Title supplied by cataloger.; Photograph was edited for publication purposes. Harold Lloyd was born on April 20, 1893 in Burchard Nebraska. He was an American actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer who is best known for his silent comedy films. He was also a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was one of the most popular actors of the silent film era along with Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Lloyd's performance hanging from the hands of a clock high above the street in Safety Last! (1923) is one of the most iconic images in all of cinema. Lloyd began acting at the age of 20 and became friends with filmmaker Hal Roach. In 1919 he was seriously injured while holding what he thought was a prop bomb. It exploded, causing him to lose the thumb and forefinger of his right hand. By 1921 Lloyd and Roach moved from short films to feature length comedies. The films were popular and highly profitable, making him one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in early Hollywood. Lloyd married actress Mildred Davis on Saturday, February 10, 1923 in Los Angeles. The couple had three children (one adopted). After the silent film era, his popularity waned and he basically retired from film. In 1944 he became director and host of a radio anthology series that lasted only one season. He became involved in civic and charity work and experimented with photography. He died on March 8, 1971. Photograph caption dated February 19, 1934 reads "Fifty-two years ago Mark Twain was so delighted with a performance of Edwin Booth that he wrote a note of congratulation on his personal card and sent it backstage to the actor. Today the card is in the collection of Harold Lloyd, the gift of county counsel Everett Mattoon. Top photo shows Mattoon, right, presenting the card to Lloyd." The men are looking at the card.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
Lloyd, Harold,--1893-1971 Mattoon, Everett W Twain, Mark,--1835-1910--Relics Motion picture actors and actresses--United States Comedians--United States Lawyers--California--Los Angeles Men--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express photographs Herald-Examiner Collection photographs
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
