Bryant Washburn — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

Bryant Washburn was born in Chicago, April 28, 1889. At the age of three his parents moved to Racine, Wis., where he lived until he was eleven years old. Then he went back to Chicago, where he attended the public schools, where he went as far as the second year in the Lakeview High School.

His first theatrical experience was as head usher at the old Chicago Opera  House, which has since been demolished. After a few weeks he was promoted to the box office, and then decided that his place was behind the curtain instead of in front of it. George Fawcett, then playing at the Opera House, gave him a bit in a play. From Fawcett’s company he went to a small summer stock company at Lake Brady, Ohio, just out of Kent.

He then secured an engagement to play with Miss Percy Haswell in her stock company at Toronto, Canada, at the Royal Alexandria Theater.

After again playing in stock with Fawcett The Fighter and The Remittance Man, he went back to New York and then to Chicago, where he started to work for Essanay. After seven years there, he came west and started with Famous Players-Lasky at Hollywood studio, where he starred in Paramount-Artcraft pictures. His latest work was a leading role in Selznick’s [Lewis J. Selznick] production, “Rupert of Hentzau.”

He was first starred in “Skinner’s Dress Suit.” Others followed, including “Why Smith Left Home,” “Too Much Johnson,” “It Pays to Advertise,” “Six Best Cellars” and “What Happened to Jones?”

When Bryant Washburn took unto himself a wife he startled his associates in the profession and received many admonitions by letting this fact be known. He has not, however, had occasion to regret his step.

Mrs. Washburn is a charming young woman who has been a constant source of inspiration and aid to her husband in his profession. He has two children, Bryant Washburn, the fourth, nicknamed “Sonny,” age about four; and Dwight Ludlow, who has not yet reached his first anniversary. By his witty sayings and unusual brightness, “Sonny” has received almost as much publicity as his handsome and talented father. Mr. Washburn’s second son gains his name from the fact that Dwight Moody, the celebrated evangelist, was a relative of Mr. Washburn. Whether either of his children will follow in their father’s footsteps is, of course, impossible to state, but certainly “Sonny” displays an unusual amount of ability as a mimic and possesses as well a fund of latent humor that is almost extraordinary in a child of his age. Washburn’s hobby, of course, is his home and kiddies.

The Washburn home in Hollywood is one of the handsomest residences in this wonderful section of the Southland, and Mr. Washburn is never so happy as when seated on his fine, shady veranda in the midst of his family.

Mr. Washburn is six feet tall, has dark hair and eyes and weighs 155 pounds.

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This is the home that shelters Mr. and Mrs. Bryant Washburn and the two kiddies.

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)