shooting of Dan McGrew (1924) - Jake Hubbel When a Girl Loves (1924) - Rogojin The Right of the Strongest (1924) - 'Trav' Williams The Guilty One (1924) - Captain Revelation (1924) - Hofer Janice Meredith (1924) - Colonel Rahl Manhattan (1924) - Bud McGinnis A Sainted Devil (1924) - El Tigre Recompense (1925) - Stenhouse Zander the Great (1925) - Black Bart Never the Twain Shall Meet (1925) - James Muggridge Pursued (1925) - John Grant Manhattan Madness (1925) - Dr. Harlan The Caretaker's Daughter (1925, Short) - The Gunman - Prospective Car Buyer The Red Kimono (1925) - Mr. Mack The Sporting Life (1925) - Limehouse Dan Crippen The Phantom Express (1925) - Rufus Hardy The Palace of Pleasure (1926) - Caesar The Midnight Sun (1926) - Ivan Kusmin - Banker My Old Dutch (1926) - Workhouse Superintendent Born to the West (1926) - Jesse Fillmore The Carnival Girl (1926) - Sigmund Poker Faces (1926) - George Dixon The Old Soak (1926) - Al Hotel Imperial (1927) - Gen. Juschkiewitsch The Red Mill (1927) - Willen The King of Kings (1927) - Barabbas The Cat and the Canary (1927) - The Guard Love Me and the World Is Mine (1927) - Porter Uncle Tom's Cabin (1927) - Simon Legree The Thirteenth Juror (1927) - The Politician, George Quinn Stop That Man! (1928) - 'Butch' Barker The Man Who Laughs (1928) - Dr. Hardquanonne (final film)
References
External links
George Siegmann, 1922 passport photo