Rex Ingram (director) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rex Ingram
Ingram, c. 1920
Born	Reginald Ingram Montgomery Hitchcock (1892-01-15)15 January 1892 Dublin, Ireland
Died	21 July 1950(1950-07-21) (aged 58) North Hollywood, California, U.S.
Other names	Rex Hitchcock
Education	Yale University
Occupation	Film director, producer, writer and actor
Years active	1913–1933
Employer	Edison Studios Fox Film Corporation Vitagraph Studios MGM Metro Pictures Gaumont British
Known for	Broken Fetters (1916) The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) Scaramouche (1923) The Magician (1926) The Three Passions (1929)
Spouse(s)	Doris Pawn ​ ​ (m. 1917; div. 1920)​ Alice Terry ​ (m. 1921)​
Relatives	Francis Clere Hitchcock (brother)
Honors	Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1651 Vine Street

Rex Ingram (born Reginald Ingram Montgomery Hitchcock; 15 January 1892 – 21 July 1950) was an Irish film director, producer, writer, and actor. He was known for making exciting action and fantasy movies. Another famous director, Erich von Stroheim, once called him "the world's greatest director."

Early Life and Education

Rex Ingram was born in Dublin, Ireland, on January 15, 1892. A special plaque marks his birthplace in Grosvenor Square. He went to Saint Columba's College, a school near Dublin. He spent many of his teenage years living in a place called the Old Rectory in Kinnitty, County Offaly. His father was a church leader there. In 1911, Ingram moved to the United States. His brother, Francis, joined the British Army and was recognized for his bravery in World War I.

Filmmaking Career

Ingram first studied sculpture at Yale University. While there, he also wrote for the campus humor magazine. Soon, he became interested in movies. He started acting in films in 1913. After that, he began writing, producing, and directing. His first movie as a producer and director was a romantic drama called The Great Problem in 1916.

He worked for several big film studios, including Edison Studios, Fox Film Corporation, Vitagraph Studios, and MGM. He often directed action movies or films with supernatural themes.

In 1920, Ingram joined Metro Pictures. He worked closely with a film executive named June Mathis. Together, they made four movies, including the very famous The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. This movie helped make actor Rudolph Valentino a huge star.

Ingram working with actors Ralph Lewis, Rudolph Valentino, and his wife, Alice Terry, on the set of The Conquering Power

Ingram married actress Doris Pawn in 1917, but they later separated. In 1921, he married actress Alice Terry. They stayed together for the rest of his life. In 1923, Rex Ingram and Alice Terry moved to the French Riviera, a beautiful coastal area in France. They set up a small film studio in Nice. From there, they made several movies in places like North Africa, Spain, and Italy.

Many future famous filmmakers learned from Ingram. For example, Michael Powell, who later directed classic movies like The Red Shoes, worked for Ingram. Powell said Ingram greatly influenced his ideas about dreams and magic in films. Another famous director, David Lean, also said he learned a lot from Ingram.

Ingram working on the set of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

As sound movies became popular, Ingram's career changed. He preferred making silent films and decided not to change his studio to make "talkies." Instead, he chose to travel and focus on writing. He made only one sound film, Baroud, which was filmed in Morocco. It was not a big success. After this, he left the movie business. He returned to Los Angeles and worked as a sculptor and writer.

Rex Ingram became interested in the religion of Islam in 1927 and converted in 1933. For his important work in movies, he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Death

Rex Ingram passed away on July 21, 1950, in North Hollywood, California. He was 58 years old. He is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Legacy

Film critics remember Rex Ingram for his unique style. He was fascinated by unusual and imaginative stories. Even though some of his films could be slow, they often had amazing moments of fantasy. For example, the famous ride of the Four Horsemen in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was one of his memorable scenes. His interest in mystical themes was clear in movies like Mare Nostrum and The Garden of Allah, which he filmed in beautiful locations around the Mediterranean and North Africa.

Filmography

Here is a list of films Rex Ingram directed: