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Josef Swickard
Josef Swickard
Josef Swickard
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Josef Swickard (June 26, 1866 – March 1, 1940) was a Prussian-born American stage and screen character actor, who had toured with stock companies in Europe, South Africa, and South America.[1]

Key Information

Career

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Swickard emigrated to the United States from the German Empire in 1882. He was a stage actor for several years before entering films with D.W. Griffith in 1912 and by 1914 was playing supporting roles for Mack Sennett. He appeared in Charles Chaplin's Laughing Gas and Caught in a Cabaret. He remained with Sennett until 1917, when he settled into his prolific career of playing mostly aristocratic characters.

Modern audiences are perhaps most familiar with his role of Marcelo Desnoyers, the well-intentioned but impractical French upper class father in Rex Ingram's 1921 film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. His career in sound films was somewhat limited and he played in low-budget and action serial type films. He played the villainous Prime Minister Kruel in the 1925 film version of The Wizard of Oz.

Swickard as Marcelo Desnoyers in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)

Family life and death

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Born in the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866 to Peter Schwecherath and Geniveve Steffens,[2] Swickard was the brother of actor Charles Swickard. After arriving in the United States in November 1882,[2] Schwecherath changed his name to Swickard and married a Scottish woman named Queeny in 1896.[2] In 1902, Swickard applied for citizenship in the Eastern District of New York under the name Joseph P. Schwickerath.[2] Records also show Swickard submitted a petition for naturalization in Los Angeles, California in February 1936 under the name of Peter Joseph Schwickerath.[2] Sometime around 1928 Swickard married Broadway actress Margaret Campbell.[2] The union was short-lived and the couple divorced on January 15, 1929.[3] Swickard's last known residence was the Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles where he lived after his divorce from Campbell.[2]

Tragedy befell his ex-wife on June 27, 1939 when she was brutally murdered. Her son, Campbell McDonald, was the initial suspect.[4] He was also suspected of having bludgeoned to death a Russian dancer, Anya Sosoyeva, as well as having assaulted the young actress Delia Bogard, who survived. LA police eventually arrested DeWitt Clinton Cook, who confessed and was sent to San Quentin, where he died in the gas chamber in 1941.

Nearly seven months to-the-day after his ex-wife's murder, Swickard died on February 29, 1940. He was 73.

Despite rumors that Swickard committed suicide by jumping from the Hollywood sign, his death was from natural causes.[5] Swickard was buried under a simple headstone at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1913 Cupid in a Dental Parlor Ethel's Father Short
1914 Twenty Minutes of Love Pickpocket's Victim Short
Caught in a Cabaret Mabel's Father Short, Uncredited
A Rowboat Romance Short
Laughing Gas Patient Short
The Property Man Old Stagehand Short, Uncredited
The Face on the Bar Room Floor Drinker Short, Uncredited
Lover's Luck The Girl's Father Short
Hello, Mabel Man in Lobby Short, Uncredited
Tillie's Punctured Romance Cinema spectator Uncredited
Fatty and Minnie He-Haw Minta's father Short
1915 Mabel and Fatty's Simple Life Mabel's father Short
Mabel, Fatty and the Law Desk Sergeant Short
Mabel and Fatty's Married Life Minor Role Short, Uncredited
Hogan's Romance Upset The Rival Uncredited
Love, Loot and Crash Mary's Father, a Banker Short
1916 A Social Cub The Knight of Old Short
Haystacks and Steeples The Minister Short
1917 A Tale of Two Cities Dr. Alexandre Manette
American Methods Baron de Prefont
The Book Agent Dr. Newdope
To Honor and Obey James Hollis
The Soul of Satan Chicago Stone
Because of a Woman Col. Gwynne
His Mother's Boy Tom Glenny
1918 Keys of the Righteous Paul Manning
Treasure of the Sea Thomas Elkins
The White Man's Law Suliman Ghengis
When a Woman Sins Mortimer West
The Light of Western Stars Padre Marcos
1919 A Trick of Fate Raoul Garson
The Lady of Red Butte Delicate Hanson
Pretty Smooth Judge
Snares of Paris De Brionne
A Girl in Bohemia Professor Bryce
A Woman of Pleasure Rev. Mr. Goddard
The Last of His People Baron Bonart
1920 The Beggar Prince Nodo
The Third Generation Colonel Alden Van Dusen
Blind Youth Pierre Monnier
Moon Madness Latour
Trumpet Island Jacques de Merincourt
1921 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Marcelo Desnoyers
Sowing the Wind Petworth
Beach of Dreams Monsieur de Brie
Who Am I? Jacques Marbot
Serenade Domingo Maticas
Opened Shutters Sam Lacey
No Woman Knows The Great Schabelitz
Cheated Hearts Colonel Fairfax Gordon
1922 Across the Dead-Line Abel
Oh, Mabel Behave Townsman Uncredited
The Golden Gift Leonati
The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe Serial
The Storm Jacques Fachard
Another Man's Shoes Gouret
The Young Rajah Narada – the Mystic
Pawned Paul Veniza
My American Wife Don Fernando DeContas
1923 Mr. Billings Spends His Dime Estaban Juárez
Bavu Prince Markoff
Daughters of the Rich Maud's Father
The Cricket on the Hearth Caleb Plummer
Mothers-in-Law Newton Wingate
Forgive and Forget John Standing
The Age of Desire Marcio
The Eternal Struggle Pierre Grange
A Prince of a King Urbano
Maytime Colonel Van Zandt
1924 The Shadow of the Desert John Locke
North of Nevada Mark Ridgeway
Poisoned Paradise: The Forbidden Story of Monte Carlo Professor Durand
Pal o' Mine Verdugo Montford
A Boy of Flanders Jan Van Dullan
Men Cleo's Father
Untamed Youth Pietro
Defying the Law Michelo Brescia
Dante's Inferno The Victim – Eugene Craig
1925 Easy Money
The Sign of the Cactus Old Man Hayes
Wizard of Oz Prime Minister Kruel
The Verdict Pierre Ronsard
She Wolves De Goncourt
Fifth Avenue Models Josef Ludant
Playing with Souls Monsieur Jomier
The Mysterious Stranger Raoul Lesage
The Three Way Trail
Off the Highway Master
The Keeper of the Bees Bee master
Northern Code Père Le Blanc
1926 Stop, Look and Listen Old Actor
Three Pals Col. Girard
The Night Watch John Pendleton
Desert Gold Sebastian Castaneda
Whispering Canyon Eben Beauregard
Senor Daredevil Juan Estrada
Don Juan Duke Della Varnese
Officer Jim The President of the Bank
The High Flyer
Kentucky Handicap
Devil's Dice Judge Casper Paine
The Unknown Cavalier Lingo
The Border Whirlwind Señor Jose Cordova
1927 Hotel Imperial Austrian General Uncredited
One Increasing Purpose Old Gand
The Golden Stallion John Forsythe
The King of Kings Uncredited
False Morals
Senorita Don Francisco Hernandez
Time to Love Elvire's father
Old San Francisco Don Hernandez de Vasquez
Get Your Man Duke of Albin
Compassion Judge Henning
1928 Sharp Shooters Grandpère
Comrades John Burton
Turn Back the Hours Colonel Torreon
Eagle of the Night
The Toy Shop The toymaker Short
Dreary House
1929 The Bachelor's Club
The Devil's Chaplain The King
The Eternal Woman Ovaldo
The Veiled Woman Col. De Selincourt
Frozen River Hazy
The Phantom of the North Colonel Rayburn
Street Corner Short
Times Square Professor Carrillo
Dark Skies Señor Moreno
1930 The Lone Defender Juan Valdez Serial, [Chs. 1–2]
Mamba Count von Linden Uncredited
Song of the Caballero Manuel
The Phantom of the Desert Col. Van Horn
1933 The Narrow Corner Dutch Constable Uncredited
Narcotic Federal Narcotics Agent
The Perils of Pauline Haggins, Foreign Consul Serial, [Ch. 9]
1934 Beloved Revolutionist
All Men Are Enemies Katha's Father Uncredited
Cross Streets Dean Todd
The Return of Chandu Tyba – The White Magician Serial, [Chs. 8–12]
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head French Citizen Uncredited
1935 A Notorious Gentleman Minor Role Uncredited
The Lost City Dr. Manyus
A Dog of Flanders Monsieur de LaTour (replaced by Henry Kolker) (scenes deleted)
Love Me Forever Bonini Uncredited
The Crusades Buyer Uncredited
1936 Custer's Last Stand Major Henry Trent MD Serial
The Millionaire Kid The Tutor
Caryl of the Mountains Jean Foray
Lash of the Penitentes Dr. Andrew Robert Taylor
The Black Coin Don Pedro Navarro Serial, [Chs. 2–4, 13–15]
Under Your Spell Amigo Uncredited
The Boss Rider of Gun Creek Lafe Turner
1937 Sandflow Banker Porter
Fit for a King Sanitarium Director Uncredited
The Sheik Steps Out Mohammedan Priest Uncredited
The Girl Said No Jonesy
Zorro Rides Again Dam Watchman Serial, [Ch. 8], Uncredited
1938 The Secret of Treasure Island Passenger Ship Doctor Chapter 1, Uncredited
You Can't Take It with You Professor
Say It in French Old Man Uncredited
1939 Mexicali Rose Gonzales Uncredited
Dick Tracy's G-Men Presidente Huenemo Mendoza Serial, Chapter 3, Uncredited
$1,000 a Touchdown Hamilton McGlen Sr. Uncredited
The Pal from Texas Texas Malden
The Great Victor Herbert Newspaper Reporter Uncredited
The Mad Empress Mexican Statesman with Father Fisher Uncredited, (final film role)

See also

[edit]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Josef Swickard

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''Josef Swickard'' is a Prussian-born American stage and screen character actor known for his prolific career spanning the silent and early sound eras of Hollywood, with hundreds of supporting roles in comedies, dramas, and serials. A veteran of international stock theater companies, Swickard entered films in 1912 and gained steady work at Mack Sennett's Keystone studio from 1914 to 1917, where he frequently played aristocratic or pompous authority figures in slapstick shorts alongside Charlie Chaplin, Roscoe Arbuckle, Mabel Normand, and others. After leaving Sennett, he shifted toward dramatic features, earning particular recognition as Marcelo Desnoyers, the father of Rudolph Valentino's lead character, in the 1921 epic ''The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse''. His filmography includes appearances in major productions such as ''King of Kings'' (1927) and ''You Can't Take It with You'' (1938), though his sound-era work often consisted of smaller parts in low-budget films and action serials. Born on June 26, 1866, in Germany, Swickard was the brother of actor and director Charles Swickard and was formerly married to Broadway actress Margaret Campbell. His personal life was marked by tragedy when his ex-wife Margaret Campbell was murdered by her son in 1939. Swickard died from natural causes on February 29, 1940, in Hollywood, California, at the age of 73.

Early life

Origins and emigration

Josef Swickard was born Peter Josef Schwickerath on June 26, 1866, in Alf, Kingdom of Prussia, near Koblenz in what is now Germany. He was the son of Peter Schwecherath and Geniveve Steffens. Swickard emigrated from the German Empire to the United States in November 1882 at the age of 16. He later petitioned for naturalization in the Eastern District of New York in 1902 under the name Joseph P. Schwickerath and submitted another petition in Los Angeles in February 1936 as Peter Joseph Schwickerath. These efforts reflect his Prussian origins and path toward American citizenship following his relocation.

Stage career

Pre-film acting experience

Josef Swickard established himself as a seasoned stage actor through many years of work in dramatic stock companies, including extensive tours. He traveled the globe with stock companies for decades prior to entering motion pictures in 1912, which built his reputation as a reliable character performer. This pre-film experience on stage prepared him for the supporting roles he later played in films.

Film career

Entry into films and early roles (1912–1917)

Josef Swickard entered the motion picture industry in 1912, beginning his screen career in early silent short films. His prior experience on the stage facilitated this transition to film acting, allowing him to adapt his character work to the new medium. By 1914, Swickard had joined Mack Sennett's Keystone Film Company, where he appeared in supporting roles in numerous comedy shorts through 1917. This period marked his establishment as a reliable character actor in slapstick productions, often cast in brief but memorable parts that complemented the chaotic humor of Sennett's ensemble. During his time with Sennett, Swickard appeared in several early comedies starring Charlie Chaplin. In the 1914 short Laughing Gas, he played a patient in a dentist's office scene. He portrayed Mabel Normand's father in Caught in a Cabaret (1914). Additionally, he appeared as an uncredited spectator in the feature-length Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914). These roles highlighted his ability to contribute effectively to the frenetic pacing of early Hollywood comedies without overshadowing the leads.

Peak silent era roles (1918–1929)

During the late 1910s and throughout the 1920s, Josef Swickard increasingly specialized in aristocratic and upper-class roles, portraying dignified patriarchs, officials, and antagonists in major silent films. This shift from his earlier comedic work allowed him to contribute memorable supporting performances in high-profile productions, often as authoritative figures with a noble bearing. One of his most prominent roles came as Marcelo Desnoyers in Rex Ingram's epic The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), where he played the father of Rudolph Valentino's protagonist in this influential anti-war drama. Swickard reunited with Valentino in The Young Rajah (1922), appearing as Narada the Mystic, a high priest character. In 1925, he portrayed the villainous Prime Minister Kruel in the silent adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, depicting an evil despot who had overthrown the rightful prince and ruled over the objections of the subjects in Oz. He later appeared as Don Hernandez de Vasquez in Old San Francisco (1927), a proud patrician grandfather desperately seeking to preserve his family's land and legacy amid financial crisis. Swickard also had an uncredited part in Cecil B. DeMille's The King of Kings (1927), further contributing to notable biblical epics of the era. These roles exemplified his versatility within the silent cinema's character actor tradition, particularly in portraying figures of authority and breeding.

Sound era and serials (1930–1939)

With the arrival of sound films around 1930, Josef Swickard's career transitioned to more limited opportunities, primarily consisting of supporting roles in low-budget productions and action serials. His appearances during this decade were often minor or uncredited, marking a decline in prominence and billing compared to his earlier silent era work where he had frequently played aristocratic characters. Swickard featured in numerous serials throughout the 1930s. He portrayed Juan Valdez in The Lone Defender (1930), Haggins the Foreign Consul in Perils of Pauline (1933), Tyba the White Magician in The Return of Chandu (1934), Major Henry Trent MD in Custer's Last Stand (1936), Don Pedro Navarro in The Black Coin (1936), a dam watchman in Zorro Rides Again (1937), and Presidente Huenemo Mendoza in Dick Tracy's G-Men (1939). In The Return of Chandu, his performance as Tyba was noted for being both venerable and energetic as a Lemurian priest of white magic who assists the hero. Later in the decade, Swickard had a credited role as the Professor in Frank Capra's You Can't Take It with You (1938). His final screen appearance was an uncredited part as a Mexican statesman in The Mad Empress (1939).

Personal life

Marriages and family

Josef Swickard married a Scottish woman named Queeny in 1896. This marriage ended prior to his later union. He subsequently married actress Margaret Campbell around 1928. The couple divorced on January 15, 1929. Swickard's ex-wife Margaret Campbell was murdered on June 27, 1939, by her son DeWitt Clinton Cook. Cook confessed to the crime and was executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin in 1941. He was the brother of actor and director Charles Swickard.

Death

Final years and passing

Swickard spent his final years residing at the Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles following his 1929 divorce from Margaret Campbell. His screen roles had become infrequent by the 1930s as he transitioned to supporting parts in serials and features. He died of natural causes on February 29, 1940, at age 73 in Hollywood, California. He was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery under a simple headstone.
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