J.P. McGowan
Acting
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
Acting152
movieSavage Fury
1956
Ship's Captain
movieStagecoach
1939
Bit Part (uncredited)
movieCode of the Fearless
1939
Undetermined Minor Role
movieKidnapped
1938
Clansman
movieThe Buccaneer
1938
Jailer
moviePrairie Thunder
1937
Col. Stanton
movieHeart of the Rockies
1937
Ed Dawson
movieRough Riding Rhythm
1937
Pete Hobart
movieEmpty Holsters
1937
U.S. Marshal Billy O'Neill
movieShe Had to Eat
1937
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
movieSlave Ship
1937
Helmsman
movieHit the Saddle
1937
Rance McGowan
movieBorderland
1937
El Rio Sheriff
movieJungle Jim
1937
Ship Captain J.S. Robinson
movieSinner Take All
1936
Police Officer Murphy (uncredited)
movieStampede
1936
Matt Stevens
movieThe Accusing Finger
1936
Inner Guard
movieFury and the Woman
1936
Anderson
movieThe Three Mesquiteers
1936
Brack Canfield
movieRide 'Em Cowboy
1936
Jim Howard
movieGuns and Guitars
1936
Dave Morgan
movieSecret Patrol
1936
Blacksmith Barstow
movieRobin Hood of El Dorado
1936
Danglong
movieThe Prisoner of Shark Island
1936
Ship's Captain (uncredited)
movieSilverspurs
1936
Webb Allison
movieBar 20 Rides Again
1935
Buck Peters
movieEast of Java
1935
Sergeant, Rescue Party
movieThe Silent Code
1935
Commissioner
movieDiamond Jim
1935
Engineer
movieBorder Brigands
1935
Inspector Winston - RCMP
movieMurder in the Fleet
1935
Chief of Police (Uncredited)
movieWhispering Smith Speaks
1935
Caboose Passenger (uncredited)
movieLes Misérables
1935
Javert's Plainclothesman
movieThe Call of the Savage
1935
Freighter Captain
movieMississippi
1935
Dealer (uncredited)
movieThe Outlaw Tamer
1935
Sheriff Jim Porter
movieRustlers of Red Dog
1935
Capt. Trent [Chs. 3-4]
movieWhen Lightning Strikes
1934
Lafe Broderick
movieThe Red Rider
1934
Scotty McKee
movieNo More Women
1934
Captain of The Hawk
movieSomewhere in Sonora
1933
Monte Black
movieLawless Valley
1932
Big Mike Carter, aka El Lobo, aka Texas Rand
movieQuick Trigger Lee
1931
Brings note / Director
movieThe Canyon of Missing Men
1930
Slug Sagel
movieO'Malley Rides Alone
1930
Angus McGregor
movieA Texas Cowboy
1929
Brute Kettle
movieSeñor Americano
1929
Maddox
moviePioneers of the West
1929
Tom Dorgan
movieThe Cowboy and the Outlaw
1929
Pepper Hardcastle
moviePlunging Hoofs
1929
Jim Wales
movieBad Men's Money
1929
Sheriff Bud Jennings
movieHeadin' Westward
1929
Sneezer Clark
movieBelow the Deadline
1929
Taggart
movieShips of the Night
1928
Motilla
movieTwo Outlaws
1928
Abner Whitcomb
The Old Code
1928
Raoul de Valle
The Devil’s Tower
1928
George Stilwell
Dugan of the Dugouts
1928
Capt. von Brinken
The Slaver
1927
’Iron' Larsen
movieGun Gospel
1927
Bill Brogan
movieThe Red Raiders
1927
Captain Ortwell
movieArizona Nights
1927
Jeff Decker
The Lost Limited
1927
Thomas Webber
movieRed Signals
1927
Jim Twyler
moviePerils of the Rail
1926
Barker's Accomplice at Smelter Junction
movieCrack O' Dawn
1926
Earle Thorpe Sr.
movieThe Lost Express
1926
Train Engineer
movieMoran of the Mounted
1926
Sgt. Churchill
movieSenor Daredevil
1926
Jesse Wilks
movieThe Patent Leather Pug
1925
James Curtis
movieDuped
1925
'Hard Rock' Ralston
movieBarriers of the Law
1925
Steve Redding
movieOutwitted
1925
Tiger McGuire
movieCrossed Trails
1924
'Pepper' Baldwin
movieA Two Fisted Tenderfoot
1924
Stephen Lawlor
movieBaffled
1924
Jack Norton
movieStormy Seas
1923
Capt. Morgan
movieHills of Missing Men
1922
Capt. Brandt / The Dragon
movieCold Steel
1921
Steele Weir
movieDo or Die
1921
Capt. Alvarez / Satan
movieThe Railroad Raiders
1917
Thomas Desmond
movieThe Hazards of Helen
1917
Various roles
movieMedicine Bend
1916
Whispering Smith
movieWhispering Smith
1916
Whispering Smith
movieThe Mettle of Jerry McGuire
1915
Jerry McGuire
movieThe Broken Rail
1915
Trow - of the Working Crew
movieA Railroader's Bravery
1915
Thomas - the Chief of the Gang
movieThe Broken Train
1915
Warren - Railroad Employee
movieThe Railroad Raiders of '62
1915
Lockwood - the old one-armed Flagman
movieThe Leap from the Water Tower
1915
Rand - the Fireman
movieThe Girl Telegrapher's Peril
1915
Blake - a Lineman
movieThe Escape on the Limited
1914
Brandt - a Defaulting Cashier
movieThe Black Diamond Express
1914
Dan Haddon - a Cowboy
movieThe Flying Freight's Captive
1914
Rand - a Yeggman
movieHis Nemesis
1914
Mammoth - Manning's Business Rival
Kaintucky Bill
1914
Kaintucky Bill - a Moonshiner
movieThe Wives of Jamestown
1913
The O’Rourke
The Shaughraun
1912
Corry Kinchela
movieIreland, the Oppressed
1912
Lord Kilhannack
movieThe Little Gluers
1912
Valentine Hay
movieFrom the Manger to the Cross
1912
Wise Man 1
movieThe Poacher's Pardon
1912
Mr. Wallace - the Gamekeeper
movieTragedy of the Desert
1912
The Arab Sheik
movieCaptured by Bedouins
1912
Lt. Greig
movieDust of the Desert
1912
Sheik Mohammad
Vagabonds
1912
Big Jim
movieHis Mother
1912
John Foster
movieThe Colleen Bawn
1911
Hardress Cregan
movieRory O'More
1911
Commander of the English troops
movieRailroad Raiders of '62
1911
Federal Officer
The Fiddler’s Requiem
1911
Dolores' father
movieThe Lad from Old Ireland
1910
Election Agent
Danger Quest
Col. Spiffy
Directing160
movieWhere the West Begins
1938
Director
movieRoaring Six Guns
1937
Director
movieRough Riding Rhythm
1937
Director
movieThe Outlaw Tamer
1935
Director
movieThe Lone Bandit
1935
Director
movieWar of the Range
1933
Director
movieDeadwood Pass
1933
Director
movieDrum Taps
1933
Director
movieWhen a Man Rides Alone
1933
Director
movieThe Hurricane Express
1932
Director
movieThe Scarlet Brand
1932
Director
movieTangled Fortunes
1932
Director
movieLawless Valley
1932
Director
movieMark of the Spur
1932
Director
movieHuman Targets
1932
Director
movieQuick Trigger Lee
1931
Director
movieShotgun Pass
1931
Director
movieHeadin' for Trouble
1931
Director
movieSo This Is Arizona
1931
Director
movieRiders of the North
1931
Director
movieUnder Texas Skies
1930
Director
movieThe Code of Honor
1930
Director
movieBeyond the Law
1930
Director
movieCanyon Hawks
1930
Director
movieThe Oklahoma Sheriff
1930
Director
movieNear the Rainbow's End
1930
Director
movieThe Hunted Men
1930
Director
movieCall of the Desert
1930
Director
Breezy Bill
1930
Director
movieO'Malley Rides Alone
1930
Director
movieA Texas Cowboy
1929
Director
movieCode of the West
1929
Director
movieThe Oklahoma Kid
1929
Director
moviePioneers of the West
1929
Director
movieThe Law of the Plains
1929
Director
movieThe Fighting Terror
1929
Director
movieThe Man from Nevada
1929
Director
movieThe Last Roundup
1929
Director
movieCaptain Cowboy
1929
Director
movieBad Men's Money
1929
Director
movieHeadin' Westward
1929
Director
movieBelow the Deadline
1929
Director
movie'Neath Western Skies
1929
Director
movieManhattan Cowboy
1928
Director
movieThe Chinatown Mystery
1928
Director
movieMystery Valley
1928
Director
movieThe Outlaw Dog
1927
Director
movieThunderbolt's Tracks
1927
Director
movieRed Signals
1927
Director
moviePerils of the Rail
1926
Director
movieCrossed Signals
1926
Director
movieThe Lost Express
1926
Director
movieWebs of Steel
1925
Director
movieThe Road Agent
1925
Director
movieThe Ace of Clubs
1925
Director
movieThe Bandit Tamer
1925
Director
movieThe Fast Freight
1925
Director
Ambushed
1925
Director
movieCold Nerve
1925
Director
movieThe Fighting Sheriff
1925
Director
movieDuped
1925
Director
movieBarriers of the Law
1925
Director
movieOutwitted
1925
Director
movieCourage
1924
Director
movieA Desperate Adventure
1924
Director
movieCrossed Trails
1924
Director
movieA Two Fisted Tenderfoot
1924
Director
movieBaffled
1924
Director
movieStormy Seas
1923
Director
moviePerils of the Yukon
1922
Director
movieCaptain Kidd
1922
Director
movieHills of Missing Men
1922
Director
movieBelow the Deadline
1921
Director
movieTiger True
1921
Director
movieDo or Die
1921
Director
movieThe Vanishing Dagger
1920
Director
movieKing of the Circus
1920
Director
movieElmo the Fearless
1920
Director
movieThe Red Glove
1919
Director
movieElmo, the Mighty
1919
Director
movieThe Lure of the Circus
1918
Director
movieThe Lost Express
1917
Director
movieThe Railroad Raiders
1917
Director
movieThe Hazards of Helen
1917
Director
movieMedicine Bend
1916
Director
movieWhispering Smith
1916
Director
movieBlackbirds
1915
Director
movieThe Girl on the Engine
1915
Director
movieA Deed of Daring
1915
Director
movieThe Fate of Number One
1915
Director
movieA Wild Ride
1915
Director
movieThe Midnight Limited
1915
Director
movieIn Danger's Path
1915
Director
movieNear Eternity
1915
Director
movieThe Pay Train
1915
Director
movieThe Human Chain
1915
Director
movieA Railroader's Bravery
1915
Director
movieThe Broken Train
1915
Director
movieThe Box Car Trap
1915
Director
movieA Race for a Crossing
1915
Director
movieThe Girl Engineer
1915
Director
movieThe Girl on the Trestle
1915
Director
movieA Life in the Balance
1915
Director
movieThe Girl at Lone Point
1915
Director
movieThe Death Train
1915
Director
movieThe Open Drawbridge
1915
Director
movieThe Engineer's Peril
1915
Director
movieThe Little Engineer
1915
Director
movieThe Fast Mail's Danger
1915
Director
movieThe Broken Circuit
1915
Director
movieThe Girl and the Game
1915
Director
movieThe Stolen Engine
1914
Director
movieHis Nemesis
1914
Director
movieHelen's Sacrifice
1914
Director
movieThe Lost Mail Sack
1914
Director
movieThe Flaw in the Alibi
1914
Director
Writing19
movieSecret Patrol
1936
Screenplay
movieDrum Taps
1933
Screenplay
movieThe Hurricane Express
1932
Screenplay
moviePioneers of the West
1929
Adaptation
movieCaptain Cowboy
1929
Writer
movieMystery Valley
1928
Writer
movieThe Brown Derby
1926
Writer
movieThe Fast Freight
1925
Scenario Writer
movieOutwitted
1925
Writer
The Diamond Runners
1916
Scenario Writer
movieHis Nemesis
1914
Writer
Production8
movieO'Malley Rides Alone
1930
Producer
moviePioneers of the West
1929
Producer
movieThe Man from Nevada
1929
Producer
movie'Neath Western Skies
1929
Producer
movieThe Lost Express
1917
Producer
movieThe Railroad Raiders
1917
Producer