Actor. He was a theater and film actor as well as a director and screenwriter at the dawn of the 20th century. Following his parents, his acting career began on the stage. This followed with his appearance in the original productions of "The Clansman" in 1906 and "The Builders" in 1907. Starting at the Essanay Studios in Chicago, some of the 13 silent films were "Twilight" and "The Voice of Conscience" both in 1912, "Fear" in 1913, and in 1915 "At the End of a Perfect Day" and his last major film, "The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wellington". He also wrote two and directed three silent films including in 1914 "The Way of his Father." His career never really recuperated after he experienced a mental break, caused from exhaustion in 1915. By 1924, his career only gave him nonspeaking roles as an extra. He made a film for the Anti-Cigarette League called "Madame Nicotine", yet the film was destroyed when a Toronto studio burnt to the ground. Born into a theatrical family as Harry Richards Mainhall, Jr., he was the son of British-born actress Mary Jeffreys-Lewis and her second husband, a young leading actor, Harry Mainhall . According to Thomas Collin's 2015 book "Arizona Stage", he was born in 1886 but his marker states 1887. His mother used the professional name of "Jeffreys Lewis." Both of his mother's sisters were actresses. He was buried with his mother. While penniless and separated from Jeffreys Lewis, his father died of tuberculosis in 1902 in California.
Actor. He was a theater and film actor as well as a director and screenwriter at the dawn of the 20th century. Following his parents, his acting career began on the stage. This followed with his appearance in the original productions of "The Clansman" in 1906 and "The Builders" in 1907. Starting at the Essanay Studios in Chicago, some of the 13 silent films were "Twilight" and "The Voice of Conscience" both in 1912, "Fear" in 1913, and in 1915 "At the End of a Perfect Day" and his last major film, "The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wellington". He also wrote two and directed three silent films including in 1914 "The Way of his Father." His career never really recuperated after he experienced a mental break, caused from exhaustion in 1915. By 1924, his career only gave him nonspeaking roles as an extra. He made a film for the Anti-Cigarette League called "Madame Nicotine", yet the film was destroyed when a Toronto studio burnt to the ground. Born into a theatrical family as Harry Richards Mainhall, Jr., he was the son of British-born actress Mary Jeffreys-Lewis and her second husband, a young leading actor, Harry Mainhall . According to Thomas Collin's 2015 book "Arizona Stage", he was born in 1886 but his marker states 1887. His mother used the professional name of "Jeffreys Lewis." Both of his mother's sisters were actresses. He was buried with his mother. While penniless and separated from Jeffreys Lewis, his father died of tuberculosis in 1902 in California.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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