Joseph Henry Kolker (November 13, 1874 – July 15, 1947) was an American stage and film actor and director.

Early years

Kolker was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1874. ([Some sources say 1870.) He came to America at age five and was educated by Franciscan Monks at Quincy, Illinois.

Career

Kolker had a substantial stage career before entering silent films. He began acting professionally in stock theater in 1895. On stage he appeared opposite actresses such as Edith Wynne Matthison, Bertha Kalich and Ruth Chatterton. Kolker began acting in films in 1915. He is best remembered for his movie roles, including one in the ground-breaking Pre-Code film Baby Face (1933) as an elderly CEO. Another well-remembered part is as Mr. Seton, father of Katharine Hepburn and Lew Ayres in the 1938 film Holiday directed by George Cukor. Kolker also directed. His best-known effort is Disraeli (1921), starring George Arliss, which is now a lost film with only one reel remaining, and not to be confused with a later sound era portrayal by Arliss of the same name.

Personal life

Kolker was married to Lillian Carroll; they divorced in 1926. Soon after the divorce, he married Margaret Bruen. Kolker died on July 15, 1947, aged 72.

Selected filmography

As actor

As director

Kolker directed 18 feature films, most of them lost.

As writer