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

  • Tragedy of the Desert

    Tragedy of the Desert

  • Far from Erin's Isle

    Far from Erin's Isle

  • The Lawless Legion

    The Lawless Legion

  • The Royal American

    The Royal American

  • Heart of the Rockies

    Heart of the Rockies

  • The Silent Code

    The Silent Code

  • A Sawmill Hero

    A Sawmill Hero

  • Code of the Fearless

    Code of the Fearless

  • The Accusing Finger

    The Accusing Finger

  • The Leap from the Water Tower

    The Leap from the Water Tower

  • The Buccaneer

    The Buccaneer

  • Slave Ship

    Slave Ship

  • The Law of the Plains

    The Law of the Plains

  • King of the Circus

    King of the Circus

  • The Railroad Raiders of '62

    The Railroad Raiders of '62

  • Railroad Raiders of '62

    Railroad Raiders of '62

  • The Fiddler’s Requiem

    The Fiddler’s Requiem

  • The Canyon of Missing Men

    The Canyon of Missing Men

  • No More Women

    No More Women

  • Plunging Hoofs

    Plunging Hoofs

  • Les Misérables

    Les Misérables

  • Diamond Jim

    Diamond Jim

  • Lawless Valley

    Lawless Valley

  • The Little Gluers

    The Little Gluers

  • Prairie Thunder

    Prairie Thunder

  • The Wives of Jamestown

    The Wives of Jamestown

  • Stampede

    Stampede

  • Hunted Men

    Hunted Men

  • Arizona Nights

    Arizona Nights

  • The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

    The Great Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok

  • When Lovers Part

    When Lovers Part

  • Kidnapped

    Kidnapped

  • Ireland, the Oppressed

    Ireland, the Oppressed

  • Robin Hood of El Dorado

    Robin Hood of El Dorado

  • Stagecoach

    Stagecoach

  • The Shaughraun

    The Shaughraun

  • The Poacher's Pardon

    The Poacher's Pardon

  • Whispering Smith Speaks

    Whispering Smith Speaks

  • Arizona Days

    Arizona Days

  • She Had to Eat

    She Had to Eat

  • The Chinatown Mystery

    The Chinatown Mystery

  • East of Java

    East of Java

  • Whispering Smith

    Whispering Smith

  • The Red Rider

    The Red Rider

  • Below the Deadline

    Below the Deadline

  • The Mayor from Ireland

    The Mayor from Ireland

  • Mississippi

    Mississippi

  • Border Brigands

    Border Brigands

  • Winning a Widow

    Winning a Widow

  • Captured by Bedouins

    Captured by Bedouins

  • Senor Daredevil

    Senor Daredevil

  • Jungle Jim

    Jungle Jim

  • Borderland

    Borderland

  • Sinner Take All

    Sinner Take All

  • O'Malley Rides Alone

    O'Malley Rides Alone

  • The Outlaw Tamer

    The Outlaw Tamer

  • Hit the Saddle

    Hit the Saddle

  • Secret Patrol

    Secret Patrol

  • Red Signals

    Red Signals

  • The Railroad Raiders

    The Railroad Raiders

  • Elmo the Fearless

    Elmo the Fearless

  • Murder in the Fleet

    Murder in the Fleet

  • Ride 'Em Cowboy

    Ride 'Em Cowboy

  • Empty Holsters

    Empty Holsters

  • From the Manger to the Cross

    From the Manger to the Cross

  • Savage Fury

    Savage Fury

  • When the Dead Return

    When the Dead Return

  • Dust of the Desert

    Dust of the Desert

  • The Three Mesquiteers

    The Three Mesquiteers

  • The Fighting Terror

    The Fighting Terror

  • Quick Trigger Lee

    Quick Trigger Lee

  • Headin' Westward

    Headin' Westward

  • Two Outlaws

    Two Outlaws

  • The Oklahoma Kid

    The Oklahoma Kid

  • The Prisoner of Shark Island

    The Prisoner of Shark Island

  • The Cowboy and the Outlaw

    The Cowboy and the Outlaw

  • The Call of the Savage

    The Call of the Savage

  • The Last Roundup

    The Last Roundup

  • Rory O'More

    Rory O'More

  • Ships of the Night

    Ships of the Night

  • An Arabian Tragedy

    An Arabian Tragedy

  • Rough Riding Rhythm

    Rough Riding Rhythm

  • Bar 20 Rides Again

    Bar 20 Rides Again

  • The Code of the Scarlet

    The Code of the Scarlet

  • Covered Wagon Trails

    Covered Wagon Trails

  • Slim Jim's Last Chance

    Slim Jim's Last Chance

  • Gun Gospel

    Gun Gospel

  • The Hazards of Helen

    The Hazards of Helen

  • Crack O' Dawn

    Crack O' Dawn

  • Guns and Guitars

    Guns and Guitars

  • Barriers of the Law

    Barriers of the Law

  • Señor Americano

    Señor Americano

  • The Lady and the Bandit

    The Lady and the Bandit

  • The Whipping Boss

    The Whipping Boss

  • The Lad from Old Ireland

    The Lad from Old Ireland

  • Helen's Sacrifice

    Helen's Sacrifice

  • Hills of Missing Men

    Hills of Missing Men

  • Flaming Gold

    Flaming Gold

  • Fury and the Woman

    Fury and the Woman

  • 'Neath Western Skies

    'Neath Western Skies

  • The Invaders

    The Invaders

  • Somewhere in Sonora

    Somewhere in Sonora

  • The Black Ace

    The Black Ace

  • Dugan of the Dugouts

    Dugan of the Dugouts

  • By a Woman's Wit

    By a Woman's Wit

  • Rustlers of Red Dog

    Rustlers of Red Dog

  • Breezy Bill

    Breezy Bill

  • Baffled

    Baffled

  • The Red Raiders

    The Red Raiders

  • A Texas Cowboy

    A Texas Cowboy

  • The Girl and the Game

    The Girl and the Game

  • Perils of the Rail

    Perils of the Rail

  • The Lost Express

    The Lost Express

  • Outwitted

    Outwitted

  • Crossed Trails

    Crossed Trails

  • Medicine Bend

    Medicine Bend

  • The Colleen Bawn

    The Colleen Bawn

  • When Lightning Strikes

    When Lightning Strikes

  • A Desperate Leap

    A Desperate Leap

  • The Escape on the Limited

    The Escape on the Limited

  • The Girl Telegrapher's Peril

    The Girl Telegrapher's Peril

  • A Two Fisted Tenderfoot

    A Two Fisted Tenderfoot

  • The Fast Freight

    The Fast Freight

  • The Flying Freight's Captive

    The Flying Freight's Captive

  • Stormy Seas

    Stormy Seas

  • Do or Die

    Do or Die

  • The Broken Train

    The Broken Train

  • Silver Spurs

    Silver Spurs

  • Vagabonds

    Vagabonds

  • The Black Diamond Express

    The Black Diamond Express

  • The Broken Rail

    The Broken Rail

  • His Mother

    His Mother

  • The Special Messenger

    The Special Messenger

  • Kaintucky Bill

    Kaintucky Bill

  • His Nemesis

    His Nemesis

  • A Railroader's Bravery

    A Railroader's Bravery

  • The Mettle of Jerry McGuire

    The Mettle of Jerry McGuire

  • The Fishermaid of Ballydavid

    The Fishermaid of Ballydavid