Josef Swickard (June 26, 1866 – March 1, 1940) was a Prussian-born American stage and screen character actor, who had toured with stock companies in Europe, South Africa, and South America.

Career

Swickard emigrated to the United States from the German Empire in 1882. He was a stage actor for several years before entering films with D.W. Griffith in 1912 and by 1914 was playing supporting roles for Mack Sennett. He appeared in Charles Chaplin's Laughing Gas and Caught in a Cabaret. He remained with Sennett until 1917, when he settled into his prolific career of playing mostly aristocratic characters.

Modern audiences are perhaps most familiar with his role of Marcelo Desnoyers, the well-intentioned but impractical French upper class father in Rex Ingram's 1921 film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. His career in sound films was somewhat limited and he played in low-budget and action serial type films. He played the villainous Prime Minister Kruel in the 1925 film version of The Wizard of Oz.

Family life and death

Born in the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866 to Peter Schwecherath and Geniveve Steffens,Ancestry Library Edition Swickard was the brother of actor Charles Swickard. After arriving in the United States in November 1882, Schwecherath changed his name to Swickard and married a Scottish woman named Queeny in 1896. In 1902, Swickard applied for citizenship in the Eastern District of New York under the name Joseph P. Schwickerath. Records also show Swickard submitted a petition for naturalization in Los Angeles, California in February 1936 under the name of Peter Joseph Schwickerath. Sometime around 1928 Swickard married Broadway actress Margaret Campbell. The union was short-lived and the couple divorced on January 15, 1929. Swickard's last known residence was the Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles where he lived after his divorce from Campbell.

Tragedy befell his ex-wife on June 27, 1939 when she was brutally murdered. Her son, Campbell McDonald, was the initial suspect. He was also suspected of having bludgeoned to death a Russian dancer, Anya Sosoyeva, as well as having assaulted the young actress Delia Bogard, who survived. Los Angeles police eventually arrested DeWitt Clinton Cook, who confessed to the murders of Campbell and Sosoyeva, as well as the attack on Bogard and several other women, and was sent to San Quentin, where he died in the gas chamber in 1941.

Nearly seven months to-the-day after his ex-wife's murder, Swickard died on February 29, 1940. He was 73.

Despite rumors that Swickard committed suicide by jumping from the Hollywood sign, his death was from natural causes. Swickard was buried under a simple headstone at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1913Cupid in a Dental ParlorEthel's FatherShort1914Twenty Minutes of LovePickpocket's Victim ShortCaught in a CabaretMabel's FatherShort, UncreditedA Rowboat RomanceShortLaughing GasPatient ShortThe Property ManOld Stagehand Short, UncreditedThe Face on the Bar Room FloorDrinker Short, UncreditedLover's LuckThe Girl's FatherShortHello, MabelMan in LobbyShort, UncreditedTillie's Punctured RomanceCinema spectator UncreditedFatty and Minnie He-HawMinta's fatherShort1915Mabel and Fatty's Simple LifeMabel's father ShortMabel, Fatty and the LawDesk SergeantShortMabel and Fatty's Married Life Minor RoleShort, UncreditedHogan's Romance UpsetThe RivalUncreditedLove, Loot and CrashMary's Father, a BankerShort1916A Social CubThe Knight of OldShortHaystacks and SteeplesThe MinisterShort1917A Tale of Two CitiesDr. Alexandre ManetteAmerican MethodsBaron de PrefontThe Book AgentDr. NewdopeTo Honor and ObeyJames HollisThe Soul of SatanChicago StoneBecause of a WomanCol. GwynneHis Mother's BoyTom Glenny1918Keys of the RighteousPaul ManningTreasure of the SeaThomas ElkinsThe White Man's LawSuliman GhengisWhen a Woman SinsMortimer WestThe Light of Western StarsPadre Marcos1919A Trick of FateRaoul GarsonThe Lady of Red ButteDelicate HansonPretty SmoothJudgeSnares of ParisDe BrionneA Girl in BohemiaProfessor BryceA Woman of PleasureRev. Mr. GoddardThe Last of His PeopleBaron Bonart1920The Beggar PrinceNodoThe Third GenerationColonel Alden Van DusenBlind YouthPierre Monnier Moon Madness LatourTrumpet IslandJacques de Merincourt1921The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseMarcelo DesnoyersSowing the WindPetworthBeach of DreamsMonsieur de Brie Who Am I?Jacques MarbotSerenadeDomingo MaticasOpened ShuttersSam LaceyNo Woman KnowsThe Great SchabelitzCheated HeartsColonel Fairfax Gordon1922Across the Dead-LineAbelOh, Mabel BehaveTownsmanUncreditedThe Golden GiftLeonatiThe Adventures of Robinson CrusoeSerialThe StormJacques FachardAnother Man's ShoesGouretThe Young RajahNarada – the MysticPawnedPaul Veniza My American WifeDon Fernando DeContas 1923Mr. Billings Spends His DimeEstaban JuárezBavuPrince MarkoffDaughters of the RichMaud's FatherThe Cricket on the HearthCaleb Plummer Mothers-in-LawNewton Wingate Forgive and Forget John StandingThe Age of DesireMarcioThe Eternal StrugglePierre GrangeA Prince of a KingUrbanoMaytimeColonel Van Zandt1924The Shadow of the DesertJohn LockeNorth of NevadaMark RidgewayPoisoned Paradise: The Forbidden Story of Monte CarloProfessor DurandPal o' MineVerdugo MontfordA Boy of FlandersJan Van DullanMenCleo's FatherUntamed YouthPietroDefying the LawMichelo BresciaDante's InfernoThe Victim – Eugene Craig1925Easy MoneyThe Sign of the CactusOld Man HayesWizard of OzPrime Minister Kruel The VerdictPierre RonsardShe WolvesDe GoncourtFifth Avenue ModelsJosef LudantPlaying with SoulsMonsieur Jomier The Mysterious StrangerRaoul LesageThe Three Way TrailOff the HighwayMasterThe Keeper of the BeesBee master Northern Code Père Le Blanc1926Stop, Look and ListenOld ActorThree PalsCol. GirardThe Night WatchJohn PendletonDesert GoldSebastian CastanedaWhispering CanyonEben BeauregardSenor DaredevilJuan EstradaDon JuanDuke Della VarneseOfficer JimThe President of the BankThe High FlyerKentucky HandicapDevil's DiceJudge Casper PaineThe Unknown CavalierLingoThe Border WhirlwindSeñor Jose Cordova1927Hotel ImperialAustrian GeneralUncreditedOne Increasing PurposeOld GandThe Golden StallionJohn ForsytheThe King of KingsUncreditedFalse MoralsSenoritaDon Francisco HernandezTime to LoveElvire's fatherOld San FranciscoDon Hernandez de VasquezGet Your ManDuke of AlbinCompassionJudge Henning1928Sharp ShootersGrandpère ComradesJohn BurtonTurn Back the HoursColonel TorreonEagle of the NightThe Toy ShopThe toymakerShort Dreary House1929The Bachelor's ClubThe Devil's ChaplainThe KingThe Eternal WomanOvaldoThe Veiled WomanCol. De SelincourtFrozen RiverHazyThe Phantom of the NorthColonel RayburnStreet CornerShort Times Square Professor Carrillo Dark Skies Señor Moreno1930The Lone DefenderJuan ValdezSerial, [Chs. 1–2]MambaCount von LindenUncreditedSong of the CaballeroManuelThe Phantom of the DesertCol. Van Horn1933The Narrow CornerDutch ConstableUncreditedNarcoticFederal Narcotics AgentThe Perils of PaulineHaggins, Foreign ConsulSerial, [Ch. 9]1934BelovedRevolutionistAll Men Are EnemiesKatha's FatherUncreditedCross StreetsDean ToddThe Return of ChanduTyba – The White MagicianSerial, [Chs. 8–12]The Man Who Reclaimed His HeadFrench CitizenUncredited1935A Notorious GentlemanMinor RoleUncreditedThe Lost CityDr. Manyus A Dog of FlandersMonsieur de LaTour (replaced by Henry Kolker) (scenes deleted)Love Me ForeverBoniniUncreditedThe CrusadesBuyerUncredited1936Custer's Last StandMajor Henry Trent MDSerialThe Millionaire KidThe TutorCaryl of the MountainsJean ForayLash of the PenitentesDr. Andrew Robert TaylorThe Black CoinDon Pedro NavarroSerial, [Chs. 2–4, 13–15]Under Your SpellAmigoUncreditedThe Boss Rider of Gun CreekLafe Turner1937SandflowBanker PorterFit for a KingSanitarium DirectorUncreditedThe Sheik Steps OutMohammedan PriestUncreditedThe Girl Said NoJonesyZorro Rides AgainDam WatchmanSerial, [Ch. 8], Uncredited1938The Secret of Treasure IslandPassenger Ship DoctorChapter 1, UncreditedYou Can't Take It with YouProfessorSay It in FrenchOld ManUncredited1939Mexicali RoseGonzalesUncreditedDick Tracy's G-MenPresidente Huenemo MendozaSerial, Chapter 3, Uncredited$1,000 a TouchdownHamilton McGlen Sr.UncreditedThe Pal from TexasTexas MaldenThe Great Victor HerbertNewspaper ReporterUncreditedThe Mad EmpressMexican Statesman with Father FisherUncredited, (final film role)

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