Volume III: Biographies

ADOLPHI, John G. * .

Actor, director (1912-1914)

Thanhouser Career Synopsis: John G. Adolphi (also spelled Adolfi, particularly after about 1915) appeared in a few Thanhouser films circa early 1913. He also directed the film, McCarn Plays Fate, which was made by Reliance, for whom he worked, but which was released by Thanhouser. Although Adolphi worked from time to time at Thanhouser's New Rochelle studio, it is believed that most of his work was done under the Reliance trademark.

Biographical Notes: John G. Adolphi was born in New York City on February 19, 1888 (one account says 1885). He was educated in public schools in New York City and Philadelphia. He followed a stage career from the age of 19, and worked with Louis Mann, Clara Lipman, Julia Marlowe, Ethel Barrymore, Dustin Farnum, and others.

Adolphi entered films by 1908, and by early 1909 was seen as an actor in the Vitagraph releases of The Spy and Napoleon, the Man of Destiny. After spending about three years with Vitagraph, he moved to the Edison studio. By 1912 he was directing films. An article in The Photoplay Magazine, February 1915, stated that he had done his first directing work for P.A. Powers, where he was employed for six months.

He was an important director for Majestic and Reliance, which, like Thanhouser, were part of the Mutual Film Corporation's group of companies. In one instance, as noted, a film which he directed for Reliance was released under the Thanhouser label. His name was associated with many Reliance productions. His dozens of credits for Mutual included such films as Through the Dark, A Blotted Page, Broken-Nosed Bailey, Blue Pete's Escape, A Woman Scorned, A Diamond in the Rough, and The Horse Wranglers.

He was mentioned frequently in the press, circa 1913-1914, as a Thanhouser director. More likely, a newspaper or trade periodical representative who visited the New Rochelle studios and who was introduced to "Director Adolphi" did not discern the distinction that while Adolphi was using Thanhouser facilities, he was directing films to be released by another company. In late 1912 and early 1913 he acted in several Thanhouser films, including When Dreams Come True (released February 28, 1913). A full-page gallery of photographs titled "The Popular Thanhouser Players," in The Stage Pictorial, July 1913, included Adolphi's picture among other Thanhouserites.

An article in Reel Life, July 4, 1914, told of his abilities: "John Adolphi, through close study, hard work, ample experience and the dramatic gift born in him has become one of the leading directors with the Mutual. He is the able producer of many Reliance dramas, and is a master of both the artistic and technical sides of picture making.... Mr. Adolphi operates a motion picture camera with the skill of a professional. He can develop, print and cut film. In the art of whipping a raw company into shape so as to get the best possible results, with the exception of D.W. Griffith [who was with Mutual at the time; hence the accolade], he is almost without peer."

In 1915 Adolphi was a director for Universal, where his credits included The Sphinx, The Man Inside, and The Path of Happiness. In 1916 he was with Fox. The Motion Picture News Studio Directory, 1916 edition, reported that he maintained memberships in the Screen Club and the Friars Club in New York City and the Photoplay Authors' League and Photoplayers Club in Los Angeles. A biographical article appeared in The Moving Picture World, July 15, 1916. John Adolphi was 5'9" tall, weighed 175 pounds, and had blue eyes. In 1916 his home address was the Iroquois Hotel, New York City, and his studio address was Fox, 130 West 46th Street, New York City.

By December 1917 he had been with the Fox Film Corporation for about two years and had directed many films, including the following in which June Caprice was starred: Caprice of the Mountains, Little Miss Happiness, The Ragged Princess, The Mischief Maker, A Modern Cinderella, A Child of the Wild, A Small Town Girl, and Patsy. Other Fox credits included Merely Mary Ann, Thelma, The Road to Nowhere, and Queen of the Sea, the latter starring swimming star Annette Kellermann. In addition to directing, Adolphi often wrote his own scripts. During the 1920s he directed many features and was a prominent personality in the industry. His all-star musical for Warner Bros. in 1929, The Show of Shows, was particularly memorable.

John G. Adolphi died of a stroke in Canoe River, 102 miles north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada, on May 11, 1933. At the time he was hunting grizzly bears with a group of film men, including Darryl Zanuck. He was survived by his wife.

Note: As earlier stated, John Adolphi's surname appeared in this form in most of his Mutual publicity, but in later publicity and directory listings it was nearly always spelled as Adolfi.

Thanhouser Filmography:

1913: When Dreams Come True (2-28-1913)

1914: McCarn Plays Fate (Reliance film released by Thanhouser 8-18-1914)

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