George Dryden Wheeler Jr. (31 August 1892 – 30 September 1957), known better as Wheeler Dryden, was an English-born American actor and film director. He was the son of Hannah Chaplin and music hall entertainer Leo Dryden, and younger half-brother of actors Sir Charlie and Sydney Chaplin.[1]
He moved to the United States in 1918, joining his mother and two half-brothers. He worked as an actor and director, sometimes assisting Charlie Chaplin. He was married for a time and was the father of Spencer Dryden, who became a rock musician with prominent American bands[2] and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[3]
He was born as George Dryden Wheeler Jr. in London,[1] the youngest of three boys born to Hannah Hill Chaplin, and the son of Leo Dryden, a music hall entertainer. While George was an infant, his father removed him from his mentally troubled mother, who was committed to a mental asylum for a time. He grew up estranged from her and his two older half-brothers. Known as Wheeler, Dryden became an entertainer like his father. In 1915 he was touring India and the Far East as a Vaudeville comedian when his father first told him that the newly famous actor Charlie Chaplin was his half-brother.
At this point, Dryden (who adopted use of this as his surname) wrote several letters to Chaplin and his half-brother Sydney, but received no response from either of them. In 1917, he got in touch with Chaplin's lead actress, Edna Purviance, who is thought to have convinced Chaplin to recognise Dryden as his half-brother.[4][5]
He joined the Chaplin brothers and their mother in America in 1918.[6] After nearly two decades, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1936.
Later, he worked at the Chaplin Studios as Charlie's assistant director on The Great Dictator and Monsieur Verdoux.[9][10] He also appears in the supporting roles of a doctor and a clown in Chaplin's last American film, Limelight (1952).[11][12]
After Charlie Chaplin left America for Switzerland in 1952, Dryden managed the winding down of Chaplin's Hollywood business affairs until 1954, when the studio was sold. In his final years, he suffered from mental illness and reclusiveness. His difficulties were exacerbated by aggressive FBI inquiries into his brother's politics, during the period of increasing anti-Communist actions by government and Hollywood studios in the US.
In 1938 Dryden married Alice Chapple (1911–2005), a prima ballerina of the Radio City Music Hall dancers.[14] They had a son Spencer Dryden before they divorced in 1943. Dryden took his son to Los Angeles jazz clubs during the 1950s, which inspired his musical ambitions as a jazz and rock drummer.[15] Spencer became a musician and played with Jefferson Airplane, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and other bands; he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.[16]
^Letter from Wheeler Dryden to Edna Purviance, imploring her to intercede on his behalf and encourage Charles Chaplin to acknowledge his half-brother: , and
^Passenger list of S.S. Siberia Maru, port of San Francisco, California, 15 December 1918. Ancestry.com. California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2008.
^League, The Broadway. "Wings Over Europe – Broadway Play – Original - IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
^Baker, Richard Anthony (31 May 2014). British Music Hall: An Illustrated History. Pen and Sword. ISBN9781473837188 – via Google Books.
^Robinson, David (14 March 1983). Chaplin, the Mirror of Opinion. Indiana University Press. p. 191 – via Internet Archive. Wheeler Dryden assistant to charles chaplin monsieur verdoux.
wheeler, dryden, 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, october, 2. 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 Wheeler Dryden news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message George Dryden Wheeler Jr 31 August 1892 30 September 1957 known better as Wheeler Dryden was an English born American actor and film director He was the son of Hannah Chaplin and music hall entertainer Leo Dryden and younger half brother of actors Sir Charlie and Sydney Chaplin 1 Wheeler DrydenAutographed photograph of Wheeler DrydenBornGeorge Dryden Wheeler Jr 1892 08 31 31 August 1892Brixton London UKDied30 September 1957 1957 09 30 aged 65 Los Angeles California U S Other namesWheeler DrydenOccupation s Actor directorSpouseAlice Chapple m 1938 div 1943 wbr ChildrenSpencer DrydenParent s Leo DrydenHannah HillRelativesSydney and Charlie Chaplin half brothers He moved to the United States in 1918 joining his mother and two half brothers He worked as an actor and director sometimes assisting Charlie Chaplin He was married for a time and was the father of Spencer Dryden who became a rock musician with prominent American bands 2 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 3 Contents 1 Life and career 1 1 Family 2 Selected filmography 3 References 4 External linksLife and career editHe was born as George Dryden Wheeler Jr in London 1 the youngest of three boys born to Hannah Hill Chaplin and the son of Leo Dryden a music hall entertainer While George was an infant his father removed him from his mentally troubled mother who was committed to a mental asylum for a time He grew up estranged from her and his two older half brothers Known as Wheeler Dryden became an entertainer like his father In 1915 he was touring India and the Far East as a Vaudeville comedian when his father first told him that the newly famous actor Charlie Chaplin was his half brother At this point Dryden who adopted use of this as his surname wrote several letters to Chaplin and his half brother Sydney but received no response from either of them In 1917 he got in touch with Chaplin s lead actress Edna Purviance who is thought to have convinced Chaplin to recognise Dryden as his half brother 4 5 He joined the Chaplin brothers and their mother in America in 1918 6 After nearly two decades he became a naturalized U S citizen in 1936 nbsp Wheeler DrydenDryden entered the growing film world as an actor and later worked as a director He appeared in Stan Laurel s Mud and Sand and was the other man in the melodrama False Women 1 In 1928 he directed Syd Chaplin in A Little Bit of Fluff 7 He also played Plimsoll in the 1928 1929 Broadway theatre play Wings Over Europe 8 Later he worked at the Chaplin Studios as Charlie s assistant director on The Great Dictator and Monsieur Verdoux 9 10 He also appears in the supporting roles of a doctor and a clown in Chaplin s last American film Limelight 1952 11 12 After Charlie Chaplin left America for Switzerland in 1952 Dryden managed the winding down of Chaplin s Hollywood business affairs until 1954 when the studio was sold In his final years he suffered from mental illness and reclusiveness His difficulties were exacerbated by aggressive FBI inquiries into his brother s politics during the period of increasing anti Communist actions by government and Hollywood studios in the US Dryden died in Los Angeles in 1957 13 Family edit In 1938 Dryden married Alice Chapple 1911 2005 a prima ballerina of the Radio City Music Hall dancers 14 They had a son Spencer Dryden before they divorced in 1943 Dryden took his son to Los Angeles jazz clubs during the 1950s which inspired his musical ambitions as a jazz and rock drummer 15 Spencer became a musician and played with Jefferson Airplane New Riders of the Purple Sage and other bands he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 16 Selected filmography editYear Title Role Notes1920 The Crucifix of Destiny Leading Man1921 False Women Richard Lane1922 Mud and Sand Sapo1922 Penrod Uncredited1940 The Great Dictator Heinrich Schtick Translator Voice1947 Monsieur Verdoux Salesman Uncredited1952 Limelight Thereza s Doctor final film role References edit a b c Wheeler Dryden Biography Movie Highlights and Photos AllMovie AllMovie Spencer Dryden Independent co uk 17 January 2005 Grace Slick Remembers Spencer Dryden Rolling Stone magazine 14 January 2005 Collaborators at chaplin bfi org uk Letter from Wheeler Dryden to Edna Purviance imploring her to intercede on his behalf and encourage Charles Chaplin to acknowledge his half brother First page second page and third page Passenger list of S S Siberia Maru port of San Francisco California 15 December 1918 Ancestry com California Passenger and Crew Lists 1893 1957 database on line Provo UT USA The Generations Network Inc 2008 Skirts 1928 Wheeler Dryden Cast and Crew AllMovie AllMovie League The Broadway Wings Over Europe Broadway Play Original IBDB www ibdb com Baker Richard Anthony 31 May 2014 British Music Hall An Illustrated History Pen and Sword ISBN 9781473837188 via Google Books Robinson David 14 March 1983 Chaplin the Mirror of Opinion Indiana University Press p 191 via Internet Archive Wheeler Dryden assistant to charles chaplin monsieur verdoux Limelight 1953 Articles TCM com Turner Classic Movies Limelight 1952 Charles Chaplin Cast and Crew AllMovie AllMovie Wheeler Dryden Archived from the original on 15 March 2018 Alice Chapple Judd ednapurviance blogspot com Retrieved 8 March 2009 Sweeting Adam 15 January 2005 Obituary Spencer Dryden The Guardian Grace Slick Remembers Spencer Dryden Rolling Stone 14 January 2005 External links edit nbsp Biography portalWheeler Dryden at IMDb Wheeler Dryden at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wheeler Dryden amp oldid 1180297589, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
