David Powell — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸
If a biography came under the title of “Women I Have Kissed,” David Powell would be one of the first to qualify, for his caresses have been showered upon the most famous queens of the screen — in pictures, of course.
His film career, following long successes upon the stage, has been a most happy one, for he began among the stars, and has remained there until today.
Mr. Powell was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and still retains the interesting accent of his native heather.
He was fortunate in beginning his professional career, for he was engaged by Sir Beerbohm Tree, the celebrated English thespian. Mr. Powell played two years with this company, doing Shakespearian roles.
His next engagement was with Forbes Robertson, and it was with this company that he toured America. He decided to remain, and continued his stage work. Then he began to mix motion picture work with stage appearances, but found that he could do neither justice.
The opportunity offering itself, he left the “boards” and has appeared in screen productions ever since.
His debut was made with the World, after which he played for Selznick [Lewis J. Selznick] and the Randolph company.
Mr. Powell then signed up with Paramount. Among the stars he played with were: Mary Pickford, Elsie Ferguson, Billie Burke, Irene Castle, Mae Murray, Alice Brady, Marguerite Courtot, Dorothy Dalton, Gloria Swanson and Mary Glynn, the famous English actress.
He was the first star to be sent from America to make pictures in England. He played in “The Mystery Road,” by Oppenheim; “The Princess of New York,” “Dangerous Lies,” “Love’s Boomerang” and “The Spanish Jade.”
He was recalled to this country to play with Gloria Swanson in “The Gilded Cage.” Then followed “The Siren Call” and “Anna Ascends.” His latest appearance was in Glimpses of the Moon.
Among other successes were: “The Make-Believe Wife,” “Under the Greenwood Tree,” “Counterfeit,” “Lady Rose’s Daughter,” “The Firing Line” and The Teeth of the Tiger.
Powell’s greatest hobby is the collection of antique furniture, and his favorite recreation is deep-sea fishing. He has one superstition. He wears an ancient ring, the stone therein never having been identified. He looks upon the ring as a mascot and always wears it. The ring “registers” so frequently in productions that the management has had a duplicate made in order that, should the actor lose his mascot, the duplicate may replace it without loss of time.
Mr. Powell is five feet ten inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, and has dark eyes and hair.
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David Powell isn’t reading fan mail or studying his script. Even film actors have income taxes to figure.
Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)