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Augustus E. Thomas is a Director, Scriptwriter and Producer American born on 8 january 1857 at St. Louis (USA)

Augustus E. Thomas

Augustus E. Thomas
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Nationality USA
Birth 8 january 1857 at St. Louis (USA)
Death 12 august 1934 (at 77 years) at Nyack (USA)

Augustus Thomas (8 January 1857 – 12 August 1934) was an American playwright, born in St. Louis, Missouri. The son of a doctor, he worked a number of jobs including a page in the 41st Congress, studying law and gaining some practical railway work experience before he turned to journalism and became editor of the Kansas City Mirror in 1889. Thomas had been writing since his teens when he wrote plays and even organized a small theatrical touring company.

Thomas was hired to work as an assistant at Pope's Theatre in St. Louis. During this time, he wrote a one-act play based on a short story by Frances Hodgson Burnett called The Burglar. After touring in the play, he expanded the show to four acts and was able to get Maurice Barrymore to play the title role. Subsequently, he was hired to succeed Dion Boucicault adapting foreign plays for the Madison Square Theatre.

His first original play, Alabama was produced in 1891 and its success allowed Thomas to write full-time. Alabama is the story of an un-reconstructed Confederate. Notably, Thomas was one of the first playwrights to make use of American material. Other plays along the same lines include Arizona (1899), In Mizzoura (1893), Colorado (1901) and Rio Grande (1916). Perhaps his most successful play was The Copperhead (1918) which made Lionel Barrymore a star.

Thomas reached a high artistic level in Arizona and The Witching Hour. A novelization of the latter appeared in 1908. He was elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters, was awarded the National Institute's gold medal in 1913, and in 1914 received an honorary A. M. degree from Williams College. According to the Oxford Companion to the Theatre, his plays are "on the whole, not profound, and provided entertainment of a kind acceptable to his audiences." Thomas was elected to The Lambs theatrical club in 1889 and served as its president from 1907 to 1910. He died in 1934 and was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

Usually with

George Irving
George Irving
(3 films)
Gail Kane
Gail Kane
(3 films)
Adolph Zukor
Adolph Zukor
(4 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Augustus E. Thomas (17 films)

Display filmography as list

Director

Scriptwriter

Arizona
Arizona (1931)
, 1h10
Directed by George B. Seitz
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays
Actors Laura La Plante, John Wayne, June Clyde, Forrest Stanley, Nina Quartero, Susan Fleming
Roles Writer
Rating57% 2.852052.852052.852052.852052.85205
While at West Point, Bob Denton rebuffs Evelyn Palmer, who shows up later as the wife of his commanding officer in Arizona.
The Family Secret, 1h10
Directed by William A. Seiter
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Crime
Themes Children's films
Actors Baby Peggy, Gladys Hulette, Frank Currier, Lucy Beaumont, Edward Earle, Martha Mattox
Roles Theatre Play
Rating62% 3.1405953.1405953.1405953.1405953.140595
Margaret Selfridge (Hulette) lives with her affluent father, Simon (Currier) and her Aunt Abigail (Lucy Beamont) in a mansion in New York City. She is involved in a romantic relationship with Garry Homes (Earle), an honest man from a modest background.
Thirty Days
Directed by James Cruze
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Wallace Reid, Wanda Hawley, Charles Ogle, Cyril Chadwick, Herschel Mayall, Helen Dunbar
Roles Theatre Play

As described in a film publication, because of his flirtatious tendencies, young and wealthy society man John Floyd (Reid) is put on 30 days probation by his sweetheart Lucille Ledyard (Hawley). She gets him to assist her in settlement work. He ends up soothing Carlotta (Phillips), a young woman in a tough Italian section, when her husband Giacomo Polenta (Mayall) comes home and chases John with a knife. John escapes, but Giacomo, who is wanted by the police, takes a job as a butler in the Floyd home until he has a chance to skip to Italy. Carlotta comes to warn John, but Giacomo sees her and chases her down the street with a carving knife until he is nabbed by a police officer. Judge Hooker (Ogle), a friend of the Floyds, suggests that John seek safety in jail for 30 days until Giacomo leaves for Italy, so John goes and assaults a friend and rival, is arrested, and sent to jail by the judge. In jail he runs into Giacomo but is able to escape him. Giacomo is released, but waits for John outside the prison. Lucille and a friend visit John. When released, John is tied up by some criminals and put on a steamer headed for Italy. In the end, John and Lucille are reconciled.
The Bonnie Brier Bush, 50minutes
Directed by Donald Crisp
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Donald Crisp, Mary Glynne, Dorothy Fane, Langhorn Burton
Roles Theatre Play
Rating66% 3.3235353.3235353.3235353.3235353.323535
The Copperhead
Directed by Charles Maigne
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Political films, Films based on plays
Actors Lionel Barrymore, William P. Carleton, Anne Cornwall
Rating65% 3.265963.265963.265963.265963.26596
At the beginning of the American Civil War Milt Shanks, who owns a farm in Illinois, is asked by President Abraham Lincoln to join the Copperheads, a clandestine quasi-political organization whose sentiments lie with the South. His family and friends unknowing of his mission call him a traitor.
Arizona
Arizona (1918)

Directed by Douglas Fairbanks, Albert Parker
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Romance
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Douglas Fairbanks, Theodore Roberts, Marguerite De La Motte, Kate Price, Raymond Hatton, Frederick Burton
Roles Theatre Play
Rating40% 2.0333252.0333252.0333252.0333252.033325
Denton (Fairbanks) is a lieutenant in the U.S. Cavalry regiment commaded by Colonel Benham (Frederick Burton). Benham is married to the much younger Estrella (Kathleen Kirkham), the daughter of wealthy rancher Canby (Theodore Roberts). Estrella has a sister, Bonita (Marjorie Daw), with whom Denton falls in love.