Harold Lockwood


Harold A. Lockwood was an American silent film actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most popular matinee idols of the early film period during the 1910s.

Early life and career

Born in Brooklyn, Lockwood was raised and educated in Newark, New Jersey. Upon graduating, he began working in exporting. Lockwood quickly discovered that he did not enjoy exporting and quit to become an actor. He initially began his acting career in vaudeville.
In 1908, Lockwood joined the Selig Company. In 1910, Lockwood signed on with a stock company for David Horsley and appeared in Western shorts. He later worked for the New York Motion Picture Company, Selig Polyscope Company and Famous Players Film Company.
While at Famous Players, Lockwood was cast opposite actress May Allison in Allan Dwan's romantic film David Harum. The two would appear in over twenty-three films together during the World War I era, and became one of the first celebrated on-screen romantic duos. However, the two were never romantically involved off-screen.

Personal life

On January 8, 1906, Lockwood married Alma Jones. The couple had a son, Harold Lockwood, Jr., who later appeared in silent and sound films. Among his earliest credits is the 1928 World War I film Lilac Time, starring Colleen Moore and Gary Cooper.

Death

On October 19, 1918, Lockwood died at the age of 31 of Spanish influenza at the Hotel Woodward in New York City. He had contracted the illness during production of Shadows of Suspicion, which had some scenes completed using a double shot from behind. Lockwood's funeral was held on October 22 at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel, after which he was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Selected filmography