J.P. McGowan
From Wikipedia John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. J. P. McGowan, as he was usually known, remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directors Guild (now Directors Guild of America). Born in the then-bustling railway centre of Terowie in South Australia, McGowan grew up in Adelaide (Islington) and Sydney. He was a capable horseman and served in the Second Boer War with Montmorency's Scouts as a special dispatch rider. McGowan directed and often acted in the first 33 episodes of Kalem's 1914 adventure film series, The Hazards of Helen, which eventually ran to 54 episodes, some still with McGowan's participation. While filming he began a relationship with Helen Holmes, the film's star, and the two married. They left Kalem to set up their own production company, Signal Films, which successfully made a series of railroad melodramas but lost out when their distributor (Mutual) failed. The collaboration ended when they divorced in 1925. There was an adopted daughter, Kaye. McGowan successfully made the transition from silent film to talkies. While never a major star, in a busy career that spanned four decades he is credited with acting in 232 films—mostly strong roles like sheriff or villain—writing 26 screenplays and directing 242 productions. In 1932 he directed a young John Wayne in the 12-episode rail vs airplane serial The Hurricane Express for the independent Mascot Pictures. From 1938 to 1951, as Executive Secretary of the Screen Directors Guild, he fought to secure recognition for the director within the studio systems of the film and emerging television industry. J.P. McGowan died in 1952 in Hollywood and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Covered Wagon Trails
The Canyon of Missing Men
Arizona Days
(Ed Hicks)
'Neath Western Skies
(Dugan)
The Hazards of Helen
(Various roles)
The Railroad Raiders
(Thomas Desmond)
Two Outlaws
(Abner Whitcomb)
Plunging Hoofs
(Jim Wales)
Stormy Seas
(Capt. Morgan)
Breezy Bill
(Sheriff)
A Texas Cowboy
(Brute Kettle)
The Invaders
When Lightning Strikes
(Lafe Broderick)
No More Women
(Captain of The Hawk)
Perils of the Rail
(Barker's Accomplice at Smelter Junction)
Silver Spurs
(Webb Allison)
Whispering Smith
(Whispering Smith)
Somewhere in Sonora
(Monte Black)
The Fast Freight
Dust of the Desert
(Sheik Mohammad)
The Poacher's Pardon
(Mr. Wallace - the Gamekeeper)
An Arabian Tragedy
The Little Gluers
(Valentine Hay)
Ireland, the Oppressed
(Lord Kilhannack)
The Shaughraun
(Corry Kinchela)
King of the Circus
Do or Die
(Capt. Alvarez / Satan)
The Chinatown Mystery
The Flying Freight's Captive
(Rand - a Yeggman)
The Black Diamond Express
(Dan Haddon - a Cowboy)
The Escape on the Limited
(Brandt - a Defaulting Cashier)
The Girl Telegrapher's Peril
(Blake - a Lineman)
The Railroad Raiders of '62
(Lockwood - the old one-armed Flagman)
Helen's Sacrifice
(Benton)
The Broken Train
(Warren - Railroad Employee)
His Nemesis
(Mammoth - Manning's Business Rival)
A Railroader's Bravery
(Thomas - the Chief of the Gang)
The Broken Rail
(Trow - of the Working Crew)
The Mettle of Jerry McGuire
(Jerry McGuire)
Medicine Bend
(Whispering Smith)
A Desperate Leap
Hit the Saddle
(Rance McGowan)
Guns and Guitars
(Dave Morgan)
Elmo the Fearless
Stampede
(Matt Stevens)
Secret Patrol
(Blacksmith Barstow)
The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
(Scudder)
Railroad Raiders of '62
(Federal Officer)
Jungle Jim
(Ship Captain J.S. Robinson)
Kaintucky Bill
(Kaintucky Bill - a Moonshiner)
Lawless Valley
(Big Mike Carter, aka El Lobo, aka Texas Rand)
The Girl and the Game
(Spike)
Dugan of the Dugouts
(Capt. von Brinken)
Hills of Missing Men
(Capt. Brandt / The Dragon)
Senor Daredevil
(Jesse Wilks)
The Red Raiders
(Captain Ortwell)
The Code of the Scarlet
(Blake)
Gun Gospel
(Bill Brogan)
The Lawless Legion
(Matson)
Señor Americano
(Maddox)
The Royal American
(Capt. Burke)
The Leap from the Water Tower
(Rand - the Fireman)
From the Manger to the Cross
(Wise Man 1)
Fury and the Woman
(Anderson)
The Silent Code
(Commissioner)
Ships of the Night
(Motilla)
The Last Roundup
(Hash)
Robin Hood of El Dorado
(Danglong)
Code of the Fearless
(Undetermined Minor Role)
Ride 'Em Cowboy
(Jim Howard)
Borderland
(El Rio Sheriff)
Mississippi
(Dealer)
Stagecoach
((uncredited))
The Call of the Savage
(Freighter Captain)
Bar 20 Rides Again
(Buck Peters)
Murder in the Fleet
(Chief of Police (Uncredited))
The Outlaw Tamer
(Sheriff Jim Porter)
Kidnapped
(Clansman)
Whispering Smith Speaks
(Caboose Passenger (uncredited))
Quick Trigger Lee
(Brings note / Director)
The Red Rider
(Scotty McKee)
Empty Holsters
(U.S. Marshal Billy O'Neill)
Slim Jim's Last Chance
(The Rancher)
Heart of the Rockies
(Ed Dawson)
The Three Mesquiteers
(Brack Canfield)
Rough Riding Rhythm
(Pete Hobart)
By a Woman's Wit
Prairie Thunder
(Col. Stanton)
Headin' Westward
(Sneezer Clark)
Border Brigands
(Inspector Winston - RCMP)
Diamond Jim
(Engineer)
Sinner Take All
(Police Officer Murphy (uncredited))
Rustlers of Red Dog
(Capt. Trent [Chs. 3-4])
The Lost Express
(Train Engineer)
Flaming Gold
(Mack)
The Lad from Old Ireland
(Election Agent)
Slave Ship
(Helmsman)
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
(Pepper Hardcastle)
The Buccaneer
(Jailer)
When the Dead Return
(Jacques)
Below the Deadline
(Taggart)
The Colleen Bawn
(Hardress Cregan)
The Accusing Finger
(Inner Guard)
The Lady and the Bandit
(Old Man)
East of Java
(Sergeant, Rescue Party)
Outwitted
(Tiger McGuire)
The Fighting Terror
Crack O' Dawn
Barriers of the Law
(Steve Redding)
The Black Ace
The Fiddler’s Requiem
(Dolores' father)
When Lovers Part
Rory O'More
(Commander of the English troops)
His Mother
(John Foster)
A Sawmill Hero
Winning a Widow
Captured by Bedouins
(Lt. Greig)
The Oklahoma Kid
Law of the Plains
(Seagrue)
Arizona Nights
(Jeff Decker)
She Had to Eat
(Police Sergeant (uncredited))
The Special Messenger
(Royal)
The Whipping Boss
(Livingston)
Red Signals
(Jim Twyler)
O'Malley Rides Alone
(Angus McGregor)
The Fast Freight
(Scenario Writer)
The Fast Freight
(Director)
A Sawmill Hazard
(Director)
The Operator at Black Rock
(Director)
Arizona Days
(Director)
The Death Train
(Director)
A Deed of Daring
(Director)
His Nemesis
(Director)
His Nemesis
(Writer)
Helen's Sacrifice
(Director)
The Plot at the Railroad Cut
(Director)
A Railroader's Bravery
(Director)
The Girl at the Throttle
(Director)
The Stolen Engine
(Director)
The Fate of Number One
(Director)
The Girl on the Engine
(Director)
The Flying Freight's Captive
(Director)
The Black Diamond Express
(Director)
The Girl Telegrapher's Peril
(Director)
The Escape on the Limited
(Director)
The Broken Circuit
(Director)
The Little Engineer
(Director)
The Fast Mail's Danger
(Director)
A Desperate Leap
(Director)
When Rogues Fall Out
(Director)
Medicine Bend
(Director)
The Mettle of Jerry McGuire
(Director)
Judith of the Cumberlands
(Director)
The Railroad Raiders of '62
(Director)
The Engineer's Peril
(Director)
The Open Drawbridge
(Director)
The Girl at Lone Point
(Director)
The Diamond Runners
(Director)
The Diamond Runners
(Scenario Writer)
O'Malley Rides Alone
(Producer)
O'Malley Rides Alone
(Director)
Riders of the North
(Director)
The Box Car Trap
(Director)
The Girl on the Trestle
(Director)
A Life in the Balance
(Director)
The Girl Engineer
(Director)
A Race for a Crossing
(Director)
The Broken Train
(Director)
The Human Chain
(Director)
The Midnight Limited
(Director)
A Wild Ride
(Director)
Near Eternity
(Director)
The Lost Mail Sack
(Director)
The Ace of Clubs
(Director)
The Hurricane Express
(Screenplay)
The Hurricane Express
(Director)
Mark of the Spur
(Director)
Tiger True
(Director)
The Scarlet Brand
(Director)
Roaring Six Guns
(Director)
Tarzan and the Golden Lion
(Director)
The Flaw in the Alibi
(Director)
Drum Taps
(Director)
When a Man Rides Alone
(Director)
Secret Patrol
(Screenplay)
Under Texas Skies
(Director)
The Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild Engine
(Director)
Kaintucky Bill
(Director)
Deadwood Pass
(Director)
Lawless Valley
(Director)
The Hazards of Helen Ep33: In Danger's Path
(Director)
Perils of the Yukon
(Director)
Where the West Begins
(Director)
The Girl and the Game
(Director)
King of the Circus
(Director)
A Lass of the Lumberlands
(Director)
The Lost Express
(Director)
Dugan of the Dugouts
(Writer)
Drum Taps
(Screenplay)
Crossed Signals
(Director)
Hills of Missing Men
(Director)
Hills of Missing Men
(Writer)
Do or Die
(Director)
Elmo, the Mighty
(Director)
Elmo the Fearless
(Director)
The Brown Derby
(Writer)
The Pay Train
(Director)
The Leap from the Water Tower
(Director)
The Lost Express
(Writer)
Canyon Hawks
(Director)
Code of the West
(Director)
The Last Roundup
(Director)
Tangled Fortunes
(Director)
The Car of Death
(Director)
The Chinatown Mystery
(Director)
Outwitted
(Writer)
Code of Honor
(Director)
Stormy Seas
(Director)
The Hunted Men
(Director)
Western Honor
(Director)
The Oklahoma Sheriff
(Director)
Breezy Bill
(Director)
The Man from Nowhere
(Director)
A Texas Cowboy
(Director)
The Invaders
(Director)
War of the Range
(Director)
Rough Riding Rhythm
(Director)
The Outlaw Tamer
(Director)
Quick Trigger Lee
(Director)
The Outlaw Dog
(Director)
A Desperate Adventure
(Director)
Perils of the Rail
(Director)
Whispering Smith
(Director)
What Price Vengeance
(Writer)
The Road Agent
(Director)
The Lure of the Circus
(Director)
Mistaken Orders
(Director)
The Pursuit of the Smugglers
(Director)
Beyond the Law
(Director)
Call of the Desert
(Director)
Captain Cowboy
(Director)
Captain Cowboy
(Writer)
Headin' Westward
(Director)
Covered Wagon Trails
(Director)
The Canyon of Missing Men
(Director)
'Neath Western Skies
(Director)
'Neath Western Skies
(Producer)
Captain Kidd
(Director)
The Lost Express
(Producer)
The Lost Express
(Director)
So This Is Arizona
(Director)
Barriers of the Law
(Director)
A String of Pearls
(Director)
Near the Rainbow's End
(Director)
The Cowboy and the Outlaw
(Director)
Below the Deadline
(Director)
The Fighting Terror
(Director)
Ambushed
(Director)
A Two Fisted Tenderfoot
(Director)
Thunderbolt's Tracks
(Director)
Cold Nerve
(Director)
Outwitted
(Director)
Blackbirds
(Director)
A Desperate Chance
(Director)
Law of the Plains
(Director)
Riders of the Rio Grande
(Director)
Manhattan Cowboy
(Director)
The Oklahoma Kid
(Director)
The Red Glove
(Director)
Red Signals
(Director)
The Whipping Boss
(Director)
Human Targets
(Director)
The Manager of the B & A
(Director)
The Railroad Raiders
(Director)
The Girl and the Game
(Writer)
The Railroad Raiders
(Producer)
The Railroad Raiders
(Editor)
A Lass of the Lumberlands
(Producer)
The Vanishing Dagger
(Director)
Below the Deadline
(Director)
The Hazards of Helen
(Director)
Judith of the Cumberlands
(Producer)