14 Facts About Ralph Ince

Ralph Waldo Ince was an American pioneer film actor, director and screenwriter whose career began near the dawn of the silent film era.

Ralph Ince was the brother of John E Ince and Thomas H Ince.

Ralph Ince was born on January 16,1887, in Boston, the youngest of three sons and a daughter raised by English immigrants, John and Emma Ince.

Sometime after his birth Ince moved to Manhattan where his entire family was engaged in theater work; his father as a musical agent and mother, sister Bertha and brothers, John and Thomas as actors.

Ralph Ince studied art with cartoonist Dan McCarthy and for a while worked as a newspaper cartoonist for the New York World and later magazine illustrator for the New York Mirror and The Evening Telegram.

At times over his acting and directing career Ralph Ince would continue to contribute cartoons to popular magazines of the day.

Early on in his career Ralph Ince, who had done some stage acting as a child, was a member of Richard Mansfield's stock company playing parts in The College Widow and Ben Hur.

Around 1906, Ralph Ince became an animator in the fledgling film industry working for Winsor McCay, but soon turned to acting and joined Vitagraph Studios where he became known for his portrayals of Abraham Lincoln in a series of one reel films.

Ralph Ince began directing at Vitagraph around 1910 and was officially advanced to the director's chair in 1912, though he still continued to act in many of his films and throughout his career.

Ralph Ince would go on to direct some 171 films between 1910 and 1937 and appear in approximately 110 films over nearly the same time period.

Ralph Ince became a member of The Lambs Club in 1916, and his brother John joined in 1919.

Ralph Ince married three times, first to Vitagraph player Lucille Lee Stewart, sister of actress Anita Stewart.

Ralph Ince was the mother of his only child, born just months before Ince's death at age fifty.

Ralph Ince died in London, on April 10,1937, aged 50, when a car his wife was driving struck an iron standard near their residence in the Kensington district of London, England.