George Berrell, a renowned American actor, was born on December 16, 1849, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and passed away on April 20, 1933, in Los Angeles, California. His illustrious career spanned over seven decades, from 1850 to 1927, during which he appeared in numerous stage plays and 55 films.
Born into a theatrical family, Berrell's early life was marked by his appearances on stage, starting as an infant at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia in 1850. As a child, he helped support his widowed mother, an actress, by carrying costumes for actors in various companies. He even carried costumes for John Wilkes Booth, with whom he later shared affectionate memories in his unpublished autobiography, "Theatrical and Other Reminiscences."
Berrell's formative years were spent roaming the country, often on foot, with the goal of "growing up with the country." He was offered a job teaching school on Keg Island, a Missouri River mud flat island, by Turner Tinnell, and spent a year there, educating the children of Confederate fugitives and former members of Quantrill's Raiders.
After his time on Keg Island, Berrell returned to Philadelphia, where his mother nursed him back to health after he fell ill. He later explored the frontier, living in Laramie, Wyoming, where he was involved in the arrest of a corrupt city policeman named Louis Roudepouch.
Berrell spent several years traveling the country, working odd jobs in lumber camps, on the railroad, in drug stores, and post offices. He eventually returned to the theater, staying there until around 1915, when he retired and began working in silent pictures. He appeared in John Ford's first full-length film, "Straight Shooting," in 1917.
Berrell's life was marked by numerous adventures, including his tempestuous relationship with John Wilkes Booth, his lifelong friendship with actress Catherine Terrell, and his pursuit by Miranda Ives, the daughter of a serpent-handling preacher. His story is set to be immortalized in the novel "Shadows and Acts," based in part on his unpublished autobiography, which is due to be published in 2011.
