Next person biography:
Robert (Bobby) Harron, a renowned screen actor, was born in New York City to an impoverished Irish-American family. He was one of nine children, and his early life was marked by financial struggles. To contribute to the family income, Bobby began working at the tender age of 13 as a messenger boy at the American Biograph Studio on East 14th Street. He was soon given small film roles, which caught the attention of the legendary director D.W. Griffith.
Griffith, impressed by Bobby's sensitivity and photogenic looks, gave him leading roles in many of his classic silent films. Bobby typically played characters much younger and more naive than his real-life persona. He co-starred with renowned female actors, including Mae Marsh and Lillian Gish, in films such as The Birth of a Nation (1915),Intolerance (1916),An Old Fashioned Young Man (1917),Hearts of the World (1918),A Romance of Happy Valley (1919),and True Heart Susie (1919).
Bobby's success led him to contemplate leaving Griffith's fold and forming his own company in 1920. However, his life was tragically cut short when he died from a self-inflicted bullet wound to the left lung in September of that year. The exact circumstances of his death remain a mystery, with some speculating that he was devastated after being passed over for the lead role in Way Down East (1920) in favor of Richard Barthelmess.
Bobby's untimely demise was a shock to the film industry, and his legacy was largely forgotten over time. However, he left behind a lasting impact on the world of cinema, and his contributions to the silent film era continue to be celebrated today.
