J. Gordon Edwards — Directors I Have Met (1923) 🇬🇧
The man was a Canadian who had played many important theatrical roles in both England and the States, clever actor, a deep thinker, an all-round genius. And so, we introduce J. Gordon Edwards, well known to English fans for his “Queen of Sheba,” Nero and some fifty other Fox features.
by Elizabeth Lonergan
Mr. Edwards has a unique record, one company for 13 years! His story of the first feature they made bears repetition. He told me about it in his cozy office at the Fox Studios between our discussion of European and American pictures and methods, the advantages and disadvantages of being a director and a number of other things, more or less of interest.
“It was in the days when three-reel pictures were coming into fashion, and we made ‘Life’s Shop Window’ five reels intending to cut it down,” he said. When it was run in the projection room, Mr. Fox said it was without exception, the worst picture he had ever seen and wanted us to throw it into the scrap heap. Just as an experiment we released it (our production was called the Box Office Attractions then), and to the surprise of everybody it made a lot of money and was a financial if not an artistic success. Soon after this, Mr. Fox engaged Herbert Brenon, also an Englishman, to make his first big feature, and Neptune’s Daughter was “shot” in Bermuda, with Annette Kellerman in the leading role. The feature played many months in a first-class New York theatre and coined money for its producer.”
At Mr. Edward’s suggestion, Mr. Fox had engaged Betty Nansen, the distinguished Scandinavian star for a series of American productions. Unfortunately she did not make the expected success and again Mr. Fox selected Mr. Edwards to help solve the difficulty. Edwards agreed to direct a picture with Miss Nansen, stipulating that Edward José (well known in the varieties, long before he went into pictures, should play a part and coach him whenever necessary. To Edward José, Mr. Edwards gives credit for that first picture, “Resurrection,” which proved a great triumph for all concerned.
Then he brought Theda Bara into prominence, for it was her Cleopatra that really laid the foundation for her success as a Vamp, and directed her in a number of other plays. Mr. Edwards, too, selected Betty Blythe for the The Queen of Sheba, a selection which was made from some five or six hundred actresses, all eager and willing to play the role. Nero was another triumph and recently he completed in Italy “The Shepherd King,” biggest and best of all, he thinks. This will not be released until the Autumn.
J. Gordon Edwards with the popular Farnum brothers, William and Dustin, with whom he is very good friends [William Farnum | Dustin Farnum].
J. Gordon Edwards inspecting a rag rug made from scraps of The Queen of Sheba dresses.
Collection: Picturegoer Magazine, August 1923
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see also other entries of the Directors I Have Met series:
- 1923-02: Frank Lloyd
- 1923-03: Allan Dwan
- 1923-04: Rex Ingram
- 1923-05: Frederic Sullivan-Londoner
- 1923-06: James Cruze
- 1923-07: John Robertson
- 1923-08: J. Gordon Edwards
- 1923-09: Elmer Clifton
- 1923-11: Herbert Brenon
- 1924-01: Harold Shaw
- 1924-06: Al Christie
- 1924-11: Millard Webb