Johnny Hines


Johnny Hines, born John F. Hines, was an American actor active primarily during the silent era, who did not transition well into talking pictures. During the course of his career he appeared in over 50 films, and numerous film shorts.

Life and career

Born in Golden, Colorado on June 25, 1895, he was the brother to film director Charles Hines, and to Samuel E. Hines, who was a bit-part actor during the early years of sound film. In the early 1910s, Hines attended the City College of New York, although it is unclear whether he obtained his degree. Hines made his film debut in 1914, when he appeared in several shorts and three films. He was first seen in a featured role in The Man of the Hour, starring Robert Warwick. During the remaining years of silent pictures, he appeared in almost 50 films, many of them in starring roles. His first starring role was in 1915's The Cub, directed by Maurice Tourneur Some of his more notable films included Little Johnny Jones, the first film version of the George M. Cohan musical of the same name, in which he had the title role, and the film version of Leo Tolstoy's Zhivoy trup, entitled The Weakness of Man.
During the silent era, Hines also co-directed two of the films in which he starred: Burn 'Em Up Barnes in 1921 and 1923's Little Johnny Jones. Hines wrote the script for 1924's Conductor 1492, in which he also starred, and his brother, Charles, directed.
With the advent of sound in the motion picture industry, Hines career went into decline. During the 1930s, he appeared in only six films, all in smaller, supporting roles. In 1938 he played his last significant film role, that of Parsons in Too Hot to Handle, which starred Clark Gable, Myrna Loy and Walter Pidgeon. He appeared in only one more film, 1946's Magnificent Doll, starring Ginger Rogers and David Niven, in which he played a bit part.
Hines died on October 24, 1970 at the age of 75 in Los Angeles, California. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery.

Filmography