J. P. McGowan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids J. P. McGowan
Who's Who in the Film World, 1914
Born	John Paterson McGowan (1880-02-24)February 24, 1880 Terowie, South Australia, Australia
Died	March 26, 1952(1952-03-26) (aged 72) Hollywood, California, United States
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Actor Director Writer
Years active	1910–1938

John Paterson McGowan (born February 24, 1880 – died March 26, 1952) was an amazing Australian who became a pioneer in early Hollywood movies. He was an actor, director, and sometimes a writer and producer. McGowan is the only Australian ever to be made a special lifetime member of the Screen Directors Guild (which is now called the Directors Guild of America).

Life and Early Adventures

Growing Up in Australia

John Paterson McGowan was born in a busy railway town called Terowie in South Australia. He grew up in Adelaide and Sydney. From a young age, he was a very skilled horseman.

War Hero and World's Fair

McGowan even served as a special messenger on horseback during the Second Boer War in South Africa. After the war, he was asked to join a special show about the Boer War in the United States. This show was part of the big 1904 World's Fair.

Starting in Show Business

After the World's Fair, McGowan began working in live theatre. In 1910, he joined a movie company called Kalem Studios in New York City. That same year, he appeared in his first film, A Lad from Old Ireland. He was part of the crew that traveled to Ireland to make this movie. It was the first American film ever shot outside of the United States! His amazing horse riding skills helped him do many stunts for Kalem's movies.

Hollywood Career

Directing and Starring in Serials

McGowan directed and often acted in the first 33 episodes of a famous adventure film series called The Hazards of Helen. This series started in 1914 and was very popular. It eventually had 119 episodes! While making these films, he met and married the star of the series, Helen Holmes.

Their Own Movie Company

Together, McGowan and Holmes left Kalem Studios to start their own movie company called Signal Films. They made many successful films, mostly exciting adventure stories about railroads. However, their movie distributor (the company that helped show their films) went out of business, which caused problems for Signal Films. Their partnership ended when they divorced in 1925. They had an adopted daughter named Kaye.

From Silent Films to Talkies

McGowan was able to successfully switch from making silent films (movies without sound) to talkies (movies with sound). This was a big change in Hollywood, and many actors and directors struggled with it.

Even though he wasn't a huge superstar, McGowan had a very busy career that lasted for 40 years. He acted in 232 films, often playing strong characters like a sheriff or a villain. He also wrote 26 movie scripts and directed 242 productions! In 1932, he directed a young actor named John Wayne in a 12-episode adventure series called The Hurricane Express.

Lobby card for Discontented Wives (1921)

Working for Directors' Rights

From 1938 to 1951, McGowan worked as the Executive Secretary for the Screen Directors Guild. In this important role, he fought hard to make sure that film directors got the recognition and respect they deserved within the big movie studios and the new television industry.

Later Life and Legacy

J. P. McGowan passed away in 1952 in Hollywood. He was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

His amazing career has been celebrated in his hometown of Terowie, Australia, with special events called "Terowie Days of Rail and Screen." His exciting partnership with Helen Holmes, full of stunts and adventure, was also celebrated in a special tribute called 'Stunt Love'. This tribute was shown at the Adelaide Film Festival and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Selected Filmography

Director

Actor