17 Facts About Herbert Brenon

Herbert Brenon was among the first directors to achieve celebrity status among moviegoers for his often spectacular cinematic inventions.

Herbert Brenon was born at 25 Crosthwaite Park, in Kingstown, Dublin to Edward St John Herbert Brenon, a journalist, poet, and politician and his wife, Frances.

In 1882, the family moved to London, where Herbert Brenon was educated at St Paul's School and at King's College London.

In 1896, at age 16, Herbert Brenon emigrated to the United States and became a naturalized US citizen in 1918.

Herbert Brenon married Helen Violette Oberg on 18 February 1904 while they were both working vaudeville circuits.

Herbert Brenon acted in many of the films he directed for IMP, including the studio's first three-reel production Leah the Forsaken, starring Leah Baird.

Herbert Brenon took his IMP production unit to Europe in 1913, and made a number of films in England, France and Germany.

Herbert Brenon left IMP In 1914 to create his own short-lived production company, Tiffany Film Corporation.

That, and Herbert Brenon's emerging celebrity status among movie critics led Fox to seize the footage and edit it himself, excising Herbert Brenon from the screen credits.

Herbert Brenon ordered Brenon's name from the credits of the film, and had the film re-edited by Hettie Gray Baker.

Herbert Brenon left the Fox organization after unsuccessfully contesting in court that Fox had no right to tamper with his picture.

Herbert Brenon reached the apogee of his creative powers while at Paramount during the late silent period, emerging as "a craftsman of the highest order" and for his renowned cinematic style.

Herbert Brenon noted a demonstration of the hostility to the domineering director when a sandbag dropped from the rafters by technicians, nearly hit Brenon.

Herbert Brenon's career revived when he moved to England in the mid-1930s and made a number of pictures at various studios.

Herbert Brenon completed his last film, The Flying Squad in 1940.

Herbert Brenon died in Los Angeles on 21 June 1958, aged 78.

Herbert Brenon was interred in a private mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.