George Fawcett, a renowned stage thespian, was a grand and stoic presence on the silent screen, rivaling the eloquence of Lionel and John Barrymore during his heyday.
Born on August 25, 1860, in Alexandria, Virginia, Fawcett graduated from the University of Virginia and began his acting career in 1887 with a production of "Baron Rudolph". He married actress Percy Haswell in 1895 and managed her stock company, later renamed the George Fawcett Stock Company, which staged shows until 1908.
Fawcett became a prominent fixture on Broadway, appearing in classic plays such as "The Little Minister", "Peter Stuyvesant", "Caleb West", "Ghosts", "The Squaw Man", "The Silver Girl", "The Great John Ganton", "Getting a Polish", "A Gentleman of Leisure", "The Law of the Land", "The Mountain Man", "Peacock", and many others.
Despite starting his film career at the age of 55, Fawcett quickly became a favorite of D.W. Griffith, starring in silent masterpieces such as "Intolerance", "A Romance of Happy Valley", "True Heart Susie", "Scarlet Days", "The Greatest Question", and "Lady of the Pavements". He appeared in over 100 films within a 15-year span, often playing authoritative roles with great effect.
Fawcett's filmography includes "The Cinderella Man", "The Beloved Traitor", "Turning the Tables", "Sentimental Tommy", "Polly of the Follies", "Java Head", "Pied Piper Malone", "Tess of the D'Urbervilles", "The Price of Pleasure", "The Merry Widow", "The Son of the Sheik", "Flesh and the Devil", "Tillie the Toiler", and "The Private Life of Helen of Troy".
He transitioned to talking pictures with ease and appeared in several films before retiring a few years into the era. His final film was "Personal Maid" in 1931, in which he starred alongside Nancy Carroll.
George Fawcett's wife, Percy Haswell, often billed herself as "Mrs. George Fawcett" and appeared with him in several Broadway plays, including "Peter Stuyvesant" and "Peacock", which he produced in 1932. Fawcett passed away on June 6, 1939, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, due to heart problems, at the age of 78.
