Harry Benham(1884-1969)
- Actor
Indiana-born Harry Benham grew up in Chicago, Illinois. As a child he
was possessed of a fine singing voice and sang in the local church
choir. In 1904 the traveling musical "Peggy from Paris" was playing in
Chicago and he got a job in the chorus. He soon graduated to singing
the lead role. His success in that production led to roles in other
plays, such as "The Sultan of Sulu", "Woodland" and "Marrying Mary".
He joined the Thanhouser film company in 1910 and stayed there five
years, appearing in dozens of the company's productions while
continuing his stage work. After leaving Thanhouser he went over to
Famous Players, then signed with Universal Pictures, for whom he made
such films as
The Doll Doctor (1916),
Love's Masquerade (1916) and
The Capital Prize (1916). He
also appeared in productions for other studios, such as Pathe's
The Last of the Carnabys (1917),
Warren Productions'
The Warfare of the Flesh (1917)
and American's The Frame-Up (1917).
After leaving Universal he freelanced for quite a few studios, both
minor and major, including Select's
Cecilia of the Pink Roses (1918)
(which was Marion Davies' second film),
Paramount's Hush Money (1921) and
Vitagraph's The Prey (1920). He made his
final film in 1922, after which he retired from the movie industry and
went into the clothing business.
His wife, actress Ethyle Cooke, died in
1949, and Harry remarried four years later to a widow he met in
Florida. He died on July 17, 1969, in Sarasota, Florida, after a long
illness.
was possessed of a fine singing voice and sang in the local church
choir. In 1904 the traveling musical "Peggy from Paris" was playing in
Chicago and he got a job in the chorus. He soon graduated to singing
the lead role. His success in that production led to roles in other
plays, such as "The Sultan of Sulu", "Woodland" and "Marrying Mary".
He joined the Thanhouser film company in 1910 and stayed there five
years, appearing in dozens of the company's productions while
continuing his stage work. After leaving Thanhouser he went over to
Famous Players, then signed with Universal Pictures, for whom he made
such films as
The Doll Doctor (1916),
Love's Masquerade (1916) and
The Capital Prize (1916). He
also appeared in productions for other studios, such as Pathe's
The Last of the Carnabys (1917),
Warren Productions'
The Warfare of the Flesh (1917)
and American's The Frame-Up (1917).
After leaving Universal he freelanced for quite a few studios, both
minor and major, including Select's
Cecilia of the Pink Roses (1918)
(which was Marion Davies' second film),
Paramount's Hush Money (1921) and
Vitagraph's The Prey (1920). He made his
final film in 1922, after which he retired from the movie industry and
went into the clothing business.
His wife, actress Ethyle Cooke, died in
1949, and Harry remarried four years later to a widow he met in
Florida. He died on July 17, 1969, in Sarasota, Florida, after a long
illness.