Harry B. Harris

The October 1916 edition of The Motion Picture News Studio Directory noted that by that date Harry B. Harris had spent nine years as a motion picture cameraman, including four years with Edison and one year with D.W. Griffith. He also worked with Rex (where he was head cameraman), Sturgeon’s features, Universal, and the New York Motion Picture Company. His credits included Outcast, Her Shattered Idol, Capt. Macklin, Under Sea, Village ‘Neath the Seas, and He Got Himself a Wife. The 1918 and 1919 versions of the same directory added Metro (Vanity), Vitagraph (Through the Wall), Peerless-World (Maternity and To the Death), and Petrova Pictures to his listing, and noted that his address at the time was 796 East 176th Street, New York City.

None of these listings mentioned his work with Thanhouser, although he was with Thanhouser’s New Rochelle studio from at least December 1916 through early 1917. The Motion Picture Studio Directory, 1923-1924, lists him under the “directors and executives” category and in a biographical sketch seemingly unrelated to the preceding, states that he was born in Cork, Ireland, was educated at the State Normal School in Wisconsin, spent 10 years on stage as an actor with Klaw & Erlanger, the Shuberts, Belasco, Frohman, and Brady, after which he went into films with Universal (Risky Business; Rich Girl, Poor Girl; Desperate Youth; The Man Tamer; The Trouper).