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Edward Sedgwick

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Edward Sedgwick
Sedgwick in 1933
Born(1889-11-07)November 7, 1889[1]
Galveston, Texas,U.S.
DiedMarch 7, 1953(1953-03-07)(aged 63)
North Hollywood, California,U.S.
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery, Culver City
Other namesEdgar Sedgwick
Ed Segwick
Alma materSt. Mary's University of Galveston
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • actor
  • film producer
Years active1915–1953
SpouseEbba Havez
RelativesEileen Sedgwick(sister)
Josie Sedgwick(sister)

Edward Sedgwick(November 7, 1889 – March 7, 1953) was an Americanfilm director,writer,actorandproducer.[2]

Early life[edit]

He was born in Galveston, Texas, the son of Edward Sedgwick, Sr. and Josephine Walker, both stage actors. At the age of four, young Edward Sedgwick joined his show business family in what was then the Sedgwick Comedy Company, a vaudeville act, doing a "singing speciality".[1]He played child parts and did vaudeville acts until he was seven, when he was given his first comedy part, that of an Irish immigrant, in a comedy written by his father calledJust Over.[1]

During this time, he was only on stage during the summer months. In winter his father took him back to Galveston and sent him to school.[1]He graduated fromSt. Mary's University of Galveston,and was then sent to thePeacock Military Academyin San Antonio, from which he graduated with the rank of first lieutenant.[1]After graduation, he seriously contemplated a military life but the lure of the stage proved stronger and so he rejoined his father's company, now known as "The Five Sedgwicks." The troupe consisted of his parents, himself and his two sisters. Forced to close the act due to his father's illness, Sedgwick went into musical comedy and soon had a company of his own, known as "The Cabaret Girls," produced, directed and managed by himself. The company was very successful, and it was only after repeated offers fromRomaine Fieldingthat he was induced, at the end of his third successful season, to disband his company and become a film-actor.[1]

The two other family members were Edward's twin sistersEileenandJosie,who both later pursued successful silent-movie acting careers. Sedgwick broke into films as a comedian in 1915, frequently cast as a zany baseball player. He then became a serial director six years later in 1921, and moved on to theTom Mixwestern unit. Sedgwick's love of baseball came in handy for the ballpark sequences of Mix'sStepping Out,Buck Jones’Hit and Run,William Haines’Slide, Kelly, Slide,Buster Keaton’sThe Cameraman,andRobert Young’sDeath on the Diamond.

Career[edit]

Sedgwick signed with MGM in the late 1920s. There, he found a kindred spirit in fellow baseball buffBuster Keaton.Sedgwick (known informally as "Ed" or "Junior" ) directed most of Keaton's MGM features:The Cameraman,Spite Marriage,Free and Easy,Doughboys(in which Sedgwick appears on screen as a dumb soldier),Parlor, Bedroom and Bath,Speak Easily,andWhat! No Beer?.In 1936 Sedgwick briefly became a producer-director atHal Roach Studios.There, he madeMister CinderellaandPick a Star,both starringJack Haley.The latter film featured a guest appearance byLaurel and Hardy.

He directed the 1938 filmThe GladiatorstarringJoe E. BrownandDickie Moore.

By the 1940s, Sedgwick had fewer opportunities to direct. WhenLaurel and Hardyreturned to MGM in late 1942, Sedgwick was chosen to direct them inAir Raid Wardens.It was his last assignment for five years, but he remained on the MGM payroll, sharing an office with the almost-as-idle Buster Keaton.

In 1948, Keaton, employed as agagmanforRed Skelton,had suggested that Sedgwick would be an ideal director for the upcomingA Southern Yankee.But Sedgwick was not up to the challenge: though he received sole directorial credit,S. Sylvan Simondirected the film in its entirety.[3]Sedgwick's final released film wasUniversal'sMa and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm.

Sedgwick's 1923 silent filmThe First Degreewas long thought to have been alost filmuntil a complete copy was discovered at theChicago Film Archives,part of a collection of agricultural films donated fromPeoria, IL.[4]Chicago Film Archiveshas preserved and digitally transferred the film.[5]

Death[edit]

Sedgwick died of aheart attackinNorth Hollywood, Californiaat the age of 63. He is buried inHoly Cross CemeteryinCulver City.

Filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefRobert Grau (1914)The Theatre of Sciencepp.372-3, Broadway publishing company, New York
  2. ^"Edward Sedgwick".latimes.Retrieved2023-08-11.
  3. ^Zmuda, Michael.The five Sedgwicks: pioneer entertainers of Vaudeville, film and television.McFarland & Company, Inc., 2015.
  4. ^Babler, Olivia; Desouki, Yasmin (August 2020)."Lost Film From 1923 Uncovered in CFA Collection".Chicago Film Archives.Retrieved2020-08-10.
  5. ^"Long-lost 1923 silent movie turns up at Chicago Film Archives".chicagotribune. 2020-08-03.Retrieved2020-08-03.

External links[edit]

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