Hobart Bosworth

Hobart Bosworth was an American actor, director, writer, and producer who began his career on the stage before moving to silent films. Born in Marietta, Ohio, in 1867, he joined McKee Rankin's stage company in San Francisco and later played Shakespearean leads for Julia Marlowe. In 1908 he was contracted by the Selig Polyscope Company, and he was widely credited with starring in the first film shot on the West Coast. He formed Hobart Bosworth Productions in 1913, focusing on Jack London melodramas, and wrote, directed, produced, and acted in many of them. After the company closed, he took supporting roles and survived the transition to sound, with his first sound feature being General Crack (1929). He played fatherly characters such as clergymen, judges, and grandparents. For helping build the California film industry, he was called the Dean of Hollywood. In 1960 he was given a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. He died in 1943.