Canadian actor
Rapley Holmes (June 1, 1868 – January 11, 1928)
[1] was a stage and screen actor. He was born in Canada and married actress
Gerda Holmes .
[2]
Holmes played the part of Joe Horn in the long running
Somerset Maugham play
Rain (1922) starring
Jeanne Eagels .
[3] On stage he appeared with many greats of the Edwardian era including
Maxine Elliott ,
Elsie Ferguson ,
Nance O'Neil ,
Doug Fairbanks and both
William and
Dustin Farnum .
Holmes (right ) with
Justine Johnstone and
Taylor Holmes (no relation) in Nothing But Lies , 1920
Holmes began appearing in silent films in 1914 while still maintaining an active role in Broadway plays. His last film role was in 1920, two years before the huge hit of Rain . Acting in Rain dominated the rest of Holmes's career up until his death in January 1928. His role in Rain was played by
James A. Marcus in the 1928
Gloria Swanson hit re-titled
Sadie Thompson and by
Guy Kibbee in the 1932 talkie
Rain with
Joan Crawford .
[4]
Selected filmography
One Wonderful Night (1914)
The Verdict (1914), a short
Through Eyes of Love (1914), a short
The Fable of the People's Choice Who Answered the Call of Duty and Took Seltzer (1914)*short
Within Three Hundred Pages (1914)*short
The Servant Question (1914), a short
The Means and the End (1914), a short
The Buffer (1914), a short
The Place, the Time and the Man (1914)*short
The Fable of the Bush League Lover Who Failed to Qualify (1914), a short
The Battle of Love (1914)
The Fable of the City Grafter and the Unprotected Rubes (1915), a short
The Fable of Hifaluting Tillie and Her Plain Parents (1915), a short
The Fable of the Syndicate Lover (1915)*short
The Creed of the Clan (1915), a short
The Fable of Elvira and Farina and the Meal Ticket (1915)*short
The Fable of the Cold Gray Dawn of the Morning After (1915)*short
The Victory of Virtue (1915)
Gloria's Romance (1916)
Nothing But Lies (1920)
The Servant Question (1920)
References
^ Silent Film Necrology , p.248 2ndEdition c.2001 by Eugene Michael Vazzana
^
"Rapley Holmes Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos" .
^ Pictorial History of the American Theatre: 1860-1985 p.194 c.1985 by Daniel Blum
^ Who Was Who On Screen , p.219 2nd Edition c.1977 by Evelyn Mack Truitt
External links