J.P. McGowan

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

138

Gender

Male

Birthday

1880-02-23

Day of death

1952-03-26 (72 years old)

Place of Birth

Terowie, Australia

J.P. McGowan

Biography

From Wikipedia John Paterson McGowan (February 24, 1880 – March 26, 1952) was a pioneering Hollywood actor and director and occasionally a screenwriter and producer. J. P. McGowan, as he was usually known, remains the only Australian to have been made a life member of the Screen Directors Guild (now Directors Guild of America). Born in the then-bustling railway centre of Terowie in South Australia, McGowan grew up in Adelaide (Islington) and Sydney. He was a capable horseman and served in the Second Boer War with Montmorency's Scouts as a special dispatch rider. McGowan directed and often acted in the first 33 episodes of Kalem's 1914 adventure film series, The Hazards of Helen, which eventually ran to 54 episodes, some still with McGowan's participation. While filming he began a relationship with Helen Holmes, the film's star, and the two married. They left Kalem to set up their own production company, Signal Films, which successfully made a series of railroad melodramas but lost out when their distributor (Mutual) failed. The collaboration ended when they divorced in 1925. There was an adopted daughter, Kaye. McGowan successfully made the transition from silent film to talkies. While never a major star, in a busy career that spanned four decades he is credited with acting in 232 films—mostly strong roles like sheriff or villain—writing 26 screenplays and directing 242 productions. In 1932 he directed a young John Wayne in the 12-episode rail vs airplane serial The Hurricane Express for the independent Mascot Pictures. From 1938 to 1951, as Executive Secretary of the Screen Directors Guild, he fought to secure recognition for the director within the studio systems of the film and emerging television industry. J.P. McGowan died in 1952 in Hollywood and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Known For

  • East of Java

    East of Java

  • The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

    The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

  • Plunging Hoofs

    Plunging Hoofs

  • Stampede

    Stampede

  • Lawless Valley

    Lawless Valley

  • Jungle Jim

    Jungle Jim

  • Murder in the Fleet

    Murder in the Fleet

  • Stagecoach

    Stagecoach

  • Border Brigands

    Border Brigands

  • Borderland

    Borderland

  • Kidnapped

    Kidnapped

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi

  • The Buccaneer

    The Buccaneer

  • Empty Holsters

    Empty Holsters

  • Diamond Jim

    Diamond Jim

  • Les Misérables

    Les Misérables

  • Hunted Men

    Hunted Men

  • Red Signals

    Red Signals

  • Whispering Smith

    Whispering Smith

  • Headin' Westward

    Headin' Westward

  • Prairie Thunder

    Prairie Thunder

  • Secret Patrol

    Secret Patrol

  • The Shaughraun

    The Shaughraun

  • The Leap from the Water Tower

    The Leap from the Water Tower

  • Medicine Bend

    Medicine Bend

  • Outwitted

    Outwitted

  • Whispering Smith Speaks

    Whispering Smith Speaks

  • Stormy Seas

    Stormy Seas

  • The Red Rider

    The Red Rider

  • The Mayor from Ireland

    The Mayor from Ireland

  • Heart of the Rockies

    Heart of the Rockies

  • The Three Mesquiteers

    The Three Mesquiteers

  • The Accusing Finger

    The Accusing Finger

  • Kaintucky Bill

    Kaintucky Bill

  • The Law of the Plains

    The Law of the Plains

  • Flaming Gold

    Flaming Gold

  • The Outlaw Tamer

    The Outlaw Tamer

  • Elmo the Fearless

    Elmo the Fearless

  • The Call of the Savage

    The Call of the Savage

  • She Had to Eat

    She Had to Eat

  • The Invaders

    The Invaders

  • Hit the Saddle

    Hit the Saddle

  • Gun Gospel

    Gun Gospel

  • No More Women

    No More Women

  • His Nemesis

    His Nemesis

  • Bar 20 Rides Again

    Bar 20 Rides Again

  • Code of the Fearless

    Code of the Fearless

  • Ships of the Night

    Ships of the Night

  • The Railroad Raiders

    The Railroad Raiders

  • Railroad Raiders of '62

    Railroad Raiders of '62

  • The Canyon of Missing Men

    The Canyon of Missing Men

  • Rough Riding Rhythm

    Rough Riding Rhythm

  • The Prisoner of Shark Island

    The Prisoner of Shark Island

  • The Whipping Boss

    The Whipping Boss

  • The Hazards of Helen

    The Hazards of Helen

  • Baffled

    Baffled

  • The Royal American

    The Royal American

  • Señor Americano

    Señor Americano

  • The Cowboy and the Outlaw

    The Cowboy and the Outlaw

  • The Railroad Raiders of '62

    The Railroad Raiders of '62

  • Ride 'Em Cowboy

    Ride 'Em Cowboy

  • The Code of the Scarlet

    The Code of the Scarlet

  • The Lawless Legion

    The Lawless Legion

  • O'Malley Rides Alone

    O'Malley Rides Alone

  • The Fiddler’s Requiem

    The Fiddler’s Requiem

  • Crack O' Dawn

    Crack O' Dawn

  • The Poacher's Pardon

    The Poacher's Pardon

  • Fury and the Woman

    Fury and the Woman

  • Helen's Sacrifice

    Helen's Sacrifice

  • Tragedy of the Desert

    Tragedy of the Desert

  • The Little Gluers

    The Little Gluers

  • Captured by Bedouins

    Captured by Bedouins

  • Far from Erin's Isle

    Far from Erin's Isle

  • The Red Raiders

    The Red Raiders

  • The Oklahoma Kid

    The Oklahoma Kid

  • When the Dead Return

    When the Dead Return

  • A Sawmill Hero

    A Sawmill Hero

  • Barriers of the Law

    Barriers of the Law

  • When Lovers Part

    When Lovers Part

  • The Fighting Terror

    The Fighting Terror

  • The Girl and the Game

    The Girl and the Game

  • From the Manger to the Cross

    From the Manger to the Cross

  • Ireland, the Oppressed

    Ireland, the Oppressed

  • The Chinatown Mystery

    The Chinatown Mystery

  • Covered Wagon Trails

    Covered Wagon Trails

  • Winning a Widow

    Winning a Widow

  • Robin Hood of El Dorado

    Robin Hood of El Dorado

  • Sinner Take All

    Sinner Take All

  • Slave Ship

    Slave Ship

  • The Broken Rail

    The Broken Rail

  • The Fast Freight

    The Fast Freight

  • The Girl Telegrapher's Peril

    The Girl Telegrapher's Peril

  • Rory O'More

    Rory O'More

  • The Last Roundup

    The Last Roundup

  • King of the Circus

    King of the Circus

  • The Broken Train

    The Broken Train

  • Hills of Missing Men

    Hills of Missing Men

  • A Desperate Leap

    A Desperate Leap

  • The Lost Express

    The Lost Express

  • The Flying Freight's Captive

    The Flying Freight's Captive

  • The Black Diamond Express

    The Black Diamond Express

  • A Railroader's Bravery

    A Railroader's Bravery

  • The Lad from Old Ireland

    The Lad from Old Ireland

  • An Arabian Tragedy

    An Arabian Tragedy

  • Dust of the Desert

    Dust of the Desert

  • Savage Fury

    Savage Fury

  • Do or Die

    Do or Die

  • Dugan of the Dugouts

    Dugan of the Dugouts

  • Silver Spurs

    Silver Spurs

  • By a Woman's Wit

    By a Woman's Wit

  • A Two Fisted Tenderfoot

    A Two Fisted Tenderfoot

  • The Silent Code

    The Silent Code

  • Rustlers of Red Dog

    Rustlers of Red Dog

  • Arizona Days

    Arizona Days

  • Somewhere in Sonora

    Somewhere in Sonora

  • Quick Trigger Lee

    Quick Trigger Lee

  • Breezy Bill

    Breezy Bill

  • Senor Daredevil

    Senor Daredevil

  • The Lady and the Bandit

    The Lady and the Bandit

  • Slim Jim's Last Chance

    Slim Jim's Last Chance

  • Arizona Nights

    Arizona Nights

  • The Mettle of Jerry McGuire

    The Mettle of Jerry McGuire

  • When Lightning Strikes

    When Lightning Strikes

  • Guns and Guitars

    Guns and Guitars

  • Perils of the Rail

    Perils of the Rail

  • The Black Ace

    The Black Ace

  • Below the Deadline

    Below the Deadline

  • The Special Messenger

    The Special Messenger

  • The Colleen Bawn

    The Colleen Bawn

  • A Texas Cowboy

    A Texas Cowboy

  • Crossed Trails

    Crossed Trails

  • Vagabonds

    Vagabonds

  • 'Neath Western Skies

    'Neath Western Skies

  • Two Outlaws

    Two Outlaws

  • His Mother

    His Mother

  • The Fishermaid of Ballydavid

    The Fishermaid of Ballydavid

  • The Escape on the Limited

    The Escape on the Limited

  • The Wives of Jamestown

    The Wives of Jamestown