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Ernest Torrence

April 28, 2023

Ernest Torrence (born Ernest Torrance-Thomson, 26 June 1878 – 15 May 1933) was a Scottish film character actor who appeared in many Hollywood films, including Broken Chains (1922) with Colleen Moore, Mantrap (1926) with Clara Bow and Fighting Caravans (1931) with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita. A towering (6' 4") figure, Torrence frequently played cold-eyed and imposing villains.

Ernest Torrence
Torrence in 1924
Born
Ernest Thayson Torrence-Thomson

(1878-06-26)26 June 1878
Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Died15 May 1933(1933-05-15) (aged 54)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1901–1933
Spouse
Elsie Reamer Bedbrook
​
​
(m. 1902)​
ChildrenIan Torrence (b. 1907; d. 1966)
RelativesDavid Torrence (brother)

Biography

Education and early work

He was born to Colonel Henry Torrence Thayson and Jessie (née Bryce)[1] on 26 June 1878, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and as a child was an exceptional pianist and operatic baritone and graduated from the Stuttgart Conservatory, Edinburgh Academy before earning a scholarship at London's Royal Academy of Music. He toured with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in such productions as The Emerald Isle (1901), Little Hans Andersen (1903)[2] and The Talk of the Town (1905) before disarming vocal problems set in and he was forced to abandon this career path.

 
Ernest Torrence as Captain Hook in the film Peter Pan

[citation needed]

Sometime prior to 1900, he changed the spelling of Torrance to Torrence and dropped the name Thomson. Both Ernest and his actor brother David Torrence went to America, with Ernest joining David in New York in September 1911.[3] Focusing on a purely acting career, Ernest and his brother developed into experienced players on the Broadway New York stage. Ernest received significant acclaim with Modest Suzanne in 1912, and a prominent role in The Night Boat in 1920 brought him to the attention of the early Hollywood filmmakers.

Film career

 
Torrence as "William Jackson" in The Covered Wagon (1923)

Torrence played the despicable adversary Luke Hatburn in Tol'able David (1921) opposite Richard Barthelmess and immediately settled into films for the rest of his career and life. He played an old codger in the acclaimed classic western The Covered Wagon (1923) and gained attention from his roles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) as Clopin, king of the beggars, and with Betty Bronson in Peter Pan (1924) as the dastardly Captain Hook. He played an Army General who escapes into the circus world and becomes a clown in The Side Show of Life (1924).

 
Father and son, Ernest and Ian Torrence

In an offbeat bit of casting he paired up with Clara Bow in Mantrap (1926), unusually as a gentle, giant type backwoodsman in search of a wife. He appeared in other silent film classics such as The King of Kings (1927) (as Peter) and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) as Buster Keaton's steamboat captain father. During the course of his twelve-year film career, Ernest made 49 films, both silent and "talkies".

Death

Torrence made the transition into talking films very well, starring in Fighting Caravans (1931) with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita. He was able to play a notable nemesis, Dr. Moriarty, to Clive Brook's Sherlock in Sherlock Holmes (1932) in one of his last roles.

Filming for I Cover the Waterfront (1933), in which he starred as a smuggler opposite Claudette Colbert in New York City, had just been completed when he died suddenly on 15 May 1933. While en route to Europe by ship, Torrence suffered an acute attack of gall stones and was rushed back to a New York City hospital. He died of complications following surgery.

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ Who Was Who in the Theatre: 1912–1976 vol.4 Q-Z p.2381; compiled from editions originally published annually by John Parker, 1976 edition published by Gale Research.... Retrieved 23 September 2014
  2. ^ J. P. Wearing, The London Stage 1900-1909: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel, Rowman & Littlefield (2014), p. 165
  3. ^ "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJLT-7TY : 16 August 2019), Ernest Torrence, 1911.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ernest Torrence.

April 28, 2023
ernest, torrence, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Ernest Torrence news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Ernest Torrence born Ernest Torrance Thomson 26 June 1878 15 May 1933 was a Scottish film character actor who appeared in many Hollywood films including Broken Chains 1922 with Colleen Moore Mantrap 1926 with Clara Bow and Fighting Caravans 1931 with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita A towering 6 4 figure Torrence frequently played cold eyed and imposing villains Ernest TorrenceTorrence in 1924BornErnest Thayson Torrence Thomson 1878 06 26 26 June 1878Edinburgh Midlothian ScotlandDied15 May 1933 1933 05 15 aged 54 New York City U S OccupationActorYears active1901 1933SpouseElsie Reamer Bedbrook m 1902 wbr ChildrenIan Torrence b 1907 d 1966 RelativesDavid Torrence brother Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Education and early work 1 2 Film career 1 3 Death 2 Partial filmography 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditEducation and early work Edit He was born to Colonel Henry Torrence Thayson and Jessie nee Bryce 1 on 26 June 1878 in Edinburgh Scotland and as a child was an exceptional pianist and operatic baritone and graduated from the Stuttgart Conservatory Edinburgh Academy before earning a scholarship at London s Royal Academy of Music He toured with the D Oyly Carte Opera Company in such productions as The Emerald Isle 1901 Little Hans Andersen 1903 2 and The Talk of the Town 1905 before disarming vocal problems set in and he was forced to abandon this career path Ernest Torrence as Captain Hook in the film Peter Pan citation needed Sometime prior to 1900 he changed the spelling of Torrance to Torrence and dropped the name Thomson Both Ernest and his actor brother David Torrence went to America with Ernest joining David in New York in September 1911 3 Focusing on a purely acting career Ernest and his brother developed into experienced players on the Broadway New York stage Ernest received significant acclaim with Modest Suzanne in 1912 and a prominent role in The Night Boat in 1920 brought him to the attention of the early Hollywood filmmakers Film career Edit Torrence as William Jackson in The Covered Wagon 1923 Torrence played the despicable adversary Luke Hatburn in Tol able David 1921 opposite Richard Barthelmess and immediately settled into films for the rest of his career and life He played an old codger in the acclaimed classic western The Covered Wagon 1923 and gained attention from his roles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 as Clopin king of the beggars and with Betty Bronson in Peter Pan 1924 as the dastardly Captain Hook He played an Army General who escapes into the circus world and becomes a clown in The Side Show of Life 1924 Father and son Ernest and Ian Torrence In an offbeat bit of casting he paired up with Clara Bow in Mantrap 1926 unusually as a gentle giant type backwoodsman in search of a wife He appeared in other silent film classics such as The King of Kings 1927 as Peter and Steamboat Bill Jr 1928 as Buster Keaton s steamboat captain father During the course of his twelve year film career Ernest made 49 films both silent and talkies Death Edit Torrence made the transition into talking films very well starring in Fighting Caravans 1931 with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita He was able to play a notable nemesis Dr Moriarty to Clive Brook s Sherlock in Sherlock Holmes 1932 in one of his last roles Filming for I Cover the Waterfront 1933 in which he starred as a smuggler opposite Claudette Colbert in New York City had just been completed when he died suddenly on 15 May 1933 While en route to Europe by ship Torrence suffered an acute attack of gall stones and was rushed back to a New York City hospital He died of complications following surgery Partial filmography EditA Dangerous Affair 1919 Abner Tol able David 1921 Luke Hatburn The Prodigal Judge 1922 Solomon Mahaffy Singed Wings 1922 Emilio Broken Chains 1922 Boyan Boone The Kingdom Within 1922 Krieg The Covered Wagon 1923 William Jackson The Trail of the Lonesome Pine 1923 Devil Jud Tolliver The Brass Bottle 1923 Fakresh el Aamash The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Clopin Ruggles of Red Gap 1923 Cousin Egbert Floud West of the Water Tower 1923 Rev Adrian Plummer Heritage of the Desert 1924 August Naab The Fighting Coward 1924 Gen Orlando Jackson The Side Show of Life 1924 Andrew Lackaday North of 36 1924 Jim Nabours Peter Pan 1924 Captain James Hook The Dressmaker from Paris 1925 Angus McGregor The Wanderer 1925 Tola Night Life of New York 1925 John Bentley The Pony Express 1925 Ascension Jones The American Venus 1926 King Neptune The Blind Goddess 1926 Mr Clayton The Rainmaker 1926 Mike Mantrap 1926 Joe Easter The Lady of the Harem 1926 Hassan The King of Kings 1927 Peter Captain Salvation 1927 Captain of the Panther Twelve Miles Out 1927 Red McCue Across to Singapore 1928 Capt Mark Shore Steamboat Bill Jr 1928 William Steamboat Bill Canfield Sr The Cossacks 1928 Ivan Desert Nights 1929 Lord Stonehill The Bridge of San Luis Rey 1929 Uncle Pio Speedway 1929 Jim MacDonald The Unholy Night 1929 Dr Ballou Untamed 1929 Ben Murchison Officer O Brien 1930 John P O Brien Strictly Unconventional 1930 Lord Porteous Sweet Kitty Bellairs 1930 Sir Jasper Standish Call of the Flesh 1930 Esteban Fighting Caravans 1931 Bill Jackson Shipmates 1931 Scotty The Great Lover 1931 Potter Sporting Blood 1931 Mr Jim Rellence New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford 1931 Blackie Daw The Cuban Love Song 1931 Romance Sherlock Holmes 1932 Professor James Moriarty Hypnotized 1932 Prof Horace S Limberly Hypnotist I Cover the Waterfront 1933 Eli Kirk final film role References Edit Who Was Who in the Theatre 1912 1976 vol 4 Q Z p 2381 compiled from editions originally published annually by John Parker 1976 edition published by Gale Research Retrieved 23 September 2014 J P Wearing The London Stage 1900 1909 A Calendar of Productions Performers and Personnel Rowman amp Littlefield 2014 p 165 New York Passenger Arrival Lists Ellis Island 1892 1924 database with images FamilySearch https familysearch org ark 61903 1 1 JJLT 7TY 16 August 2019 Ernest Torrence 1911 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ernest Torrence Ernest Torrence at IMDb Ernest Torrence at the Internet Broadway Database Photographs and literature on Ernest TorrencePortals Biography Film Greater Los Angeles Opera Scotland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernest Torrence amp oldid 1144437043, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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