Richard Barthelmess
A silent film star with soulful eyes who helped found Hollywood's most powerful institution and earned its first Best Actor nomination.
1895–1963 (age 68)·American actor·Birthday: May 9·The Lost Generation
Biography
Richard Barthelmess projected a sensitive, everyman quality that made him a perfect foil for D.W. Griffith's heroines and a major box-office draw of the 1920s. His breakthrough in 'Broken Blossoms' established him as a star capable of profound tenderness, a contrast to the more swashbuckling idols of the era. Off-screen, Barthelmess was a pragmatic visionary; his recognition of the industry's need for organization led him to become a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His career peaked with a unique double nomination at the very first Oscars, a historic feat. While his star faded with the talkies, his early contributions—both on screen as a defining leading man and behind the scenes as an architect of Hollywood's future—cement his place in film history.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Richard was born in 1895, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1895
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1895Born
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1900Started school
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1908Became a teenager
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Could drive
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1913Could vote
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1916Turned 21
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Turned 30
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1935Turned 40
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 50
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 60
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Died at 68
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1927.
- Received a nomination for the inaugural Academy Award for Best Actor for two films, 'The Patent Leather Kid' and 'The Noose'.
- Starred in D.W. Griffith's classics 'Broken Blossoms' and 'Way Down East' opposite Lillian Gish.
Did You Know?
He served as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy Reserve during World War II.
His mother was an actress who encouraged his career and reportedly helped him get his first stage role.
He was one of the highest-paid actors of the silent era, commanding a significant salary.
“The camera sees what you're thinking; you can't hide a thing from it.”
