* 22-2-1883, Grand Rapids, MI  -   † 1963

A veteran of the stage, he entered films in 1909 and played leading roles in many of the early pictures of D.W. Griffith. In 1912 he turned to directing and during 1914 helmed nine films starring Mary Pickford. He played the romantic lead in three of these films. He also directed and co-starred in several productions featuring Lillian Gish or Blanche Sweet. A flamboyant, hard-drinking man of distinguished good looks, Kirkwood proved to be a facile, intelligent director, but he lacked the discipline and ambition usually associated with his position and before long found directing assignments hard to come by. He returned to acting and continued playing leading and supporting roles in films through the mid-50s. His first wife was silent screen actress Gertrude Robinson, and his second, Lila Lee. He was the father of actor-playwright-novelist James Kirkwood, Jr.

Filmography:

1909   1776 OR THE HESSIAN RENEGADES 

1909   AT THE ALTAR        

1909   THE BETTER WAY    

1909   COMATA, THE SIOUX         

1909   A CONVICT'S SACRIFICE    

1909   FOOLS OF FATE      

1909   THE GIBSON GODDESS       

1909   THE INDIAN RUNNER'S ROMANCE   

1909   THE MENDED LUTE   

1909   THE MESSAGE        

1909   PIPPA PASSES        

1909   THE REDMAN'S VIEW

1909   THE RENUNCIATION 

1909   THE ROAD TO THE HEART   

1909   THE ROCKY ROAD    

1909   THE SEVENTH DAY  

1909   THE SLAVE   

1909   THROUGH THE BREAKERS    

1910   THE FINAL SETTLEMENT    

1910   THE HONOR OF HIS FAMILY

1910   THE LAST DEAL       

1910   A VICTIM OF JEALOUSY     

1910   WINNING BACK HIS LOVE    

1912   PRINCE CHARMING    co-director   — with George Loane Tucker, performer

1913   THE HOUSE OF DISCORD     director, performer

1914   ASHES OF THE PAST director, performer

1914   BEHIND THE SCENES director, performer

1914   CINDERELLA   director

1914   CLASSMATES director

1914   THE EAGLE'S MATE   director, performer

1914   HOME SWEET HOME  performer

1914   MEN AND WOMEN     director

1914   THE MOUNTAIN RAT  director, performer

1914   THE SOUL OF HONOR          director, performer

1914   STRONGHEART         director, performer

1915   THE DAWN OF A TOMORROW         director

1915   ESMERALDA   director

1915   FANCHON THE CRICKET       director

1915   LITTLE PAL    director, performer

1915   MISTRESS NELL       director

1915   RAGS  director

1916   THE LOST BRIDEGROOM     

1918   THE FOUNDLING      

1918   THE STRUGGLE EVERLASTING       

1919   BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY  

1919   BILL APPERSON'S SON        director

1919   IN WRONG     director

1920   THE LUCK OF THE IRISH     

1921   BOB HAMPTON OF PLACER  

1921   THE GREAT IMPERSONATION         performer— dual role

1921   MAN—WOMAN—MARRIAGE  

1921   THE SIN FLOOD       

1921   A WISE FOOL

1922   EBB TIDE      

1922   THE MAN FROM HOME        

1922   PINK GODS   

1922   UNDER TWO FLAGS  

1923   THE EAGLE'S FEATHER       

1923   HUMAN WRECKAGE  

1923   PONJOLA      

1924   BROKEN BARRIERS   

1924   CIRCE THE ENCHANTRESS  

1924   GERALD CRANSTON'S LADY 

1924   LOVE'S WHIRLPOOL  

1924   WANDERING HUSBANDS      

1925   LOVER'S ISLAND      

1925   SECRETS OF THE NIGHT     

1925   THAT ROYLE GIRL    

1925   THE TOP OF THE WORLD     performer— dual role

1926   BUTTERFLIES IN THE RAIN  

1926   THE RECKLESS LADY

1926   THE WISE GUY        

1927   MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERY 

1928   SOMEONE TO LOVE  

1929   HEARTS IN EXILE     

1929   THE TIME THE PLACE AND THE GIRL        

1930   THE DEVIL'S HOLIDAY        

1930   THE SPOILERS        

1930   WORLDLY GOODS    

1931   A HOLY TERROR      

1931   OVER THE HILL       

1931   YOUNG SINNERS      

1932   CHARLIE CHAN'S CHANCE   

1932   CHEATERS AT PLAY 

1932   MY PAL THE KING    

1932   THE RAINBOW TRAIL

1932   SHE WANTED A MILLIONAIRE        

1940   HIRED WIFE  

1941   LADY FROM CHEYENNE       

1941   NO HANDS OF THE CLOCK  

1943   GOVERNMENT GIRL  

1943   MADAME CURIE       

1947   DRIFTWOOD  

1948   JOAN OF ARC

1948   THE UNTAMED BREED        

1949   THE DOOLINS OF OKLAHOMA        

1949   INTRUDER IN THE DUST     

1950   STAGE TO TUCSON  

1951   MAN IN THE SADDLE

1952   I DREAM OF JEANNIE

1953   THE LAST POSSE    

1953   THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT    

1954   PASSION      

1956   THE SEARCH FOR BRIDEY MURPHY  -