James Kirkwood, Sr.

Who was James Kirkwood, Sr.?

James Kirkwood, Sr. was an American actor and director. He debuted on screen in 1909 and was soon playing leads for D.W. Griffith. He started directing in 1912, and became a favorite of Mary Pickford. In 1923 he married actress Lila Lee; with her, he had a son, James Kirkwood, Jr., who became a writer. His directing career fizzled in 1920, but he continued acting well into the 1950s.

His film career would span more than two hundred films over nearly a half century. Many years later his son, James Jr., would become a successful writer, winning both a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for A Chorus Line.