Edmund Breese (June 18, 1871 – April 6, 1936) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era.
Biography Breese was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Renshaw Breese and Josephine Busby.
The Opera House in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was the site of Breese's stage debut in the summer of 1895. He portrayed Adonis Evergreen in My Awful Dad.
Long on the stage with a varied Broadway career before entering films, Breese appeared with James O'Neill in The Count of Monte Cristo (1893), The Lion and the Mouse (1906) with Richard Bennett, The Third Degree (1909) with Helen Ware, The Master Mind (1913) with Elliott Dexter, the popular World War I era play Why Marry? (1917) with Estelle Winwood & Nat C. Goodwin and So This Is London (1922) with Donald Gallaher.Pictorial History of the American Theatre 1860-1985 c.1985 by Daniel Blum He also acted in a stock company at the Castle Square Theatre in Boston.
Breese's film career began in 1914 with the Edison Studios. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1914 and 1935. He is best remembered as the advice-giving German businessman at the beginning of the war film All Quiet on the Western Front.
His final role was on stage in Night of January 16th from September 1935 to April 1936. Just before the play ended its run, Breese developed peritonitis, from which he died on April 6, 1936 at the Hospital for the Ruptured and Crippled. Funeral services were at the Church of the Transfiguration in New York City on April 8, 1936, after which his body was cremated.
Breese's first wife was Genevieve Landry. At the time of his death, he was married to Harriet Beach.
Selected filmography
The Master Mind (1914) as Richard Allen The Walls of Jericho (1914) as Jack Frobisher The Shooting of Dan McGrew (1915) as Jim Maxwell The Song of the Wage Slave (1915) as Ned Lane The Lure of Heart's Desire (1916) as Jim Carew The Spell of the Yukon (1916) as Jim Carson The Weakness of Strength (1916) as Daniel Gaynor Someone Must Pay (1919) His Temporary Wife (1920) as Judge Laton Chains of Evidence (1920) as Judge Frank Sturgis A Common Level (1920) as Matthew Ryan Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1921) as King Cole Beyond the Rainbow (1922) as Insp. Richardson Sure Fire Flint (1922) as Johnny Jetts The Curse of Drink (1922) as John Rand Jacqueline (1923) as Edmund MacDonald Luck (1923) as Alan Crosby The Little Red Schoolhouse (1923) as Brent You Are Guilty (1923) as Judge Elkins Bright Lights of Broadway (1923) as Reverend Graham Drake Marriage Morals (1923) as Harry's Father The Fair Cheat (1923) as Morgan Van Dam Three O'Clock in the Morning (1923) as Mr. Winthrop Restless Wives (1924) as Hobart Richards Damaged Hearts (1924) as Innkeeper The Sixth Commandment (1924) as Col. Saunders The Speed Spook (1924) as Chuck Brady Those Who Judge (1924) as Henry Dawson Playthings of Desire (1924) as Governor Cabbot The Early Bird (1925) as The Great La Tour Wildfire (1925) as Sen. Woodhurst The Police Patrol (1925) as Tony Rocco The Live Wire (1925) as Sawdust Sam Womanhandled (1925) as Uncle Lester The Highbinders (1926) as Mike Harrigan The Brown Derby (1926) as John J. Caldwell Stepping Along (1926) as Prince Ferdinand Darowitsky Paradise for Two (1927) as Uncle Howard Back to Liberty (1927) as Tom Devon / Reginald Briand Home Made (1927) as Mr. Tilford Finders Keepers (1928) as Col. Hastings Burning Daylight (1928) as John Dossett The Perfect Crime (1928) as Wilmot The Wright Idea (1928) as Mr. Filbert The Haunted House (1928) as Uncle Herbert On Trial (1928) as Judge Conquest (1928) as William Holden Fancy Baggage (1929) as John Hardin Sonny Boy (1929) as Thorpe Girls Gone Wild (1929) as Judge Elliott From Headquarters (1929) Bit Part (uncredited) The Gamblers (1929) Bit Part (uncredited) Girl Overboard (1929) as Jim Keefe The Hottentot (1929) as Ollie In the Headlines (1929) as Eddy Hold Everything (1930) as Pop O'Keefe All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) as Herr Meyer, the Stammtisch speaker The Czar of Broadway (1930) as McNab Rough Waters (1930) as Captain Thomas The Sea Bat (1930) as Maddocks Top Speed (1930) as Spencer Colgate Bright Lights (1930) as Harris Playboy of Paris (1930) as General (uncredited) Kismet (1930) as Jawan Tol'able David (1930) as Hunter Kinemon Playthings of Hollywood (1930) as Unknown Role The Painted Desert (1931) as Judge Matthews The Last Parade (1931) as City Editor (uncredited) Millie (1931) as Defense Attorney The She-Wolf (1931) as William Remington Young Sinners (1931) as Trent The Good Bad Girl (1931) as Mr. J.P. Henderson Defenders of the Law (1931) as Police Commander Randall The Public Defender (1931) as Frank Wells Wicked (1931) Chinatown After Dark (1931) as Le Fong Platinum Blonde (1931) as Conroy - the Editor Morals for Women (1931) as Mr. Huston Mata Hari (1931) as Warden The Hatchet Man (1932) as Yu Chang Cross-Examination (1932) as Dwight Simpson - Prosecuting Attorney The Reckoning (1932) as Doc Police Court (1932) as Judge Robert Webster Love Bound (1932) as J.B. 'Lucky' Morrison Young Bride (1932) as Mr. C. B. Chadwick, the Broker As You Desire Me (1932) as Friar (uncredited) Alias Mary Smith (1932) as Father The Hurricane Express (1932) as Frank Stratton Drifting Souls (1932) as Brad Martin The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) as Holmes Scott The Golden West (1932) as Sam Lynch Women Won't Tell (1932) as Attorney for the Defense Madame Butterfly (1932) as Cho-Cho's grandfather The Match King (1932) as Olaf Christofsen The Billion Dollar Scandal (1933) as Haddock International House (1933) as Dr. Wong Fighting with Kit Carson (1933, Serial) as Matt Fargo [Chs. 1–7, 12] Laughing at Life (1933) as Cabinet Officer The Stranger's Return (1933) as Dr. Craig (uncredited) A Man of Sentiment (1933) as John Russell Sr. Ladies Must Love (1933) as Thomas Van Dyne Only Yesterday (1933) as Wall Street Investor Female (1933) as Board Member (uncredited) Duck Soup (1933) as Former President Zander, Firefly's predecessor Above the Clouds (1933) as Crusty On Your Guard (1933) as Prison Warden Beloved (1934) as Maj. Tarrant Dancing Man (1934) as J.C. Trevor Come On, Marines! (1934) as Gen. Cabot Return of the Terror (1934) as Editor Treasure Island (1934) as Pirate of the Spanish Main The Law of the Wild (1934, Serial) as Dr. R.N. Price [Chs. 6, 11-12] (uncredited) Lost in the Stratosphere (1934) as Col. Brooks Broadway Bill (1934) as Presiding Judge The Marriage Bargain (1935) as Judge Robert Stanhope
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