Conway Tearle

Conway Tearle was an American stage actor who also worked in silent and early sound films. Born in New York City in 1878 into a theatrical family, he attended school in both England and America, and later took his stepfather's surname for the stage. His break came at twenty-one in Manchester, where he went on as Hamlet after the lead actor fell ill, leading to his London stage debut in 1901 in The Queen's Double. He toured Australia in the title role of Ben Hur, then divided four seasons between companies headed by Ellen Terry and Charles Wyndham. Returning to America in 1905, he spent years on Broadway before turning to Hollywood in 1914, where he found success as a romantic lead and appeared in some 93 films. His last was Romeo and Juliet (1936), and he had a Broadway hit in 1932 with Dinner at Eight.