Rex Ingram — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

A number of stars and directors have come into instant recognition with a single production after struggling along the film roadway for years.

Rex Ingram was one of these. Although he had written scenarios, had been an assistant director, and finally, had produced pictures, the war found him merely one of the many.

After the struggle across the waters, which probably ground drama deeply into this young man of artistic nature and training, he returned and produced The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and immediately he was recognized.

Rex Ingram was born in Dublin, Ireland, March 24, 1892, and educated at St. Columba’s College and entered Trinity College, but was injured in a football accident and was forced to quit. At seventeen he ran away from home and came to the United States. He entered Yale where he studied drawing and sculpture.

While at New Haven his roommate, Horace Newson, took him home over the holidays. His neighbor was Charles Edison, son of Thomas A. Edison. They talked motion pictures and went to see “The Tale of Two Cities” and liked it so well they decided to go into motion pictures.

As a boy he had appeared in pantomime offerings abroad and on going to Los Angeles he convinced the men in charge of the Edison studios that he could act. He became an assistant director and began to write scenarios, including “Should a Mother Tell?” “Song of Hate,” “The Wonderful Adventure,” “Cup of Bitterness,” and others.

At the beginning of the war he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps, spent fifteen months in training in Canada, which was as far as he approached the front, and the Armistice was signed.

Returning from Canada he directed “The Beachcomber,” “Shore Acres” and “Hearts Are Trumps.” This he followed with one of his greatest successes, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez’ The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Among his other pictures are “The Right of Way,” The Prisoner of Zenda, “Trifling Women,” “Where the Pavement Ends” and others.

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Rex Ingram discusses his story with his leading lady, Alice Terry, and Ramon Navarro [Ramon Novarro], a new star.

When the camera starts grinding Mr. Ingram yells for more action.

Portrait by Hill • New York

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)